1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 SOUTH CAROLINA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 20 189 20 242 Land in farms ..................acres.. 4 593 452 4 472 569 Average size of farm .......acres.. 228 221 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 324 834 251 583 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 482 1 137 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 44 687 33 077 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 1 224 1 302 10 to 49 acres ...................... 5 712 5 495 50 to 179 acres ..................... 7 502 7 591 180 to 499 acres .................... 3 611 3 699 500 to 999 acres .................... 1 225 1 263 1,000 acres or more ................. 915 892 Total cropland .................farms.. 17 514 18 037 acres.. 2 462 818 2 588 525 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 13 426 14 587 acres.. 1 654 535 1 590 794 Irrigated land .................farms.. 1 248 1 219 acres.. 86 477 75 681 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 1 588 173 1 066 079 Average per farm .........dollars.. 78 665 52 667 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 791 104 562 036 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 797 069 504 043 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 8 155 7 341 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 3 060 3 317 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 2 714 2 897 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 2 274 2 428 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 1 003 1 301 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 703 937 $100,000 or more .................... 2 280 2 021 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 1 233 736 897 923 Average per farm .........dollars.. 61 112 44 359 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 7 959 8 866 Other ............................... 12 230 11 376 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 11 615 11 271 200 days or more ................... 8 472 8 326 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 9 902 10 026 number.. 453 631 451 719 Beef cows ..................farms.. 8 671 8 998 number.. 229 048 222 566 Milk cows ..................farms.. 394 540 number.. 24 766 31 923 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 9 287 9 337 number.. 216 812 200 396 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 1 226 2 237 number.. 304 793 327 572 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 1 031 2 048 number.. 711 109 637 592 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 168 169 number.. 3 316 3 144 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 730 920 number.. 5 711 843 5 739 400 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 366 292 number.. 158 678 646 106 171 059 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 3 531 4 346 acres.. 300 934 311 947 bushels.. 28 107 576 27 192 657 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 2 138 2 237 acres.. 306 935 240 634 bushels.. 14 500 101 10 470 395 Cotton .......................farms.. 894 861 acres.. 285 858 191 690 bales.. 397 545 223 658 Tobacco ......................farms.. 1 275 1 965 acres.. 54 660 50 194 pounds.. 125 220 334 104 627 617 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 3 044 4 015 acres.. 507 687 532 909 bushels.. 11 554 522 11 521 171 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 7 618 7 056 acres.. 287 002 244 228 tons, dry.. 592 327 481 619 Land in orchards..............farms.. 885 1 157 acres.. 24 775 42 075 @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.