1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 318 382 Land in farms ..................acres.. 39 846 44 623 Average size of farm .......acres.. 125 117 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 691 409 492 252 Average per acre .........dollars.. 5 490 4 924 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 50 649 37 173 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 54 67 10 to 49 acres ...................... 131 152 50 to 179 acres ..................... 85 110 180 to 499 acres .................... 28 33 500 to 999 acres .................... 11 12 1,000 acres or more ................. 9 8 Total cropland .................farms.. 263 322 acres.. 30 609 34 281 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 213 248 acres.. 23 535 26 256 Irrigated land .................farms.. 36 27 acres.. 763 894 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 19 610 18 949 Average per farm .........dollars.. 61 667 49 605 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 12 086 12 294 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 7 524 6 655 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 123 142 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 48 62 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 38 64 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 41 33 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 20 20 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 13 24 $100,000 or more .................... 35 37 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 16 144 15 819 Average per farm .........dollars.. 50 609 41 303 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 127 177 Other ............................... 191 205 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 187 219 200 days or more ................... 132 157 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 139 161 number.. 6 321 8 203 Beef cows ..................farms.. 105 115 number.. 1 967 2 019 Milk cows ..................farms.. 17 24 number.. 1 357 1 429 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 131 158 number.. 3 370 4 624 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 17 22 number.. 1 254 1 730 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 18 26 number.. 2 158 3 771 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 40 48 number.. 477 1 081 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 18 22 number.. (D) 685 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 3 3 number.. 93 115 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 53 72 acres.. 7 632 10 679 bushels.. 532 763 1 212 210 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 35 39 acres.. 2 211 2 286 bushels.. 130 754 110 347 Barley for grain..............farms.. 24 24 acres.. 1 272 1 153 bushels.. 104 903 87 682 Tobacco ......................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 pounds.. 0 0 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 44 45 acres.. 4 717 4 533 bushels.. 126 453 163 122 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 138 172 acres.. 6 502 7 142 tons, dry.. 10 602 16 068 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 26 22 acres.. 243 377 @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.