WASHINGTON, D.C. - Penn sylvania farms declined in num bers and decreased in size between 1978 and 1982, according to the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau. Preliminary reports just released for the 1982 Census of Agriculture show 55,539 farms, compared with 56,202 in 1978. Land in farms totaled 8.3 million acres, an average per farm of 149 acres, compared with 152 in 1978. Total sales of agricultural products amounted to $2.8 billion in 1982. The average value of land and buildings per farm was $225,834 with a per acre value of $1,520. Land from which crops were harvested increased to 4.4 million from 4.3 million acres and acres irrigated rose from 14,662 to 18,154 in 1982. The Bureau defines a farm as any place from which $l,OOO or more of agricultural products were, or normally would have been, sold in the census year. The preliminary data indicate expenditures for livestock and poultry feed were $603.2 million; total costs for farm energy, $210.1 million; for fertilizer, $127.8 million; and for hired labor, $223.9 million. The sales of livestock, poultry and their products were $2.1 billion, 74 percent of total agricultural sales. Dairy products amounting to $l.l billion were sold from 15,146 farms. The number of milk cows were up from 656,363 in the previous census to 690,779 in 1982. The total cattle and calves in ventory of 1.8 million head on 38,686 farms was up from 1.7 million in 1978. The 877,889 sold were down from 928,932 four years earlier. An inventory of 871,098 hogs and pigs including 93,344 for breeding purposes was reported on 9,232 farms of which 413 farms had inventories of 500 or more and accounted for 51 percent of the 750$ REASONS WHY BERG GUTTER CHAIN IS YOUR BEST REPLACEMENT BUY... Fewer parts mean fewer problems and 100 feet of Berg Gutter Chain has 749 fewer parts than most other makes There are no pins rivets or bolts to rust bind break or work loose Berg s dur able work horse links are forged in one piece from a special nickel chrome steel alloy that pulls up to 1 Vj tons more load and is prac tically impervious to corrosion 749 fewer parts give you 749 reasons to replace your worn out gutter chain with Berg s But there s still another reason Reason 750' Berg Gutter Cham adapts easily to all makes of barn cleaners so it s sure to til yours Ask us about it today l SHENKS FARM SERVICE ERWIN W. ZIMMERMAN HENRY S. LAPP bOl East Woods Di ive Route 1 RD 1 Box I^6 LitiU PA l/b4d Mdilnibbuig PA lbbb<l Gap PA 1/b^/ 717-626-1151 814-793-3954 717-442-8134 Pa. farms decline in number & size State’s total inventory. A total of 1.7 million hogs and pigs was reported sold, of which 504,502 were feeder pigs. Some 3,530 farms reported 113,608 head of sheep and lambs, with 87,889 shorn yielding 594,016 pounds of wool; 80,151 head were sold. Sales of poultry and their products were $456.4 million. Some 8,424 farms reported an inventory of 24.5 million chickens three months old or older; 8,287 farms reported 21 million hens and pullets; and 1,262 farms, 103.8 million broilers sold. In addition, 437 farms sold 5.5 million turkeys compared with 4 million sold in 1978. The sale of crops amounted to $751.3 million. By harvested acreage, among the leading crops were com, with 119.9 million bushels from 1.3 million acres; oats, with 18.1 million bushels from 307.455 acres; and wheat, with 7.8 million bushels from 221,454 acres. Other crops were alfalfa hay, 755,062 acres, soybeans, 131,241 acres; barley, 58,644; and apples, 39,150 acres. Agriculture census data for Pennsylvania also revealed these facts: Of the total farms in the State, 7,221 had gross sales of $lOO,OOO or more; 28,341 reported sales of less than $lO,OOO. The average age of farm operators was 50 years; 8,876 were under 35, and 22,116 were 55 or older. Women operated 2,787 farms or 5 percent of the State total. Fifty-six percent of the operators reported farming as their principal occupation, but 43 percent of all operators worked 100 days or more off the farm. Eighty-nine percent of the farms were operated by individuals or families as sole proprietorships; 4,844 by partnerships; and 899 by corporations, of which 84 percent were family held. DANIEL B. STOLTZFUS JOSEPH M. FISHER Routed Box Z3b A Box 48b RD 4 Lewibtown PA 1/044 York