*Agriculture
AGRICULTURE OFFICES
Purdue Extension Service, Wells County Community Center, 1240S 4-H Road, P.O.
Box 607, Bluffton, Indiana 46714. Phone 824-6412; Fax 260-824-4891. Home Page:
www.ces.purdue.edu/wells/
Extension Educators: Roger Sherer, William Horan, Judi Merkel.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) ( formerly U.S. Agricultural Stabilization & Conservation),
115 Harvest Road, Bluffton, 824-1930.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (formerly USDA Soil Conservation
Service SCS) and Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) share office at
115 Harvest Road, Bluffton, 824-0624.
STATISTICS/
INFORMATION
Wells County, with a population of 27,600 by the official census in 2000, ranked
55th among Indiana’s 92 counties in that category. But Wells with 660 farms
by the 1997 Census of Agriculture was 35th in the state. The average farm size
was listed as 297 acres (32nd in the state). Land in farms in Wells totalled 195,901
acres, 29th in Indiana. Cropland was 182,069 acres (22nd in Indiana), Pasture
2,460 acres (91st in state), Woodland 7,978 acres (69th in state)
2001 Cash Receipts $73,454,000 (26th in state), with livestock receipts $25,312,000
(27th in state) and crop receipts $48,142,000 (25th in state).
Government payments came to $13,339,000, 26th among 92 counties. Imputed income/rent
received was listed at $8,266,000, 18th highest in Indiana.
2001 Total Income for Wells farms $95,059,000 (28th in state); Less expenses $76,588,000
(33rd in state)
Realized Net Income $18,471,000 (1st in Indiana)
2002 Crop Statistics were:
CORN: 76,200 acres planted, 74,400 acres harvested; yield 90 bushels per acre,
total production 6,726,800 bushels for 41st ranking in Indiana.
SOYBEANS: 109,500 acres planted, 107,600 acres harvested; yield 43 bushels per
acre, total production 4,618,800 bushels for 12th high in Indiana.
WHEAT: 3,300 acres planted, 3,200 acres harvested; yield 69 bushels per acres,
total production 220,900 bushels for 19th highest ranking in Indiana.
HAY: 2,400 acres harvested; yield 2.63 tons per acre, total production 6,300 tons
for 82nd place in Indiana.
POPCORN: 2,419 acres harvested. Total production 7,432,030 pounds (8th highest
in Indiana).
Livestock Statistics:
CATTLE: Jan. 1, 2003: All cattle: 7,000 head, 48th in Indiana); Beef cows 400
head (90th in Indiana); Milk cows 2,500 head (15th in Indiana).
HOGS: 65,972,000 (21st in Indiana)
SHEEP: 172 (78th in state)
Wells County ranked in the top 10 counties of Indiana for production of Popcorn
in year 2001 and was 12th in the production of Soybeans.
A recent years historical record of Well County major crop yields are (with the
year stated first, then corn, soybeans and wheat bushels per acre):
2002 - 90 - 43 - 69; 2001 -165, 51, 71; 2000 - 142, 44, 75; 1999 - 117, 36, 80;
1998 - 152, 43, 68; 1997 -- 143, 45, 66; 1996 -- 123, 38, 39; 1995 -- 114, 36,
68; 1994 -- 146, 47, 66; 1993 -- 130, 43, 50; 1992 -- 148, 43, 48; 1991 -- 93,
42, 51; 1990 -- 134, 43, 62; 1989 -- 119, 33, 62; 1988 -- 90, 26, 49; 1987 --
134, 41, 64; 1986 -- 135, 43, 52; 1985 -- 123, 42, 62.
The last 10-year averages are 132 for corn, 43 for soybeans and 65 for wheat.
The last 15-year averages are 127 for corn, 41 for soybeans and 62 for wheat.
Wells County estimates made in September of 2003 on 2003 corn yields were 142
bushels per acre. New statistics are due in the spring of 2003)More agricultural
statistics are due to be out in March.
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