Daniels County is a rural sparsely populated county located in the very northeastern part of the state. Over 84% of land in Daniels County is classified as farm land.

Overview

Population
1,747
County Size (acres)
912,650
Land in Farms (%)
84.3
Number of Farms
277
Median Farm Size (acres) 1,220
Average Farm Size (acres) 2,779

 

 

 

 

 

 
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 $62 million while production expenses were $54 million.  Government payments were 12.4% of farm revenues.

Market Value of Products Sold
$42,187,000
Government Payments
$7,683,000
Farm-Related Income
$11,945,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$54,085,000
Net Farm Cash Income $7,729,000



 

 

 

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

Taxation

The market value of all property in Daniels County was approximately $360 million in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $7.4 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 property) comprised 45% of the county’s taxable value.

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property   $360,396,873 $223,312,645
Taxable Value of All Property $7,386,180 $5,496,858
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $3,313,490 $2,541,099
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 44.86% 46.23%



 

 

 

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 5%, while the market value of livestock increased by 19%, from 1997 to 2017.

Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Daniels County

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

Crops and Livestock

Grain (74%) and cattle (22%) comprised 96% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.


Crops and Livestock-Daniels 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 28% to 32%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, decreased from 72% to 68% from 2012 to 2017.

 

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
5
2
3
1
10 to 49
6
2
10
3
50 to 179
15
5
21
6
180 to 499    
65
23
63
19
500 to 999
35
13
73
22
1,000 or more
151
55
168
50
TOTAL
277
100
338
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 increased from 63% to 66%, while the proportion of total sales from the largest farms with sales of $100,000 or more decreased from 37% to 34% from 2012 to 2017.

 
Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
122
44
138
41
2,500 to 4,999
6
2
4
1
5,000 to 9,999
8
3
8
2
10,000 to 24,999
14
5
13
4
25,000 to 49,999
14
5
19
6
50,000 to 99,999
20
7
30
9
100,000 or more
93
34
126
37
TOTAL
277
100
338
100

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

Tillage and Land Use

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

 
Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
No tillage
61
22
81
24
Reduced tillage
49
18
50
15
Intensive tillage
27
10
48
14
Cover crops
5
2
8
2
TOTAL
277
 
338
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile

The county producer population was older than the Montana producer population. Twenty-eight 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-two percent of producers in the county were males, while 60% of Montana producers were males. Farming was the primary occupation for 51% 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
1
0
570
1
25 to 34
16
3
3,285
7
35 to 44
44
9
5,179
11
45 to 54
83
16
7,309
15
55 to 64
146
28
13,838
29
65 to 74
128
25
11,469
24
75 and older
95
19
5,587
12
Gender
Male
317
62
28,563
60
Female
196
38
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
260
51
23,847
50
No
253
49
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
513
100
48,161
100

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Top Crops by Acre

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


Top Crops by Acre-Daniels County

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

Top Livestock

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

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
14,412
Sheep
286
Chicken-Layers
110

 

 

 

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

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 316 workers, or 35% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 209 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 106 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and 1 additional worker was 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 907  
Direct Impact 209
Indirect Impact 106 0.51
Induced Impact 1 0.00
Total Impact 316 0.51
Agriculture Share (%) 35  

 

 

 

 

 

 


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

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $14.2 million of value-added, or 12% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $117 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $6.9 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $7.3 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $1.06 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.

 


Impact Type
Value - Added
($1 million)

Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 117.0  
Direct Impact** 6.9
Indirect Impact** 7.3 1.06
Induced Impact** 0.00 0.00
Total Impact** 14.2 1.06
Agriculture Share (%) 12  











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

References


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