PA I /4U4 717-242-0776 717 764 0494 YILIT FARM SUPPLY ROVENDALE SUPPLY FARM SERVICE COMP Route I Box ZZt R D I Box IU7 RU 1 Bux /4J Avella PA 15312 Wdlsonlown PA 1//// Nownidniluwii PA 412-345 3753 717 538-5521 BERG BULB EVER! BETTER . HMBNNS ¥ SEE YOUR LOCAL DEALER PENNSYLVANIA Farms by Size 40.9 Less than 50 acres 1978 56,202 Farms 1982 - 55.539 Farms Ninety-one percent of the far mers owned all or part of the farms they operated: 34,416 were fully owned; 16,027 partly owned; and 5,096 were operated by tenants. NEWARK, DEL. A major goal of current soil fertility research at the University of Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station is to show farmers how they can refine management practices so as to take advantage of organic sources of nitrogen such as poultry _ , . , manure and legumes. To do this, Single copies of preliminary researchers must find out how state and county reports may be quickly nitrogen from these obtained for $1.75 and $1.50 each, sources is released into the soil in a respectively, prepaid from the form plants can use. Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Last summer, soil scientist J Government Printing (Office, Thomas Sims conducted field Washington, D.C. 20402. Price for studies designed to predict N entire set is available upon release from poultry manure in request. conventional and no-till irrigated Data in the report for 1978 and 1982 are directly comparable for acreages and inventories. Dollar values have not been adjusted for changes in price levels. JOB-SIZED BARN CLEANERS! All of Bergs extra quality and strength ■ 81l ■ in dnve units sized to take on your cleaning chores from smallest to extra ■ large barns We fit any size barn to ■■Hla your particular layout [^m AMOS N. HOOVER R D 1 HARVEST CO. R D 1 Box J<* Miltlmburt PA 1/814 Milllinlown PA 1/nb'J 717 966 2009 717 436 2326 1/0/4 717 949 2366 R. LAMAR HACKMAN R D 2 Mittlnibur t; PA i/844 717-966-3264 50 to 499 acres 500 acres or more Nitrogen release studied FRESH-AIR FLOW VENTILATION SYSTEMS! Draft free and oxygen rich outside air to increase livestock comfort improve feed efficiency and reduce the risk of disease and weather Systems to fit any building COW COMFORT STALLS! Provide new comfort and safety for every valuable animal in your herd Many stall design systems adaptable to your bam layout and dairy operation DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE CHESTER INGRAM R D 2 Bellelonte PA 16824 (Hublet sbuigj 814 383-2798 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 24,1984-D29 1982 Market Value of Agricultural Products Poultry Dairy products Livestock Total Value $2.8 Billion corn. He found that it was possible to estimate available N from this source fairly accurately based on the assumption that 80 percent of the inorganic N was available the first year after application, and 60 percent of the organic N became available during crop growth. Yield and measurements of plant N uptake and soil N all supported his findings. Yield responses to poultry manure applied in no-tillage systems were approximately 90 percent of those in conventional tillage, indicating that it is possible to use poultry manure successfully as an N source for no-till. In related laboratory and greenhouses studies Sims found that temperature and moisture both affect nitrogen release from the manure. Mineralization of readily decomposable organic N was essentially complete within three months, the scientist said. Plant N uptake was markedly increased by incubating the poultry manure in the soil at 25 degrees C, but raising the tem perature to 40 degrees C resulted in little increased availability. Suns conducted this work with the help of a Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. grant. Next sum mer, he plans to look more closely at the rate at which nitrogen in poultry manure and leguminous cover crops like hairy vetch is released over the growing season. Knowing when nitrogen from organic sources is most available to crops will help producers tailor supplemental fertility programs to meet plant needs. Under irrigation, this information might eventually tell farmers the proper time to fertigate, for example Crops 00l lody itry StO' Wet iels
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