1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 UNITED STATES Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 911 859 1 925 300 Land in farms ..................acres.. 931 795 255 945 531 506 Average size of farm .......acres.. 487 491 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 449 748 357 056 Average per acre .........dollars.. 933 727 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 57 678 48 605 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 153 515 166 496 10 to 49 acres ...................... 410 833 387 711 50 to 179 acres ..................... 592 972 584 146 180 to 499 acres .................... 402 769 427 648 500 to 999 acres .................... 175 690 186 387 1,000 acres or more ................. 176 080 172 912 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 661 395 1 697 137 acres.. 431 144 896 435 365 878 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 410 606 1 491 786 acres.. 309 395 475 295 936 976 Irrigated land .................farms.. 279 442 279 357 acres.. 55 058 128 49 404 030 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 196 864 649 162 608 334 Average per farm .........dollars.. 102 970 84 459 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 98 055 656 75 228 256 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 98 808 993 87 380 078 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 496 514 422 767 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 228 477 231 867 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 237 975 251 883 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 274 040 301 804 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 170 705 195 354 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 158 160 187 760 $100,000 or more .................... 345 988 333 865 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 150 590 993 130 779 261 Average per farm .........dollars.. 78 771 67 928 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 961 560 1 053 150 Other ............................... 950 299 872 150 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 042 158 992 773 200 days or more ................... 709 279 665 570 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 046 863 1 074 349 number.. 98 989 244 96 135 825 Beef cows ..................farms.. 804 595 803 241 number.. 34 066 615 32 545 976 Milk cows ..................farms.. 116 874 155 339 number.. 9 095 439 9 491 818 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 011 809 1 034 189 number.. 74 089 046 70 562 908 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 109 754 191 347 number.. 61 206 236 57 563 118 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 102 106 188 167 number.. 142 611 882 111 326 807 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 65 790 80 839 number.. 7 821 885 10 770 391 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 72 616 88 235 number.. 366 989 851 351 310 317 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 23 937 23 949 number.. 6 741 927 110 5 428 589 485 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 430 711 503 935 acres.. 69 796 716 69 339 869 bushels.. 8 578 634 770 8 697 362 804 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 243 568 292 464 acres.. 58 836 344 59 089 470 bushels.. 2 204 026 684 2 206 729 476 Cotton .......................farms.. 31 493 34 812 acres.. 13 235 236 10 961 720 bales.. 17 878 743 15 370 310 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 354 692 381 000 acres.. 66 147 726 56 351 304 bushels.. 2 504 307 294 2 053 163 265 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 888 597 905 296 acres.. 60 799 788 56 596 466 tons, dry.. 139 365 313 126 981 302 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 53 727 61 969 acres.. 3 773 219 3 782 358 Land in orchards..............farms.. 106 069 116 207 acres.. 5 158 064 4 770 778 @1Data are based on a sample of farms. Legend: - Represents zero (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms (X) Not applicable (Z) Less than half the unit shown (NA) Not available Source: 1997 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1 Geographic Area Series, "Table 1. County Summary Highlights: 1997." This electronic series presents summary statistics for each county and State together with comparable data from the 1992 census. The items included are the same for all States and counties, except selected crops harvested, which vary by State. Data for 1997 and 1992 are directly comparable for acreage and inventories. Dollar values have not been adjusted for changes in price levels. You can obtain the Volume 1 Geographic Area Series from the National Technical Information Service. If you have any questions concerning the data in this report or need additional information or order forms for agriculture publications, please call the National Agricultural Statistics Service at 1-800-523-3215 or 1-800-727-9540.