Total population (1990 census): 275227
County seat: Hastings
Crop Statistics (1997 US Census of Agriculture)
| Cereals | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Maize=Corn | 445 | 88550 | 12697826 bu | |
| Wheat for Grain, Total | 91 | 2879 | 106064 bu | |
| Spring Wheat for Grain | 59 | 2023 | 76017 bu | |
| Winter Wheat for Grain | 41 | 856 | 30047 bu | |
| Barley | 9 | 194 | 10390 bu | |
| Oats | 69 | 1372 | 93776 bu | |
| Rye | 3 | D | 2432 bu | |
| Grain Legumes | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Soybean | 414 | 64453 | 2696216 bu | |
| Forages | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Total Hay* | 334 | 12830 | 35896 tons, dry | |
| Alfalfa Hay | 295 | 8683 | 26975 tons, dry | |
| Small Grain Hay | 36 | 744 | 1991 tons, dry | |
| Tame Hay | 42 | 654 | 1247 tons, dry | |
| Wild Hay | 24 | 291 | 329 tons dry | |
| Grass Silage | 39 | 2458 | 16064 tons, grn | |
| Corn for Silage | 120 | 3713 | 65420 tons, grn | |
| Sorghum for Silage | 3 | 56 | D | |
| Vegetables | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Asparagus | 4 | D | ||
| Snap Bean | 20 | 241 | ||
| Beets | 6 | 2 | ||
| Head Cabbage | 12 | 114 | ||
| Cantaloupes | 13 | 20 | ||
| Carrots | 9 | 2 | ||
| Cauliflower | 5 | 7 | ||
| Cucumbers & Pickles | 11 | 10 | ||
| Eggplant | 6 | 3 | ||
| Herbs, Fresh Cut | 10 | 2 | ||
| Dry Onions | 14 | 10 | ||
| Green Onions | 7 | 3 | ||
| Green Peas | 62 | 3317 | ||
| Hot Peppers | 12 | 4 | ||
| Sweet Peppers | 23 | 22 | ||
| Potatoes | 11 | 2164 | 660986 bu | |
| Pumpkins | 15 | 157 | ||
| Radishes | 5 | 1 | ||
| Squash | 20 | 100 | ||
| Sweet Corn | 85 | 4229 | ||
| Tomatoes | 34 | 88 | ||
| Mixed Vegetables | 4 | 13 | ||
| Other Vegetables | 10 | 29 | ||
| Fruits | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Apples | 16 | 181 | 24318 trees | |
| Grapes | 4 | 22 | 9900 vines | |
| Raspberries | 13 | 11 | 19577 lbs | |
| Strawberries | 8 | 27 | 150401 lbs | |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops, Cut Christmas Trees Harvested, Mushrooms, and Sod Grown for Sale | Farms | Sq. ft. under glass or other protection | Acres in the open | Sales ($1,000) |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 67 | 1404545 | 1903 | 14007 |
| Nursery, Floriculture, Vegetable and Flower Seed Crops | 23 | X | 641 | X |
| Florculture Crops | 42 | 1372657 | 33 | 8417 |
| Bedding/Garden Plants | 40 | 992527 | 8 | 5653 |
| Cut Flowers and Cut Florist Greens | 5 | D | D | D |
| Potted Flowering Plants | 8 | D | D | 2461 |
| Cut Christmas Trees Harvested | 6 | X | D | D |
| Nursery Crops | 19 | 6088 | 445 | 3010 |
| Sod Harvested | 5 | X | 1146 | 1536 |
| Other Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 6 | D | 128 | 16 |
| Herb, Spice, Medicinal, Bioactive... | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Herbs, Total | 10 | 2 | X | |
*Alfalfa, grass silage, green chops etc.
D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.
X=Not applicable.