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Last spring, I wrote about the Department of Water Resources’ change to the methodology — or process — they use to estimate water shortfalls and determine curtailments. The Department’s new methodology, which entirely ignores reasonable use of Idaho’s water, is designed to ensure that shortfall predictions and curtailment orders will be both more frequent and more severe. I warned that this would place every acre within the boundaries of the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer, along with adjacent industries, counties, and cities, in constant jeopardy of widespread curtailment. 

Idaho Department of Water Resources director issues water curtailment order

On Thursday, that threat became very real for thousands of farmers across the Snake River Plain, who were greeted by an order from the Department that they must immediately cease irrigating crops on approximately 500,000 acres. This means that farmers must abandon fields that have been planted, fertilized, and cultivated, at the cost of several millions of dollars, or face steep fines. This order, in the absence of an emergency stay, will upend the local and regional economies of eastern Idaho as family farms, grain merchandisers, potato warehouses, food processors, truckers, input suppliers, and equipment dealers see their business models evaporate, and as banks face the prospect of widespread defaults. The realities of our interconnected economy guarantee that widespread disruptions will be felt throughout the state, including in the Magic Valley, whose huge dairy industry, for example, relies on alfalfa from their neighbors to the east. And many of those same banks, equipment dealers, and processers that this order will put out of business are also found in the Magic Valley and across the state. This order hurts individuals and families who have poured their lives into these businesses, owners and employees alike.

What emergency could possibly prompt such an outsize response from IDWR? Over the last several months, our reservoir system has completely filled, over 200 billion gallons of water have been released to prevent flooding, and our rivers have swollen beyond their banks. Our snowpack is above average, we have good soil moisture, and we have enjoyed a cool spring. Yet the department, using a process intentionally designed to overestimate shortfalls, declared last month that one canal in the Magic Valley may experience a 74,100-acre-foot shortfall this year. In order to avoid that possibility, the director is shutting off approximately 1 million acre-feet of irrigation. This despite the fact that the canal in question loses 660,000 acre-feet per year to inefficiencies, according to department calculations. 

Map ESPA Groundwater Districts

Yesterday afternoon, the department cynically painted groundwater users as unwilling to “take action to avoid curtailment,” but this portrayal is blatantly false. From 2016 through 2022 groundwater pumpers, on average, conserved (through pumping reductions and aquifer recharge) over 312,000 acre-feet of water annually — much more than was required under the 2015 settlement agreement between canal and groundwater users. Groundwater users have offered, several times, to pay to modernize the Twin Falls Canal, but that offer has been repeatedly rejected. About five months ago, our groundwater district submitted a robust mitigation plan to the department that included aggressive reductions in groundwater-irrigated acreage, ambitious investments in system improvements, and other activities. Other groundwater districts also submitted mitigation plans to the department, but the director has ignored each one, refusing to even set a hearing date for them. This spring, groundwater pumpers worked with neighboring canals to maximize aquifer recharge. And in May, at no small cost, groundwater irrigators leased enough storage water to fully cover our portion of the projected shortfall. That mitigation water, ultimately, was rejected by the director. In short, groundwater pumpers’ mitigation and conservation efforts have been repeatedly blocked by the director. 

It’s hard to understand why the department chooses to be so openly hostile to groundwater irrigators or why they decided to inflict widespread, massive curtailment on the state in a year when water is abundantly plentiful. This is not what sound resource management looks like. It’s time for Idaho’s elected officials to step up and demonstrate true leadership on this crucial issue. This is not how Idaho water law, which relies on both “priority of time” and “the public policy of reasonable use of water,” was ever intended to work.

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TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Southern Idaho has a rich history that has been persevered through its architecture. Our very own agricultural history is no exception and to see that history all you have to do is visit downtown Twin Falls. Towering above the rest of the historic warehouse district you will immediately notice the three grain silos. “This is a symbol of agricultural history, and this is the center of original Twin Falls. That is the Pan-American Highway that way, the Oregon Trail that way. This is one of the most central historic sites in the state of Idaho,” Professor Emeritus of History at the College of Southern Idaho, Dr. Russ Tremayne said. For decades the railroad near the warehouse district would take the grain export from southern Idaho to the rest of the continental United States. “This was a time when we, in this area, developed agricultural products and Duncan Hines Flour and Cake Mixes,” Dr. Tremayne explained. It was part of the largest flour mill between Denver and Portland in 1916, but soon the economy would change.

