1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 VERMONT Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 5 828 5 436 Land in farms ..................acres.. 1 262 155 1 278 525 Average size of farm .......acres.. 217 235 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 323 107 318 131 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 520 1 342 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 49 046 50 911 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 354 292 10 to 49 acres ...................... 1 103 807 50 to 179 acres ..................... 1 925 1 692 180 to 499 acres .................... 1 862 2 039 500 to 999 acres .................... 469 520 1,000 acres or more ................. 115 86 Total cropland .................farms.. 5 065 5 081 acres.. 617 263 658 765 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 4 609 4 741 acres.. 465 489 477 020 Irrigated land .................farms.. 333 255 acres.. 2 570 2 123 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 476 343 415 253 Average per farm .........dollars.. 81 734 76 389 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 59 592 35 483 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 416 752 379 770 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 1 504 1 326 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 655 551 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 704 567 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 719 467 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 344 350 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 569 710 $100,000 or more .................... 1 333 1 465 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 371 207 340 482 Average per farm .........dollars.. 63 935 62 612 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 3 300 3 502 Other ............................... 2 528 1 934 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 2 835 2 402 200 days or more ................... 1 685 1 344 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 3 203 3 558 number.. 308 267 310 518 Beef cows ..................farms.. 1 057 1 048 number.. 12 340 11 812 Milk cows ..................farms.. 1 940 2 373 number.. 162 868 168 473 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 2 958 3 378 number.. 142 041 145 715 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 238 347 number.. 2 900 3 738 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 140 228 number.. 4 992 7 427 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 451 485 number.. 14 511 17 145 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 513 508 number.. 256 074 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 57 51 number.. 49 535 7 266 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 131 143 acres.. 8 233 7 567 bushels.. 938 996 727 744 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 1 168 1 419 acres.. 95 713 86 024 tons, green.. 1 702 672 1 362 157 Oats for grain................farms.. 26 28 acres.. 351 489 bushels.. 13 659 28 885 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 3 782 4 200 acres.. 385 562 408 552 tons, dry.. 703 077 776 231 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 333 330 acres.. 2 893 2 534 Land in orchards..............farms.. 228 258 acres.. 4 311 4 894 @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.