1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MASSACHUSETTS Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 5 258 6 216 Land in farms ..................acres.. 526 440 615 185 Average size of farm .......acres.. 100 99 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 460 410 346 530 Average per acre .........dollars.. 4 898 3 553 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 36 359 32 039 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 1 044 1 105 10 to 49 acres ...................... 1 738 2 125 50 to 179 acres ..................... 1 667 2 016 180 to 499 acres .................... 654 813 500 to 999 acres .................... 121 126 1,000 acres or more ................. 34 31 Total cropland .................farms.. 4 853 5 654 acres.. 235 284 272 588 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 4 417 5 084 acres.. 173 255 194 874 Irrigated land .................farms.. 1 336 1 316 acres.. 19 909 20 158 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 350 639 340 464 Average per farm .........dollars.. 66 687 54 772 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 255 138 215 855 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 95 500 124 609 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 1 572 2 167 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 656 830 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 655 720 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 696 770 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 476 494 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 462 515 $100,000 or more .................... 741 720 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 266 163 251 496 Average per farm .........dollars.. 50 621 40 460 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 5 258 6 216 $1,000.. 77 725 84 172 Average per farm..........dollars.. 14 782 13 541 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 2 926 3 174 Other ............................... 2 332 3 042 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 2 695 3 516 200 days or more ................... 1 666 2 283 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 1 565 2 112 number.. 68 331 83 065 Beef cows ..................farms.. 850 1 124 number.. 7 347 9 692 Milk cows ..................farms.. 606 838 number.. 30 906 36 913 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 1 271 1 725 number.. 29 839 39 668 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 404 498 number.. 16 439 25 816 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 296 387 number.. 25 564 40 048 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 520 604 number.. 11 341 14 761 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 535 738 number.. 544 401 1 502 202 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 45 37 number.. 125 283 (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 111 152 acres.. 4 893 5 681 bushels.. 488 921 626 829 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 531 604 acres.. 25 861 28 643 tons, green.. 470 201 524 819 Irish potatoes................farms.. 102 93 acres.. 3 520 2 628 cwt.. 812 469 615 427 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 2 269 2 874 acres.. 103 596 121 498 tons, dry.. 213 589 250 559 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 995 1 008 acres.. 16 577 16 325 Land in orchards..............farms.. 525 572 acres.. 7 848 9 379 @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. .