Montana is one of the few states with major gixiwth potential for 

 honey production. Available uncultivated areas and increasing utilization 

 of available water offers ideal sweet clover forage areas. With continued 

 leadership in applying improved management practices, it is estimated 

 that honey production can be increased by 36 percent witliin five to six 

 years . 



The structure of honey marketing consists of individual producers ' 

 direct sales and contact sales to out-of-state processors accounting 

 for approximately 50 percent of the total. It is noteworthy that Montana 

 has the first fully operational bulk honey handling facility. This 

 operation is capable of supplying honey in tank truck and carload tanker 

 lots of 45,000 to 110,000 pounds with further experience in unitized 

 container shipments for export. This particular segment of the industry 

 represents the remaining 50 percent of total marketings. 



Montana's honey industry with its recognized quality, superiority, 

 availability of supply, production potential and a marketing structure 

 that is capable to readily serve the export market provides an excellent 

 potential for new foreign and domestic trade. 



CERTIFIED SEED POTATOES 



Since 1972, Montana seed potato growers have succeeded in building 

 and maintaining a certified seed program of unequaled caliber. The 

 Montana Potato Improvement Association is responsible for supervising 

 the program which consists of formulating rules and regulations per- 

 taining to production of disease free seed potatoes. The Association 

 is governed by a four-member Board of Directors which are elected from 

 the Association membership. All certified seed growers are members of 

 the Association. 



The potatoes are grown in fertile valleys surrounded by towering 

 mountains that reach to 11,000 feet. The growers not only enjoy the 

 aesthetic value, but appreciate the isolation barriers provided by the 

 mountains. For this reason, Montana has rarely experienced green peach 

 aphid infestations . Russet Burbank predominates as the leading variety, 

 with 4,602 acres certified in 1973. Norland, Norgold Russet, White Rose 

 and LaSoda are certified varieties grown in lesser amounts. 



In 1969 Montana expanded the certified program to grow seed potatoes 

 free of latent viruses. Each field entered for virus free certifications 

 undergoes rigid field and cellar inspections. Also, Leaf samples are 

 collected and are processed under serological procedures. In 1970 there 

 were 185 acres certified as latent virus free and this was increased to 

 1,664 acres in 1973. Results from this program are very favorable as 

 growers have reported a ten to twenty percent yield increase and the 

 incidence of blackleg in this stock is negligible. 



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