Toole County is a rural sparsely populated county located in the northern portion of the state bordering Canada. Over 89% of land in Toole County is classified as farm land. 

Overview

Population
4,853
County Size (acres)
1,225,610
Land in Farms (%)
89.3
Number of Farms
362
Median Farm Size (acres) 1,800
Average Farm Size (acres) 3,025

 

 

 

 

 

 
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 $105 million while production expenses were $78 million.  Government payments were 11% of farm revenues.

Market Value of Products Sold
$84,182,000
Government Payments
$11,549,000
Farm-Related Income
$9,452,000
Total Farm Production Expenses
$78,022,000
Net Farm Cash Income $27,161,000



 

 

 

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

Taxation

The market value of all property in Toole County was approximately $1 billion in 2019.  The taxable value assigned by the Montana Department of Revenue was $22 million.  Agricultural Property (as defined by Montana Department of Revenue as Class 3 Property) comprised 23% of the county's taxable value.

Property Tax Summary
2019
2014
Market Value of Property $1,000,844,390 $1,051,434,277
Taxable Value of All Property $22,777,933 $21,356,815
Taxable Value ofAgricultural Property $5,092,712 $4,292,173
Ag Taxable Value as % of All Property 23% 20%



 

 

 

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 42%, while the market value of livestock increased by 39%, from 1997 to 2017.

 

Market Value of Crops and Livestock-Toole County

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

Crops and Livestock

Grain (61%) and cattle (12%) comprised 73% of total crop and livestock sales in 2017.

 

Crops and Livestock-Toole County

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

Farm Size by Acres 

The percentage of smaller farms, less than 500 acres, and larger farms, 500 acres or more, was unchanged from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size
by Acres
2017
2012
Number of
Farms

%
Number of
Farms

%
1 to 9
5
1
9
2
10 to 49
11
3
13
3
50 to 179
31
9
30
74
180 to 499    
44
12
52
12
500 to 999
44
12
61
14
1,000 or more
227
63
258
61
TOTAL
362
100
423
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 54% to 58%, while the percentage of the largest farms with sales of $100,000 or more decreased from 46% to 42% from 2012 to 2017.

Farm Size 
by Sales
2017
2012
Number of 
Farms

%
Number of 
Farms

%
Less than 2,500
115
32
133
31
2,500 to 4,999
9
2
4
1
5,000 to 9,999
4
1
10
2
10,000 to 24,999
17
5
25
6
25,000 to 49,999
32
9
31
7
50,000 to 99,999
34
9
25
6
100,000 or more
151
42
195
46
TOTAL
362
100
423
100

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

Tillage and Land Use

The percentage of farms using no till or cover crops 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
178
49
204
48
Reduced tillage
52
14
61
14
Intensive tillage
28
8
58
14
Cover crops
33
9
7
2
TOTAL
362
 
423
 
Source: Census of Agriculture: Table 41 Land Use Practices
 

Producer Profile 

The county producer population was older than the Montana producer population. Thirty-two percent of county producers were under 55 years of age, while 32% were over 65 years of age. Thirty-two percent of the Montana producer population were under 55, while 32% were over 65 years of age. Sixty percent of producers in the county were males, while 64% of Montana producers were males. Farming was the primary occupation for 62% 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
21
4
570
1
25 to 34
56
9
3,285
7
35 to 44
38
6
5,179
11
45 to 54
78
13
7,309
15
55 to 64
208
35
13,838
29
65 to 74
122
20
11,469
24
75 and older
73
12
5,587
12
Gender
Male
382
64
28,563
60
Female
217
36
18,673
40
Primary Occupation
Yes
374
62
23,847
50
No
225
38
24,314
50
TOTAL PRODUCERS
599
100
48,161
100

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Top Crops by Acre

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

 

Tops Crops by Acre-Toole County

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

Top Livestock

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

Livestock
Number of Head
Chicken - Layers
26,229
Cattle
18,245
Sheep
2,364

 

 

 

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

Employment Impact

Agricultural production employed 763 workers, or 36% of the county’s labor force.  According to IMPLAN, economic impact model, 456 of the workers were directly employed in production agriculture.  An additional 237 workers were employed in businesses supporting agricultural production, such as feed and fertilizer dealers, and another 70 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 2,149  
Direct Impact 456
Indirect Impact 237 0.52
Induced Impact 70 0.15
Total Impact 763 0.67
Agriculture Share (%) 36  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Value Added Impacts

Farms and ranches generated $36.3 million of value-added, or 14% of the county’s total gross domestic product of $258 million in 2017.  According to IMPLAN, $14.4 million was directly contributed by farmers and ranchers.  An additional $17 million was generated by businesses supporting agricultural production and $4.9 million was generated by other related businesses.  Each dollar of value-added in agriculture by a farmer or rancher contributes an additional $1.52 of value-added in other sectors of the county’s economy.

 

Impact Type
Value-Added
($1 million)
Impact Multipliers
County GDP* 258.0  
Direct Impact** 14.4
Indirect Impact** 17.0 1.18
Induced Impact** 4.9 0.34
Total Impact** 36.3 1.52
Agriculture Share (%) 14  











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

References


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