1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 SUSSEX COUNTY, DELAWARE Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 366 1 515 Land in farms ..................acres.. 307 689 304 680 Average size of farm .......acres.. 225 201 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 518 069 441 133 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 441 2 119 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 75 354 64 613 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 274 326 10 to 49 acres ...................... 435 435 50 to 179 acres ..................... 317 384 180 to 499 acres .................... 183 214 500 to 999 acres .................... 85 91 1,000 acres or more ................. 72 65 Total cropland .................farms.. 997 1 134 acres.. 252 629 255 543 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 907 1 023 acres.. 245 749 245 534 Irrigated land .................farms.. 261 213 acres.. 48 706 39 458 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 500 160 407 707 Average per farm .........dollars.. 366 149 269 114 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 85 905 59 115 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 414 255 348 592 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 135 152 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 70 101 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 108 117 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 112 146 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 99 99 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 61 98 $100,000 or more .................... 781 802 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 456 666 318 030 Average per farm .........dollars.. 334 309 210 337 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 869 926 Other ............................... 497 589 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 592 721 200 days or more ................... 402 477 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 139 131 number.. 8 383 12 295 Beef cows ..................farms.. 88 79 number.. (D) 1 073 Milk cows ..................farms.. 19 21 number.. (D) 2 660 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 106 98 number.. 3 561 13 541 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 69 122 number.. 28 790 52 403 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 71 127 number.. 46 944 99 604 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 17 31 number.. 332 795 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 18 21 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 669 747 number.. 188 781 568 194 185 730 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 560 570 acres.. 89 901 79 001 bushels.. 9 914 099 9 282 529 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 328 260 acres.. 36 348 25 261 bushels.. 2 366 145 1 267 823 Barley for grain..............farms.. 111 163 acres.. 14 389 16 019 bushels.. 1 185 608 1 003 478 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 629 765 acres.. 115 550 124 631 bushels.. 3 250 195 3 540 439 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 151 120 acres.. 5 031 3 940 tons, dry.. 10 278 9 444 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 155 157 acres.. 27 927 24 566 @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.