1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 BLUE EARTH COUNTY, MINNESOTA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 091 1 280 Land in farms ..................acres.. 383 373 401 557 Average size of farm .......acres.. 351 314 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 494 516 299 278 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 337 948 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 88 625 68 947 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 61 88 10 to 49 acres ...................... 90 100 50 to 179 acres ..................... 278 322 180 to 499 acres .................... 389 522 500 to 999 acres .................... 214 202 1,000 acres or more ................. 59 46 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 029 1 202 acres.. 353 929 366 644 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 009 1 188 acres.. 330 852 302 172 Irrigated land .................farms.. 8 10 acres.. 429 1 019 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 126 088 111 041 Average per farm .........dollars.. 115 571 86 750 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 68 846 61 408 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 57 242 49 633 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 67 71 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 38 57 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 52 91 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 146 196 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 191 242 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 211 272 $100,000 or more .................... 386 351 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 105 105 84 736 Average per farm .........dollars.. 96 250 66 149 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 092 1 281 $1,000.. 21 600 24 844 Average per farm..........dollars.. 19 780 19 394 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 823 970 Other ............................... 268 310 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 465 600 200 days or more ................... 238 282 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 243 313 number.. 18 698 20 847 Beef cows ..................farms.. 93 123 number.. 1 537 1 911 Milk cows ..................farms.. 51 70 number.. 2 116 2 157 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 247 303 number.. 19 197 21 335 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 298 357 number.. 183 940 153 269 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 316 379 number.. 366 355 281 875 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 50 78 number.. 2 582 3 985 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 25 55 number.. (D) 59 034 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 10 13 number.. 1 626 1 681 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 892 1 075 acres.. 166 337 129 083 bushels.. 21 927 031 17 385 514 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 72 191 acres.. 1 583 3 909 bushels.. 64 430 150 715 Barley for grain..............farms.. 6 6 acres.. 60 207 bushels.. 4 090 12 467 Oats for grain................farms.. 100 194 acres.. 1 428 2 977 bushels.. 104 275 159 674 Sunflower seed................farms.. 0 5 acres.. 0 355 pounds.. 0 207 000 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 889 1 063 acres.. 151 209 153 742 bushels.. 5 719 789 6 416 541 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 248 345 acres.. 4 832 8 221 tons, dry.. 12 605 25 011 @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. .