CRP grazing extended for fire, drought victims. Ag Minute for Sept. 22, 2015

The Farm Service Agency has extended emergency grazing on CRP lands in Washington from Sept. 30 to Dec. 15 which will help ranchers who lost fall pastures to wildfires. Click here for full story.

As wildfires rage in West, ranchers lose cattle, rangeland. Ag Min Sept 18, 2015

The vast majority of the 1.6 million acres — nearly 2,600 square miles — that burned in Oregon, Idaho and Washington this year are federally owned, data show, with large swaths of that public land used as rangeland for livestock grazing. Click here for full story.

Farmers should report fire, drought losses to Farm Service Agency, officials say. Ag Minute Aug. 24, 2015

The USDA Farm Service Agency is starting to hear from growers impacted by wildfires. State outreach coordinator Chris Bieker recommends photo documentation. Click here for full story.http://www.capitalpress.com/Business/20150821/farmers-should-report-fire-drought-losses-to-farm-service-agency-officials-say

Idaho, Oregon ranchers fighting one of nation’s largest wildfires. Ag Weekly for Aug 18, 2015

A large fire in Southwestern Idaho has destroyed tens of thousands of acres of grazing land and is threatening ranches and cows. Click here for full story.

USDA declares drought disaster in 18 Washington counties. AgMinute for Jun 26, 2015

USDA includes 18 Washington counties in federal disaster declaration. Click here for full story.

Idaho wolf depredation down - AgMinute for November 28, 2014

SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Idaho ranchers have seen a decrease in livestock killed by wolves for a second consecutive year, according to Todd Grimm, state director of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Service. Click here for the full story

Cattleman band together against new checkoff - AgMinute for October 16, 2014

Cattlemen are banding together to fight Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack's intention to resolve a stalemate in the beef industry over amending the national beef checkoff by establishing a supplemental, secondary beef checkoff under a 1996 generic promotion act. Click here for the full story

Grazing improvement bill passes House - AgMinute for February 10, 2014

With Thursday’s passage in the House of the Grazing Improvement Act, H.R. 657, ranchers say they are one step closer to untangling what has become an onerous process to be able to graze on public lands. Click here for the full story

Government tightens purse strings - AgMinute for January 9, 2014

Government payments to Idaho farmers and ranchers dropped 17 percent in 2013 to $105 million, continuing a 13-year slide. Idaho farmers are much less dependent on government payments than the average U.S. farmer. Click here for the full story