Wheatland County is a rural sparsely populated county located in the central part of the state. Over 94% of land in Wheatland County is classified as farm land.

Overview

Population
2,236
County Size (acres)
910,388
Land in Farms (%)
94.5
Number of Farms
174
Median Farm Size (acres) 1,000
Average Farm Size (acres) 4,994

 

 

 

 

 

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

Farm Revenue

Farm revenues (which includes the market value of products sold, government payments, and farm-related income) were nearly $47 million while production expenses were $35 million.  Government payments were 4.8% of farm expenses.

Market Value of Products Sold
$43,103,000
Government Payments
$2,221,000
Farm-Related Income
$1,359,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$34,999,000
Net Farm Cash Income $11,684,000



 

 

 

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

Taxation

The market value of all property in Wheatland County was approximately $459 billion in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $16 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 Property) comprised 10% of the county's taxable value.

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property $459,334,914 $430,394,530
Taxable Value of All Property $16,892,710 $15,167,740
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $1,740,096 $1,696,003
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 10% 11%



 

 

 

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 11%, while the market value of livestock increased by 38%, from 1997 to 2017.

Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Wheatland County

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

Crops and Livestock

Cattle (56%) and other livestock (16%) comprised 72% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.

 

Crops and Livestock-Wheatland 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 34% to 37%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, decreased from 66% to 63% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms
%
Number of
Farms
%
1 to 9
9
5
9
6
10 to 49
11
6
9
6
50 to 179
22
13
10
6
180 to 499    
23
13
25
16
500 to 999
20
11
17
11
1,000 or more
89
51
84
55
TOTAL
174
100
154
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 in sales increased from 61% to 66%, while the percentage of the largest farms with sales of $100,000 or more decreased from 39% to 34% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms
%
Number of 
Farms
%
Less than 2,500
28
16
39
25
2,500 to 4,999
9
5
7
5
5,000 to 9,999
10
6
8
5
10,000 to 24,999
24
14
10
6
25,000 to 49,999
18
10
14
9
50,000 to 99,999
26
15
16
10
100,000 or more
59
34
60
39
TOTAL
174
100
154
100

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

Tillage and Land Use

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

 

Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms
%
Number of 
Farms
%
No tillage
19
11
18
12
Reduced tillage
10
6
9
6
Intensive tillage
31
18
23
15
Cover crops
8
5
3
2
TOTAL
174
 
154
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile 

The county producer population was older than the Montana producer population. Thirty-one percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 43% 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 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
6
2
570
1
25 to 34
24
7
3,285
7
35 to 44
34
10
5,179
11
45 to 54
41
12
7,309
15
55 to 64
84
25
13,838
29
65 to 74
117
35
11,469
24
75 and older
29
9
5,587
12
Gender
Male
202
60
28,563
60
Female
136
40
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
203
60
23,847
50
No
135
40
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
338
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 wheat, spring wheat, barley, peas dry edible, durum wheat, lentils, and potatoes.

 

Tops Crops by Acre-Wheatland County

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

Top Livestock  

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

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
43,006
Hogs
17,083
Sheep
12,523
Chicken - Layers
248

 

 

 

 

 

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

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 335 workers, or 43% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 215 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 86 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 34 workers were employed in other related businesses, such as grocery and drugs stores. For every 10 jobs on farms and ranches, 6 additional jobs are generated in the county.

 

Impact Type
Labor Force
Impact Multipliers
County Labor Force 784  
Direct Impact 215
Indirect Impact 86 0.40
Induced Impact 34 0.16
Total Impact 335 0.56
Agriculture Share (%) 43  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $25 million of value-added, or 34% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $73 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $17.1 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $5.8 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $2 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $0.46 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.

 

Impact Type
Labor Force
Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 73.0  
Direct Impact** 17.1
Indirect Impact** 5.8 0.34
Induced Impact** 2.0 0.12
Total Impact** 25.0 0.46
Agriculture Share (%) 34  










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

References


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