2017 Census of Agriculture – Morrow County
October 1, 2019 The market value of agricultural products sold in Morrow County reached $596 million in 2017. Crops represented 32 percent or $191 million. Livestock, poultry, and products accounted for 68 percent or $406 million.
Morrow County’s census identified 375 farms, a drop of 6 percent compared with 2012. Land in farms also fell in 2017, dropping 3 percent to 1.1 million acres. Although total land in farming fell, the average size of a Morrow County farm actually rose by 6 percent to just over 3,000 acres, far surpassing Oregon’s 424-acre average.Operations with 1,000 acres or more represented 43 percent of Morrow County’s farms compared with Oregon’s 6 percent. About 33 percent of Oregon’s farms belonged to the one to nine acres group in 2017 compared with Morrow County’s 14 percent. The 10 to 49 acres group led the state, with 34 percent of Oregon’s farms, twice the Morrow County share of 17 percent. In the 500 to 999 acres group, Morrow County’s 10 percent more than tripled Oregon’s 3 percent.
Morrow County was home to 703 farm producers (maximum of four producers per farm) in 2017, with about 59 percent or 418 male producers and 285 female producers. More than one-third (34%) of Morrow County’s farm producers were age 65 or older – and 93 percent of its farms were family farms.
Agricultural product sales per farm averaged $1.6 million in Morrow County compared with Oregon’s $133,104. Morrow County’s sales ranked among the top 2 percent of counties nationally, placing 70th out of 3,077. Marion County earned the top spot in Oregon with $702 million in agricultural product sales, while Morrow County ranked first for its $1.6 million average per farm, leading second place Tillamook County by nearly $1.2 million.
Vegetables, melons, potatoes, and sweet potatoes grown in Morrow County produced sales of $97 million in 2017 while ranking second statewide and 33rd nationally, in the top 1 percent of counties. Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas earned sales of $66 million in 2017, also good enough to rank second in Oregon. Other crops and hay brought Morrow County $25 million in farm sales.
Cattle and calves dominated Morrow County’s 2017 livestock, poultry, and products, generating $234 million in sales while ranking first in Oregon and 50th nationally, placing in the top 2 percent of counties. Milk from cows was likewise a staple, bringing in $169 million, ranking first in Oregon and 42nd nationally, in the top 2 percent. Sheep, goats, wool, mohair, and milk produced $282,000 in farm sales, while poultry and egg sales fetched $126,000.
Farm production expenses topped $1.4 million on average in 2017. Net cash income per farm averaged $237,633 compared with Oregon’s $19,757. Morrow County’s average ranked first in Oregon and was nearly double second place Gilliam County’s $120,352 per farm.With 375 farms in Morrow County, not every farm had $1.6 million in agricultural product sales. Around 39 percent or 146 farms produced sales of less than $2,500 annually. Farms selling $500,000 or more in agricultural products represented 12 percent of Morrow County’s farms compared with Oregon’s 5 percent. Farms with $500,000 or more in agricultural sales commanded 96 percent of Morrow County’s 2017 total compared with 81 percent of Oregon’s.