HC RC&D Area

Agriculture is the number one industry in the High Country RC&D Area. As number of farms, farm sizes and acreages are decreasing market value of agricultural products sold in the area is actually increasing.

The economic growth of agriculture has been substantial for most counties. All counties except Clark, Custer, Lemhi and Fremont, have shown a steady increase in market value of production from 1997-2002. Butte county is especially notable with a 113% increase in market value production from 1997-2002. See Market Value of Production by County Graph, which shows the change in market value of agriculture production, by county, over a 10 year period (1992-2002).

Market value of agriculture production per farm in the HC RC&D relatively follows the same trend as market production. However, Lemhi County, which reports a 7% decrease in market value production reports a 3% increase in market value production per farm over the last 5 years. Illustrating that although county wide production is down, individual farms are actually producing more.

Table 1: HC RC&D Area Crop and Livestock Sales
	Crop Sales 1992	Crop Sales 1997	Crop Sales 2002	% Change 1997-2002	% Change 1992-2002	Livestock Sales 1992	Livestock Sales 1997	Livestock sales 2002	% Change 1997-2002	% Change 1992-2002

County
Bonneville	82666584	74474400	89478000	17%	8%	20666646	18618600	29662000	37%	30%
Butte	11979000	15720960	10553000	-49%	-14%	7401000	7063040	38024000	81%	81%
Clark	30075000	26190540	24759000	-6%	-21%	6643000	6143460	3301000	-86%	-101%
Custer	1577000	3484950	3006000	-16%	48%	12508000	13110050	9724000	-35%	-29%
Fremont	67017000	70251680	63936000	-10%	-5%	19109000	11436320	8093000	-41%	-136%
Jefferson	51832000	85388880	99528000	14%	48%	39345000	52335120	59172000	12%	34%
Lemhi	1064000	1646280	1283000	-28%	17%	17592000	16645720	15659000	-6%	-12%
Madison	64249000	73841040	86746000	15%	26%	8950000	7302960	5926000	-23%	-51%
Teton	13698000	17000020	19998000	15%	32%	6495000	5972980	4127000	-45%	-57%
Area Total ($1000)	324157584	367998750	399287000	8%	19%	138709646	138628250	173688000	20%	20%
Area Total ($1000)
Source: 1997 Census of Agriculture and 2002 NASS County Profiles

Livestock production has increased in the Area by 20% from 1992-2002. County specific production of field crops and livestock shows a more erratic trend than the Area’s production. In the last 5 years Butte County has decreased crop production by 14%, but increased livestock sales by 81%, possibly accounting for the 113% increase in market value of production. Butte, Clark and Fremont counties have all decreased their crop sales and Clark, Custer, Fremont, Lemhi, Madison and Teton counties have decreased their livestock sales.