1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 555 523 Land in farms ..................acres.. 37 173 34 235 Average size of farm .......acres.. 67 65 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 456 486 447 338 Average per acre .........dollars.. 7 625 6 218 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 30 941 31 595 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 120 129 10 to 49 acres ...................... 206 187 50 to 179 acres ..................... 181 168 180 to 499 acres .................... 41 35 500 to 999 acres .................... 7 3 1,000 acres or more ................. 0 1 Total cropland .................farms.. 499 482 acres.. 17 598 18 262 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 452 433 acres.. 13 145 13 257 Irrigated land .................farms.. 160 146 acres.. 1 964 1 803 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 34 102 29 614 Average per farm .........dollars.. 61 444 56 624 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 25 084 19 810 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 9 018 9 805 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 159 141 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 63 57 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 72 71 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 88 72 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 59 64 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 39 49 $100,000 or more .................... 75 69 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 22 066 22 515 Average per farm .........dollars.. 39 758 43 133 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 310 298 Other ............................... 245 225 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 284 263 200 days or more ................... 165 173 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 159 163 number.. 8 032 7 311 Beef cows ..................farms.. 92 93 number.. 937 963 Milk cows ..................farms.. 41 48 number.. 3 668 3 529 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 134 141 number.. 3 397 4 967 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 60 54 number.. 4 504 4 050 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 50 45 number.. 4 634 6 389 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 41 56 number.. 657 1 146 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 51 50 number.. 4 190 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 5 4 number.. (D) 119 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 16 15 acres.. 394 298 bushels.. 23 380 24 026 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 65 76 acres.. 2 795 3 043 tons, green.. 69 735 53 310 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 6 6 acres.. (D) (D) cwt.. (D) (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 215 202 acres.. 6 681 6 026 tons, dry.. 12 487 12 752 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 105 120 acres.. 2 210 2 918 Land in orchards..............farms.. 47 50 acres.. 353 341 @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.