1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 STEARNS COUNTY, MINNESOTA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 2 982 2 972 Land in farms ..................acres.. 646 025 643 762 Average size of farm .......acres.. 217 217 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 226 504 172 956 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 099 804 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 71 675 65 791 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 101 107 10 to 49 acres ...................... 399 346 50 to 179 acres ..................... 1 044 985 180 to 499 acres .................... 1 244 1 358 500 to 999 acres .................... 159 149 1,000 acres or more ................. 35 27 Total cropland .................farms.. 2 757 2 774 acres.. 492 359 505 818 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 2 546 2 660 acres.. 421 559 412 857 Irrigated land .................farms.. 188 183 acres.. 30 305 32 707 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 302 244 268 983 Average per farm .........dollars.. 101 356 90 506 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 54 773 33 323 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 247 471 235 660 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 486 277 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 182 208 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 252 262 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 361 380 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 316 368 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 456 653 $100,000 or more .................... 929 824 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 231 285 205 419 Average per farm .........dollars.. 77 508 69 095 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 1 984 2 158 Other ............................... 998 814 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 253 1 075 200 days or more ................... 788 678 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 870 2 049 number.. 167 662 170 425 Beef cows ..................farms.. 478 393 number.. 8 935 6 834 Milk cows ..................farms.. 1 120 1 348 number.. 62 793 64 107 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 852 2 018 number.. 69 647 67 250 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 330 597 number.. 92 800 110 020 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 325 617 number.. 194 507 230 562 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 57 57 number.. 1 985 1 672 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 104 97 number.. 987 746 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 45 47 number.. 8 859 329 10 373 830 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 1 893 2 076 acres.. 163 227 157 573 bushels.. 19 256 272 13 970 827 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 106 131 acres.. 4 854 5 571 bushels.. 160 551 217 751 Barley for grain..............farms.. 209 185 acres.. 7 359 5 276 bushels.. 349 069 286 522 Oats for grain................farms.. 853 1 375 acres.. 24 492 42 068 bushels.. 1 317 322 2 736 310 Sunflower seed................farms.. 3 1 acres.. (D) (D) pounds.. 51 100 (D) Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 691 631 acres.. 66 386 46 304 bushels.. 2 491 241 1 205 976 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 2 063 2 169 acres.. 118 990 113 175 tons, dry.. 332 242 324 856 @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.