1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 367 1 573 Land in farms ..................acres.. 176 643 189 943 Average size of farm .......acres.. 129 121 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 679 379 521 388 Average per acre .........dollars.. 5 496 4 235 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 59 043 48 473 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 172 211 10 to 49 acres ...................... 429 487 50 to 179 acres ..................... 517 612 180 to 499 acres .................... 183 195 500 to 999 acres .................... 45 50 1,000 acres or more ................. 21 18 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 226 1 407 acres.. 136 827 147 535 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 110 1 275 acres.. 114 158 119 376 Irrigated land .................farms.. 190 194 acres.. 1 353 1 229 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 282 566 234 611 Average per farm .........dollars.. 206 705 149 149 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 204 293 160 694 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 78 272 73 917 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 249 349 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 118 141 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 123 126 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 187 219 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 99 117 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 164 223 $100,000 or more .................... 427 398 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 219 822 186 888 Average per farm .........dollars.. 160 806 118 810 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 367 1 573 $1,000.. 63 101 43 153 Average per farm..........dollars.. 46 160 27 434 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 925 1 035 Other ............................... 442 538 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 539 654 200 days or more ................... 319 424 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 677 771 number.. 50 795 54 465 Beef cows ..................farms.. 222 239 number.. 3 627 3 345 Milk cows ..................farms.. 375 430 number.. 21 186 24 382 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 648 754 number.. 25 970 31 010 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 74 88 number.. 11 855 13 011 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 66 91 number.. 27 146 28 684 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 79 104 number.. 3 421 3 067 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 105 133 number.. 572 445 445 539 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 8 21 number.. 1 500 149 2 715 641 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 594 680 acres.. 39 513 38 708 bushels.. 4 957 808 4 309 673 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 356 419 acres.. 10 519 12 012 tons, green.. 197 008 226 765 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 194 262 acres.. 5 684 5 342 bushels.. 287 362 238 859 Oats for grain................farms.. 55 109 acres.. 560 1 358 bushels.. 33 987 80 706 Irish potatoes................farms.. 11 15 acres.. 359 378 cwt.. 61 415 63 208 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 770 935 acres.. 40 911 49 909 tons, dry.. 109 104 136 862 Land in orchards..............farms.. 52 48 acres.. 593 705 @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. .