 Early in its history, Kentucky gained recognition for its excellent farming conditions.It was the site of the first commercial winery in the United States (started in present-day Jessamine County in 1799) and due to the high calcium content of the soil in the Bluegrass region quickly became a major horse breeding (and later racing) area.Today Kentucky ranks 5th nationally in goat farming, 8th in beef cattle production, and 14th in corn production.