1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 424 1 367 Land in farms ..................acres.. 175 363 176 643 Average size of farm .......acres.. 123 129 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 670 398 679 379 Average per acre .........dollars.. 5 658 5 496 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 67 426 59 043 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 188 172 10 to 49 acres ...................... 462 429 50 to 179 acres ..................... 547 517 180 to 499 acres .................... 159 183 500 to 999 acres .................... 51 45 1,000 acres or more ................. 17 21 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 263 1 226 acres.. 139 405 136 827 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 136 1 110 acres.. 116 814 114 158 Irrigated land .................farms.. 203 190 acres.. 1 182 1 353 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 342 868 282 566 Average per farm .........dollars.. 240 778 206 705 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 265 723 204 293 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 77 145 78 272 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 323 249 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 109 118 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 99 123 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 184 187 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 127 99 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 123 164 $100,000 or more .................... 459 427 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 270 495 219 822 Average per farm .........dollars.. 190 221 160 806 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 912 925 Other ............................... 512 442 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 585 539 200 days or more ................... 329 319 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 593 677 number.. 48 897 50 795 Beef cows ..................farms.. 170 222 number.. 3 344 3 627 Milk cows ..................farms.. 342 375 number.. 20 892 21 186 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 579 648 number.. 24 930 25 970 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 42 74 number.. 2 357 11 855 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 36 66 number.. 4 657 27 146 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 81 79 number.. 2 154 3 421 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 82 105 number.. 522 621 572 445 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 17 8 number.. 1 853 450 1 500 149 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 507 594 acres.. 36 981 39 513 bushels.. 4 261 606 4 957 808 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 353 356 acres.. 13 865 10 519 tons, green.. 224 736 197 008 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 155 194 acres.. 5 315 5 684 bushels.. 305 787 287 362 Oats for grain................farms.. 43 55 acres.. 537 560 bushels.. 30 970 33 987 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 11 11 acres.. 421 359 cwt.. 106 230 61 415 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 771 770 acres.. 44 006 40 911 tons, dry.. 105 391 109 104 Land in orchards..............farms.. 40 52 acres.. 525 593 @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.