The value of Montana’s agricultural commodities exported during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, totaled $723 million, $168 million more than 2006. Wheat and Products remained Montana’s leading export, making up 72.7 percent of the state’s agricultural exports. Feeds and Fodders were Montana’s second leading export accounting for 8.3 percent of the total. The Vegetables & Preparations category which includes dry beans, dry peas, lentils, and fall potatoes came in third with 7.5 percent of Montana exports.

All Montana agricultural exports showed an increase in 2007. Wheat and Products exports showed the largest change in value, increasing $111.9 million from 2006. Feeds and Fodders were up $20.5 million, followed Feed Grains and Products up $14.9 million, Vegetables and Preparations increased $14.7 million, and Seeds increased $2.3 million.

Montana dropped to fourth place among states exporting Wheat and Products for fiscal year 2007. The top wheat exporting state for 2007 was North Dakota, followed by Kansas, Texas, Montana, South Dakota, Washington, Minnesota, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. Considering exports of all products, California remained on top, followed by Iowa, Texas, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, and Washington. Montana moved up from thirty-second place in 2006 for exports of all products to twenty-ninth place in 2007.

U.S. agricultural exports reached a record high in fiscal 2007 at $81.9 billion, $13.4 billion higher than the record set in fiscal 2006. The export value for Wheat and Products is up 38 percent over 2006 at $8.5 billion. Exports showed increases in all categories except Rice and Cotton and Linters. The largest increase in U.S. exports occurred in feed grains followed by Soybeans and Products and Wheat and Products. Wheat and Products remains the third largest U.S. agricultural export group in fiscal 2007 following Feed Grains and Products and Soybeans and Products.

Feed Grains and Products became the largest valued agricultural export commodity in 2007 at $11.8 billion—growing some $3 billion over fiscal 2006.