1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MERCER COUNTY, ILLINOIS Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 812 933 Land in farms ..................acres.. 312 128 325 075 Average size of farm .......acres.. 384 348 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 407 272 355 996 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 153 1 112 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 70 964 59 354 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 65 73 10 to 49 acres ...................... 107 120 50 to 179 acres ..................... 192 240 180 to 499 acres .................... 220 275 500 to 999 acres .................... 156 157 1,000 acres or more ................. 72 68 Total cropland .................farms.. 751 859 acres.. 267 518 276 290 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 716 829 acres.. 238 046 206 908 Irrigated land .................farms.. 22 13 acres.. 3 447 1 073 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 82 050 71 619 Average per farm .........dollars.. 101 047 76 762 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 55 473 41 339 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 26 577 30 281 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 101 94 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 50 57 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 49 82 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 113 156 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 99 140 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 117 173 $100,000 or more .................... 283 231 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 61 346 56 239 Average per farm .........dollars.. 75 642 60 278 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 811 933 $1,000.. 15 588 12 943 Average per farm..........dollars.. 19 221 13 872 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 551 648 Other ............................... 261 285 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 366 419 200 days or more ................... 225 235 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 351 402 number.. 21 225 24 786 Beef cows ..................farms.. 280 314 number.. 9 053 9 641 Milk cows ..................farms.. 8 15 number.. 366 303 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 339 414 number.. 13 948 17 419 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 220 286 number.. 104 014 106 835 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 235 292 number.. 176 776 171 265 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 55 84 number.. 1 708 2 499 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 19 47 number.. 499 1 873 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 1 3 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 590 732 acres.. 137 717 133 911 bushels.. 18 805 430 15 564 081 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 37 34 acres.. 799 782 tons, green.. 11 955 11 575 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 38 43 acres.. 1 003 879 bushels.. 38 312 52 992 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 545 582 acres.. 89 504 56 738 bushels.. 3 897 156 2 344 871 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 356 400 acres.. 11 357 13 664 tons, dry.. 36 448 39 761 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 8 19 acres.. 122 302 @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. .