1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 ERATH COUNTY, TEXAS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 787 1 637 Land in farms ..................acres.. 613 323 581 776 Average size of farm .......acres.. 343 355 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 353 210 289 349 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 057 824 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 40 582 38 200 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 70 81 10 to 49 acres ...................... 319 263 50 to 179 acres ..................... 576 516 180 to 499 acres .................... 498 479 500 to 999 acres .................... 185 182 1,000 acres or more ................. 139 116 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 424 1 308 acres.. 217 799 189 342 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 094 935 acres.. 84 212 67 800 Irrigated land .................farms.. 154 152 acres.. 11 282 11 600 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 232 917 185 465 Average per farm .........dollars.. 130 339 113 296 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 8 347 10 971 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 224 569 174 494 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 490 428 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 266 253 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 324 258 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 307 258 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 137 125 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 67 69 $100,000 or more .................... 196 246 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 187 456 154 163 Average per farm .........dollars.. 104 959 94 232 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 842 809 Other ............................... 945 828 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 028 897 200 days or more ................... 714 627 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 503 1 370 number.. 188 786 158 977 Beef cows ..................farms.. 1 143 991 number.. 37 439 32 957 Milk cows ..................farms.. 228 224 number.. 81 413 65 053 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 474 1 323 number.. 108 126 101 344 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 39 69 number.. 1 014 1 852 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 26 47 number.. 1 509 2 983 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 48 42 number.. 2 389 2 695 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 53 71 number.. 1 753 2 540 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 3 1 acres.. 55 (D) bushels.. 2 760 (D) Sorghum for grain or seed.....farms.. 10 12 acres.. 1 831 644 bushels.. 72 286 18 777 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 22 30 acres.. 1 173 1 289 bushels.. 30 103 35 212 Rice..........................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 cwt.. 0 0 Cotton .......................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bales.. 0 0 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 1 0 acres.. (D) 0 bushels.. (D) 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 1 008 797 acres.. 69 227 50 109 tons, dry.. 177 645 141 943 @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.