s 

 ^-1 



'^^^?v/[ontana Crop 

 Production 



Annual Summary 1999 



Released: February 12, 2000 



STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION 



Ajj 4 Z'jGO 



MONTANA STATE LIBRARY 



1G15 E. 6th AVE. 

 HELENA, MONTANA G9320 



Montana's 1999 winter wheat 



production was estimated at 36.86 million 

 bushels, down 24 percent from 1998 and 

 the lowest producion since the severe 

 drought of 1985. Producers harvested 

 970.000 acres, down 280.000 acres from 

 1998. The 1999 average yield was 38 

 bushels per acre, which is one bushel 

 lower than last year's average. 



In the fall of 1999 Montana producers 

 seeded 1.5 million acres of winter wheat. 

 450.000 acres more than the small acreage 

 seeded in 1998. 



Montana's 1999 spring wheat 



production was estimated at 108 million 

 bushels, unchanged from 1998. The 1999 

 and 1998 productions are tied for the third 

 largest crop on record behind only 1995 

 and 1997 productions. The seeded acreage 

 was 4.15 million acres. 350.000 acres 

 greater than 1998. Producers harvested 

 4.0 million acres. 400.000 acres more than 

 a year earlier. Yields averaged 27 bushels 

 per acre, down 3 bushels from 1998. in 

 part due to lack of precipitation in many 

 areas of the state. 



Durum wheat production for 1999 was 

 estimated at 9.45 million bushels, down 

 22'7f from 1998. Harvested acreage was 

 estimated at 350,000. down 80.000 acres 

 from last year. The average yield was 27.0 

 bushels per acre, down one bushel from 

 1998. The planted and harvested acreage 

 was lowered by 40.000 acres from the 

 September small grains summary. 



Barley planted acreage for 1999 has 

 decrea.sed to 1.3 million acres. 50,000 

 acres less than 1998. Producers harvested 

 1.15 million acres, also 50,000 acres less 

 than were harvested for grain in 1998. 

 Yields averaged 50 bushels per acre, up 2 

 bushels from last year. Production was 

 estimated at 57.5 million bushels, nearly 

 unchanged from last year. 



Oats production for 1999 is estimated at 

 3.22 million bushels, nearly unchanged 

 from 1998. Planted acreage was 



estimated at 170,000 acres, 30.000 acres 

 higher than last year. Harvested acreage 

 was set at 70.000 acres, up 10,000 from 

 1998. Yields averaged 46.0 bushels per 

 acre, 8 bushels below last year. 



Producers harvested 18,000 acres of 

 corn for grain in 1999, unchanged from 

 last year" s estimate. The average yield was 

 110.0 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels 

 from last year. Production decreased 47c 

 from 1998 to 1.98 million bushels. Corn 

 for silage acreage was estimated at 45,000 

 acres, up 4.000''acres from 1998. Yields 

 averaged 20 tons per acre, down one ton 

 from a year ago. 



Sugar beet producers harvested an 

 estimated 61,700 acres in 1999, down 700 

 acres from a year ago. Yields increased 

 1.2 tons from last year to average 23.8 tons 

 per acre. Total production was estimated 

 at 1.47 million tons, up 4% from the 

 previous year, setting a new production 

 record. 



Fall potato production totaled 3.33 

 million cwt, up 5% from last year. 

 Producers harvested 10,900 acres 

 compared with 10,600 in 1998. Yields 

 increased 5 cwt per acre from a year ago to 

 305 cwt. 



All hay harvested was up 100,000 acres 

 from last year at 2.6 million acres. All hay 

 production was 5.055 million tons, up \% 

 or 35,000 tons from a year ago. Alfalfa 

 hay harvested acreage was 1.65 million 

 acres, down 50,000 acres from last season. 

 The average yield was 2.2 tons per acre, 

 which is unchanged from last year. Other 

 hay harvested acreage was 950,000, up 

 150,000 acres from 1998. The average 

 yield was 1 .5 tons per acre compared with 

 1.6 tons per acre last year. 



Hay stocks were estimated at 4.45 

 million tons on December 1, down 37c 

 from last year. Hay growers seeded an 

 estimated 200,000 acres of alfalfa during 

 1999, 70,000 acres more than last year. 

 New seedings include those mixed with a 

 nurse crop, other forage, or direct 

 seedings. 



Drv bean growers produced an 

 estimated 441,000 cwt in 1999, up 91,000 

 cwt from 1998. Growers harvested 25,500 

 acres with a yield of 17.3 cwt per acre 

 compared with last year's 16,000 acres 

 harvested with a yield of 2 1 .9 cwt per acre. 



Pinto bean production in 1999 is 

 estimated to be 296,000 cwt, which is 1 2% 



MONTANA 

 AGRICULTURAL 

 STATISTICS SERVICE 



301 South Park, Drawer 10033 



Helena, MT 59626-0033 



(406) 441-1240 or 1-800-835-2612 

 www.nass.usda.gov/mt/ 



3 0864 1004 8434 7 



above last year's estimate. Harvested 

 acreage, at 13.200, is 107r higher than the 

 previous year. The yield is estimated at 

 2,240 pounds per acre, 40 pounds more 

 than last year. 



Montana's second production estimate 

 for garbanzo beans was 133.000 cwt for 

 1999. which is 58% higher than last year. 

 Harvested area is estimated at 11.800 

 acres, up 8,000 from last year. The yield is 

 estimated at 1,130 pounds per acre, down 

 from last year's estimate of 2,210 pounds 

 per acre. 



Dry peas production for 1999 is 

 estimated at 663,000 cwt. Planted and 

 harvested acreage is estimated at 50,000 

 and 39.000 acres, respectively. Average 

 yield is set at 17.0 cwt per acre. 



Montana's 1999productionof lentils is 

 estimated at 208,000 cwt. Planted area is 

 estimated at 19.000 acres and harvested 

 acres are set at 16,000 acres. The average 

 yield is estimated to be 13.0 cwt per acre. 



Flaxseed production for 1999 is 

 estimated to be 328.000 bushels. Planted 

 and harvested acreage estimates are 2 1 ,000 

 and 20,500, respectively. The average 

 yield is set at 16.0 bushels per acre. 



Production of mustard seed during 

 1999 is estimated at 17.85 million pounds. 

 Farmers planted 21,500 acres and 

 harvested 21.000 acres. Yields averaged 

 850 pounds per acre. 



Canola growers planted 60,000 acres in 

 1999 and "havested 58,000 acres with 

 average yields of 1,200 pounds per acre. 

 Total production is estimated at 69.6 

 million pounds. 



Growers produced an estimated 33.15 

 million pounds of safflower for 1999, 

 planting 41,000 acres and harvested 

 39,000 acres with an average yield of 850 

 pounds per acre. 



Montana's 1999 all sunflower 



production estimate was set at 6. 1 million 

 pounds this year. Planted and harvested 

 acreage estimates are 7,800 and 7,100. 

 respectively. The average yield is 

 estimated at 858 pounds per acre. 