“The creation of the irrigation system early Twin Falls, the Jarbidge Gold Rush in 1909, World War One. And here Idaho is set to produce food materials that are in high demand in the country and around the world. With the end of the war, the economy changed, essentially Idaho went into a 20-year agricultural recession,” Dr. Tremayne said.

With the recession in place, the grain that the elevators would store would become vacant as it became cheaper to produce grain elsewhere in the country. Becoming an eyesore within the city of Twin Falls. Then in the 1990s the building mysteriously caught on fire and the city was ready to tear them down and that’s when Preservation Twin Falls was founded. “The engineering study concluded that it (the grain silos) was sound and to tear them down would have cost over $200,000…So, we took the responsibility to beautify this area, to clean it up, to make it safe, and to make it a historic park,” Dr. Tremayne said. Taking on that responsibility meant a seemingly never-ending process had begun. “So, we went in and covered all the windows to keep the pigeons out. We spent several years cleaning up this property. I brought Phi Theta Kappa students down here for a couple of years,” Dr. Tremayne explained.

Then a conflict happened. On top of the historical courthouse was a cell tower that was damaging the building, Preservation Twin Falls floated the idea of moving the cell tower from one historical property to the newest addition.

“The cell towers were down on another very important building in Twin Falls, the courthouse, and those towers were damaging the building. It never should have been put there in the first place. We made a deal to move the cell tower from the courthouse to here, and those cell towers serve the 911 service for the area,” Dr. Tremayne said.

The deal for the service helps fund the Preservation Twin Falls’ other projects like History at the Barn.

Copyright 2024 KMVT. All rights reserved.

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For the past 40 years from right here in Idaho, The Teff Company, a locally based, family-owned operation, has been producing and supplying some of the highest quality teff in the world.

Its latest offering is organic ivory teff flour, a product that provides consumers with gluten-free options for baking and cooking.

And with demand for teff expanding in the health-conscience and gluten-free segments of the food world, production of the highly nutritious grain continues to flourish for farmers located throughout Idaho, as well as Washington, Nevada, California and Arizona.

Marketing Director Royd Carlson said the company, originally based in Caldwell, and now with one central processing facility in Boise, remains committed to meeting the increasing demand for natural, organic and clean-label products.

“It’s quite important for us to provide a healthy alternative for people,” Carlson said. “Teff will not induce diabetes like other refined flours, and we’re passionate about providing an alternative to some of the more mainstream processed foods.”

Native to the Horn of Africa, teff, according to some estimates, became a domesticated crop as far back as 4000 B.C.

High in protein, iron, calcium and fiber, teff is the primary ingredient for injera, a spongy, fermented flatbread and staple of Ethiopian cuisine that is typically eaten about three times a day.

But its beginnings and introduction to the farming communities of the Gem State happened only four decades ago.

According to Carlson, his father, Wayne, a biologist who studied at the University of California Santa Cruz, traveled to Ethiopia in the 1970s as part of a group that set out on a mission to help eradicate a fresh-water parasite impacting local farming communities.

Impressed by the culture and cuisine of the locals he was assisting, he returned stateside and soon realized the climate and geology of the Snake River Valley shared many similarities with those of the East African Rift.

His father, Carlson said, recognized a huge opportunity to not just work with local Idaho farmers, but to provide teff to Ethiopian populations that had settled in Washington, D.C., and other parts of the country as a means to escape famine and political unrest in their home country.

“Those who initially came to the U.S. from Ethiopia were relying on pancake mix and other flours to produce their injera,” Carlson said. “It’s not the same for those who know the true value of teff.”

From there, the idea his father planted for The Teff Company sprouted and has been growing strong the past 40 years.

“We feel there is a lot of room to grow as we spread awareness,” Carlson said. “It’s pretty exciting to me how enthusiastic people get about teff. Once they learn the attributes of teff they typically become pretty excited to purchase some.”

For Carlson, who earned his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Queensland in Australia, eating healthy remains a vital component for living a long life, he said.

“During my time in Australia, I saw a lot of people hospitalized due to what I would call poor diets,” he said.

Today The Teff Company works with about 20 growers spread throughout Idaho and the Western U.S., regions considered highly suitable for commercial teff production.

