Montana is a major agricultural state where nearly two-thirds of the total land area is dedicated to farming and ranching, contributing billions of dollars annually to the state’s economy. The state’s vast size and varied geography, which includes plains, mountains, and river valleys, produce a wide range of growing conditions. These diverse conditions challenge growers to adapt their methods, from dryland operations in the eastern plains to irrigated systems in the western valleys. This agricultural landscape is marked by climatic variability and diverse terrain. Farmers work to maximize the potential of their land, balancing market demands with environmental limitations.
Montana’s Foundation: Wheat and Barley Production
Wheat is the number one commodity crop in Montana, and together with barley, these small grains form the economic base of the state’s crop sector. The Golden Triangle region in north-central Montana is renowned for producing high-quality wheat, which is often blended with grains from other regions to raise the overall quality. Montana farmers grow both winter wheat and spring wheat, a distinction based on the planting and harvest cycle.
Winter wheat is planted in the fall, allowing it to establish a root system before going dormant under the winter snowpack. It is harvested in late July or early August, offering a higher yield potential than spring varieties. Spring wheat is planted in April or May and harvested later in the summer, primarily in the northeastern regions where the winters are too severe for winter wheat to reliably survive.
Durum wheat, a very hard type of spring wheat used to make pasta, is also a significant crop in northeast Montana. A large portion of these grain crops, especially winter wheat, is exported and used to produce Asian-style noodles.
Barley is the second most important grain crop, with Montana often ranking as one of the top barley-producing states in the country. The state’s climate, characterized by hot days and cool nights during the growing season, is highly favorable for producing the low-protein grain demanded by maltsters. Most of the barley harvested is used for malting, a process that converts the grain’s starches into sugars for the brewing and distilling industries. The remaining barley is used for livestock feed. Both wheat and barley are largely grown under dryland farming conditions, where moisture retention practices like alternate-year fallow periods are used to conserve limited precipitation.
Cash Crops Requiring Specialized Conditions
Beyond the dominant grains, Montana growers cultivate high-value cash crops that thrive under more specific conditions, often requiring irrigation or advanced crop rotation strategies. Pulse crops, which include dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas, have seen a dramatic increase in acreage, positioning Montana as a national leader in their production.
As legumes, these crops form a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria in their root nodules, which fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil. This natural process reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in subsequent crops like wheat or barley, making them a sustainable and financially attractive rotation partner.
Sugar beets are another high-value crop, but their cultivation is concentrated in specific irrigated river valleys, such as the Yellowstone River Valley. The entire Montana sugar beet crop is produced under irrigation, requiring between 25 and 30 inches of water during the growing season to maximize yield and sugar content. The long growing season of 150 to 160 days is necessary for the root to fully develop. They are rotated with other crops like wheat and barley to manage soil-borne diseases.
Potatoes are also grown in specific areas, notably in the western and south-central regions, often requiring sprinkler irrigation for precise water management. Montana is particularly known for producing certified seed potatoes, which are sold across the United States for planting commercial crops, a testament to the state’s rigorous quality control. These crops, with their specific water and rotation needs, diversify the state’s farm income and contrast with the vast dryland grain operations.
Essential Forage and Feed Crops
A significant portion of Montana’s cultivated land is dedicated to growing forage and feed crops that support its substantial beef cattle industry. Hay and alfalfa are the most widely grown of these crops, forming the foundation of winter feed for livestock. Alfalfa, a perennial legume, is the leading hay crop due to its high protein content and impressive yields, and it is grown on both dryland and irrigated acres.
In the mountain valleys and along river bottoms, where irrigation is more readily available, alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures thrive, often allowing for multiple cuttings per season. While most hay produced is consumed on-site by the ranchers’ own herds, high-quality alfalfa hay is also sold as a cash crop to domestic and international markets. Other crops, such as silage corn and grain hay made from oats or barley, are also used to supplement livestock feed, providing a dense source of energy. These forage crops ensure the viability of the livestock sector by providing nourishment through the long winter months.