1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 BLUE EARTH COUNTY, MINNESOTA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 037 1 091 Land in farms ..................acres.. 403 362 383 373 Average size of farm .......acres.. 389 351 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 738 013 494 516 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 941 1 337 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 112 776 88 625 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 69 61 10 to 49 acres ...................... 129 90 50 to 179 acres ..................... 215 278 180 to 499 acres .................... 319 389 500 to 999 acres .................... 215 214 1,000 acres or more ................. 90 59 Total cropland .................farms.. 950 1 029 acres.. 370 410 353 929 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 898 1 009 acres.. 356 956 330 852 Irrigated land .................farms.. 8 8 acres.. 610 429 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 221 470 126 088 Average per farm .........dollars.. 213 568 115 571 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 99 211 68 846 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 122 259 57 242 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 133 67 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 36 38 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 46 52 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 89 146 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 115 191 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 171 211 $100,000 or more .................... 447 386 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 149 315 105 105 Average per farm .........dollars.. 143 848 96 250 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 695 823 Other ............................... 342 268 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 496 465 200 days or more ................... 294 238 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 229 243 number.. 17 408 18 698 Beef cows ..................farms.. 88 93 number.. 1 558 1 537 Milk cows ..................farms.. 31 51 number.. 1 563 2 116 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 212 247 number.. 14 543 19 197 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 217 298 number.. 325 829 183 940 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 226 316 number.. 911 619 366 355 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 44 50 number.. 2 083 2 582 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 29 25 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 8 10 number.. 445 1 626 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 762 892 acres.. 170 142 166 337 bushels.. 23 407 774 21 927 031 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 38 72 acres.. 1 054 1 583 bushels.. 43 122 64 430 Barley for grain..............farms.. 1 6 acres.. (D) 60 bushels.. (D) 4 090 Oats for grain................farms.. 57 100 acres.. 935 1 428 bushels.. 64 666 104 275 Sunflower seed................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 pounds.. 0 0 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 788 889 acres.. 176 854 151 209 bushels.. 7 375 974 5 719 789 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 233 248 acres.. 6 527 4 832 tons, dry.. 18 920 12 605 @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.