1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 NICHOLAS COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 304 282 Land in farms ..................acres.. 39 658 33 085 Average size of farm .......acres.. 130 117 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 174 366 129 806 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 586 1 260 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 28 982 17 120 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 14 10 10 to 49 acres ...................... 74 66 50 to 179 acres ..................... 154 153 180 to 499 acres .................... 53 50 500 to 999 acres .................... 7 3 1,000 acres or more ................. 2 0 Total cropland .................farms.. 285 272 acres.. 16 798 15 267 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 268 254 acres.. 8 602 6 359 Irrigated land .................farms.. 2 7 acres.. (D) 44 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 2 542 2 303 Average per farm .........dollars.. 8 363 8 166 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 323 299 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 2 220 2 004 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 144 133 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 64 49 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 43 47 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 36 32 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 7 17 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 7 3 $100,000 or more .................... 3 1 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 2 278 1 562 Average per farm .........dollars.. 7 470 5 520 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 117 117 Other ............................... 187 165 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 170 144 200 days or more ................... 117 108 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 209 216 number.. 6 663 5 867 Beef cows ..................farms.. 171 189 number.. 2 886 (D) Milk cows ..................farms.. 11 10 number.. 172 (D) Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 202 210 number.. 4 022 3 660 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 15 12 number.. 244 281 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 8 8 number.. 297 434 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 9 9 number.. 205 357 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 27 25 number.. 666 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 15 13 acres.. 84 45 bushels.. 6 221 3 465 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 9 14 acres.. 170 227 tons, green.. 2 186 3 174 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 1 1 acres.. (D) (D) bushels.. (D) (D) Oats for grain................farms.. 4 1 acres.. 12 (D) bushels.. 350 (D) Tobacco ......................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 pounds.. 0 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 253 235 acres.. 8 344 6 067 tons, dry.. 13 446 9 138 Land in orchards..............farms.. 11 19 acres.. 53 82 @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.