1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 SHELBY COUNTY, ALABAMA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 435 426 Land in farms ..................acres.. 68 421 71 697 Average size of farm .......acres.. 157 168 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 448 919 372 297 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 594 1 937 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 34 398 27 971 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 21 13 10 to 49 acres ...................... 145 133 50 to 179 acres ..................... 166 182 180 to 499 acres .................... 72 62 500 to 999 acres .................... 24 28 1,000 acres or more ................. 7 8 Total cropland .................farms.. 342 333 acres.. 39 455 38 328 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 241 247 acres.. 15 757 18 416 Irrigated land .................farms.. 20 18 acres.. 1 267 (D) Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 11 216 12 526 Average per farm .........dollars.. 25 784 29 404 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 7 473 6 079 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 3 743 6 447 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 190 176 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 68 81 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 73 63 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 55 45 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 14 20 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 15 12 $100,000 or more .................... 20 29 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 9 325 10 374 Average per farm .........dollars.. 21 438 24 353 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 155 154 Other ............................... 280 272 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 281 252 200 days or more ................... 210 196 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 261 270 number.. 12 718 13 627 Beef cows ..................farms.. 234 244 number.. 7 074 6 356 Milk cows ..................farms.. 6 11 number.. 558 1 521 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 251 253 number.. 6 444 6 488 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 6 5 number.. 48 (D) Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 2 7 number.. (D) (D) Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 8 7 number.. 45 157 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 10 20 number.. 180 576 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 12 19 acres.. 344 346 bushels.. 25 360 22 474 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 0 1 acres.. 0 (D) bushels.. 0 (D) Cotton .......................farms.. 24 27 acres.. 4 313 5 749 bales.. 6 111 8 016 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 4 3 acres.. 340 210 bushels.. 4 465 3 600 Peanuts for nuts .............farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 pounds.. 0 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 189 190 acres.. 8 645 9 540 tons, dry.. 16 997 18 948 @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.