1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MASSACHUSETTS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 5 574 5 258 Land in farms ..................acres.. 518 299 526 440 Average size of farm .......acres.. 93 100 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 455 014 460 410 Average per acre .........dollars.. 5 207 4 898 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 40 395 36 359 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 1 254 1 044 10 to 49 acres ...................... 1 865 1 738 50 to 179 acres ..................... 1 690 1 667 180 to 499 acres .................... 614 654 500 to 999 acres .................... 121 121 1,000 acres or more ................. 30 34 Total cropland .................farms.. 4 990 4 853 acres.. 223 573 235 284 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 4 587 4 417 acres.. 168 765 173 255 Irrigated land .................farms.. 1 630 1 336 acres.. 24 564 19 909 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 454 404 350 639 Average per farm .........dollars.. 81 522 66 687 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 357 377 255 138 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 97 027 95 500 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 1 616 1 572 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 664 656 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 707 655 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 753 696 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 507 476 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 468 462 $100,000 or more .................... 859 741 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 311 068 266 163 Average per farm .........dollars.. 55 897 50 621 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 2 927 2 926 Other ............................... 2 647 2 332 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 2 980 2 695 200 days or more ................... 1 864 1 666 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 420 1 565 number.. 61 719 68 331 Beef cows ..................farms.. 799 850 number.. 6 858 7 347 Milk cows ..................farms.. 483 606 number.. 26 846 30 906 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 158 1 271 number.. 24 849 29 839 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 383 404 number.. 18 297 16 439 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 269 296 number.. 23 636 25 564 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 431 520 number.. 8 348 11 341 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 510 535 number.. 682 853 544 401 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 41 45 number.. (D) 125 283 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 99 111 acres.. 4 951 4 893 bushels.. 590 748 488 921 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 403 531 acres.. 22 813 25 861 tons, green.. 445 811 470 201 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 93 102 acres.. 2 964 3 520 cwt.. 789 847 812 469 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 2 168 2 269 acres.. 100 218 103 596 tons, dry.. 181 885 213 589 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 935 995 acres.. 16 039 16 577 Land in orchards..............farms.. 431 525 acres.. 6 546 7 848 @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.