1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 989 1 059 Land in farms ..................acres.. 50 868 58 750 Average size of farm .......acres.. 51 55 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 336 152 269 050 Average per acre .........dollars.. 7 273 4 760 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 30 336 44 222 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 311 321 10 to 49 acres ...................... 435 483 50 to 179 acres ..................... 198 205 180 to 499 acres .................... 36 37 500 to 999 acres .................... 6 7 1,000 acres or more ................. 3 6 Total cropland .................farms.. 680 734 acres.. 23 811 27 166 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 440 459 acres.. 12 592 13 261 Irrigated land .................farms.. 214 237 acres.. 5 149 5 695 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 69 835 85 094 Average per farm .........dollars.. 70 612 80 353 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 27 730 27 197 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 42 105 57 897 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 450 484 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 162 201 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 125 119 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 101 87 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 36 33 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 39 24 $100,000 or more .................... 76 111 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 57 728 77 687 Average per farm .........dollars.. 58 370 73 428 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 423 455 Other ............................... 566 604 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 556 604 200 days or more ................... 353 412 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 480 553 number.. 22 119 24 719 Beef cows ..................farms.. 382 416 number.. 4 533 4 079 Milk cows ..................farms.. 44 61 number.. 6 810 9 830 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 415 466 number.. 9 155 12 989 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 53 66 number.. 1 298 754 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 47 48 number.. 2 732 1 457 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 55 62 number.. 1 216 1 182 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 75 96 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 7 12 number.. 2 829 859 3 174 437 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 0 3 acres.. 0 (D) bushels.. 0 1 060 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 1 1 acres.. (D) (D) bushels.. (D) (D) Barley for grain..............farms.. 1 1 acres.. (D) (D) bushels.. (D) (D) Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 4 4 acres.. 7 7 cwt.. 595 950 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 228 246 acres.. 6 966 6 910 tons, dry.. 15 260 16 777 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 60 80 acres.. 3 079 3 466 Land in orchards..............farms.. 34 66 acres.. 89 588 @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.