1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 BENTON COUNTY, IOWA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 210 1 325 Land in farms ..................acres.. 418 483 427 215 Average size of farm .......acres.. 346 322 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 706 732 448 987 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 999 1 419 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 90 602 67 568 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 79 101 10 to 49 acres ...................... 163 143 50 to 179 acres ..................... 298 301 180 to 499 acres .................... 379 497 500 to 999 acres .................... 206 227 1,000 acres or more ................. 85 56 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 118 1 203 acres.. 375 729 388 123 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 024 1 158 acres.. 341 149 337 633 Irrigated land .................farms.. 11 11 acres.. 399 175 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 157 977 151 713 Average per farm .........dollars.. 130 559 114 500 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 102 838 71 575 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 55 139 80 138 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 170 101 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 54 51 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 59 95 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 139 168 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 143 207 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 185 267 $100,000 or more .................... 460 436 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 113 156 122 153 Average per farm .........dollars.. 93 595 92 191 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 736 909 Other ............................... 474 416 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 632 606 200 days or more ................... 423 367 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 514 561 number.. 40 399 62 890 Beef cows ..................farms.. 380 406 number.. 10 749 11 654 Milk cows ..................farms.. 28 47 number.. 2 029 2 319 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 505 562 number.. 34 942 54 763 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 233 459 number.. 102 216 163 836 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 250 503 number.. 200 082 313 768 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 75 115 number.. 3 072 4 438 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 27 34 number.. (D) 384 501 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 15 10 number.. 8 173 5 318 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 866 1 036 acres.. 166 702 178 600 bushels.. 23 422 374 24 399 018 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 86 110 acres.. 1 974 3 016 tons, green.. 32 333 49 036 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 4 5 acres.. 245 108 bushels.. 9 468 5 177 Oats for grain................farms.. 200 314 acres.. 3 635 6 192 bushels.. 275 276 385 668 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 813 941 acres.. 155 595 135 331 bushels.. 7 662 847 5 835 440 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 531 585 acres.. 16 617 19 191 tons, dry.. 50 271 59 184 @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.