Idaho Ag Proud

The Outside Circle: Wide-open spaces

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

I am a huge fan of any national tournament. During the Olympics, I will wave my flag and cheer on the Americans in the doubles luge. Normally, I’m not a doubles luge fan, but when it’s our best against Germany’s best, count me in.

How GPS-equipped machinery has affected farming

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

GPS equipment on many types of farm machinery has revolutionized most aspects of farming.

Putting AI in agriculture

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Every company has a founding myth, a moment when a problem is identified and an idea is born. For TerraClear, a company founded in 2018 to make picking rocks easier, that moment came when founder Brent Frei was taking a break from tech to visit the family farm near Grangeville.

The Good Dirt: Is It a weed?

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

“I’m not sure what this is,” Zane said, examining the plant Derek and I had been trying to identify in one of our fields. “I don’t remember that I’ve ever seen this before. I’m going to take it with me, see if I can figure it out or if someone at the office recognizes it.”

July 10, 2026 Ag Proud Idaho digital magazine

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The latest issue of Ag Proud – Idaho magazine is available. To view, make sure you're logged into your agproud.com account. If you do not have access, click "Subscribe" in the top-right corner of agproud.com to add permission to view.

The second-best time is now

cassidy@agproud.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now. This familiar saying applies to many aspects of life, but in the state of Idaho today, it is especially relevant to water infrastructure.

CREP's role in conserving water across southern Idaho

cassidy@agproud.com — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:57 -0400

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.

Beef Improvement Federation comes to Boise

tyrell@agproud.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The University of Idaho Extension hosted the annual BIF Symposium in June, bringing hundreds of the beef industry’s brightest minds and strongest leaders to the Treasure Valley.

Managing drought from pivot to range

rebecca@arrowleafsolutions.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

When stress becomes more than part of the job

brackenh@uidaho.edu — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

From 150 acres to 5,000: Growing a farming dream

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

The Outside Circle: Putting out fires

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Biochar-ging the soil

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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 researchers hope to put numbers to the benefits of biochar application on Palouse farms.

The Good Dirt: Tweak it a little

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Low snowpack, early runoff: Idaho's tough water year

cassidy@agproud.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:48:28 -0400

“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.

What Idaho grain producers need to know about ARC-CO and PLC changes

jjo@uidaho.edu — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Each year, grain producers in Idaho with Farm Service Agency (FSA) base acres face an important enrollment decision: Should they sign up for Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC)?

Land rental rates for Idaho agricultural operations

jwindh@uidaho.edu — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Farmers, ranchers, landowners, renters, real estate agents, bankers and interested neighbors all have one question in common: What is a fair market rate for renting agricultural land?

Idaho sets animal entry requirements following New World screwworm detection

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:37:05 -0400

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced additional state entry requirements for animals in response to New World screwworm (NWS) detections in Texas and New Mexico.

June 10, 2026 Ag Proud Idaho digital magazine

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Five ways to improve irrigation efficiency without buying new equipment

ebedwell@uidaho.edu — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Another summer of water worries

cassidy@agproud.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Depending on where you’re located in this great state, conditions vary, but overall the outlook is pretty bleak. And yes, it seems even more bleak than usual.

String of livestock shooting cases hit southern Idaho

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Idaho State Brand Inspector’s Office and local sheriff’s offices are investigating a series of livestock shootings in Gooding and Jerome counties that left multiple cattle dead and ranchers facing significant losses.

The Good Dirt: A particular kind

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

I watched them hunker down in the furrow, start scratching in the dirt. You know how a farmer does, using the handle of his pliers, maybe an old pocketknife or screwdriver. They find a few seeds right at the depth they want them to be. Pushing the dirt back over the seeds and patting it a little, they walk 50 yards farther into the field, start scratching again.

Ag legislative update 2026 – end of session

cassidy@agproud.com — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The Idaho 2026 legislative session has concluded, with some of the bills and resolutions relating to agriculture recapped here. To access the full details or to learn how your legislators voted, visit the Idaho Legislature website.

Ag Proud – Idaho donates more than $1,500 to Idaho FFA chapters following subscription drive

cassidy@agproud.com — Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Ag Proud – Idaho magazine announced recently that FFA chapters have received donations totaling $1,527 following the publication's 2025 subscription renewal drive.

How weight loss drugs could reshape food demand

rjmyers@beobank.com — Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Growing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs is reshaping food demand, pushing consumers toward smaller portions and healthier foods while forcing farmers, ranchers and food companies to adapt production strategies.

Chasing water in Elmore County

marty@foresightpublicaffairs.com — Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Billy Wolfe is worried. Or perhaps “worried” is too strong a word for someone as unflappable as Wolfe, but he’s staring down the 2026 summer farming season, and he knows this year is going to be difficult, hot and dry. So very dry.

Four farms, one family vision

Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

“He’s probably one of the most successful farmers I know,” says Kyle Rupp of his dad, Gary. “He started from the ground up and made all of this possible.”

The Outside Circle: The greatest of all time

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Everything changed with that essay, but all the document did was unleash the prosperity that a free people can reap. On the 250th anniversary of our nation, we should read, appreciate and remember the Declaration of Independence and acknowledge the generations of Americans that, in pursuing freedom, have made the United States of America the greatest of all time.

Talking through farm stress

ktifft@uidaho.edu — Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Healthy communication can be defined in many ways, but in general, all these ways include three main themes: clarity, respect and promoting understanding. Making sure you are building healthy communication habits, especially surrounding topics like your mental health, doesn’t just happen. It is a skill that is learned by practice and planning.