1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 HOUSTON COUNTY, TEXAS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 369 1 360 Land in farms ..................acres.. 440 228 417 187 Average size of farm .......acres.. 322 307 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 279 434 212 009 Average per acre .........dollars.. 888 745 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 30 290 27 307 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 24 53 10 to 49 acres ...................... 269 260 50 to 179 acres ..................... 537 523 180 to 499 acres .................... 325 329 500 to 999 acres .................... 140 118 1,000 acres or more ................. 74 77 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 080 1 106 acres.. 168 450 159 888 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 824 840 acres.. 53 714 47 339 Irrigated land .................farms.. 31 28 acres.. 2 052 950 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 27 388 29 110 Average per farm .........dollars.. 20 006 21 405 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 3 971 4 326 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 23 417 24 784 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 423 344 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 258 231 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 261 265 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 248 299 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 99 117 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 41 59 $100,000 or more .................... 39 45 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 26 616 25 465 Average per farm .........dollars.. 19 442 18 724 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 595 595 Other ............................... 774 765 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 782 769 200 days or more ................... 516 503 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 146 1 148 number.. 105 335 100 388 Beef cows ..................farms.. 1 048 1 060 number.. 63 138 61 432 Milk cows ..................farms.. 23 31 number.. 900 576 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 147 1 139 number.. 51 241 52 664 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 26 30 number.. (D) (D) Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 19 22 number.. 1 777 (D) Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 10 12 number.. 122 95 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 38 39 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 3 1 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 8 17 acres.. (D) 390 bushels.. (D) 14 351 Sorghum for grain or seed.....farms.. 2 5 acres.. (D) 2 497 bushels.. (D) 162 529 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 2 1 acres.. (D) (D) bushels.. (D) (D) Rice..........................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 cwt.. 0 0 Cotton .......................farms.. 8 13 acres.. 3 303 4 271 bales.. 2 712 3 994 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 0 1 acres.. 0 (D) bushels.. 0 (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 773 778 acres.. 43 001 36 866 tons, dry.. 123 954 101 569 @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.