1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MERRIMACK COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 413 346 Land in farms ..................acres.. 63 417 46 610 Average size of farm .......acres.. 154 135 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 315 406 271 694 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 362 2 358 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 41 681 38 234 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 61 45 10 to 49 acres ...................... 110 97 50 to 179 acres ..................... 136 122 180 to 499 acres .................... 79 60 500 to 999 acres .................... 23 22 1,000 acres or more ................. 4 0 Total cropland .................farms.. 348 326 acres.. 17 426 16 677 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 307 283 acres.. 13 955 12 742 Irrigated land .................farms.. 55 52 acres.. 531 282 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 29 239 17 650 Average per farm .........dollars.. 70 796 51 013 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 20 710 9 449 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 8 529 8 201 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 160 143 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 75 45 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 46 41 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 50 42 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 19 17 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 17 16 $100,000 or more .................... 46 42 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 24 114 13 795 Average per farm .........dollars.. 58 671 39 986 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 189 177 Other ............................... 224 169 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 258 202 200 days or more ................... 162 127 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 128 143 number.. 6 273 6 512 Beef cows ..................farms.. 68 86 number.. 515 472 Milk cows ..................farms.. 45 53 number.. 2 636 3 025 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 108 108 number.. 2 378 2 792 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 32 33 number.. 1 108 531 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 21 19 number.. 1 390 853 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 41 47 number.. 849 933 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 55 43 number.. 5 263 4 805 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 5 5 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 3 4 acres.. (D) 214 bushels.. (D) 24 505 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 45 52 acres.. 3 212 2 944 tons, green.. 61 122 55 324 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 207 215 acres.. 10 169 9 541 tons, dry.. 18 822 16 711 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 52 56 acres.. 334 241 Land in orchards..............farms.. 31 22 acres.. 354 361 @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.