1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MONTANA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 24 279 22 821 Land in farms ..................acres.. 58 607 778 59 642 536 Average size of farm .......acres.. 2 414 2 613 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 699 069 594 881 Average per acre .........dollars.. 294 227 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 78 157 66 472 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 898 1 209 10 to 49 acres ...................... 3 570 2 804 50 to 179 acres ..................... 3 575 3 061 180 to 499 acres .................... 3 372 2 964 500 to 999 acres .................... 2 675 2 521 1,000 acres or more ................. 10 189 10 262 Total cropland .................farms.. 20 669 19 442 acres.. 17 629 001 17 494 553 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 17 854 17 100 acres.. 9 399 718 8 199 296 Irrigated land .................farms.. 9 059 8 883 acres.. 1 994 484 1 978 167 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 1 870 732 1 730 237 Average per farm .........dollars.. 77 051 75 818 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 903 822 691 860 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 966 910 1 038 377 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 4 996 4 073 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 2 024 1 764 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 2 308 2 131 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 3 415 3 413 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 2 839 3 051 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 3 340 3 528 $100,000 or more .................... 5 357 4 861 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 1 512 749 1 399 200 Average per farm .........dollars.. 62 320 61 304 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 15 703 16 006 Other ............................... 8 576 6 815 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 11 280 9 838 200 days or more ................... 6 322 5 261 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 14 216 13 813 number.. 2 618 319 2 645 916 Beef cows ..................farms.. 12 902 12 366 number.. 1 558 921 1 506 445 Milk cows ..................farms.. 721 1 092 number.. 18 052 22 409 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 14 055 13 628 number.. 1 654 014 1 677 932 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 627 1 056 number.. 177 740 222 966 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 595 1 030 number.. 293 161 363 440 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 1 981 2 507 number.. 416 012 634 361 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 1 017 1 138 number.. 378 562 634 955 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 61 47 number.. 112 821 47 505 Selected crops harvested: Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 422 489 acres.. 36 644 42 337 tons, green.. 736 202 761 758 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 7 932 8 395 acres.. 5 602 336 4 885 520 bushels.. 172 214 482 142 893 032 Barley for grain..............farms.. 4 423 5 971 acres.. 1 093 414 1 168 663 bushels.. 55 236 960 47 381 536 Oats for grain................farms.. 1 251 1 590 acres.. 66 331 82 492 bushels.. 3 501 669 4 485 707 Sugar beets for sugar.........farms.. 415 476 acres.. 59 345 56 994 tons.. 1 243 622 1 274 952 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 13 536 12 058 acres.. 2 528 517 1 983 629 tons, dry.. 4 745 596 3 670 309 @1Data are based on a sample of farms. Legend: - Represents zero (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.