1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 VALLEY COUNTY, MONTANA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 655 624 Land in farms ..................acres.. 1 786 617 1 688 070 Average size of farm .......acres.. 2 728 2 705 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 535 490 527 983 Average per acre .........dollars.. 199 195 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 94 760 74 447 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 9 20 10 to 49 acres ...................... 28 32 50 to 179 acres ..................... 67 57 180 to 499 acres .................... 98 89 500 to 999 acres .................... 96 66 1,000 acres or more ................. 357 360 Total cropland .................farms.. 597 562 acres.. 740 152 750 359 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 511 493 acres.. 363 236 309 203 Irrigated land .................farms.. 173 185 acres.. 49 809 36 999 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 47 785 40 624 Average per farm .........dollars.. 72 954 65 102 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 25 788 23 247 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 21 996 17 377 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 116 90 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 28 33 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 51 64 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 107 95 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 104 101 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 122 121 $100,000 or more .................... 127 120 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 39 159 32 891 Average per farm .........dollars.. 59 785 52 795 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 475 475 Other ............................... 180 149 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 275 231 200 days or more ................... 145 116 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 335 327 number.. 64 448 60 144 Beef cows ..................farms.. 326 302 number.. 40 501 38 150 Milk cows ..................farms.. 10 22 number.. 22 146 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 338 318 number.. 44 037 34 140 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 5 36 number.. 205 2 006 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 5 37 number.. (D) 3 673 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 33 48 number.. 4 199 6 183 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 13 23 number.. 369 636 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 1 1 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 7 4 acres.. 732 340 tons, green.. 13 816 1 867 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 402 401 acres.. 286 633 251 140 bushels.. 6 790 235 6 659 803 Barley for grain..............farms.. 94 177 acres.. 14 888 23 870 bushels.. 590 473 724 999 Oats for grain................farms.. 29 50 acres.. 1 164 2 022 bushels.. 57 688 84 103 Sugar beets for sugar.........farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 tons.. 0 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 306 251 acres.. 59 752 33 012 tons, dry.. 112 852 70 012 @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.