Montana Data and Statistics - FIC

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Montana Data and Statistics

Welcome to the Montana Statistics page. Here you will find frequently requested data specific to this state from AFT's Farms Under Threat: The State of the States report, the National Resources Inventory, the Census of Agriculture, and the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) program survey. You also can link to additional information and data sources.

On This Page

Farms Under Threat

National Resources Inventory

Census of Agriculture

Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs

Other Data Sources

Farms Under Threat: The State of the States

All estimates represent figures for the Conterminous U.S.

Total and Agricultural Land Cover/Use

Data Item Acres
Total land area in 2016 94,106,000
Agricultural land in 2016 55,495,300
Cropland in 2016 14,788,500
Pastureland in 2016 5,082,600
Rangeland  in 2016 35,442,900
Woodland in 2016 181,200
Agricultural land in 2001 54,418,300

High-quality Agricultural Land

Data Item Acres
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2016 9,213,000
Nationally Significant agricultural land in 2001 8,770,700
Best agricultural land in 2016 27,103,200
Best agricultural land in 2001 26,734,000

Nationally Significant agricultural land is the land best-suited to long-term, intensive crop production within the Conterminous United States; and each state’s “best land” is approximately the better half of all agricultural land in each state. For more information about these categories of high-quality agricultural land and how they were identified, see the interactive website for Farms Under Threat: The State of the States, and the fact sheet about AFT’s Productivity, Versatility, and Resiliency (PVR) Analysis.

Agricultural Land Converted from 2001-2016

Data Item Acres
Agricultural land developed or compromised 96,300
Agricultural land converted to urban and highly-developed land use (UHD) 20,200
Agricultural land converted to low-density residential land use (LDR) 76,200
Nationally Significant agricultural land developed or compromised 26,200
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to UHD 3,600
Nationally Significant agricultural land converted to LDR 22,600
Best agricultural land developed or compromised 66,100
Best agricultural land converted to UHD 10,700
Best agricultural land converted to LDR 55,400

Learn More


2012 National Resources Inventory

1997-2002 2002-2007 2007-2012 1982-2012
Agricultural land converted to developed land (acres) 29,400 46,000 22,200 204,100
Agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 58,383,800 58,384,000 58,249,300 58,353,300
Prime agricultural land at the beginning of the reporting period (acres) 963,600 953,000 935,600 972,200
Forest land converted to developed land (acres) 7,200 9,300 3,400 49,100
Other rural land converted to developed land (acres) NA 3,400 NA 10,600
Total surface area (acres) 94,110,000 94,110,000 94,110,000 94,110,000

Census of Agriculture

Data Item 2007 2012 2017
Farms 29,524 28,008 27,048
Land in Farms (acres) 61,388,462 59,758,917 58,122,878
Cropland (acres) 18,241,710 17,022,177 16,406,300
Permanent Pasture and Rangeland (acres) 40,003,265 39,293,812 38,459,451
Woodland (acres) 2,284,011 2,609,922 2,540,798
Land in Buildings (acres) 859,476 833,006 716,329
Total Land Area (acres) 94,106,047 94,106,047 94,106,047
All operators/All producers 46,903 45,246 48,161
All operators/All producers 34 and younger 3,094 3,096 3,855
All operators/All producers 65 and older 11,584 12,732 17,055
All producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 29,740
Principal producers 37,682
Principal producers 34 and younger 2,706
Principal producers 65 and older 14,551
Principal producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 7,942
Principal operators / Primary producers 29,524 28,008 27,048
Principal operators / Primary producers 34 and younger 1,296 1,387 1,761
Principal operators / Primary producers 65 and older 8,837 9,318 11,004
Primary producers with experience of 10 years or less on any farm 5,358
Market value of agricultural products sold $2,803,062,000 $4,230,083,000 $3,520,623,000
Average market value of agricultural products sold per operation $94,942 $151,031 $130,162
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers $6,321,000 $9,423,000 $9,797,000
Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products $9,206,000

Notes on Changes to the 2017 Census of Agriculture

  • Producer characteristic data were collected for a maximum of four producers on each farm, up from a maximum of three producers in prior years.
  • Principal producer is a new term that identifies up to two main decision-makers on each farm, up from one principal operator in prior years.
  • Market value of agricultural products sold directly to consumers expanded to include value-added products.
  • Market value of agricultural products sold directly to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs for local or regionally branded products is a new data item.

 


Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs

For summaries of PACE activity by state, use the links for the downloadable table or most recent fact sheets on the national statistics page under Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs.


Other Data Sources

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