STATE OF MONTANA 



MESSAGE FROM THE COMMISSIONER 



Montana cash receipts from farm marketings during 1966 totalled 503 

 million dollars. This indeed was a new high and was the first time we broke 

 through the half billion barrier. The half billion plus figure further proves 

 the fact that Montana income and economic progress is still pretty much based 

 on agricultural income since this figure shows over double the income of the 

 next ranking wealth producer. 



This growth would be impossible were it not for authentic and basic 

 facts upon which producers, processors and those in the field of marketing 

 may predicate their decisions. Statistics which are accurate and meaningful arc 

 important to any well managed business. They are most important in the field 

 of agriculture including the producer, processor and distributor. 



The Montana Department of Agriculture and the Statistical Reporting 

 Service of the United States Department of Agriculture cooperate in collecting 

 assimilating and publishing the many statistics pertaining to our production 

 of crops and livestock. We certainly salute the many farmers and ranchers, 

 state and federal agencies, people in agri-business and the many others who 

 make this authentic publication of Montana agricultsral facts possible. We are 

 confident this fine co-operation will continue in the future in the best interests 

 of not only the agricultural economy, but the economy of Montana as well. 



