1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 BERKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 586 1 558 Land in farms ..................acres.. 221 511 221 981 Average size of farm .......acres.. 140 142 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 546 723 459 453 Average per acre .........dollars.. 3 673 3 216 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 71 435 63 917 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 153 170 10 to 49 acres ...................... 466 410 50 to 179 acres ..................... 576 574 180 to 499 acres .................... 311 325 500 to 999 acres .................... 68 62 1,000 acres or more ................. 12 17 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 478 1 448 acres.. 187 645 189 706 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 404 1 395 acres.. 167 640 166 884 Irrigated land .................farms.. 139 114 acres.. 1 364 1 030 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 247 789 237 695 Average per farm .........dollars.. 156 235 152 564 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 118 254 121 349 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 129 535 116 346 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 231 202 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 124 156 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 200 162 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 228 253 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 155 149 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 182 174 $100,000 or more .................... 466 462 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 196 647 172 048 Average per farm .........dollars.. 124 224 110 429 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 999 1 010 Other ............................... 587 548 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 728 666 200 days or more ................... 444 433 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 806 864 number.. 63 631 65 257 Beef cows ..................farms.. 202 192 number.. 2 572 2 918 Milk cows ..................farms.. 386 402 number.. 24 307 24 449 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 779 827 number.. 31 686 32 956 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 119 206 number.. 64 305 63 056 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 113 212 number.. 131 937 124 565 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 89 108 number.. 1 917 2 409 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 115 137 number.. 2 072 684 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 45 47 number.. 8 950 114 9 501 335 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 877 931 acres.. 57 978 58 488 bushels.. 6 435 375 6 827 213 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 438 459 acres.. 16 303 14 279 tons, green.. 249 858 232 076 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 426 502 acres.. 11 527 12 693 bushels.. 591 240 600 181 Oats for grain................farms.. 318 401 acres.. 4 346 6 324 bushels.. 278 708 370 607 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 23 28 acres.. 26 66 cwt.. 2 825 10 149 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 1 005 1 049 acres.. 56 385 53 445 tons, dry.. 140 380 150 059 Land in orchards..............farms.. 77 79 acres.. 1 590 1 785 @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.