Attribute
Value
|
Definition of
Attribute Value
|
| C |
Continuously cropped, a method of farming without irrigation in which crops are grown a majority of the time as part of a normal farming practice. Christmas tree plantation and fruit orchards are classified as continuously cropped farmland. There are wheat fields in northwest Montana also classified as continuously cropped. |
| F |
Summer fallow farmland, a method of farming in arid and semi-arid areas without using irrigation which consists of cultivating a given area in alternate years (usually every other year), allowing moisture to be stored in the un-cropped (fallow) year.
Even if grain crops are occasionally sequenced with alfalfa or other nitrogen fixing crops, the land will be classified as fallow if grain is the principle crop. |
| G |
Grazing land, land either native range or domestic range, which are used to support agricultural livestock. Dryland alfalfa that is not hayed a majority of the time is classified as grazing.
All land not classified as one of the other ag uses will be classified as grazing (ie., water, urban areas, roads right of ways, parking lots, airports, etc.). |
| H |
Non-irrigated hay land, method of farming whereby hay is cut a majority of the years. Native vegetation cut for hay yearly or majority of the time over a period of years. Non-irrigated alfalfa and other domestic varieties cut for hay yearly or the majority of the time |
| I |
Irrigated land, a method of farming that uses man-made water delivery systems to apply water to hayland or cropland to increase production. All hay land and cropland that is irrigated a majority of the time over the long term (2 out of 3 years, 3 out of 5 years, 4 out of 7 years, etc.)
All agricultural land, including grazing land in a specified irrigation district where the land is designated as irrigable with shares of the water appurtenant to such land shall be classified as irrigated, regardless whether the water is actually applied or not applied to the land.
Land in an irrigation district that is not designated as irrigable by the district and is not charged an irrigation fee, is classified according to its current use.
Land that has water available for irrigation most years is classified as irrigated if the water is used.
Land that has water for irrigation most years, but the water is not utilized, is not classified as irrigated. These lands are classified according to their current use. |
| N |
Noncommercial forest land due to species type (ie., aspen, cottonwood, juniper, limber pine, etc)
Forested land that does not meet the minimum forest productivity requirement (currently 100 board feet/acre/year) is also considered non-commercial forest. Non-commercial forestland due to productivity, is determined in subsequent processes and not part of this dataset.
Forest land means land that includes commercial forest land that is at least 10 percent stocked by trees of any size and capable of producing timber or other wood products. Land in which the timber has been harvested below 10 percent stocking, but forest growth will regenerate within seven years. |
| T |
Forest land, defined by statue as contiguous land of 15 acres or more in one ownership that is capable of producing timber that can be harvested in commercial quantity and is producing timber unless the trees have been removed by disaster.
Commercial means forest land that exceeds 15 contiguous acres of timber capable of producing 100 board feet/acre/year of commercially usable wood. Strips of forest less than 120 feet in width are nonforest.
Covenants restricting timber harvesting preclude forest land classification, however conservation easements do not. |