MONTANA AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS 



FOREWORD 



The statistics in this bulletin provide a measure of the size and health of Montana's 

 major economic force, agriculture. In 1977 the State's farms and ranches contributed 957 

 million dollars to the economy, identifying agriculture as the largest single industry in the 

 State. However, agriculture's proportion of the State's economic pie has declined some in 

 recent years because of unfavorable prices. 



The Economics, Statistics, & Cooperatives Service, USDA, and the Montana Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, cooperating as the "Montana Crop and Livestock Reportng Service", 

 collect and publish a comprehensive array of agricultural statistics. These are published 

 currently throughout the year; and are combined with special county data for this bien- 

 nial 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 the development 

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

 SONS AND FIRMS WHO HAVE HELPED. 



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

 barley for malt, were funded by the Montana Wheat Research and Marketing Commit- 

 tee. Data on barley varieties were funded by the National Malting Barley Improvement 

 Association. 



This issue of "Montana Agricultural Statistics" includes revisions of some 

 State statistics and revised levels of county statistics based on the 1974 

 Census of Agriculture. 



Earlier issues of biennial bulletins are available on a limited basis for historical county 

 statistics. In mid-1978 a special historical bulletin was published and is available, showing 

 State-level statistics back to 1867. 



COPIES OF THE CURRENT PUBLICATION, EARLIER ISSUES, AND THE HISTORICAL 

 BULLETIN ARE AVAILABLE FROM: 



Montana Crop & Livestock Reporting Service 

 P.O. Box 4369 — Helena, Montana 59601 



or 



Montana Department of Agriculture 

 Scott Hart Bidg. — Helena, Montana 59601 



Daniel L. Herbert, 

 State Statistician 



Charles M. Russell Sketch 



courtesy 

 Montana Historical Society 



THE STAGE DRIVER (1901)— Dressed in buffalo coat against the bitter cold 

 and equipped with gauntlets and indispensable long-handled whip, this 

 was an essential man of western travel before the coming of the railroads. 



