1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 296 309 Land in farms ..................acres.. 35 786 41 303 Average size of farm .......acres.. 121 134 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 1 310 693 458 712 Average per acre .........dollars.. 11 180 4 093 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 36 496 36 094 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 60 57 10 to 49 acres ...................... 133 120 50 to 179 acres ..................... 49 80 180 to 499 acres .................... 34 26 500 to 999 acres .................... 14 20 1,000 acres or more ................. 6 6 Total cropland .................farms.. 278 284 acres.. 28 787 34 082 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 243 259 acres.. 23 459 26 414 Irrigated land .................farms.. 66 48 acres.. 1 226 747 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 15 879 13 956 Average per farm .........dollars.. 53 647 45 164 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 14 479 11 243 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 1 401 2 713 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 100 113 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 32 38 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 38 31 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 48 40 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 21 28 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 20 22 $100,000 or more .................... 37 37 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 12 214 10 159 Average per farm .........dollars.. 41 262 32 876 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 296 309 $1,000.. 3 969 3 082 Average per farm..........dollars.. 13 410 9 973 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 144 153 Other ............................... 152 156 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 154 176 200 days or more ................... 105 114 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 47 44 number.. 1 190 1 522 Beef cows ..................farms.. 31 32 number.. 276 318 Milk cows ..................farms.. 9 8 number.. 373 660 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 48 40 number.. 473 761 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 6 10 number.. (D) 961 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 12 10 number.. 941 1 237 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 21 20 number.. 518 405 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 28 24 number.. (D) (D) Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 2 2 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 47 61 acres.. 5 018 4 860 bushels.. 650 948 540 155 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 4 6 acres.. 250 430 tons, green.. 3 380 8 670 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 58 86 acres.. 11 308 12 152 bushels.. 350 129 393 308 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 85 100 acres.. 3 605 5 211 tons, dry.. 6 728 10 877 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 46 49 acres.. 1 067 793 Land in orchards..............farms.. 21 21 acres.. 132 127 @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. .