1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 FERGUS COUNTY, MONTANA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 804 838 Land in farms ..................acres.. 2 232 575 2 143 210 Average size of farm .......acres.. 2 777 2 558 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 526 258 429 990 Average per acre .........dollars.. 187 167 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 67 601 58 707 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 32 74 10 to 49 acres ...................... 49 35 50 to 179 acres ..................... 58 52 180 to 499 acres .................... 103 87 500 to 999 acres .................... 81 93 1,000 acres or more ................. 481 497 Total cropland .................farms.. 684 699 acres.. 692 452 658 277 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 631 658 acres.. 350 321 359 485 Irrigated land .................farms.. 79 98 acres.. 11 150 12 036 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 59 560 50 152 Average per farm .........dollars.. 74 080 59 847 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 21 154 21 462 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 38 406 28 690 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 96 134 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 54 37 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 65 67 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 110 128 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 124 139 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 156 178 $100,000 or more .................... 199 155 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 47 282 38 549 Average per farm .........dollars.. 58 809 45 946 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 804 839 $1,000.. 13 042 11 960 Average per farm..........dollars.. 16 221 14 255 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 626 665 Other ............................... 178 173 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 266 290 200 days or more ................... 136 139 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 592 615 number.. 103 711 98 763 Beef cows ..................farms.. 546 577 number.. 63 742 59 886 Milk cows ..................farms.. 38 64 number.. 486 533 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 597 613 number.. 67 699 58 041 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 36 60 number.. 6 771 5 563 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 34 57 number.. 11 308 10 982 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 104 93 number.. 11 052 10 102 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 26 76 number.. (D) 5 004 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 2 5 number.. (D) 1 381 Selected crops harvested: Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 0 1 acres.. 0 (D) tons, green.. 0 (D) Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 364 439 acres.. 160 337 145 444 bushels.. 4 685 820 5 619 689 Barley for grain..............farms.. 319 417 acres.. 86 869 101 240 bushels.. 2 644 686 4 196 834 Oats for grain................farms.. 62 83 acres.. 3 174 4 078 bushels.. 131 039 214 757 Sugar beets for sugar.........farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 tons.. 0 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 508 549 acres.. 107 741 110 169 tons, dry.. 133 893 150 495 @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. .