Lincoln County is located in the very northwestern part of the state, and borders Canada to the North and Idaho to the West. Only about 2% of land in Lincoln County is classified as farm land. 

Overview

Population
19,794
County Size (acres)
2,312,004
Land in Farms (%)
2.1
Number of Farms
345
Median Farm Size (acres) 45
Average Farm Size (acres) 139

 

 

 

 

 

 
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 $7 million while production expenses were nearly $9 million. Government payments comprise only 0.7% of farm revenues.

 

Market Value of Products Sold
$3,111,000
Government Payments
$47,000
Farm-Related Income
$3,534,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$8,645,000
Net Farm Cash Income ($1,953,000)



 

 

 

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

Taxation

 

The market value of all property in Lincoln County was approximately $2 billion in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $36 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 property) comprised 0.72% of the county's taxable value.

 

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property $2,701,486,621 $1,847,806,048
Taxable Value of All Property $36,656,106 $35,312,465
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $263,849 $299,784
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 0.72% 0.85%



 

 

 

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 53%, while the market value of livestock decreased by 39%, from 1997 to 2017.

Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Lincoln County

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

Crops and Livestock

Cattle (48%) and other crops(27%) comprised 75% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.


Crops and Livestock-Lincoln 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 94% to 96%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, decreased from 6% to 4% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
50
14
30
9
10 to 49
133
39
132
41
50 to 179
99
29
103
32
180 to 499    
49
14
41
13
500 to 999
6
2
12
4
1,000 or more
8
2
7
2
TOTAL
345
100
325
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 and the largest farms with sales of $100,000 remained virtually unchanged from 2012 to 2017.

 
Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
213
62
195
60
2,500 to 4,999
54
16
39
12
5,000 to 9,999
25
7
30
9
10,000 to 24,999
28
8
37
11
25,000 to 49,999
12
3
8
2
50,000 to 99,999
4
1
10
3
100,000 or more
9
3
6
2
TOTAL
345
100
325
100

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

Tillage and Land Use

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

Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
No tillage
13
4
8
2
Reduced tillage
1
0
2
1
Intensive tillage
23
7
21
6
Cover crops
7
2
12
4
TOTAL
345
 
325
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile

The county producer population was older than the Montana producer population. Twenty-five percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 41% 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. Fifty-nine percent of producers in the county were males, while 60% of Montana producers were males. Farming was the primary occupation for 40% 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
0
0
570
1
25 to 34
28
5
3,285
7
35 to 44
44
7
5,179
11
45 to 54
73
12
7,309
15
55 to 64
194
33
13,838
29
65 to 74
158
27
11,469
24
75 and older
81
14
5,587
12
Gender
Male
344
59
28,563
60
Female
243
41
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
233
40
23,847
50
No
354
60
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
587
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 and other vegetables.

Tops Crops by Acre-Lincoln County

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

Top Livestock

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

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
2,101
Chicken - Layers
1,105
Chicken - Broilers
240
Hogs
53

 

 

 

 

 

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

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 310 workers, or 4% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 234 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 73 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 3 workers were employed in other related businesses, such as grocery and drugs stores. For every 10 jobs on farms and ranches, 3 additional jobs are generated in the county.

 

Impact Type
Labor Force
Impact Multipliers
County Labor Force 7,887  
Direct Impact 234
Indirect Impact 73 0.31
Induced Impact 3 0.01
Total Impact 310 0.32
Agriculture Share (%) 4  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $2.9 million of value-added, or 1% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $537 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $1.7 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $1.1 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $0.2 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $0.72 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.

 


Impact Type
Value-Added
($1 million)

Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 537.0  
Direct Impact** 1.7
Indirect Impact** 1.1 0.62
Induced Impact** 0.2 0.10
Total Impact** 2.9 0.72
Agriculture Share (%) 1  











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

References


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