1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 DELAWARE Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 2 460 2 633 Land in farms ..................acres.. 579 545 589 189 Average size of farm .......acres.. 236 224 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 609 974 514 156 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 660 2 246 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 76 183 67 843 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 399 421 10 to 49 acres ...................... 772 797 50 to 179 acres ..................... 638 725 180 to 499 acres .................... 359 398 500 to 999 acres .................... 155 161 1,000 acres or more ................. 137 131 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 981 2 162 acres.. 486 981 495 156 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 810 1 956 acres.. 466 555 470 348 Irrigated land .................farms.. 415 352 acres.. 72 635 61 774 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 690 794 559 766 Average per farm .........dollars.. 280 811 212 596 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 174 845 142 963 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 515 949 416 802 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 375 392 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 173 213 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 195 252 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 262 301 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 200 202 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 177 182 $100,000 or more .................... 1 078 1 091 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 620 297 448 199 Average per farm .........dollars.. 252 358 170 613 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 1 497 1 578 Other ............................... 963 1 055 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 097 1 287 200 days or more ................... 744 849 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 434 411 number.. 27 968 28 838 Beef cows ..................farms.. 224 204 number.. 3 685 2 856 Milk cows ..................farms.. 132 137 number.. 9 241 8 659 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 370 337 number.. 18 179 22 655 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 132 205 number.. 33 355 58 913 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 115 195 number.. 60 245 118 100 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 50 72 number.. 1 167 1 856 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 87 117 number.. (D) 739 248 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 805 870 number.. 223 298 115 223 328 864 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 985 1 029 acres.. 157 011 154 240 bushels.. 15 670 883 18 142 044 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 652 599 acres.. 75 265 61 754 bushels.. 4 987 739 3 324 145 Barley for grain..............farms.. 242 323 acres.. 32 311 37 520 bushels.. 2 700 574 2 605 621 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 1 125 1 324 acres.. 222 785 231 872 bushels.. 6 560 094 6 948 357 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 467 428 acres.. 15 918 11 947 tons, dry.. 37 696 30 451 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 270 271 acres.. 45 491 42 380 @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.