1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 CUSTER COUNTY, MONTANA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 380 397 Land in farms ..................acres.. 2 085 181 2 183 542 Average size of farm .......acres.. 5 487 5 500 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 763 967 467 467 Average per acre .........dollars.. 142 85 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 62 340 47 006 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 23 45 10 to 49 acres ...................... 51 49 50 to 179 acres ..................... 63 42 180 to 499 acres .................... 35 43 500 to 999 acres .................... 41 28 1,000 acres or more ................. 167 190 Total cropland .................farms.. 306 306 acres.. 189 297 182 166 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 277 281 acres.. 91 981 99 694 Irrigated land .................farms.. 183 176 acres.. 36 085 34 695 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 43 842 31 662 Average per farm .........dollars.. 115 373 79 752 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 7 194 5 053 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 36 648 26 609 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 72 72 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 26 37 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 33 40 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 55 63 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 40 47 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 57 65 $100,000 or more .................... 97 73 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 35 909 26 591 Average per farm .........dollars.. 94 497 66 812 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 380 398 $1,000.. 6 908 5 581 Average per farm..........dollars.. 18 179 14 024 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 256 280 Other ............................... 124 117 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 159 191 200 days or more ................... 96 104 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 277 280 number.. 90 125 77 505 Beef cows ..................farms.. 253 251 number.. 45 197 38 095 Milk cows ..................farms.. 26 51 number.. 64 98 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 277 281 number.. 59 624 48 287 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 15 15 number.. 1 188 1 171 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 12 9 number.. 1 133 2 003 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 56 68 number.. 11 903 18 627 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 27 44 number.. 706 (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 33 30 acres.. 3 308 2 601 tons, green.. 60 071 45 521 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 105 122 acres.. 38 579 40 595 bushels.. 1 366 668 1 012 600 Barley for grain..............farms.. 44 85 acres.. 3 461 7 542 bushels.. 158 980 302 749 Oats for grain................farms.. 25 49 acres.. 1 480 2 047 bushels.. 66 258 105 868 Sugar beets for sugar.........farms.. 21 2 acres.. 1 600 (D) tons.. 37 212 (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 246 247 acres.. 42 375 43 167 tons, dry.. 86 488 75 811 @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. .