But growing and producing teff is not as easy as one might think. Because of its minute size, the grain can be tough to process.

However, the difficulty that can be found in processing teff with the standard equipment typically used for wheat and other grains provided Carlson’s brother, Gareth, his own “opportunity for growth.”

A mechanical engineer by trade, Gareth has used his engineering skills Carlson said to develop machinery that helps streamline the processing operation and keeps the family business flourishing.

And now with about 25 employees helping to manage the family’s teff production, Carlson said he hopes the popularity of the grain will continue to expand.

“It’s pretty exciting to me how enthusiastic people get about teff,” he said. “We definitely feel there is a lot of room to grow as we spread awareness.”

Considering teff originated in a land roughly 8,500 miles from Idaho in one of the 10 largest countries in eastern Africa, Carlson said the teff table is set for an expanding market in both Idaho and nationwide.

“It’s really a neat story that the state of Idaho can be proud to play such a big role as the producer of this important grain,” Carlson said.

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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho. (AP) — Six people killed when a pickup crashed into a passenger van in Idaho on Saturday were agricultural workers from Mexico, officials said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico said in a news release that the van passengers were all agricultural workers from Mexico who were in the U.S. on H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker visas, the East Idaho News reported Thursday.

The crash happened early on May 18 when a pickup crossed the centerline on U.S. Highway 20 and hit the van in Idaho Falls, according to Idaho State Police. The van’s driver and five passengers died at the scene.

Bonneville County Coroner Rick Taylor identified the victims as Abel Mejía Martínez, 43, Pedro Manuel Alcantar Mejía, 26, Brandon Ponce Gallegos, 24, Jose Guadalupe Sánchez Medina, 20, Luis Enrique Sereno Perez, 32 and Javier Gomez Alcantar, 36.

Nine other passengers in the van and the pickup’s driver were hospitalized, police said.

Signet, the company that employed the workers, is collecting donations on GoFundMe and donated $10,000.

“Our hearts are heavy with grief as we mourn the loss of six beloved members of our team who tragically lost their lives in a devastating car accident on May 18th in Idaho,” the organizers wrote. “Alongside this profound loss, nine of our colleagues were left with injuries, their lives forever changed by the events of this day.”

The money raised will be donated to those who were hurt and to each family of those who died, the GoFundMe page said.

The company didn’t immediately respond to a request from The Associate Press seeking comment on Thursday evening. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Signet owned the van that crashed or whether the van had seat belts.

Signet has provided construction services for projects of all sizes since 1994 and has an agricultural division, according to the company’s website.

The Mexican Consulate in Boise has said it will help the families of the deceased.

Earlier this month in Florida, a pickup truck crashed into a bus carrying farmworkers from Mexico, killing eight of the workers.

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Freelance Writer

Julia McCarthy is a freelance writer based in central Idaho.

“I’m an optimist, but I have seen fields overrun by kochia, and last year we learned that we have Palmer amaranth and waterhemp,” says Dr. Albert Adjesiwor, University of Idaho Extension weed scientist in Kimberly. While “it’s not the end of ag in Idaho,” he says, “those two weeds are going to change the way we do things.”

A growing problem

“There are a few reasons why [herbicide resistance] is increasing,” says Adjesiwor. At the top of the list is failure to rotate chemistries. “We have a variety of crops, but we’re using the same herbicides,” he says.

Glyphosate is a poster child for this issue. When Monsanto introduced Roundup Ready sugarbeets to the market in 2008, Alder says, 98% of acres were converted “overnight.” The change gave producers higher yields, cleaner fields and more economical weed control. With several other Roundup Ready crops now on the market, however, it has become too easy to default to glyphosate.

“Weeds have had opportunity to be exposed to Roundup a lot and had the opportunity to develop resistance,” says Alder. “The biggest factor in developing pesticide resistance is always using the same chemistry over and over.”

Kochia, shown here in seedling stage, is widespread and challenging to control, particularly in beets. Photo by Clarke Alder.

The results of such use can be seen in the Midwest. And while the Snake River Plain has more diverse crop rotation options, says producer Ben Marshall of Jerome, “We could follow in that path if we’re not careful.”

Another factor is that herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds can spread by a variety of vectors, from vehicles and farm machinery to irrigation water and wind. “Because kochia is a tumbleweed,” says Adjesiwor, “you could be doing everything right and could still get [HR kochia] from your neighbor.”

