Montana is the largest barley production state in the union in terms of acreage.
In 2022 the treasure state accounted for more than a third of all barley acres in the nation. However, USDA’s prospective plantings report says farmers in Montana and other states are forecast to plant substantially fewer acres of barley this year. In Montana the decrease is 20 percent or 240,000 acres less than 2023 forecast at 950,000 acres planted to barley in 2024.
North Dakota has been the second largest barley acreage state, but this year is expecting a decrease of 32 percent or 220,000 acres placing the peace garden state behind Idaho in acres seeded to barley at 470,000 acres.
According to USDA’s Montana Daily Elevator grain bids, the cash price for feed barley in Montana was $3.60 a bushel on April 2nd 2024, one year ago the price was $6.17 a bushel.
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Northern Ag Network – Data from USDA
