Fergus County is a rural county located almost directly in the center of the state. Over 78% of land in Fergus County is classified as farm land.

Overview

Population
11,113
County Size (acres)
2,777,171
Land in Farms (%)
78.8
Number of Farms
845
Median Farm Size (acres) 806
Average Farm Size (acres) 2,589

 

 

 

 

 

 
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 $155 million while production expenses were $131 million. Government payments were 7.9% of farm revenues.

Market Value of Products Sold
$133,624,000
Government Payments
$12,281,000
Farm-Related Income
$8,925,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$131,283,000
Net Farm Cash Income $23,546,000



 

 

 

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

Taxation

The market value of all property in Fergus County was approximately $1.6 billon million in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $39 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 property) comprised 13% of the county's taxable value.

 

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property   $1,619,461,314 $1,910,899,964
Taxable Value of All Property $39,401,516 $25,758,907
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $5,142,811 $5,423,343
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 13.05% 21.05%



 

 

 

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 26%, while the market value of livestock increased by 61%, from 1997 to 2017.


Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Fergus County

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

Crops and Livestock

Cattle (70%) and grain (17%) comprised nearly 87% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.

 

Crops and Livestock-Fergus 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 47% to 43%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, increased from 53% to 57% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
41
5
54
7
10 to 49
116
14
105
13
50 to 179
134
16
116
15
180 to 499    
74
9
89
11
500 to 999
72
9
75
9
1,000 or more
408
48
351
44
TOTAL
845
100
790
100
Source: Census of Agriculture:  Table 2: County Summary Highlights: 2017
 

Farm Size by Sales

The proportion of total sales from the smallest farms with less than $100,000 in sales decreased from 61% to 59%, while the proportion of total sales from the largest farms with sales of $100,000 or more increased from 39% to 41% from 2012 to 2017.

 
Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
196
23
193
24
2,500 to 4,999
40
5
48
6
5,000 to 9,999
65
8
41
5
10,000 to 24,999
66
8
59
7
25,000 to 49,999
59
7
61
8
50,000 to 99,999
72
9
77
10
100,000 or more
347
41
311
39
TOTAL
845
100
790
100

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

Tillage and Land Use

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

 

Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
No tillage
187
22
170
22
Reduced tillage
81
10
84
11
Intensive tillage
74
9
134
17
Cover crops
53
6
32
4
TOTAL
845
 
790
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile

The county producer population was somewhat younger than the Montana producer population. Thirty-nine percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 32% 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-three percent of producers in the county were males, while 60% of Montana producers were males. Farming was the primary occupation for 56% 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
16
1
570
1
25 to 34
162
11
3,285
7
35 to 44
177
12
5,179
11
45 to 54
231
15
7,309
15
55 to 64
429
28
13,838
29
65 to 74
320
21
11,469
24
75 and older
164
11
5,587
12
Gender
Male
959
63
28,563
60
Female
562
37
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
857
56
23,847
50
No
664
44
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
1,521
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, winter and spring wheat, barley, lentils, peas dry edible, chickpeas, durum wheat, canola and safflower.


Tops Crops by Acre-Fergus County

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

Top Livestock

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

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
119,336
Sheep
2,990
Chicken-Layers
1,592
Chicken-Broilers
693
Hogs
195

 

 

 

 

 


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

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 1,488 workers, or 26% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 1,062 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 326 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 100 workers were employed in other related businesses, such as grocery and drugs stores. For every 10 jobs on farms and ranches, 4 additional jobs are generated in the county.

Impact Type
Labor Force
Impact Multipliers
County Labor Force 5,759  
Direct Impact 1,062
Indirect Impact 326 0.31
Induced Impact 100 0.09
Total Impact 1,488 0.40
Agriculture Share (%) 26  

 

 

 

 

 

 


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

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $73.7 million of value-added, or 17% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $432 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $46.7 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $21 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $6 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $0.58 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.

 


Impact Type
Value - Added
($1 million)

Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 432.0  
Direct Impact** 46.7
Indirect Impact** 21.0 0.45
Induced Impact** 6.0 0.13
Total Impact** 73.7 0.58
Agriculture Share (%) 17  











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

References


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