The Idaho Grain Producers Association is excited to announce the appointment of Amaya Aguirre-Landa as the next Executive Director. Aguirre-Landa replaces outgoing IGPA Executive Director Stacey Satterlee who left in early September to lead the Idaho Bankers Association. An Idaho native, Aguirre-Landa has deep roots in the state’s agricultural community. Married to a farmer from a multi-generational family farm in Homedale, her in-laws cultivate crops such as sugar beets, corn, alfalfa, and wheat.

The first round of the University of Idaho's Innovative Agriculture and Marketing Partnership (IAMP) program has concluded, with 50 applicants seeking to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices. Led by UI professors Sanford Eigenbrode and Erin Brooks, the program provides technical and financial assistance to Idaho farmers and ranchers aiming to implement sustainable practices like no-tillage, crop rotation, and nutrient management. The program focuses on crops like potatoes, wheat, barley, and beef, with priority given to underserved farmers, including veterans, women, and socially disadvantaged groups. Additional application rounds will be held in the fall and spring as the program pushes forward.

The global wheat market has been a topic of concern for the past four years. While global wheat supplies have generally exceeded predictions, India's recent move to import wheat could signal a tighter market than anticipated. The Northern Hemisphere's wheat harvest is volatile, with factors like Russia's decreased yield and lower-than-expected harvests in Canada and the EU contributing to supply uncertainties. India’s potentially increasing demand could benefit U.S.wheat farmers. As part of the larger U.S. wheat production system, Idaho's wheat—renowned for its quality—stands to benefit from increased global demand.

University of Idaho researchers are using drones equipped with near-infrared cameras to assess water-use efficiency in wheat and barley varieties across eastern Idaho research plots. The project, funded by a $6,000 UI Extension grant, aims to identify which varieties use water more efficiently, a metric that's difficult to measure. The project also explores how management practices affect water utilization and nitrogen conversion. Gibbons plans to analyze the data this fall, share findings at field days, and potentially expand the experiment to dryland trials. He’s already used the drones in related research, including nitrogen fixation in alfalfa and herbicide efficacy testing.

The Idaho Wheat Commission is set to demolish its historic 1945 office building and replace it with a modern structure designed to better serve the needs of Idaho's agricultural community. By choosing to remain close to the Capitol, the Idaho Wheat Commission underscores its deep connection to the state’s agricultural heritage and economy. This strategic location offers easy access for stakeholders involved in shaping policies that directly impact Idaho’s wheat industry, reinforcing the importance of agriculture as a cornerstone of the state’s economic growth and cultural identity.

Last week, representatives from the Japan Biscuit Association toured Washington, Idaho, and Oregon to gain a deeper understanding of U.S. wheat production and quality. Their visit to Idaho included a tour of the Port of Lewiston and a farm tour with Idaho Wheat Commission Chair Cliff Tacke. The goal of this visit was to enhance their knowledge of the consistent, high-quality wheat available from Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.

In late August 2024, wheat futures hit four-year lows due to the Northern Hemisphere harvest and sufficient supplies from aggressive exporters. Futures prices have since rebounded, driven by a weaker dollar, speculative short covering, and escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war. Despite the rally, market sentiment remains divided on whether prices will continue upward or revert to a bearish trend. While the market faces challenges, Idaho wheat farmers can find some optimism in the potential for price gains, as harvest-related pressure eases and risk premiums from global events grow.