The Backbone of Idaho Agriculture
Family farms are the backbone of Idaho agriculture. Across every region, family-owned operations produce the crops, raise the livestock, and steward the land that sustains Idaho’s agricultural economy. Yet family farms face mounting challenges — rising input costs, land prices, succession complexities, and regulatory burdens.
Key Issues
- Farm Succession and Estate Planning: Inheritance taxes, intergenerational transfer structures, and succession planning resources.
- Beginning Farmer Programs: USDA and state lending, mentoring, and land access programs for young and beginning farmers.
- Agricultural Lending and Credit Access: Farm credit availability, FSA loan programs, and interest rate policies.
- Rural Land Preservation: Farmland protection policies, conservation easements, and zoning tools.
- Farm Labor and Family Workforce: Labor regulations, H-2A visa access, and workforce policies.
- Small and Mid-Size Producer Support: Crop insurance equity, market access programs, and USDA program design.
Idaho Farmers advocates for a policy environment where family farms are valued, supported, and positioned to continue feeding Idaho and the nation for generations to come.