IDAHO WHEAT COMMISSION

News

Stalled Farm Bill Discussions Impact Idaho Farmers

The Farm Bill is vital legislation that provides essential economic support to the agricultural community, including Idaho wheat growers. It offers financial incentives for conservation efforts and serves as a safety net during challenging times. With rising production costs, the bill helps farmers through insurance programs, ensuring stability in the face of uncertainty. A significant portion of the bill's funding is directed toward nutritional assistance programs like SNAP and WIC. Currently stalled in Congress due to partisan debates over funding allocations, the bill is expected to be extended through 2025, with hopes of maintaining stability across all agricultural sectors, including wheat production.

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April 14, 2025
USDA Announces Agricultural Trade Promotion Programs for 2025
The USDA is now accepting applications for four key export market development programs for 2025—MAP, FMD, TASC, and EMP—to help U.S. agricultural producers expand international sales. These programs support overseas marketing, address trade barriers, and develop new markets. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins also announced six upcoming international trade missions to promote U.S. ag exports, highlighting a renewed push to reduce the $50 billion trade deficit left by the previous administration. Applications are due by June 6, 2025, with funding designed to foster strong public-private partnerships and boost rural economic growth.
April 14, 2025
Small Bumps for Pacific Northwest Wheat Planting
Farmers in the Pacific Northwest are expected to plant slightly more wheat and corn but slightly less barley and hay in 2025, according to the USDA’s prospective plantings report. Idaho’s total wheat acreage will dip 1.7%, with a 3.9% increase in winter wheat offset by an 11% drop in spring wheat. Barley acreage across the region is projected to fall by 2.1%, with Washington seeing the largest decline, while Idaho holds steady. Corn plantings are up 6.1% regionally, led by a 10.5% increase in Idaho. The Idaho Wheat Commission notes these are normal fluctuations due to crop rotations and economics.
April 14, 2025
Idaho Water Supply Forecasters Optimistic After Wet March
Idaho's snowpack is near, at, or above normal in many areas, giving USDA NRCS hydrologists optimism that irrigators will have enough water this season. The only areas of concern with below-normal snowpack are the Coeur d’Alene-St. Joe basin, Big Lost and Little Lost basins, and the Birch-Medicine Lodge/Beaver-Camas basin. NRCS Idaho water supply specialist Erin Whorton highlighted that snowpack conditions, combined with expected reservoir fills, set water users up for success, though spring weather will still influence water availability.
April 14, 2025
NEPA Changes Pause Columbia River Dam Review
The current administration has indefinitely paused a court-ordered review of 14 Columbia River dams intended to assess their impact on endangered salmon and steelhead. The delay is due to recent changes in how federal agencies implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), following the President’s rollback of longstanding NEPA regulations. The review stems from a 2023 $1 billion settlement—known as the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement—between the federal government, tribal nations, and the states of Oregon and Washington.
April 14, 2025
Idaho Wheat Farmer Touts ‘Importance of Exports’ as U.S. Wheat Chairman
Clark Hamilton, a third-generation farmer from Ririe, Idaho, recently concluded his term as chairman of U.S. Wheat Associates (USW). Over the past year, he traveled internationally to build relationships with global wheat buyers and promote the quality and reliability of U.S. wheat. With over 15 years of leadership in the wheat industry, Hamilton is recognized for his collaborative, relationship-driven approach. He encourages fellow farmers to value their checkoff investment, highlighting the important work USW and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) do on their behalf.