1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 MERCER COUNTY, OHIO Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 393 1 562 Land in farms ..................acres.. 269 163 276 361 Average size of farm .......acres.. 193 177 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 356 565 301 729 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 900 1 670 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 68 415 58 256 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 162 179 10 to 49 acres ...................... 245 246 50 to 179 acres ..................... 509 665 180 to 499 acres .................... 352 354 500 to 999 acres .................... 92 94 1,000 acres or more ................. 33 24 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 253 1 419 acres.. 245 675 250 305 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 210 1 388 acres.. 229 723 215 719 Irrigated land .................farms.. 7 3 acres.. 75 39 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 190 678 143 073 Average per farm .........dollars.. 136 883 91 596 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 39 537 33 566 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 151 141 109 507 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 82 101 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 58 87 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 143 175 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 241 320 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 193 219 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 194 255 $100,000 or more .................... 482 405 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 150 923 109 396 Average per farm .........dollars.. 108 266 69 991 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 394 1 563 $1,000.. 39 676 34 872 Average per farm..........dollars.. 28 462 22 311 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 723 847 Other ............................... 670 715 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 788 889 200 days or more ................... 609 652 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 492 597 number.. 50 084 45 324 Beef cows ..................farms.. 27 67 number.. 365 729 Milk cows ..................farms.. 269 327 number.. 18 811 18 551 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 477 592 number.. 25 293 21 878 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 335 390 number.. 137 703 123 520 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 344 418 number.. 268 919 225 500 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 41 64 number.. 1 206 1 836 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 112 138 number.. 4 461 844 3 891 635 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 4 7 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 987 1 177 acres.. 87 375 68 438 bushels.. 12 429 836 8 672 094 Corn for sil for green chop...farms.. 273 287 acres.. 9 193 7 887 tons, green.. 179 552 151 408 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 570 891 acres.. 20 725 25 530 bushels.. 965 543 1 419 255 Oats for grain................farms.. 271 431 acres.. 4 584 7 066 bushels.. 366 684 544 993 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 958 1 142 acres.. 88 162 87 377 bushels.. 3 472 201 3 464 665 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 503 601 acres.. 24 666 23 687 tons, dry.. 89 127 90 513 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 20 17 acres.. 130 400 @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. .