1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 ELKHART COUNTY, INDIANA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 447 1 556 Land in farms ..................acres.. 192 311 204 547 Average size of farm .......acres.. 133 131 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 274 829 207 376 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 936 1 620 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 40 050 34 109 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 236 234 10 to 49 acres ...................... 394 426 50 to 179 acres ..................... 529 581 180 to 499 acres .................... 210 242 500 to 999 acres .................... 58 51 1,000 acres or more ................. 20 22 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 269 1 374 acres.. 166 285 178 684 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 131 1 277 acres.. 148 216 146 542 Irrigated land .................farms.. 124 129 acres.. 20 830 19 866 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 96 859 86 172 Average per farm .........dollars.. 66 938 55 381 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 27 726 23 962 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 69 133 62 210 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 203 262 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 143 147 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 169 176 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 234 265 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 181 203 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 210 244 $100,000 or more .................... 307 259 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 77 944 64 948 Average per farm .........dollars.. 53 941 41 713 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 445 1 557 $1,000.. 18 407 18 920 Average per farm..........dollars.. 12 738 12 152 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 703 775 Other ............................... 744 781 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 878 966 200 days or more ................... 637 694 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 798 845 number.. 45 988 44 210 Beef cows ..................farms.. 126 144 number.. 1 430 1 713 Milk cows ..................farms.. 404 461 number.. 17 476 17 219 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 754 816 number.. 25 136 25 286 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 331 359 number.. 75 212 60 226 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 351 383 number.. 145 590 142 900 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 73 84 number.. 1 446 1 767 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 104 146 number.. 252 392 471 038 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 29 36 number.. 1 595 332 921 397 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 799 951 acres.. 66 867 65 860 bushels.. 8 542 850 7 717 411 Corn for sil for green chop...farms.. 351 362 acres.. 9 527 8 087 tons, green.. 171 677 151 938 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 245 340 acres.. 5 062 6 952 bushels.. 207 337 340 942 Oats for grain................farms.. 119 239 acres.. 1 426 3 624 bushels.. 91 591 205 017 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 551 623 acres.. 44 749 39 600 bushels.. 1 797 051 1 622 523 Hay-alfalfa, other, wild, 702 784 silage.......................farms.. 21 804 25 244 acres.. 67 726 79 543 tons, dry.. 56 39 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 1 034 477 acres.. @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. .