Shiawassee County boasts a rich agricultural history with at least 10 Sesquicentennial Farms, as identified by the Historical Society of Michigan, located in the area.
Today, Shiawassee County is a prominent agricultural community with over 2000 farms producing soy beans, oats, winter wheat, corn hay, peppermint, dairy herds and poultry.
Agriculture in Shiawassee County:
Average size of farms: 226 acres
Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $42,906
Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $174.22
The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 4.26%
The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 27.46%
Average total farm production expenses per farm: $41,262
Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 78.91%
Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 1.14%
Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $77,924
The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 92.29%
Average age of principal farm operators: 54 years
Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 5.08
Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 32.00%
Corn for grain: 50049 harvested acres
All wheat for grain: 22406 harvested acres
Soybeans for beans: 90209 harvested acres
Vegetables: 84 harvested acres
Land in orchards: 188 acres
Shiawassee Conservation District
USDA
NACD
GreenStone FCS
Shiawassee County Fair
MSU Agriculture Extension