1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 4 556 4 490 Land in farms ..................acres.. 391 836 388 368 Average size of farm .......acres.. 86 86 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 472 172 427 332 Average per acre .........dollars.. 5 578 4 943 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 51 580 49 767 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 566 587 10 to 49 acres ...................... 1 240 1 098 50 to 179 acres ..................... 2 314 2 375 180 to 499 acres .................... 377 381 500 to 999 acres .................... 49 38 1,000 acres or more ................. 10 11 Total cropland .................farms.. 4 197 4 141 acres.. 331 482 334 362 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 4 034 3 997 acres.. 293 313 291 340 Irrigated land .................farms.. 407 264 acres.. 4 858 2 217 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 766 743 680 867 Average per farm .........dollars.. 168 293 151 641 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 101 942 77 109 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 664 801 603 758 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 360 324 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 210 202 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 244 263 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 448 483 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 440 404 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 870 1 083 $100,000 or more .................... 1 984 1 731 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 585 414 511 550 Average per farm .........dollars.. 128 493 113 931 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 3 380 3 376 Other ............................... 1 176 1 114 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 760 1 725 200 days or more ................... 858 861 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 2 988 3 033 number.. 241 585 237 310 Beef cows ..................farms.. 309 264 number.. 5 168 4 373 Milk cows ..................farms.. 1 941 2 030 number.. 98 875 92 595 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 2 942 3 006 number.. 151 425 151 855 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 495 693 number.. 349 774 375 550 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 488 722 number.. 852 916 828 599 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 300 373 number.. 4 819 6 909 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 523 647 number.. 11 502 343 15 044 160 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 256 241 number.. 44 580 865 42 419 203 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 2 630 2 963 acres.. 94 504 106 903 bushels.. 11 454 290 13 900 451 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 2 513 2 481 acres.. 74 128 62 670 tons, green.. 1 283 254 1 211 122 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 831 1 020 acres.. 11 877 13 385 bushels.. 734 727 721 715 Oats for grain................farms.. 97 148 acres.. 737 1 309 bushels.. 51 135 91 631 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 91 133 acres.. 720 1 281 cwt.. 217 609 347 785 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 2 997 2 961 acres.. 82 627 78 604 tons, dry.. 237 069 266 400 Land in orchards..............farms.. 122 134 acres.. 918 1 054 @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.