1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 984 997 Land in farms ..................acres.. 103 400 114 805 Average size of farm .......acres.. 105 115 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 377 579 403 851 Average per acre .........dollars.. 4 236 3 615 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 38 750 31 386 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 151 137 10 to 49 acres ...................... 295 284 50 to 179 acres ..................... 373 390 180 to 499 acres .................... 141 157 500 to 999 acres .................... 21 24 1,000 acres or more ................. 3 5 Total cropland .................farms.. 895 928 acres.. 44 047 48 642 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 821 832 acres.. 33 232 35 274 Irrigated land .................farms.. 165 101 acres.. 1 276 724 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 57 949 49 636 Average per farm .........dollars.. 58 891 49 785 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 31 803 24 981 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 26 146 24 654 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 316 336 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 126 142 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 138 126 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 124 125 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 97 75 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 67 81 $100,000 or more .................... 116 112 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 43 480 41 582 Average per farm .........dollars.. 44 232 41 707 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 486 542 Other ............................... 498 455 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 540 514 200 days or more ................... 364 320 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 329 363 number.. 12 776 15 729 Beef cows ..................farms.. 184 202 number.. 1 472 1 477 Milk cows ..................farms.. 107 144 number.. 5 704 7 289 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 269 292 number.. 5 474 7 009 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 71 91 number.. 3 483 3 397 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 53 67 number.. 4 193 4 396 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 89 107 number.. 1 649 1 898 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 99 96 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 7 6 number.. 821 1 465 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 8 15 acres.. 127 226 bushels.. 14 510 9 905 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 85 109 acres.. 4 381 5 415 tons, green.. 81 000 93 184 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 10 6 acres.. 9 16 cwt.. 1 549 3 434 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 523 555 acres.. 24 286 25 848 tons, dry.. 43 123 52 902 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 139 161 acres.. 2 092 1 880 Land in orchards..............farms.. 114 133 acres.. 2 838 3 086 @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.