1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 VAN BUREN COUNTY, MICHIGAN Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 059 1 164 Land in farms ..................acres.. 177 360 206 781 Average size of farm .......acres.. 167 178 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 322 034 219 656 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 789 1 277 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 66 559 53 374 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 55 56 10 to 49 acres ...................... 342 383 50 to 179 acres ..................... 438 459 180 to 499 acres .................... 159 200 500 to 999 acres .................... 45 43 1,000 acres or more ................. 20 23 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 029 1 129 acres.. 135 761 163 099 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 936 1 064 acres.. 111 235 117 357 Irrigated land .................farms.. 188 193 acres.. 19 805 19 404 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 100 641 84 931 Average per farm .........dollars.. 95 034 72 965 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 87 167 67 964 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 13 474 16 967 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 250 310 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 108 132 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 151 164 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 156 191 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 127 127 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 87 97 $100,000 or more .................... 180 143 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 78 805 70 840 Average per farm .........dollars.. 74 414 60 964 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 530 594 Other ............................... 529 570 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 605 646 200 days or more ................... 397 442 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 230 214 number.. 8 413 8 994 Beef cows ..................farms.. 141 131 number.. 1 927 2 006 Milk cows ..................farms.. 38 44 number.. 1 997 1 814 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 186 189 number.. 3 156 4 589 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 60 119 number.. 29 477 52 055 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 58 116 number.. 56 245 103 464 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 22 25 number.. 1 344 1 163 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 45 51 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 3 11 number.. (D) 213 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 229 283 acres.. 34 695 38 255 bushels.. 3 197 253 3 694 589 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 50 84 acres.. 2 539 3 001 bushels.. 130 130 120 401 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 154 171 acres.. 24 702 23 679 bushels.. 811 635 597 615 Dry beans, excl. dry limas....farms.. 1 3 acres.. (D) (D) cwt.. (D) (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 312 306 acres.. 12 456 12 775 tons, dry.. 31 733 28 860 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 104 158 acres.. 12 069 13 734 Land in orchards..............farms.. 256 312 acres.. 15 480 19 232 @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.