1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 1 228 1 367 Land in farms ..................acres.. 103 600 118 136 Average size of farm .......acres.. 84 86 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 448 689 377 867 Average per acre .........dollars.. 5 321 4 259 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 55 730 59 902 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 206 197 10 to 49 acres ...................... 495 540 50 to 179 acres ..................... 379 479 180 to 499 acres .................... 119 121 500 to 999 acres .................... 27 25 1,000 acres or more ................. 2 5 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 068 1 204 acres.. 80 854 90 719 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 905 1 001 acres.. 60 715 65 643 Irrigated land .................farms.. 415 466 acres.. 25 792 29 689 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 241 643 211 730 Average per farm .........dollars.. 196 778 154 886 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 39 911 43 246 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 201 732 168 484 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 308 344 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 157 177 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 109 140 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 139 135 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 67 86 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 89 65 $100,000 or more .................... 359 420 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 194 258 173 401 Average per farm .........dollars.. 158 320 127 033 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 667 751 Other ............................... 561 616 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 602 691 200 days or more ................... 395 458 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 800 991 number.. 120 652 115 904 Beef cows ..................farms.. 334 392 number.. 4 748 5 838 Milk cows ..................farms.. 307 395 number.. 64 162 62 370 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 772 915 number.. 66 771 55 184 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 36 48 number.. 350 653 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 25 33 number.. 1 003 712 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 40 55 number.. 406 907 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 57 86 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 9 10 number.. 3 127 984 2 026 121 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 3 12 acres.. (D) 1 352 bushels.. 4 334 142 237 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 8 16 acres.. 626 1 182 bushels.. 50 914 62 200 Barley for grain..............farms.. 1 3 acres.. (D) (D) bushels.. (D) (D) Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 12 10 acres.. 1 585 1 482 cwt.. 475 550 436 330 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 658 765 acres.. 40 910 48 179 tons, dry.. 146 740 169 811 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 25 58 acres.. 698 5 405 Land in orchards..............farms.. 58 63 acres.. 419 329 @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.