Idaho

Congratulations to Lucy Barney, she was named National FFA’s 2024 Proficiency Winner in Equine Science – Placement at this year’s National FFA Convention & Expo.  The young woman from Rigby said the opportunity to travel back to Indianapolis and represent the Idaho farming community was a once in a lifetime opportunity.   "You've got all of the...

For a variety of reasons, 2024 has been a mixed year for commodity groups across the Northwest.  Cameron Mulrony, Vice President of the Idaho Cattle Association, said he sees 2024 as a year of opportunity and a year of challenge for cattle producers across the state.   “...

While much of the snowpack across Idaho is looking good, there is reason for concern.  Erin Whorton, NRCS Idaho, said many of the basins have already reported strong snowpack numbers, with some regions 100%, 140%, even 200% for this time of year.  Unfortu...

Last week, Idaho Governor Brad Little returned from what he called a productive seven-day trade mission to Taiwan and Japan.  The Idaho State Department of Agriculture, along with the state Department of Commerce, and 22 Idaho businesses and organizations joined Governor Little for his fourth official in-person trade mission as Governor.   “...

Thanks to a gift from the J.R. Simplot Family Foundation the University of Idaho has established the school’s first endowed deanship.  The "J.R. Simplot Endowed Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences" pays homage to the Idaho-based agribusiness company’s founder, the late J.R. Simplot, and ...

Idaho is known for a variety of crops; potatoes, sugarbeets, cattle and calves just to name a few.  But more and more people who call Idaho home don’t appreciate the important role agriculture currently plays or how farming can help the state into the future.  Lance Zolling...

According to the latest numbers from NASS, Idaho’s potato crop this year is forecast at 135 million cwt, down 6% from last year.  Harvested area, at 314,500 acres, is down 15,000 acres from 2023.  Yield is expected to be 430 cwt per acre, down 5 cwt from 2023.   Potato prod...

Local meat processing plants across the county will work to expand capacity, and improve efficiencies thanks to recent investments via the USDA.   “USDA's local meat capacity grant program, or we call it local MCap," said Department of Ag’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Moffitt.  "It provides targeted pr...

Drought numbers improved slightly in Washington, with 34% of the state where it should be soil moisture wise this time of year.  While that news is an improvement from last week, 44% of the state is under a D-1 or Moderate Drought designation, and 9% is under a D-2, or Severe Drought.  And those numbers...

Election Day may be in the past, but that doesn’t mean the divisive political rhetoric is done.  Both sides of the political isle have asked the other to turn down the temperature on-line and on social media.   Adrienne Evans, head of United Vision for Idaho, says there's been a troubling trend where rhetoric turns many minds into an “us v. them” situation.  And som...