1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 BENNINGTON COUNTY, VERMONT Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 171 154 Land in farms ..................acres.. 32 374 33 682 Average size of farm .......acres.. 189 219 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 324 613 396 133 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 833 1 708 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 43 509 40 427 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 22 18 10 to 49 acres ...................... 43 36 50 to 179 acres ..................... 55 46 180 to 499 acres .................... 40 40 500 to 999 acres .................... 5 10 1,000 acres or more ................. 6 4 Total cropland .................farms.. 143 139 acres.. 12 144 13 383 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 133 131 acres.. 8 552 9 645 Irrigated land .................farms.. 18 13 acres.. 50 66 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 8 084 6 685 Average per farm .........dollars.. 47 277 43 412 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 2 347 1 530 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 5 737 5 156 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 58 57 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 22 22 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 22 21 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 29 17 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 7 7 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 12 10 $100,000 or more .................... 21 20 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 6 282 6 009 Average per farm .........dollars.. 36 950 38 769 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 86 80 Other ............................... 85 74 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 94 80 200 days or more ................... 58 53 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 69 78 number.. 4 489 4 591 Beef cows ..................farms.. 43 44 number.. 457 481 Milk cows ..................farms.. 29 34 number.. 2 043 2 083 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 60 73 number.. 1 781 1 803 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 7 14 number.. 33 82 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 2 8 number.. (D) 267 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 21 31 number.. 381 622 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 18 19 number.. 565 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 2 3 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 7 9 acres.. 132 301 bushels.. 15 200 36 958 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 22 32 acres.. 1 938 1 804 tons, green.. 31 571 29 408 Oats for grain................farms.. 1 2 acres.. (D) (D) bushels.. (D) (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 82 103 acres.. 6 340 7 684 tons, dry.. 12 911 14 098 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 17 19 acres.. 120 120 Land in orchards..............farms.. 15 11 acres.. (D) 358 @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.