1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 WELD COUNTY, COLORADO Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 2 959 2 909 Land in farms ..................acres.. 1 913 603 2 086 292 Average size of farm .......acres.. 647 717 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 566 604 469 759 Average per acre .........dollars.. 807 661 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 94 550 83 211 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 275 296 10 to 49 acres ...................... 571 478 50 to 179 acres ..................... 816 789 180 to 499 acres .................... 568 641 500 to 999 acres .................... 291 294 1,000 acres or more ................. 438 411 Total cropland .................farms.. 2 385 2 356 acres.. 882 260 927 746 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 2 011 2 041 acres.. 547 532 558 312 Irrigated land .................farms.. 1 818 1 817 acres.. 393 030 407 293 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 1 286 636 1 180 067 Average per farm .........dollars.. 434 821 405 661 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 209 661 178 889 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 1 076 975 1 001 179 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 597 483 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 300 224 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 292 255 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 431 416 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 322 390 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 315 368 $100,000 or more .................... 702 773 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 1 002 474 1 054 982 Average per farm .........dollars.. 338 674 362 537 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 1 698 1 870 Other ............................... 1 261 1 039 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 568 1 342 200 days or more ................... 1 012 867 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 583 1 537 number.. 634 690 568 055 Beef cows ..................farms.. 1 093 975 number.. 62 408 59 478 Milk cows ..................farms.. 154 229 number.. 39 017 35 036 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 509 1 460 number.. 968 053 925 210 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 157 225 number.. 139 775 210 167 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 145 220 number.. 250 107 366 031 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 179 188 number.. 260 334 289 605 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 169 183 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 12 10 number.. 1 542 2 653 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 786 1 022 acres.. 118 327 143 961 bushels.. 17 788 545 21 132 146 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 430 452 acres.. 42 352 40 701 tons, green.. 947 941 909 813 Sorghum for grain or seed.....farms.. 16 18 acres.. 1 592 2 670 bushels.. 76 869 158 621 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 608 549 acres.. 156 909 159 269 bushels.. 5 002 663 4 382 063 Barley for grain..............farms.. 171 259 acres.. 10 870 19 570 bushels.. 819 067 1 317 605 Dry beans, excl. dry limas....farms.. 307 440 acres.. 21 772 30 270 cwt.. 435 640 621 562 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 1 506 1 434 acres.. 137 479 119 832 tons, dry.. 482 051 437 518 @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.