1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MERCER COUNTY, OHIO Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 255 1 393 Land in farms ..................acres.. 260 935 269 163 Average size of farm .......acres.. 208 193 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 582 282 356 565 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 812 1 900 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 80 776 68 415 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 123 162 10 to 49 acres ...................... 211 245 50 to 179 acres ..................... 465 509 180 to 499 acres .................... 326 352 500 to 999 acres .................... 95 92 1,000 acres or more ................. 35 33 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 117 1 253 acres.. 236 888 245 675 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 088 1 210 acres.. 228 175 229 723 Irrigated land .................farms.. 4 7 acres.. (D) 75 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 287 662 190 678 Average per farm .........dollars.. 229 213 136 883 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 54 965 39 537 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 232 697 151 141 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 96 82 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 62 58 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 85 143 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 206 241 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 157 193 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 153 194 $100,000 or more .................... 496 482 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 234 829 150 923 Average per farm .........dollars.. 187 264 108 266 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 635 723 Other ............................... 620 670 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 740 788 200 days or more ................... 580 609 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 399 492 number.. 43 581 50 084 Beef cows ..................farms.. 34 27 number.. 932 365 Milk cows ..................farms.. 197 269 number.. 16 154 18 811 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 378 477 number.. 19 581 25 293 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 229 335 number.. 160 494 137 703 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 242 344 number.. 321 005 268 919 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 23 41 number.. 781 1 206 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 75 112 number.. 7 771 948 4 461 844 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 4 4 number.. 450 000 (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 885 987 acres.. 84 797 87 375 bushels.. 12 022 660 12 429 836 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 221 273 acres.. 9 650 9 193 tons, green.. 179 334 179 552 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 609 570 acres.. 24 863 20 725 bushels.. 1 517 496 965 543 Oats for grain................farms.. 129 271 acres.. 2 131 4 584 bushels.. 165 368 366 684 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 881 958 acres.. 91 518 88 162 bushels.. 4 183 346 3 472 201 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 387 503 acres.. 19 658 24 666 tons, dry.. 68 624 89 127 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 11 20 acres.. 70 130 @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.