1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 367 1 463 Land in farms ..................acres.. 118 136 124 675 Average size of farm .......acres.. 86 85 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 377 867 258 045 Average per acre .........dollars.. 4 259 2 882 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 59 902 39 840 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 197 196 10 to 49 acres ...................... 540 548 50 to 179 acres ..................... 479 567 180 to 499 acres .................... 121 131 500 to 999 acres .................... 25 17 1,000 acres or more ................. 5 4 Total cropland .................farms.. 1 204 1 298 acres.. 90 719 93 646 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 1 001 1 065 acres.. 65 643 64 984 Irrigated land .................farms.. 466 495 acres.. 29 689 28 768 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 211 730 179 921 Average per farm .........dollars.. 154 886 122 981 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 43 246 28 173 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 168 484 151 748 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 344 386 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 177 172 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 140 158 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 135 132 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 86 80 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 65 84 $100,000 or more .................... 420 451 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 173 401 136 918 Average per farm .........dollars.. 127 033 93 587 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 365 1 463 $1,000.. 39 173 42 145 Average per farm..........dollars.. 28 698 28 807 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 751 802 Other ............................... 616 661 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 691 755 200 days or more ................... 458 518 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 991 1 127 number.. 115 904 109 787 Beef cows ..................farms.. 392 424 number.. 5 838 5 850 Milk cows ..................farms.. 395 475 number.. 62 370 55 631 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 915 1 074 number.. 55 184 56 311 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 48 61 number.. 653 2 629 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 33 51 number.. 712 4 404 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 55 53 number.. 907 545 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 86 97 number.. (D) 239 564 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 10 8 number.. 2 026 121 7 643 345 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 12 4 acres.. 1 352 353 bushels.. 142 237 14 882 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 16 15 acres.. 1 182 733 bushels.. 62 200 45 340 Barley for grain..............farms.. 3 10 acres.. (D) 236 bushels.. (D) 14 257 Irish potatoes................farms.. 10 12 acres.. 1 482 1 378 cwt.. 436 330 575 798 Hay-alfalfa, other, wild, 765 865 silage.......................farms.. 48 179 53 299 acres.. 169 811 170 967 tons, dry.. 58 60 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 5 405 7 083 acres.. 63 32 Land in orchards..............farms.. 329 229 acres.. @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. .