1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 285 296 Land in farms ..................acres.. 28 391 35 786 Average size of farm .......acres.. 100 121 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 1 359 262 1 310 693 Average per acre .........dollars.. 13 871 11 180 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 44 239 36 496 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 68 60 10 to 49 acres ...................... 117 133 50 to 179 acres ..................... 62 49 180 to 499 acres .................... 25 34 500 to 999 acres .................... 6 14 1,000 acres or more ................. 7 6 Total cropland .................farms.. 263 278 acres.. 23 124 28 787 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 236 243 acres.. 19 543 23 459 Irrigated land .................farms.. 65 66 acres.. 880 1 226 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 13 255 15 879 Average per farm .........dollars.. 46 510 53 647 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 12 256 14 479 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 999 1 401 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 105 100 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 36 32 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 35 38 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 32 48 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 17 21 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 30 20 $100,000 or more .................... 30 37 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 9 492 12 214 Average per farm .........dollars.. 33 424 41 262 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 121 144 Other ............................... 164 152 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 148 154 200 days or more ................... 102 105 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 35 47 number.. 785 1 190 Beef cows ..................farms.. 26 31 number.. 186 276 Milk cows ..................farms.. 4 9 number.. 266 373 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 33 48 number.. 334 473 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 6 6 number.. (D) (D) Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 3 12 number.. (D) 941 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 21 21 number.. 348 518 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 23 28 number.. 945 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 2 number.. 0 (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 40 47 acres.. 5 123 5 018 bushels.. 570 083 650 948 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 4 4 acres.. (D) 250 tons, green.. (D) 3 380 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 38 58 acres.. 9 334 11 308 bushels.. 315 525 350 129 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 70 85 acres.. 2 123 3 605 tons, dry.. 4 083 6 728 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 55 46 acres.. 1 104 1 067 Land in orchards..............farms.. 21 21 acres.. 130 132 @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.