1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 LOUISIANA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 23 823 25 652 Land in farms ..................acres.. 7 876 528 7 837 545 Average size of farm .......acres.. 331 306 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 380 871 291 332 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 206 972 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 59 330 46 299 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 1 650 1 934 10 to 49 acres ...................... 6 485 6 895 50 to 179 acres ..................... 7 429 7 891 180 to 499 acres .................... 4 128 4 553 500 to 999 acres .................... 2 029 2 471 1,000 acres or more ................. 2 102 1 908 Total cropland .................farms.. 19 333 21 777 acres.. 5 331 411 5 552 733 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 15 115 17 171 acres.. 3 882 648 3 810 690 Irrigated land .................farms.. 3 400 4 064 acres.. 942 528 897 641 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 2 031 277 1 607 511 Average per farm .........dollars.. 85 265 62 666 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 1 411 472 1 111 346 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 619 805 496 165 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 7 755 8 008 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 3 389 3 664 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 3 097 3 407 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 2 825 3 149 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 1 358 1 593 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 1 207 1 670 $100,000 or more .................... 4 192 4 161 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 1 466 483 1 309 012 Average per farm .........dollars.. 61 532 51 026 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 11 281 12 931 Other ............................... 12 542 12 721 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 13 128 13 024 200 days or more ................... 8 550 8 594 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 14 589 15 036 number.. 877 124 844 260 Beef cows ..................farms.. 12 669 13 112 number.. 490 437 441 725 Milk cows ..................farms.. 982 1 279 number.. 64 888 78 976 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 13 953 14 131 number.. 418 642 375 903 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 633 844 number.. 20 338 37 519 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 373 534 number.. 28 527 57 244 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 346 468 number.. 5 233 9 244 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 860 1 344 number.. 2 354 044 2 111 789 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 319 313 number.. 123 132 021 115 258 369 Selected crops harvested: Sorghum for grain or seed.....farms.. 370 875 acres.. 78 445 179 376 bushels.. 5 557 996 11 723 104 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 528 682 acres.. 98 911 119 304 bushels.. 3 755 759 4 432 764 Rice..........................farms.. 1 736 2 197 acres.. 579 299 589 752 cwt.. 26 474 660 26 906 404 Cotton .......................farms.. 1 586 2 599 acres.. 647 257 827 792 bales.. 970 097 1 219 599 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 3 511 3 903 acres.. 1 260 523 1 112 815 bushels.. 36 152 458 33 360 521 Sugarcane for sugar...........farms.. 705 755 acres.. 395 588 356 349 tons.. 12 187 651 9 131 174 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 8 607 8 956 acres.. 404 508 383 292 tons, dry.. 948 545 851 288 @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.