Understanding what operating costs will look like in 2024 is crucial for farm businesses. This article provides a background discussion on categories of operating costs of the greatest importance for crops grown in Idaho and an assessment of the 2024 operating cost projections from the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS). The first part provides insights regarding the input prices that can have the greatest influence on a farm business’ profitability.

A wet February and early March have boosted snowpacks in much of southern Idaho, where some flood-control operations are planned in coming weeks. Snowpack in the state’s northern areas remains below 30-year medians partly because the dominant El Nino weather pattern pushes Pacific storms south. An anticipated shift to La Nina patterns, expected in late summer and early fall, will bring more rain and snow in northern areas.

A wheat variety introduced just 34 years ago shows great promise for United States wheat producers to better compete in world markets, if some challenges can be overcome. Hard white wheat was created as a distinct wheat class in 1990. A very close genetic cousin of hard red winter wheat, its main difference is that it lacks the red coloring in its endosperm. That red color imparts a taste to flour made with hard red winter wheat that some consider more “wheaty” or even bitter. Hard white wheat flour can have slightly less protein than hard red winter wheat, although its protein content is still much higher than traditional refined white flour.

Growers and researchers who need variety testing data on Pacific Northwest wheat crops don’t have to worry about sorting through decades of datasets themselves. A team of researchers from the University of Idaho, Washington State University and Oregon State University have done it for them. Funded by grower dollars from the Idaho Wheat Commission, the team created Western Agricultural Variety Explorer (WAVE), a curated database with information on thousands of wheat variety trials dating back 22 years.

As we mark National Agriculture Week, while agriculture, food, and related industries contribute roughly $1.420 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product, American farmers face daunting challenges in providing a stable and affordable food supply to our nation. For this reason, we must advance an updated and effective Farm Bill. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent Farm Sector Income Forecast reflects the acute need to act, reporting an anticipated 25.5% decrease in farm income from 2023, one of the largest year-to-year dollar reductions in net farm income on record.

Third-generation farmer and first-generation agronomist Michael Navarrete is quick to identify The Soil Doc’s fastest-growing segment. “Drones, without a doubt,” he said. “The interest has skyrocketed since last season.” Navarrete started his business in 2021 in the Idaho-Oregon border area. He offers crop consulting, turf care and drone-based application of chemicals and cover-crop seeds. He also grows and sells micro greens and sprouts, and farms 18 acres of field corn.

Idaho Wheat Commissioner Cliff Tacke brings a lifetime of experience on the family farm to a job that will connect him to ports around the world. Cliff, who lives between Grangeville and Greencreek, said as a member of the wheat commission he hopes to help Idaho growers stay ahead in a competitive global market. “I don’t have a particular agenda — no ax to grind, that’s for sure,” Tacke said of his expectations of being on the state commission. “I just intend to make sure that (the goals of the commission) keep getting done because we need to do all of those things to keep our markets viable and buyers educated about why they should buy our product rather than somebody else’s product."