1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 2 323 2 244 Land in farms ..................acres.. 296 543 293 745 Average size of farm .......acres.. 128 131 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 300 261 228 340 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 549 1 691 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 34 222 30 191 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 143 138 10 to 49 acres ...................... 884 791 50 to 179 acres ..................... 870 866 180 to 499 acres .................... 335 366 500 to 999 acres .................... 69 62 1,000 acres or more ................. 22 21 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 883 1 834 acres.. 168 089 170 860 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 471 1 385 acres.. 80 624 71 868 Irrigated land .................farms.. 39 52 acres.. 683 869 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 337 522 271 825 Average per farm .........dollars.. 145 296 121 134 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 4 567 4 180 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 332 955 267 645 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 601 526 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 400 318 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 359 381 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 288 294 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 110 144 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 89 106 $100,000 or more .................... 476 475 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 294 230 223 814 Average per farm .........dollars.. 126 659 99 739 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 1 061 1 086 Other ............................... 1 262 1 158 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 425 1 268 200 days or more ................... 1 088 964 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 830 1 790 number.. 105 787 101 258 Beef cows ..................farms.. 1 590 1 568 number.. 55 312 49 921 Milk cows ..................farms.. 83 132 number.. 4 401 6 178 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 790 1 749 number.. 50 710 50 465 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 71 91 number.. 66 502 59 224 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 47 74 number.. 159 850 141 200 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 40 41 number.. 596 774 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 144 153 number.. 1 708 686 1 867 117 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 329 303 number.. 113 132 954 93 596 018 Selected crops harvested: Sorghum for grain or seed.....farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bushels.. 0 0 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 15 16 acres.. 965 1 577 bushels.. 41 320 48 082 Rice..........................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 cwt.. 0 0 Cotton .......................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bales.. 0 0 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 13 21 acres.. 918 2 341 bushels.. 29 449 63 009 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 1 421 1 316 acres.. 74 670 64 979 tons, dry.. 163 040 128 707 @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.