^ ' '*'" STATE OF MONTANA 3 



PREFACE 



Agriculture has, for several decades, been Montana's leading industry and may be expected 

 to have profound influence on the State's economy for many years to come. People associated with 

 this major endeavor constantly seek yardsticks of production which are vital to their decisiens 

 and plans. This encompasses the broad groups of processors, shippers, dealers, brokers, whole- 

 salers and retailers of farm produce. Also, a large gamut of manufacturers whose products are 

 distributed to farmers and ranchers or used by others to serve agriculture. The scope of goods and 

 services used by the farm operator and his family is virtually all inclusive. Agriculture has much 

 control over all other segments of the economy and it is essential that facts be assembled to reflect 

 current and potential output of agricultural products. 



The Agricultural Estimates Division of the Agricultural Marketing Service, United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture, has the responsibility of assembling and publishing agricultural data. 

 Information on production, supply and price of agricultural commodities for Montana and the 

 United States is issued currently in mimeographed form by the agency office in Helena, Montana. 

 To meet the need for county and district data, not available under the Federal program, this bul- 

 letin has been prepared under a cooperative agreement with the Montana Department of Agri- 

 culture. Funds appropriated by the Montana Legislature have made it possible to supply many 

 interested persons, inside and outside the State, with more detailed information on Montana's 

 agriculture. 



IN THIS ISSUE 



Crop and livestock statistics by counties for recent years appear in this volume. With similar 

 information for earlier years recorded in previous issues, a sixteen-year series of county data are 

 now available for most crops and livestock items. Longer series are in print for the major grains. 

 Items of special interest are documented herein and identified by the brief descriptions of contents 

 below. The general layout and arrangement of the tables in this bulletin is similar to that in 

 Volume VIL 



Official crop and livestock estimates are prepared mostly from sample data reported on mail 

 questionnaires by farmers and ranchers. Record data on marketings, shipments, processing, etc., 

 are utilized in the estimation process and also serve as a basis for revision after the close of the 

 marketing period. With exception of a few items for 1957, the series of State data in this issue for 

 the years 1950 through 1957 are the same as in Volume VII. Contents of this bulletin are as follows: 



Climate Data, page 5, for selected stations present a rough pattern of moisture and tempera- 

 tures by counties. Climate may vary widely between these locations because of the great changes 

 in elevations from mountain tops to valley streams. 



Cash Receipts, page 6, exclude cash values of agricultural products used on farms and ranches. 

 Receipts from marketings in 1958 reached an all-time peak due to the favorable market for cattle. 

 The sharp increase in receipts for cattle and calves is reflected by the tables on page 7. Cattle and 

 wheat account for the major part of Montana's agricultural income each year. Cash receipts by 

 counties, pages 8 and 9, offer a comparison of 1958 and 1959 income and the division of income 

 between crops, livestock and government payments. A decrease in number of farms during 1958 and 

 1959 contributed to the high average receipts per farm. 



All Crops, acreage and value of crop production, page 6, reflect a substantial increase in the 

 acreage of crops not irrigated in 1959. The total exceeds each of the three previous years and 

 approaches the level of the pre-wheat acreage allotment period. An all-time high of 1.7 million 

 irrigated acres and 8.0 million acres not irrigated is listed for 1953. The importance of irrigation 

 was evident in the 1930's when the value of irrigated crops accounted for more than half of the 

 total crop value. County values per acre for irrigated crops and crops not irrigated, pages 12 and 

 13, have wide variation. The crops grown must be suitable for certain types of soil and the length 

 of the growing season. 



