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Boise and the Treasure Valley played host to the Beef Improvement Federation’s (BIF) annual research symposium and convention June 1-4. Per event organizers and attendees, the event was a rousing success, with more than 400 attendees gathered to mingle and discuss the latest innovations in beef cattle genetics.

As water users look for ways to conserve water, Rob Sharpnack, state CREP manager for the Soil & Water Conservation Commission, outlined the benefits of Idaho's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) during the Idaho Water Users Association summer meeting in June.

“It was the warmest winter on record since 1895,” said Erin Whorton, a hydrologist and water supply specialist with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service during the Idaho Water Users Association summer meeting in June.

Farming runs deep in who we are. It’s not just what we do – it’s how we measure our days, our years and often our worth. There are moments of pride that few other professions will ever know. But alongside those victories comes a quieter truth that many farmers carry alone – constant pressure.

Back in November, the USDA and the Department of the Interior announced a partnership promising something many Western cattle producers haven’t heard in years: more opportunity for grazing on public lands, not less.

What’s black and powdery fine, with holes all over? “Biochar” might not be everyone’s immediate response, but this soil additive is gaining popularity in the U.S. Now, University of Idaho (U of I) researchers hope to put numbers to the benefits of biochar application on Palouse farms.

By the time he was 10 years old, Taylor Smith was already recognized by his community as a promising young farmer. He’d started to build his cow herd. He was handy with equipment. His work ethic was unmatched by anyone else at his elementary school. But Taylor wasn’t interested in the recognition. He just wanted to be on the farm.

For producers of all commodities across Idaho, water has been a topic of conversation for months and for good reason. As the mild winter turned to an early, semi-wet spring and now to a forecast extra-dry summer, the conversations continue.

While new irrigation technologies can be valuable tools, improving irrigation efficiency does not always require a major investment. In many cases, small management changes can have a significant impact on water use, crop performance and overall profitability.

There are always fires to put out on a farm or ranch – lightning strikes, cows breach fences and breaking a machine seems to be the only way to learn a machine. At times, all we do is put out fires, both figurative and literal.

We had no idea when we sold one of our wheel lines that several half gallons of Reed’s Dairy ice cream would be thrown in as part of the deal, not to mention the jalapeno cheese curds and creamy chocolate milk. This shouldn’t have surprised me, as I’ve noticed even the suggestion of moving wheel lines evokes varying emotions in people.