MONTANA AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS 



FOREWORD 



Agriculture is Montana's leading industry. In 1973, cash receipts from farm marketings 

 and government payments contributed $1.1 billion to the State's economy — about the same as 

 the total of mining, manufacturing, travel, oil, and lumber combined. Farming and ranching 

 provide employment for about 56,000 persons and related enterprises furnish jobs for many 

 more. 



The statistics in this bulleting provide the accurate and unbiased basic information 

 needed for planning and decision making by farm and ranch operators, agri-business, and 

 State and local government. 



The Statistical Reporting Service, USDA and Montana Department of Agriculture, 

 cooperating as the "Montana Crop and Livestock Reporting Service" collect and publish 

 agricultural statistics for Montana. These are published currently throughout the year; and 

 combined together with special county data for this biennial bulletin. 



Most of the basic information is obtained by sample surveys of farmers and ranchers. 

 Supplemental information is also acquired from many agri-business firms. A number of 

 State, Federal and local governmental agencies also contribute toward development of these 

 statistics. OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC-SPIRITED 

 PERSONS AND FIRMS WHO HAVE HELPED. 



Special statistics on wheat — varieties, movement, stocks by class, and utilization were 

 jointly funded by the Montana Wheat Research and Marketing Committee and under the 

 Matching Funds program of the Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, as provided by the 

 Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. The barley variety statistics were funded by the Malting 

 Barley Improvement Association. 



This issue of Montana Agricultural Statistics includes some revisions in 

 State statistics and levels of county data based upon the 1969 Census of 

 Agriculture. 



This publication is available from the Agricultural Statistician, P.O. Box 1726, Helena. 

 Montana or the Montana Department of Agriculture, Capitol Complex, Helena, Montana. 



Daniel L. Herbert, 



Agr. Statistician-in-Charge 



MONTANA'S BANK IN THE NATION'S AGRICULTURE — 1973 



LIVESTOCK & PRODUCTS CROPS 



Type Rank Type Rank 



All Cattle 12 Acres in Strip-Cropping 1 



All Cows 10 All Wheat 5 



Milk Cows 43 Winter Wheat 7 



Beef Cows 8 Durum Wheat 2 



Cattle on Feed 20 Hard Spring Wheat 3 



Hogs 27 All Hay 14 



Sheep & Lambs 6 Alfalfa Hay 10 



Wool 7 Dry Beans 14 



Chickens 40 Barley 2 



Honey 9 Oats 14 



Flax 4 



Potatoes 21 



Sugarbeets 10 



