1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MERCER COUNTY, KENTUCKY Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 085 1 106 Land in farms ..................acres.. 133 173 144 404 Average size of farm .......acres.. 123 131 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 156 675 163 499 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 400 1 179 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 27 327 27 181 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 105 107 10 to 49 acres ...................... 320 296 50 to 179 acres ..................... 446 471 180 to 499 acres .................... 183 204 500 to 999 acres .................... 25 19 1,000 acres or more ................. 6 9 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 032 1 044 acres.. 98 439 101 178 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 894 951 acres.. 36 717 39 744 Irrigated land .................farms.. 26 64 acres.. 195 324 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 35 662 27 228 Average per farm .........dollars.. 32 868 24 618 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 16 199 9 013 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 19 463 18 215 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 189 240 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 160 194 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 184 196 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 227 223 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 144 130 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 97 61 $100,000 or more .................... 84 62 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 26 598 20 786 Average per farm .........dollars.. 24 514 18 793 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 085 1 106 $1,000.. 8 790 6 230 Average per farm..........dollars.. 8 102 5 633 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 498 501 Other ............................... 587 605 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 620 690 200 days or more ................... 435 474 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 748 766 number.. 39 082 40 532 Beef cows ..................farms.. 521 497 number.. 13 260 12 725 Milk cows ..................farms.. 84 115 number.. 4 032 5 137 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 728 771 number.. 24 750 26 247 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 36 48 number.. 1 512 2 635 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 33 43 number.. 2 412 4 919 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 22 16 number.. 862 927 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 34 54 number.. 996 1 272 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 114 169 acres.. 3 736 5 202 bushels.. 398 201 435 435 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 102 142 acres.. 3 357 4 130 tons, green.. 51 713 54 070 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 11 23 acres.. 453 766 bushels.. 18 915 30 815 Tobacco ......................farms.. 675 706 acres.. 4 230 2 641 pounds.. 8 732 892 5 332 891 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 20 21 acres.. 1 795 1 750 bushels.. 63 660 42 914 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 641 707 acres.. 25 929 26 739 tons, dry.. 55 385 46 501 @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. .