1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 ALABAMA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 41 384 37 905 Land in farms ..................acres.. 8 704 385 8 450 823 Average size of farm .......acres.. 210 223 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 298 244 220 265 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 442 1 000 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 35 914 30 354 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 2 141 1 902 10 to 49 acres ...................... 11 854 10 165 50 to 179 acres ..................... 16 015 14 929 180 to 499 acres .................... 7 561 7 162 500 to 999 acres .................... 2 277 2 244 1,000 acres or more ................. 1 536 1 503 Total cropland .................farms.. 34 407 32 327 acres.. 4 197 670 4 237 057 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 24 819 24 780 acres.. 2 077 139 2 104 064 Irrigated land .................farms.. 1 301 1 380 acres.. 76 871 82 015 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 3 098 989 2 369 179 Average per farm .........dollars.. 74 884 62 503 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 632 978 649 110 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 2 466 010 1 720 070 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 15 286 11 663 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 6 940 6 506 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 6 279 5 936 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 4 985 5 076 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 1 842 2 178 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 1 358 1 661 $100,000 or more .................... 4 694 4 885 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 2 509 917 1 930 063 Average per farm .........dollars.. 60 661 50 912 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 15 568 15 712 Other ............................... 25 816 22 193 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 25 259 21 921 200 days or more ................... 18 677 16 343 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 28 450 26 360 number.. 1 530 566 1 453 137 Beef cows ..................farms.. 25 384 23 925 number.. 832 298 771 151 Milk cows ..................farms.. 608 995 number.. 27 848 45 454 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 27 705 25 532 number.. 767 806 676 215 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 932 1 880 number.. 183 811 307 672 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 750 1 715 number.. 380 853 571 680 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 294 320 number.. 8 173 11 016 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 1 250 1 643 number.. 13 432 845 14 493 030 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 2 477 2 460 number.. 871 123 702 737 608 903 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 3 687 5 305 acres.. 230 484 281 053 bushels.. 19 735 218 24 941 228 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 732 870 acres.. 82 440 86 071 bushels.. 3 326 421 3 461 454 Cotton .......................farms.. 1 470 1 469 acres.. 433 160 431 665 bales.. 523 864 601 506 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 1 889 2 065 acres.. 316 019 305 713 bushels.. 7 867 880 8 871 365 Peanuts for nuts .............farms.. 1 510 2 254 acres.. 181 393 237 516 pounds.. 356 492 286 586 013 571 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 19 085 17 480 acres.. 778 602 678 726 tons, dry.. 1 750 870 1 409 044 @1Data are based on a sample of farms. Legend: (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.