1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 CUSTER COUNTY, MONTANA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 405 380 Land in farms ..................acres.. 1 897 536 2 085 181 Average size of farm .......acres.. 4 685 5 487 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 918 508 763 967 Average per acre .........dollars.. 187 142 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 69 900 62 340 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 16 23 10 to 49 acres ...................... 60 51 50 to 179 acres ..................... 55 63 180 to 499 acres .................... 58 35 500 to 999 acres .................... 36 41 1,000 acres or more ................. 180 167 Total cropland .................farms.. 324 306 acres.. 170 277 189 297 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 279 277 acres.. 85 708 91 981 Irrigated land .................farms.. 182 183 acres.. 28 199 36 085 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 32 586 43 842 Average per farm .........dollars.. 80 459 115 373 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 7 118 7 194 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 25 468 36 648 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 72 72 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 31 26 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 34 33 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 67 55 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 42 40 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 62 57 $100,000 or more .................... 97 97 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 28 123 35 909 Average per farm .........dollars.. 69 438 94 497 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 256 256 Other ............................... 149 124 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 209 159 200 days or more ................... 119 96 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 295 277 number.. 78 871 90 125 Beef cows ..................farms.. 261 253 number.. 44 615 45 197 Milk cows ..................farms.. 21 26 number.. 55 64 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 289 277 number.. 49 292 59 624 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 12 15 number.. 497 1 188 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 7 12 number.. 365 1 133 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 50 56 number.. 6 463 11 903 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 24 27 number.. 522 706 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 34 33 acres.. 3 370 3 308 tons, green.. 67 584 60 071 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 91 105 acres.. 29 809 38 579 bushels.. 671 480 1 366 668 Barley for grain..............farms.. 29 44 acres.. 3 074 3 461 bushels.. 134 986 158 980 Oats for grain................farms.. 19 25 acres.. 1 059 1 480 bushels.. 65 315 66 258 Sugar beets for sugar.........farms.. 23 21 acres.. 2 077 1 600 tons.. 45 708 37 212 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 259 246 acres.. 46 607 42 375 tons, dry.. 82 998 86 488 @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.