1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 009 1 097 Land in farms ..................acres.. 87 382 93 584 Average size of farm .......acres.. 87 85 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 322 623 301 302 Average per acre .........dollars.. 3 603 3 444 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 23 271 20 365 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 162 207 10 to 49 acres ...................... 436 484 50 to 179 acres ..................... 301 299 180 to 499 acres .................... 87 77 500 to 999 acres .................... 17 23 1,000 acres or more ................. 6 7 Total cropland .................farms.. 917 1 030 acres.. 36 102 39 513 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 806 923 acres.. 14 883 16 367 Irrigated land .................farms.. 73 74 acres.. 672 361 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 34 413 22 249 Average per farm .........dollars.. 34 106 20 281 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 25 111 10 453 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 9 303 11 796 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 398 413 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 247 253 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 159 187 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 115 147 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 41 33 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 15 19 $100,000 or more .................... 34 45 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 30 898 17 126 Average per farm .........dollars.. 30 562 15 626 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 400 471 Other ............................... 609 626 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 591 599 200 days or more ................... 436 431 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 621 674 number.. 18 528 22 963 Beef cows ..................farms.. 529 555 number.. 8 165 8 201 Milk cows ..................farms.. 31 57 number.. 2 434 3 906 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 571 586 number.. 8 080 8 606 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 14 13 number.. 126 349 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 10 9 number.. 339 478 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 25 24 number.. 774 642 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 41 47 number.. 1 173 1 099 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 1 1 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 33 35 acres.. 538 235 bushels.. 40 140 22 239 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 0 1 acres.. 0 (D) bushels.. 0 (D) Cotton .......................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bales.. 0 0 Tobacco ......................farms.. 356 508 acres.. 1 182 1 444 pounds.. 1 780 140 2 320 648 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bushels.. 0 0 Peanuts for nuts .............farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 pounds.. 0 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 541 552 acres.. 11 423 11 148 tons, dry.. 20 732 22 286 @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.