1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MERCER COUNTY, MISSOURI Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 485 547 Land in farms ..................acres.. 210 253 198 317 Average size of farm .......acres.. 434 363 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 230 190 158 434 Average per acre .........dollars.. 550 430 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 46 324 31 147 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 14 24 10 to 49 acres ...................... 40 31 50 to 179 acres ..................... 138 163 180 to 499 acres .................... 166 200 500 to 999 acres .................... 79 90 1,000 acres or more ................. 48 39 Total cropland .................farms.. 446 501 acres.. 141 767 133 010 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 390 462 acres.. 71 712 66 059 Irrigated land .................farms.. 1 4 acres.. (D) (D) Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 25 203 15 602 Average per farm .........dollars.. 51 965 28 523 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 8 359 6 324 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 16 844 9 278 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 89 74 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 49 60 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 84 85 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 98 157 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 76 80 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 43 70 $100,000 or more .................... 46 21 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 19 089 12 332 Average per farm .........dollars.. 39 358 22 587 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 485 546 $1,000.. 6 173 2 758 Average per farm..........dollars.. 12 728 5 052 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 284 355 Other ............................... 201 192 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 228 239 200 days or more ................... 146 149 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 324 391 number.. 24 918 27 084 Beef cows ..................farms.. 310 345 number.. 13 964 13 917 Milk cows ..................farms.. 19 40 number.. 226 522 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 332 394 number.. 14 777 19 026 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 49 64 number.. (D) 6 593 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 47 65 number.. 85 623 12 178 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 21 28 number.. 589 731 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 18 36 number.. (D) 1 342 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 180 242 acres.. 18 884 14 733 bushels.. 2 169 699 1 381 280 Corn for sil for green chop...farms.. 8 17 acres.. 160 214 tons, green.. 1 635 2 406 Sorghum for grain or seed.....farms.. 10 11 acres.. 284 651 bushels.. 22 999 51 066 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 26 26 acres.. 1 911 1 161 bushels.. 65 362 41 448 Cotton .......................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bales.. 0 0 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 193 265 acres.. 22 107 24 230 bushels.. 712 529 759 322 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 315 362 acres.. 30 775 27 284 tons, dry.. 62 199 54 262 @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. .