1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 SUSSEX COUNTY, DELAWARE Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 515 1 729 Land in farms ..................acres.. 304 680 312 803 Average size of farm .......acres.. 201 181 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 441 133 287 359 Average per acre .........dollars.. 2 119 1 607 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 64 613 47 655 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 326 406 10 to 49 acres ...................... 435 502 50 to 179 acres ..................... 384 422 180 to 499 acres .................... 214 241 500 to 999 acres .................... 91 101 1,000 acres or more ................. 65 57 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 134 1 243 acres.. 255 543 252 751 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 023 1 127 acres.. 245 534 226 470 Irrigated land .................farms.. 213 227 acres.. 39 458 40 228 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 407 707 329 552 Average per farm .........dollars.. 269 114 190 602 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 59 115 35 906 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 348 592 293 646 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 152 234 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 101 118 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 117 146 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 146 124 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 99 92 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 98 157 $100,000 or more .................... 802 858 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 318 030 274 418 Average per farm .........dollars.. 210 337 158 715 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 512 1 729 $1,000.. 86 390 50 383 Average per farm..........dollars.. 57 136 29 140 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 926 1 080 Other ............................... 589 649 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 721 783 200 days or more ................... 477 517 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 131 152 number.. 12 295 10 393 Beef cows ..................farms.. 79 97 number.. 1 073 1 025 Milk cows ..................farms.. 21 36 number.. 2 660 2 172 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 98 114 number.. 13 541 10 492 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 122 189 number.. 52 403 42 677 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 127 198 number.. 99 604 91 586 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 31 22 number.. 795 570 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 21 39 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 747 910 number.. 194 185 730 192 114 694 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 570 549 acres.. 79 001 57 021 bushels.. 9 282 529 4 573 081 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 260 318 acres.. 25 261 24 431 bushels.. 1 267 823 1 007 898 Barley for grain..............farms.. 163 151 acres.. 16 019 12 095 bushels.. 1 003 478 668 156 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 765 899 acres.. 124 631 132 534 bushels.. 3 540 439 2 440 625 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 120 153 acres.. 3 940 6 136 tons, dry.. 9 444 14 201 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 157 176 acres.. 24 566 20 114 @1Data are based on a sample of farms. Legend: - Represents zero (D) Witheld 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. .