1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 462 461 Land in farms ..................acres.. 41 552 44 425 Average size of farm .......acres.. 90 96 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 499 612 594 088 Average per acre .........dollars.. 4 667 4 847 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 51 108 52 332 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 90 69 10 to 49 acres ...................... 166 182 50 to 179 acres ..................... 143 136 180 to 499 acres .................... 53 63 500 to 999 acres .................... 9 8 1,000 acres or more ................. 1 3 Total cropland .................farms.. 419 422 acres.. 34 423 35 218 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 384 386 acres.. 29 101 28 738 Irrigated land .................farms.. 72 53 acres.. 483 563 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 29 395 27 714 Average per farm .........dollars.. 63 625 60 118 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 16 730 13 226 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 12 664 14 488 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 107 122 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 46 53 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 68 60 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 76 71 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 35 47 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 57 37 $100,000 or more .................... 73 71 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 24 508 25 766 Average per farm .........dollars.. 53 279 55 891 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 223 252 Other ............................... 239 209 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 240 218 200 days or more ................... 169 142 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 153 175 number.. 8 812 7 779 Beef cows ..................farms.. 62 70 number.. 814 608 Milk cows ..................farms.. 34 46 number.. 2 513 2 739 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 133 144 number.. 6 461 5 418 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 31 49 number.. 9 209 6 722 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 30 43 number.. 19 410 15 871 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 36 41 number.. 799 788 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 49 52 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 8 5 number.. 3 127 2 700 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 175 182 acres.. 9 505 8 594 bushels.. 867 733 826 171 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 42 40 acres.. 1 801 1 842 tons, green.. 24 290 25 195 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 78 101 acres.. 1 728 2 705 bushels.. 82 486 118 106 Oats for grain................farms.. 73 68 acres.. 965 684 bushels.. 52 141 40 073 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 2 3 acres.. (D) 1 cwt.. (D) 164 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 227 238 acres.. 9 690 8 946 tons, dry.. 20 216 20 233 Land in orchards..............farms.. 20 21 acres.. 186 229 @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.