1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 464 503 Land in farms ..................acres.. 55 309 58 090 Average size of farm .......acres.. 119 115 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 148 607 129 306 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 243 982 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 16 509 14 696 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 11 15 10 to 49 acres ...................... 130 141 50 to 179 acres ..................... 237 256 180 to 499 acres .................... 69 78 500 to 999 acres .................... 17 13 1,000 acres or more ................. 0 0 Total cropland .................farms.. 424 465 acres.. 26 784 28 356 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 349 379 acres.. 10 674 11 739 Irrigated land .................farms.. 15 22 acres.. 38 61 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 4 827 5 333 Average per farm .........dollars.. 10 402 10 603 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 1 027 893 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 3 800 4 440 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 213 239 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 107 98 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 69 92 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 43 42 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 19 14 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 3 8 $100,000 or more .................... 10 10 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 4 809 4 792 Average per farm .........dollars.. 10 364 9 527 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 464 503 $1,000.. - 632 170 Average per farm..........dollars.. - 1 362 337 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 163 170 Other ............................... 301 333 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 292 315 200 days or more ................... 205 225 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 333 360 number.. 11 485 8 460 Beef cows ..................farms.. 309 335 number.. 6 135 4 603 Milk cows ..................farms.. 12 16 number.. 399 514 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 317 343 number.. 4 588 4 642 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 10 16 number.. 731 2 619 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 6 14 number.. 2 935 4 108 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 16 4 number.. 900 112 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 13 27 number.. (D) 46 113 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 3 7 number.. 217 419 505 350 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 38 70 acres.. 697 953 bushels.. 50 716 44 726 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 12 16 acres.. 416 414 bushels.. 20 076 12 012 Cotton .......................farms.. 5 4 acres.. 310 (D) bales.. 216 (D) Tobacco ......................farms.. 6 9 acres.. 6 7 pounds.. 7 069 9 706 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 19 29 acres.. 511 1 080 bushels.. 8 807 12 263 Peanuts for nuts .............farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 pounds.. 0 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 285 296 acres.. 7 969 7 747 tons, dry.. 11 565 9 862 @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. .