1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 MEADE COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 829 811 Land in farms ..................acres.. 2 074 294 2 076 199 Average size of farm .......acres.. 2 502 2 560 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 564 354 447 305 Average per acre .........dollars.. 230 175 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 55 429 45 838 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 15 19 10 to 49 acres ...................... 76 57 50 to 179 acres ..................... 121 118 180 to 499 acres .................... 101 73 500 to 999 acres .................... 84 94 1,000 acres or more ................. 432 450 Total cropland .................farms.. 690 709 acres.. 432 483 398 707 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 651 637 acres.. 283 485 229 128 Irrigated land .................farms.. 50 48 acres.. 9 985 6 281 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 52 063 45 586 Average per farm .........dollars.. 62 803 56 210 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 10 102 7 618 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 41 962 37 968 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 113 115 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 60 46 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 90 71 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 131 144 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 134 124 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 150 172 $100,000 or more .................... 151 139 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 38 363 36 163 Average per farm .........dollars.. 46 276 44 591 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 580 595 Other ............................... 249 216 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 399 331 200 days or more ................... 213 157 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 643 626 number.. 129 488 116 628 Beef cows ..................farms.. 592 561 number.. 73 143 66 010 Milk cows ..................farms.. 46 87 number.. 898 1 369 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 652 626 number.. 78 943 65 136 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 18 54 number.. 1 601 5 048 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 17 52 number.. 3 813 9 986 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 73 111 number.. 17 522 31 561 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 39 49 number.. 841 3 025 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 2 1 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 14 12 acres.. 1 059 911 bushels.. 75 296 98 858 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 14 24 acres.. 1 142 1 630 tons, green.. 10 550 11 635 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 199 178 acres.. 94 125 61 042 bushels.. 2 345 296 1 990 753 Barley for grain..............farms.. 22 59 acres.. 1 486 8 845 bushels.. 46 333 311 489 Oats for grain................farms.. 74 118 acres.. 3 338 7 748 bushels.. 133 240 373 973 Sunflower seed................farms.. 2 0 acres.. (D) 0 pounds.. (D) 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 615 603 acres.. 182 821 154 260 tons, dry.. 264 047 149 905 @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.