1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 COLUMBUS COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 109 1 334 Land in farms ..................acres.. 162 634 180 427 Average size of farm .......acres.. 147 135 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 178 032 164 271 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 243 1 085 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 31 860 27 145 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 80 115 10 to 49 acres ...................... 359 417 50 to 179 acres ..................... 417 540 180 to 499 acres .................... 192 187 500 to 999 acres .................... 41 59 1,000 acres or more ................. 20 16 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 070 1 294 acres.. 110 638 118 289 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 994 1 237 acres.. 84 313 81 498 Irrigated land .................farms.. 31 38 acres.. 363 462 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 54 663 50 716 Average per farm .........dollars.. 49 290 38 018 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 46 292 42 515 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 8 371 8 202 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 225 247 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 103 144 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 148 202 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 226 298 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 120 169 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 137 149 $100,000 or more .................... 150 125 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 45 890 36 773 Average per farm .........dollars.. 41 342 27 566 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 110 1 334 $1,000.. 8 337 12 832 Average per farm..........dollars.. 7 511 9 619 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 601 736 Other ............................... 508 598 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 555 692 200 days or more ................... 374 445 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 214 214 number.. 5 950 5 242 Beef cows ..................farms.. 189 176 number.. 2 985 (D) Milk cows ..................farms.. 10 14 number.. 389 (D) Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 195 160 number.. 2 068 2 069 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 175 305 number.. 43 271 28 052 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 171 311 number.. 81 544 68 065 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 0 1 number.. 0 (D) Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 37 82 number.. 7 402 14 446 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 0 0 number.. 0 0 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 539 936 acres.. 30 936 32 842 bushels.. 2 571 540 3 031 118 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 88 56 acres.. 3 801 1 729 bushels.. 171 046 66 919 Cotton .......................farms.. 2 0 acres.. (D) 0 bales.. (D) 0 Tobacco ......................farms.. 650 830 acres.. 9 975 9 095 pounds.. 21 059 646 18 940 762 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 615 716 acres.. 35 645 32 135 bushels.. 801 484 736 613 Peanuts for nuts .............farms.. 21 31 acres.. 703 1 005 pounds.. 2 066 151 3 204 216 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 121 113 acres.. 1 879 1 581 tons, dry.. 3 989 3 622 @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. .