Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Montana Business Quarterly Issue

Volume 50, Number 4, Winter  2012

Craft brewing is a healthy and growing sector of Montana's economy. From 2010 to 2011, production increased by 18 percent, employment was up by 39 percent, and sales rose by 20 percent.

Will what happened in British Columbia with the mountain pine beetle happen in Montana? No. However, forests are changing and will affect Montana's economy through impacts on the wood products industry and tourism.

Spending for working-age populations with disabilities is increasing faster than gross domestic product. The return on investment for tax dollars spent on the Montana Vocational Rehabilitation Program for those successfully rehabilitated is positive.

How rich or poor are Americans? Where do they work, and what training do they have for their jobs? What languages do they speak? The American Community Survey is an ongoing survey that provides answers to questions like these and gives communities the current information they need to plan investments and services.

Montana entered 2012 with its energy sector constantly in the news. So where are we now? And more importantly, how do these possibilities influence the outlook for Montana?s economy?