28-04-2025
Federal agriculture grant loss is a major blow to Idaho's farmers
A pivoting irrigation system waters a crop of barley on a farm located near Arco, Idaho, during a late summer day. Idaho is a top barley-producing state, growing both malting and feed varieties. ()
It was a stunning loss for Idaho's agricultural community: On April 16 the U.S. Department of Agriculture withdrew a $59 million grant from the University of Idaho's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Communities grant was designed to help state agriculture producers develop more sustainable business practices as part of the Farmers First initiative. Before the termination, 201 Idaho producers representing 34 counties had already signed up for the program.
Federal government terminates University of Idaho climate grant for farmers
A University of Idaho press release said many of the producers had completed all the paperwork and were enrolled, others were in the final stages of enrollment.
In Idaho, agribusiness is 20 percent of the state's industrial backbone. Agribusiness includes crops, seed, dairy, livestock, wine and beer cultivation and sales. This makes agriculture the state's number one industry, followed by lumber, chemicals and paper, mining and tourism.
Overall, Idaho is the seventh largest agribusiness state in the country, led by livestock and dairy sales at more than 50 percent of all agribusiness sales. Any assistance to this large industry can only help the state grow.
Historically, this was the largest grant to UI in school history. When the new administration drew up new guidelines, the USDA withdrew the grant because Idaho's plan fell short of the requirements.
How short? The new guidelines would require the program, titled the UI Innovative Agriculture and Marketing Program, to allocate at least 65 percent of the money to go to producers. Under the withdrawn grant, UI allocated more than 50 percent of the funds to go directly to state producers. The remaining nearly 50 percent was allocated for grant management and providing technical and marketing services to the enrolled producers.
UI can reapply, but there is no guarantee one will be awarded or that the school will receive same amount of money as the original grant. The deadline for the new Advanced Markets for Producers initiative is June 20.
Innovative Agriculture and Marketing Program co-director Sanford Eigenbrode said while disappointed, the UI is in a good position to re-apply for the grant by reconfiguring the numbers to meet the new guidelines.
Why was the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Communities grant eliminated? According to the federal government, it was because it was a Biden-era program. Under the current administration, just about anything that came from the previous administration is being labeled 'bad' and being removed.
The grants were designed to help any state's agribusinesses better compete in the world marketplace. Under the Innovative Agriculture and Marketing Program, information gathered by UI faculty, staff and students provided technical support and guidance to Idaho producers, helping them make better informed decisions about their financial bottom line. Overall, the program was designed to help reduce risks to agribusinesses and help them engage in new practices.
Granted, many people say the administrative costs of such programs can be high when run through a university. Often, depending on the university and the grant, administrative costs can run as high as 50 percent or more. To better help Idaho's agribusiness community, UI and other state universities need to adjust their administrative costs so more money can flow to the intended targets, in this case, the farmers and ranchers.
But even more needs to be done. As indicated, there is no guarantee that the grant will be re-issued to Idaho. This should now be priority work for the state's congressional delegation. In Washington, D.C., Idaho's U.S. senators and House members need to engage with their staff members and the USDA to regain at least part of, if not all, the grant money. Failing to do so would mean the congressional delegation will be unsuccessfully representing their primary constituents: Idaho's very large rural and agribusiness communities.
Anyone who has lived here knows Idaho is much more than potatoes. The state's agribusinesses are vital to the state's economic well-being.
To help improve especially small agribusinesses, it is time for schools to adjust their overhead expenses and for those elected officials to truly help their constituents by fighting for a reinstatement of the Farmers First philosophy grant.
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