Farm groups have teamed up with Gov. Butch Otter to create a canal safety campaign designed to help prevent the canal-related deaths that occur in Idaho each year.

The federal government has decided to keep high tariffs on Ukrainian exports of ammonium nitrate even though the fertilizer is now cheaper to produce in the U.S. The U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled that dropping the tariffs would likely cause "material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time" to domestic f

The beef-processing company that makes the product that critics call "pink slime" continues to struggle more than a year after the initial stories on the lean bits of beef that Beef Products Inc. makes.

Federal standards for the welfare of egg-laying hens suffered a defeat when they failed to make it into the farm bill legislation voted out of the agriculture committees in the U.S. House and Senate.

The USDA hasn't taken proper enforcement measures against slaughterhouses that violate food safety and animal welfare laws, according to an internal agency audit.

After increasing significantly in 2012, Idaho wheat exports to Mexico dropped considerably during the first quarter of 2013. The drop was caused by very high corn prices last year that resulted in a lot of Idaho wheat being sent through feed channels.

A new Idaho law that takes effect July 1 will prevent people from using drones to spy on farmers and ranchers. A bill that has been signed into law by Gov. Butch Otter restricts people from using drones to spy on anyone but it was crafted specifically with agriculture in mind.

A new Idaho Potato Commission recipe promotion seeks to capitalize on a sharp increase in Americans who report suffering from gluten intolerance.

U.S. farm groups are alarmed by the president's proposal to eliminate the country's international food aid program, which purchases U.S. commodities and ships them abroad, and switch to a new cash-based system that can buy food overseas closer to where it's needed.

Oil prices have shot up in recent weeks despite abundant production, pushing up prices for gasoline and diesel in the West, experts say.

The value of Idaho agricultural exports continued to increase during the first quarter of 2013 despite a reduction in dairy sales, which drove the state's record farm export totals in 2011 and 2012.

The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously rejected a farmer's claim that patents on biotech seed are "exhausted" once the crop is sold to a grain elevator.

The University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Science recently unveiled its restored John Deere Model AW tractor, as part of a celebration of the history of agriculture.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said today that she plans to hold a mark up of a new farm bill in May, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., signaled that he intends to bring it to the Senate floor.

Little or no profits in the milk-production sector in the second half of 2012 and strong cull prices drove dairy cow slaughter to its highest level in 26 years.

Growers have until June 3 to sign up for the USDA's ACRE program for 2013. It is designed to provide revenue insurance for loss of production or price decreases. Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or your favorite RSS reader.

Increased global production of urea is reducing prices for nitrogen fertilizers, with the downward trend likely to continue through the summer, experts say. Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or your favorite RSS reader.

Simplot Plant Sciences has introduced a new line of biotech potatoes using a patented technology that incorporates desirable traits from wild potato DNA into common commercial varieties. Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or your favorite RSS reader.

An eagerly awaited report about endangered species has managed the rare feat of pleasing both environmentalists and the pesticide industry. The National Academy of Sciences report examines processes used by federal agencies to evaluate the risk that pesticides pose to protected species. Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes

The White House has named Michael Scuse as the Department of Agriculture's acting deputy secretary effective May 4, replacing Kathleen Merrigan, who is leaving the USDA. Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or your favorite RSS reader.

A settlement deal between government agencies and environmentalists over forest species sidestepped the public rule-making process, according to a federal appeals court. Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or your favorite RSS reader.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., told Capital Press on April 26 that he is planning a farm bill that will cut $38 billion in spending over 10 years, with $20 billion coming from the food stamps account and $18 billion from the rest of the bill. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the

In response to producers' concerns about the amount of recordkeeping required for organic certification, the USDA's National Organic Program has begun to lighten the load. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2012

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said today that she plans to hold a mark up of a new farm bill in May, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., signaled that he intends to bring it to the Senate floor. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press

With feed grain prices coming down and U.S. exports strong, economists with the University of Wisconsin are projecting good times ahead for dairymen — if they can keep a handle on milk production. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2012

An environmentalist lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's regulation of nearly 400 pesticides has been dismissed, but could be resurrected. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2012

Biotech developers are asking the USDA to deregulate a new variety of transgenic alfalfa that's been genetically engineered for reduced lignin and improved forage quality. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2012

Political leaders are angling to push through a farm bill. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2012

The United Farm Workers and several ag organizations are backing a comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced in the Senate, saying its provisions would ensure a legal, stable agricultural workforce. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2

The federal government has launched a new livestock identification program to help agriculture officials to quickly track livestock in cases of disease. This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2012 Subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or your fa