1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MERCER COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 473 527 Land in farms ..................acres.. 551 195 531 643 Average size of farm .......acres.. 1 165 1 009 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 322 458 270 816 Average per acre .........dollars.. 280 260 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 66 717 50 377 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 16 30 10 to 49 acres ...................... 17 26 50 to 179 acres ..................... 84 77 180 to 499 acres .................... 101 123 500 to 999 acres .................... 97 99 1,000 acres or more ................. 158 172 Total cropland .................farms.. 413 456 acres.. 283 584 265 838 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 388 434 acres.. 187 615 149 564 Irrigated land .................farms.. 13 14 acres.. 1 988 2 304 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 23 039 22 264 Average per farm .........dollars.. 48 708 42 246 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 12 325 8 310 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 10 713 13 954 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 62 66 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 27 42 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 64 75 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 113 122 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 71 97 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 80 73 $100,000 or more .................... 56 52 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 22 003 17 348 Average per farm .........dollars.. 46 518 32 856 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 292 345 Other ............................... 181 182 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 236 248 200 days or more ................... 158 152 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 304 335 number.. 42 494 38 804 Beef cows ..................farms.. 278 300 number.. 23 856 20 790 Milk cows ..................farms.. 19 47 number.. 303 967 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 306 352 number.. 20 808 20 964 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 9 22 number.. 243 1 540 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 12 23 number.. 560 2 899 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 21 19 number.. 746 1 100 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 23 27 number.. 886 1 225 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 4 10 number.. 720 1 240 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 7 14 acres.. 739 819 bushels.. 37 920 45 974 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 29 81 acres.. 2 410 6 064 tons, green.. 18 510 38 853 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 269 313 acres.. 105 496 74 862 bushels.. 2 679 855 2 398 921 Barley for grain..............farms.. 58 109 acres.. 5 921 8 179 bushels.. 237 319 395 381 Oats for grain................farms.. 125 214 acres.. 12 492 14 918 bushels.. 584 165 823 879 Sunflower seed................farms.. 4 2 acres.. 1 283 (D) pounds.. 1 353 375 (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 301 319 acres.. 61 788 47 449 tons, dry.. 97 082 60 605 @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.