1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 FRANKLIN COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 543 519 Land in farms ..................acres.. 75 134 74 484 Average size of farm .......acres.. 138 144 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 314 595 382 114 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 279 2 601 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 39 432 38 635 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 53 41 10 to 49 acres ...................... 137 123 50 to 179 acres ..................... 220 220 180 to 499 acres .................... 109 112 500 to 999 acres .................... 22 21 1,000 acres or more ................. 2 2 Total cropland .................farms.. 482 489 acres.. 31 698 32 709 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 434 455 acres.. 22 069 23 897 Irrigated land .................farms.. 77 60 acres.. 1 832 1 153 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 40 704 30 028 Average per farm .........dollars.. 74 962 57 857 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 25 074 14 910 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 15 630 15 118 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 157 144 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 83 73 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 71 67 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 57 73 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 35 34 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 54 49 $100,000 or more .................... 86 79 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 32 218 27 153 Average per farm .........dollars.. 59 334 52 318 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 275 285 Other ............................... 268 234 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 320 296 200 days or more ................... 190 185 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 230 244 number.. 11 996 13 063 Beef cows ..................farms.. 105 100 number.. 745 651 Milk cows ..................farms.. 102 125 number.. 5 699 6 562 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 200 210 number.. 4 638 5 227 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 38 45 number.. (D) 348 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 21 35 number.. 256 787 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 45 58 number.. 990 1 437 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 47 65 number.. (D) 12 949 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 5 5 number.. (D) 89 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 12 15 acres.. 663 840 bushels.. 68 524 111 081 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 76 98 acres.. 4 297 4 648 tons, green.. 92 219 99 814 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 17 23 acres.. 888 851 cwt.. 248 760 228 703 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 286 332 acres.. 14 018 14 906 tons, dry.. 24 519 35 062 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 78 93 acres.. 1 429 1 563 Land in orchards..............farms.. 41 57 acres.. 590 1 050 @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.