1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 DAWSON COUNTY, MONTANA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 502 451 Land in farms ..................acres.. 1 417 310 1 334 041 Average size of farm .......acres.. 2 823 2 958 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 452 426 413 179 Average per acre .........dollars.. 166 137 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 87 563 76 336 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 5 9 10 to 49 acres ...................... 36 21 50 to 179 acres ..................... 36 27 180 to 499 acres .................... 61 46 500 to 999 acres .................... 69 59 1,000 acres or more ................. 295 289 Total cropland .................farms.. 429 400 acres.. 465 942 (D) Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 375 381 acres.. 239 270 206 698 Irrigated land .................farms.. 98 91 acres.. 18 486 15 482 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 34 748 34 039 Average per farm .........dollars.. 69 220 75 475 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 20 606 20 044 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 14 142 13 995 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 68 43 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 32 23 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 55 33 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 72 74 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 67 68 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 85 87 $100,000 or more .................... 123 123 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 28 695 24 915 Average per farm .........dollars.. 57 160 55 244 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 356 358 Other ............................... 146 93 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 209 181 200 days or more ................... 113 91 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 314 295 number.. 44 249 41 314 Beef cows ..................farms.. 297 280 number.. 28 860 24 142 Milk cows ..................farms.. 16 26 number.. 210 454 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 318 296 number.. 27 598 25 046 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 8 26 number.. 1 150 2 224 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 7 26 number.. 1 159 2 450 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 32 33 number.. 7 023 6 005 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 17 18 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 1 0 number.. (D) 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 15 23 acres.. 1 228 2 215 tons, green.. 20 384 32 171 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 265 276 acres.. 169 383 144 299 bushels.. 4 477 333 5 073 889 Barley for grain..............farms.. 97 182 acres.. 15 744 22 682 bushels.. 591 322 1 049 669 Oats for grain................farms.. 35 69 acres.. 2 049 4 228 bushels.. 80 720 229 280 Sugar beets for sugar.........farms.. 25 24 acres.. 3 065 2 822 tons.. 61 490 57 995 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 279 258 acres.. 44 230 30 697 tons, dry.. 60 449 44 093 @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.