Montana products are everywhere this holiday

As the nation celebrates its founding anniversary this Fourth of July, Montanans may look to their picnic tables for a little self-reflected glory.

The burgers, buns and beer consumed nationwide owe much to Big Sky Country, according to state and federal agricultural statistics. In the effort to keep the United States on the move, Montana does its patriotic part keeping the grocery aisles full.

On the grill, those steaks, ribs and hamburgers represent the fruits of Montana’s No. 1 agricultural product, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service 2002 census of agriculture. That year, there were 11,793 ranches producing beef cattle and calves, totaling just more than $1 billion in sales. Beef makes up 53.9 percent of the state’s ag sales.

By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2005/07/04/news/mtregional/news03.txt