Idaho Ag Proud

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

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.

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

As these drugs become more available and affordable, this usage trend will likely increase. That increase indicates fewer meals are being consumed, smaller portions are being consumed, and more restaurant meals are shared by diners as opposed to boxed up for leftovers. This trend could be habit-changing for domestic food consumers and obviously carry over to the producers and supply side of the food consumption equation.

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.

Putting wheel-line sprinkler technologies to the test

matt.yost@usu.edu — Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Even small improvements in how water is applied and managed can make a noticeable difference in irrigation efficiency and crop performance. Utah State University (USU) is currently studying four types of wheel‑line sprinklers (traditional impact sprinklers and newer rotator styles) to see how they affect irrigation efficiency and yields in common forage crops.

Managing through the ups and downs

tyson.steel@agwestfc.com — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

High prices cure high prices. Low prices cure low prices.This adage has never been truer than in today’s volatile commodity markets.

Introducing the Idaho FFA state officers 2026-27

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

It is that time of year once again. Six accomplished individuals have been named Idaho FFA state officers for the 2026-27 school year.

May 10, 2026 Ag Proud Idaho digital magazine

Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

And when you pass on … What you gonna pass down?

cassidy@agproud.com — Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Every now and then, a song comes along that just hits you right in the feels. “McArthur,” sung by Hardy, Eric Church, Morgan Wallen and Tim McGraw, is that song for me right now. It’s a gritty, story-driven piece that leans into legacy and land, with each voice stepping in as a different chapter in the life of a farm – and the family rooted in it.

Profitability considerations of cereal-pea intercropping for organic transition

xliang@uidaho.edu — Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Organic certification requires that land be free of prohibited substances for three years (36 months) before the harvest of an organic crop. A common strategy among agricultural producers in Idaho and other semiarid agricultural regions is to plant an alfalfa hay stand and keep it in production for three or more years after establishment.

The Outside Circle: Mascots

Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

There are many things that bother me: yippin’ dogs, antique furniture, mascots. Mascots? The lovable emblem of an athletics team? Yes, mascots bother me.

The Good Dirt: Big burn

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Sometimes on a clear morning, I see a screen of smoke in the valley, and I know a rancher and his loyal wife are burning pasture, or a farmer is torching his irrigation ditches, maybe burning off stubble before working his ground. It’s a rite of spring, how it’s always been and how I hope it stays. Each time I send up a prayer for the safety of all involved and put in a request for a relatively windless day.

First-generation rancher builds legacy operation

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

He calls himself a Rigby town kid, but Dennis Lake was truly his grandfather’s right-hand man on the ranch just north of town. At 88, Lake is still a critical part of the operation.

Managing alfalfa in cold climates

thiagobernardes@ufla.br — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Overall, producing and preserving alfalfa in cold climates requires technical planning and strategic decisions at every stage, from cutting to feedout.

Branched-rooted alfalfa varieties: When should they be considered?

alfalfadoc@outlook.com — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Beyond having resistance to root diseases, most of the criteria in variety selection has been based on the aboveground attributes such as forage yield and quality, leaf to stem ratio, fiber digestibility and resistance to foliar diseases and pests. Very seldom do alfalfa producers ask the question: what type of root system does the variety have below-ground?

Prepared to save a life: Regional dairy checkoff launches AED initiative

bchambers@dairywest.com — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The loss of an Idaho dairy farmer to a sudden cardiac event was a sobering reminder of how quickly emergencies can happen in rural communities. It also highlighted a difficult reality: in rural areas, help does not always arrive as quickly as it is needed.

Give yourself a break – before stress breaks you

dcallister@uidaho.edu — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

How do you walk away to end an unpleasant or dangerous conversation when it is occurring in your head? One way to interrupt internal conversations is to take a break from your daily routine. Vacations can do wonders for morale, but respite can also be gleaned from shorter, more frequent intermissions to your daily life.

Profitable cattle operations: A banker’s perspective on navigating today’s market

logan.maag@zionsbank.com — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Ranchers currently have exciting opportunities, but it’s important to position yourself appropriately. Operational costs as well as the price of critical inputs for cattle – such as feed and labor – have increased in recent years. To build a sustainable operation, ranchers should take advantage of the current market to develop financial resilience and thoughtfully manage risks.

Idaho Falls processing plant closes abruptly

cassidy@agproud.com — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

American Farmers Network, a beef and bison processing plant formerly known as Intermountain Packing in Idaho Falls, abruptly closed its doors in early April.

New research questions long-held postwildfire grazing practices

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Resting a pasture for two growing seasons postburn is a common recommendation in the Intermountain West since at least the ’80s. “The question is, ‘Is there a real reason two full years rest are needed after fire?’” says University of Idaho (U of I) area extension range educator K. Scott Jensen. “Can it occur sooner than that without delay or harm to postfire recovery? We wanted to put some science to it.”