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Agricultural Production Data on total production seem to belie the produc- tion problems posed by the environmen t. Few other mujor regions in the Nution equal the Missouri Basin in the proportion of land which produces food and other commodities. Because of the high degree of specializu- lion, the busin produces a greater proportion of the Nution's grain and meat. The urea regularly produces a third or more of the Nation's wheut and is commonly known as the "breud basket" of the Nution; however, its share of the total production of feed grains is somewhat smaller. It produces 31 percent of the nation's sorghum, 29 percent of the barley, 22 percent of the corn, and 21 percent of the oats. In addition, the basin prod uces 40 percent of the Nation's rye, 30 percent of the sugur beets, 50 percent of the tluxseed. and one-fourth of the red meat unimals - cattle, culves, hogs, and sheep. With only 18 percent of the Nution's lund, the basin contains almost 25 percenl of its farmland und the same percentage of the Nution's cropland, Hence, the busin's share of gruin und meut production bulks even larger in comparison to its percentage of the Nation's urea. This share of the Nation's output is accomplished with only II percent of the Nution's agriculturul employees. Historicul production of crops by major commodities is illustrated by figure II. Feed grains comprise u major portion of total crop output with wheut, oil crops, und sugar beets providing substantial portions of output. Whut these duta do not show is the unrlUal vuriation in uggregate output. These vuriutions cuuse a fluctuation in the aggregate output from the basin greater than for regions with more stable climate and natural moisture supplies. Within the basin, small areas and individual farmers face even wider tluctuations, Agricultural Sales In 1964, the value of all farm products sold in the Missouri Basin was over five billion dollars. an increase FIGURE II VOLUME OF CROP PRODUCTION BY MAJOR COMMODITIES MISSOURI RIVER BASIN 24 ~ FEED GRAINS D FOOD GRAINS ~~ SUGAR BEE TS Gill OIL CROPS ~. POTATOES AND DRY BEANS f:.--, ., , .. l--- , , l:8l lBJl It ..~ f ITI.. tL I ... 32 2. 20 16 12 1949 19~4 1964 19~9 YEAR of one-half billion dollars since 1959. The average value per farm of all farm products sold was $\ 0,800 in 1959 und $13,000 in 1964, significantly higher than the national average. The sale of livestock and livestock products accounted for 70 percent of the total cash sales in the basin and was less than crop sales only in the Upper Missouri Subbasin, table 12. Livestock sales, however, include farm-to-farm movement prior to finul marketing und domestically produced grain and roughage fed to livestock. Gross Farm Income In the 1959-61 period. gross farm income in the basin was about 15 percent of the corresponding national Table 12 - VALUE OF FARM PRODUCTS SOLD. 1959 AND 1964, BY SUBBASINS Crop Sales Livestock Sales Percent of 1964 Subbasin 1959 1964 1959 1964 Basin Total Sales (Million Dollars) (perce n t) Upper Missouri 122 124 113 113 5 Yellowstone 43 51 121 118 3 Western Dakota 46 75 176 163 5 Eastern Dakota 114 202 389 449 t3 Platte-Niobrara 263 ~'n 588 689 18 L't~ Middle Missouri 276 331 986 1,096 28 Kansas 355 310 374 470 15 Lower Missouri 163 197 477 472 13 - - - -- Missouri Basin 1.382 1.539 3,224 3,570 100 34 Source: U. S. Department of Commerce, Hurcau of Census. Agriculture Census 1959 and preliminary 1964_