1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MERCED COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 2 879 3 048 Land in farms ..................acres.. 978 831 1 049 302 Average size of farm .......acres.. 340 344 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 798 225 605 365 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 306 1 736 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 68 802 65 472 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 382 449 10 to 49 acres ...................... 1 160 1 231 50 to 179 acres ..................... 708 723 180 to 499 acres .................... 296 319 500 to 999 acres .................... 153 147 1,000 acres or more ................. 180 179 Total cropland .................farms.. 2 522 2 661 acres.. 534 318 517 026 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 2 207 2 321 acres.. 417 346 382 246 Irrigated land .................farms.. 2 409 2 543 acres.. 427 815 423 414 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 907 600 792 105 Average per farm .........dollars.. 315 248 259 877 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 386 256 318 278 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 521 344 473 827 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 452 469 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 194 244 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 219 289 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 406 425 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 341 369 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 316 302 $100,000 or more .................... 951 950 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 741 026 631 726 Average per farm .........dollars.. 257 390 207 259 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 2 879 3 048 $1,000.. 162 137 160 224 Average per farm..........dollars.. 56 317 52 567 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 1 770 1 797 Other ............................... 1 109 1 251 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 1 307 1 540 200 days or more ................... 847 989 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 975 1 059 number.. 329 494 339 285 Beef cows ..................farms.. 459 515 number.. 36 938 41 764 Milk cows ..................farms.. 358 364 number.. 144 771 120 939 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 936 1 014 number.. 139 509 179 844 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 75 84 number.. 19 802 18 461 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 63 58 number.. 39 685 34 583 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 87 92 number.. 20 798 19 685 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 81 104 number.. 2 595 848 2 344 647 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 13 10 number.. (D) 78 481 995 Selected crops harvested: Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 70 103 acres.. 13 015 13 569 bushels.. 925 810 1 050 971 Barley for grain..............farms.. 27 52 acres.. 6 902 5 931 bushels.. 375 863 346 712 Rice..........................farms.. 4 17 acres.. 1 188 6 353 cwt.. 106 960 502 876 Cotton .......................farms.. 198 234 acres.. 73 292 58 355 bales.. 182 558 137 657 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 655 670 acres.. 126 696 107 616 tons, dry.. 649 599 554 325 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 116 136 acres.. 25 448 26 829 Land in orchards..............farms.. 1 399 1 485 acres.. 117 902 109 211 @1Data are based on a sample of farms. Legend: - Represents zero (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms (X) Not applicable (Z) Less than half the unit shown (NA) Not available Source: 1992 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1 Geographic Area Series, "Table 1. County Summary Highlights: 1992." This electronic series presents summary statistics for each county and state together with comparable data from the 1987 census. The items included are the same for all states and counties, except selected crops harvested, which vary by state. Data for 1992 and 1987 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 Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. If you have any questions concerning the data in this report or need additional information or order forms for agriculture publications, please call Agriculture Division, Bureau of the Census, at 1-800-523-3215. .