1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MERCER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 030 1 045 Land in farms ..................acres.. 166 616 160 802 Average size of farm .......acres.. 162 154 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 247 504 151 832 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 595 1 038 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 44 712 42 510 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 35 21 10 to 49 acres ...................... 175 184 50 to 179 acres ..................... 542 561 180 to 499 acres .................... 230 241 500 to 999 acres .................... 37 30 1,000 acres or more ................. 11 8 Total cropland .................farms.. 986 1 006 acres.. 113 486 110 460 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 914 964 acres.. 85 627 81 378 Irrigated land .................farms.. 37 30 acres.. 164 258 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 46 096 41 092 Average per farm .........dollars.. 44 753 39 322 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 17 981 12 241 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 28 115 28 851 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 230 241 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 149 141 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 148 154 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 184 186 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 120 119 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 81 101 $100,000 or more .................... 118 103 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 36 266 31 158 Average per farm .........dollars.. 35 210 29 845 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 533 595 Other ............................... 497 450 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 574 560 200 days or more ................... 369 366 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 681 733 number.. 32 263 31 828 Beef cows ..................farms.. 350 339 number.. 5 676 4 146 Milk cows ..................farms.. 246 323 number.. 10 911 12 189 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 653 686 number.. 14 184 14 313 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 70 99 number.. 4 118 4 910 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 69 91 number.. 6 670 7 714 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 64 56 number.. 2 339 2 358 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 67 76 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 6 14 number.. 368 2 260 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 533 620 acres.. 23 376 23 959 bushels.. 1 868 336 2 286 307 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 290 319 acres.. 9 822 7 401 tons, green.. 117 896 101 053 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 121 149 acres.. 2 816 2 837 bushels.. 127 350 127 889 Oats for grain................farms.. 385 491 acres.. 6 282 7 878 bushels.. 344 769 438 692 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 10 11 acres.. 33 153 cwt.. 7 760 35 747 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 770 847 acres.. 39 695 35 635 tons, dry.. 91 170 83 997 Land in orchards..............farms.. 27 34 acres.. 213 223 @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.