Fallon County is a rural sparsely populated county located in the southeastern portion of the state and bordering North Dakota.  Over 87% of land in Fallon County is classified as farm land. 

Overview

Population
2,920
County Size (acres)
1,037,152
Land in Farms (%)
87
Number of Farms
289
Median Farm Size (acres) 1,435
Average Farm Size (acres) 3,121

 

 

 

 

 

 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017 

Farm Revenue

Farm revenue (which includes the market value of products sold, government payments, and farm-related income) were nearly $53 million while production expenses were $41 million. Government payments were 7.2% of farm revenues.

Market Value of Products Sold
$45,288,000
Government Payments
$3,853,000
Farm-Related Income
$4,162,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$41,032,000
Net Farm Cash Income $12,271,000



 

 

 

Source: Census of Agriculture: Tables 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6:  2017   

Taxation

The market value of all property in Fallon County was approximately $781 million in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $44 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 property) comprised 3.9% of the county's taxable value.

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property   $781,568,429 $553,367,235
Taxable Value of All Property $44,950,954 $34,389,026
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $1,758,950 $1,941,815
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 3.91% 5.57%



 

 

 

Source: Montana Dept. of Rev. Montana Taxes by County in2018and Montana Taxes by County in2014 

Market Value of Crops and Livestock

After adjusting for inflation, the market value of crops decreased by 19%, while the market value of livestock increased by 70%, from 1997 to 2017.


Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Fallon County

Sources: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017 and St. Louis Fed Producer Price Index

Crops and Livestock

Cattle (84%) and grain (8%) comprised nearly 92% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.

Crops and Livestock-Fallon County

Source: Census of Agriculture:  Table 2: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Farm Size by Acres 

The percentage of smaller farms, less than 500 acres, decreased from 38% to 36%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, increased from 62% to 64% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
3
1
20
7
10 to 49
36
12
23
8
50 to 179
40
14
31
11
180 to 499    
24
8
37
13
500 to 999
26
9
27
9
1,000 or more
160
55
157
53
TOTAL
289
100
295
100
Source: Census of Agriculture:  Table 2: County Summary Highlights: 2017
 
 

Farm Size by Sales

The percentage of the smallest farms with less than $100,000 and largest farms with sales of $100,000 were unchanged from 2012 to 2017.

 
Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
96
33
79
27
2,500 to 4,999
6
2
17
6
5,000 to 9,999
8
3
7
2
10,000 to 24,999
10
3
24
8
25,000 to 49,999
24
8
25
8
50,000 to 99,999
34
12
31
11
100,000 or more
111
38
112
38
TOTAL
289
100
295
100

Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Tillage and Land Use

The percentage of farms using no till or cover crops increased, while the percentage of farms using reduce or intensive tillage decreased from 2012 to 2017.

 
Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
No tillage
47
16
48
16
Reduced tillage
16
6
20
7
Intensive tillage
28
10
45
15
Cover crops
12
4
13
4
TOTAL
289
 
295
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile

The county producer population was younger than the Montana producer population. Forty-five percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 28% were over 65 years of age. Thirty-four percent of the Montana producer population were under 55, while 36% were over 65 years of age. Sixty percent of producers in the county were males, while 60% of Montana producers were males. Farming was the primary occupation for 61% of county producers, while farming was the primary occupation for 50% of Montana producers.

Characteristics
County
State
Number of 
Producers

%
Number of 
Producers

%
Age
18 -25
3
1
570
1
25 to 34
60
12
3,285
7
35 to 44
82
16
5,179
11
45 to 54
79
16
7,309
15
55 to 64
132
26
13,838
29
65 to 74
100
20
11,469
24
75 and older
38
8
5,587
12
Gender
Male
301
60
28,563
60
Female
198
40
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
303
61
23,847
50
No
196
39
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
499
100
48,161
100

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 45 Selected Operation and Producer Characteristics   

Top Crops by Acre

The top crops were hay and haylage, spring and winter wheat, lentils, peas dry edible, safflower, durum wheat, barley, and canola.


Tops Crops by Acre-Fallon County

 Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 1: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Top Livestock

The top livestock were cattle, sheep and poultry (chickens-layers).

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
46,066
Sheep
2,201
Chicken-Layers
539

 

 

 

 

Source: Census of Agriculture: Tables 11 (Cattle), 13 (Sheep) and 19 (Poultry

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 477 workers, or 27% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 327 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 129 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 21 workers were employed in other related businesses, such as grocery and drugs stores. For every 10 jobs on farms and ranches, 5 additional jobs are generated in the county.

Impact Type
Labor Force
Impact Multipliers
County Labor Force 1,736  
Direct Impact 327
Indirect Impact 129 0.39
Induced Impact 21 0.06
Total Impact 477 0.46
Agriculture Share (%) 27  

 

 

 

 

 

 


Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/#cntyaa and IMPLAN Estimates    

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $26.2 million of value-added, or 12% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $216 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $15.9 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $9 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $1.3 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $0.65 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.

 


Impact Type
Value - Added
($1 million)

Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 216.0  
Direct Impact** 15.9
Indirect Impact** 9.0 0.56
Induced Impact** 1.3 0.08
Total Impact** 26.2 0.65
Agriculture Share (%) 12  











Sources:  * St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, ** IMPLAN Estimates  

References


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