2 AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS 



I. State Historical Statistics: 



1. Acreages planted, acreagres harvested, yield per harvested acre, pro- 

 duction, price, value of production and value of production per acre, 

 for principal crops grown in the State. 



2. Livestock and poultry inventory numbers, value per head and total 

 value as of January 1 each year. 



3. Production, disposition and production value of livestock, poultry, 

 livestock products, dairy products and poultry- products. 



4. Annual cash receipts from crops, livestock and livestock products, and 

 government payments. 



II. State Statistics Relating to Irrigated Lands, 1929-1945: 



1. x\creages harvested, yield per harvested acre, production, total value 

 of production, and value per acre of principal crops grown on irrigated 

 lands in the State. 



2. Acreages harvested, yield per harvested acre, production, value of pro- 

 duction and value per acre of principal crops gro\yn on dry lands 

 in the State. 



III. County Statistics : 



1. Acreages harvested, yield per harvested acre and production, from irri- 

 gated and dry lands for principal crops, 1944 and 1945. 



2. Livestock inventory numbers, 1940 to 1945. 



MONTANA'S POSITION IN AGRICULTURE 



Favored by its rich natural resources set in a land of scenic beauty, 

 Montana enjoys one of the top positions in the country for farming and ranch- 

 ing. During the three-year period, 1943-1945, it held seventh place among 

 all states in the average realized net (keep home) income of farm operators. 

 For the year 1944, it ranked third, with an average of $4,173 per operator, 

 being exceeded by California and Arizona with $6,679 and $4,270 per operator, 

 respectively. During that ,year Montana contributed 261 million dollars cash 

 receipts from agriculture to the nation's total of twenty billion, four hundred 

 and thirty million dollars. During that year Montana's crops contributed 136 

 million dollars, and livestock and livestock products one hundred twenty- 

 five million dollars. Her farmers also received eleven million dollars in the 

 form of government paj^ments. 



Montana is recognized as a leading grain and livestock producing State, 

 but is also prominent in the production of many other agricultural commodi- 

 ties. In 1945 her rank among all States in the production of spring wheat 

 was third, for winter wheat, ninth and barley, sixth. In the production of 

 alfalfa hay, she ranked eleventh; wild hay, sixth; dry beans, ninth; dry peas, 

 third ; flaxseed, fifth ; and sugar beets, third. In production of mustard seed, 

 Montana has no competition. Approximately three-fourths of the country's 

 supply of mustard seed comes from this State. Only Texas exceeds ^Montana 

 in the number of lambs raised each year and Wyoming shares second place 

 with the Treasure State in wool production. Twelfth position in production 

 of beef and veal is held by ^Montana and she holds a top place in the supply 

 of feeder cattle which are shipped to feed lots in Corn Belt States for finishing. 



During 1945, ^Montana farmers harvested crops from 7,739,000 acres, com- 

 pared Avith 6,921,000 acres in 1942. This increase of 12 per cent in cropped 

 acreage during the last four years of the war was exceeded only by North 

 Dakota which showed a gain of 14 per cent. 



