1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MESA COUNTY, COLORADO Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 325 1 223 Land in farms ..................acres.. 420 233 436 841 Average size of farm .......acres.. 317 357 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 301 152 290 796 Average per acre .........dollars.. 816 783 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 26 619 23 194 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 331 274 10 to 49 acres ...................... 490 455 50 to 179 acres ..................... 253 240 180 to 499 acres .................... 132 131 500 to 999 acres .................... 46 53 1,000 acres or more ................. 73 70 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 212 1 123 acres.. 94 012 97 648 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 041 986 acres.. 56 862 57 487 Irrigated land .................farms.. 1 218 1 094 acres.. 78 267 81 824 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 45 604 39 253 Average per farm .........dollars.. 34 418 32 096 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 18 342 15 006 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 27 262 24 247 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 505 459 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 188 141 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 169 178 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 182 179 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 109 104 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 74 79 $100,000 or more .................... 98 83 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 39 984 39 991 Average per farm .........dollars.. 30 199 32 699 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 324 1 223 $1,000.. 3 589 - 177 Average per farm..........dollars.. 2 711 - 144 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 642 608 Other ............................... 683 615 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 752 719 200 days or more ................... 493 454 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 562 521 number.. 54 406 54 946 Beef cows ..................farms.. 446 389 number.. 26 347 23 884 Milk cows ..................farms.. 52 77 number.. 2 073 2 204 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 483 460 number.. 30 739 34 208 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 63 74 number.. 5 207 6 869 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 50 60 number.. 8 739 10 830 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 113 110 number.. 18 728 18 620 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 119 169 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 4 4 number.. (D) 776 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 115 129 acres.. 9 511 7 601 bushels.. 1 211 827 991 158 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 61 68 acres.. 2 787 4 124 tons, green.. 47 761 77 075 Sorghum for grain or seed.....farms.. 4 4 acres.. 145 179 bushels.. 7 450 20 252 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 31 32 acres.. 1 941 1 015 bushels.. 134 187 64 554 Barley for grain..............farms.. 46 53 acres.. 1 214 2 556 bushels.. 118 809 209 077 Dry beans, ex dry limas.......farms.. 22 23 acres.. 945 1 539 cwt.. 17 018 30 764 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 711 672 acres.. 36 469 34 492 tons, dry.. 109 029 87 898 @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. .