Granite County is a rural sparsely populated county located in the western part of the state. Over 25% of land in Granite County is classified as farm land. 

Overview

Population
3,378
County Size (acres)
1,105,384
Land in Farms (%)
25.8
Number of Farms
151
Median Farm Size (acres) 540
Average Farm Size (acres) 1,892

 

 

 

 

 

 
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 over $19 million while production expenses were nearly $16 million.  Government payments were 1.4% of farm revenues.

Market Value of Products Sold
$17,898,000
Government Payments
$268,000
Farm-Related Income
$1,233,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$15,792,000
Net Farm Cash Income $3,606,000



 

 

 

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

Taxation

The market value of all property in Granite County was approximately $698 million in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $14 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 property) comprised 5.10% of the county's taxable value.

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property $698,875,695 $671,458,216
Taxable Value of All Property $14,190,036 $10,750,945
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $723,062 $680,451
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 5.10% 6.33%



 

 

 

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 34%, while the market value of livestock increased by 20%, from 1997 to 2017.

Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Granite County

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

Crops and Livestock

Cattle (80%) and other crops and hay (15%) comprised 95% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.

Crops and Livestock-Granite 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 slightly from 47% to 48%, while the percentage of larger farms, 500 acres or more, decreased slightly from 53% to 52% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
11
7
11
7
10 to 49
15
10
14
9
50 to 179
16
11
28
17
180 to 499    
31
21
24
15
500 to 999
15
10
18
11
1,000 or more
63
42
68
42
TOTAL
151
100
163
100
Source: Census of Agriculture:  Table 2: County Summary Highlights: 2017

Farm Size by Sales

The proportion of total sales from smallest farms with less than $100,000 in sales decreased from 67% to 64%, while the proportion of total sales from the largest farms with sales of $100,000 or more increased from 33% to 36% from 2012 to 2017.

 
Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
50
33
56
34
2,500 to 4,999
5
3
4
2
5,000 to 9,999
6
4
8
5
10,000 to 24,999
9
6
17
10
25,000 to 49,999
4
3
12
7
50,000 to 99,999
22
15
13
8
100,000 or more
55
36
53
33
TOTAL
151
100
163
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 or cover crops decreased from 2012 to 2017.

Tillage
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
No tillage
6
4
1
1
Reduced tillage
5
3
3
2
Intensive tillage
11
7
17
10
Cover crops
2
1
10
6
TOTAL
151
 
163
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile

The county producer population was about the same age as the Montana producer population. Thirty-six percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 40% 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-eight 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
10
3
570
1
25 to 34
2
1
3,285
7
35 to 44
31
10
5,179
11
45 to 54
65
22
7,309
15
55 to 64
69
23
13,838
29
65 to 74
81
27
11,469
24
75 and older
38
13
5,587
12
Gender
Male
173
58
28,563
60
Female
124
42
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
151
51
23,847
50
No
146
49
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
297
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 spring wheat.


Tops Crops by Acre-Granite County

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

Top Livestock

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

Livestock
Number of Head
Cattle
19,392
Sheep
1,078
Chickens-Layers
174

 

 

 


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

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 366 workers, or 23% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 240 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 112 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 14 workers were 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 1,617  
Direct Impact 240
Indirect Impact 112 0.47
Induced Impact 14 0.06
Total Impact 366 0.53
Agriculture Share (%) 23  

 

 

 

 

 

 


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

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $11.6 million of value-added, or 13% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $90 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $7.6 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $3.2 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $0.8 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $0.52 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.


Impact Type
Value-Added
($1 million)

Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 90.0  
Direct Impact** 7.6
Indirect Impact** 3.2 0.42
Induced Impact** 0.8 0.10
Total Impact** 11.6 0.52
Agriculture Share (%) 13  











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

References


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