Judith Basin County is a rural sparsely populated county located in the central part of the state.  Over 71% of land in Judith Basin County is classified as farm land.

Overview

Population
1,952
County Size (acres)
1,196,600
Land in Farms (%)
71.9
Number of Farms
357
Median Farm Size (acres) 1,191
Average Farm Size (acres) 2,409

 

 

 

 

 

 
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 $98 million while production expenses were $75 million. Government payments were 3.8% of farm revenues.

 

Market Value of Products Sold
$88,901,000
Government Payments
$3,687,000
Farm-Related Income
$5,505,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$75,435,000
Net Farm Cash Income $22,658,000



 

 

 

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

Taxation

The market value of all property in Judith Basin County was approximately $539 million in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $18 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 property) comprised 15% of the county's taxable value.

 

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property $539,445,278 $447,272,101
Taxable Value of All Property $18,526,011 $13,266,019
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $2,870,139 $2,685,734
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 15.49% 20.25%



 

 

 

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 increased by 14%, while the market value of livestock increased by 81%, from 1997 to 2017.

Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Judith Basin 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 (16%) comprised 86% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.

Crops and Livestock-Judith Basin County

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

Farm Size by Acres 

The percentage of smaller farms, less than 500 acres, increased from 35% to 38%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, decreased from 65% to 62% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
19
5
19
6
10 to 49
30
8
22
7
50 to 179
56
16
38
12
180 to 499    
31
9
33
10
500 to 999
30
8
33
10
1,000 or more
191
54
179
55
TOTAL
357
100
324
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 57% to 53%, while the proportion of total sales from the largest farms with sales of $100,000 or more increased from 43% to 47% from 2012 to 2017.

 
Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
56
16
55
17
2,500 to 4,999
22
6
4
1
5,000 to 9,999
8
2
18
6
10,000 to 24,999
24
7
41
13
25,000 to 49,999
38
11
21
6
50,000 to 99,999
41
11
47
15
100,000 or more
168
47
138
43
TOTAL
357
100
324
100

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

Tillage and Land Use

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

 

Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
No tillage
81
23
60
19
Reduced tillage
30
8
21
6
Intensive tillage
43
12
91
28
Cover crops
13
4
12
4
TOTAL
357
 
324
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices

Producer Profile

The county producer population was younger than the Montana producer population. Forty-two percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 25% 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-two percent of producers in the county were males, while 60% of Montana producers were males. Farming was the primary occupation for 60% 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
10
2
570
1
25 to 34
61
9
3,285
7
35 to 44
98
15
5,179
11
45 to 54
108
17
7,309
15
55 to 64
209
32
13,838
29
65 to 74
98
15
11,469
24
75 and older
66
10
5,587
12
Gender
Male
404
62
28,563
60
Female
250
38
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
390
60
23,847
50
No
264
40
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
654
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, chickpeas, barley, lentils, peas dry edible, and durum wheat.

Tops Crops by Acre-Judith Basin County

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

Top Livestock

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

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
72,091
Sheep
8,055
Chickens - Layers
594
Hogs
118

 

 

 




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

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 827 workers, or 90% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 485 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 234 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 109 workers were employed in other related businesses, such as grocery and drugs stores. For every 10 jobs on farms and ranches, 7 additional jobs are generated in the county.

Impact Type
Labor Force
Impact Multipliers
County Labor Force 923  
Direct Impact 485
Indirect Impact 234 0.48
Induced Impact 109 0.22
Total Impact 827 0.71
Agriculture Share (%) 90  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $55.2 million of value-added, or 41% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $134 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $31.8 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $17 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $6.4 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $0.73 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.

 


Impact Type
Value-Added
($1 million)

Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 134.0  
Direct Impact** 31.8
Indirect Impact** 17.0 0.53
Induced Impact** 6.4 0.20
Total Impact** 55.2 0.73
Agriculture Share (%) 41  











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

References


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