Once these genetics are on your farm, getting rid of them is a battle. Conservative estimates predict that a single kochia plant can produce 15,000 seeds, and continuing to use the herbicide in question will favor HR progeny.

Wild oat is very difficult to distinguish from cultivated oats before a seedhead is present. Photo by Albert Adjesiwor.

Another factor in Idaho’s HR weed problem is the introduction of entirely new weed species. In summer 2023, Palmer amaranth and waterhemp were discovered here for the first time, both of which are known for their proclivities for developing herbicide resistance. “We don’t know what we have,” says Adjesiwor of HR populations.

He and Alder are involved in surveys to locate and sample populations of both. When tested for physiological response to glyphosate, says Alder, 17 of 23 Palmer amaranth populations and three of three waterhemp showed signs of herbicide resistance. They are still undergoing genetic testing.

“It makes sense,” Alder says. “They’re coming from a part of the country where it’s resistant.”

Why the fuss?

While Adjesiwor has been paying close attention to herbicide resistance as long as he’s been in Idaho, he says, “There’s been an increase in how many people are asking questions about it, or interested in trying new things.” This may be driven by an uptick in HR weed populations.

“People ask, ‘Why is this herbicide not working like it used to?’” says Adjesiwor. “It’s not the herbicide. It might be resistance.”

Closely related to wheat, Italian ryegrass is a persistent problem once established in small-grain fields. Photo by Caio Brunharo.

That has implications for the bottom line. “I think everybody knows how much yield weeds rob,” says Marshall.

Citing numbers from Wyoming, Adjesiwor estimates that if HR weeds take glyphosate off the table, the “no action” option will cost a sugarbeet grower $700 to $800 per acre in net returns. The second-best herbicide option will yield net returns of nearly $400 per acre less than current practices.

“We’ve all grown beets before Roundup – it was a nightmare,” Marshall says. “We have really good tools in our toolbox now and we need to fight to protect it.”

Proactive measures

“The days of getting a new herbicide every five to 10 years are gone,” says Alder. “That hasn’t been happening and it’s not likely to happen.” Rather, weed scientists, crop advisers and producers are moving their sights to crop rotations, tank mixes and mechanical weed control.

Although, for example, kochia control options are limited in beets, other herbicides are available in small grains or corn. Taking advantage of crop differences to diversify herbicide use can help limit selection pressure by any one chemical. “It really has to be a whole-farm approach,” Alder says. “Don’t take weed control on a crop-by-crop basis.” This is particularly a challenge for producers with annual leases.

Mixing herbicides is another part of the equation. “I think throwing in a tank mix partner is going to be the next big push,” says Marshall. That means mixing two (or more) effective chemistries so plants resistant to one herbicide will be killed by the other. “The days of only spraying Roundup are over. We need to be tank mixing in beets.”

Palmer amaranth (seen here on a roadside in Caldwell) has proven fiendishly good at developing herbicide resistance in other parts of the nation. It was discovered for the first time in Idaho in 2023, and its extent is still unknown. Photo by Clarke Alder.

Tank mixes aren’t the only way to pair herbicides. “We tell [producers] not to just rely on post-emergence herbicides but to apply residual herbicides,” says Adjesiwor. “It’s a numbers game.”

Marshall adds that paying attention to timing and rates is also critical. “If you spray something with a half shot because it worked last year, that’s how resistance happens,” he says. “We’re having a harder time killing [kochia] in small grains … we need to keep rates up and spray on the right days.” That means spraying when conditions are right and weeds are small enough to kill easily.

Mechanical weed control may also be an option. “I think changes will be exponential to control weeds with robots and AI,” says Alder. Robotic arms and lasers have potential to kill plants outside the seeded rows and reduce dependence on chemical control. “So far, I’ve never seen weeds resistant to steel and fire,” he says.

At the end of the day, says Marshall, “If there’s still weeds out there after you’ve sprayed it twice, you should have a lightbulb go off that you’ve got herbicide resistance and you need to deal with it. … Get out there and pull it.”

“It’s hard to see every little thing in every field,” he adds. “All of us, producers and field men alike, need to be better and follow up on spray jobs and post-spray inspection.”

Lamb’s-quarter leaves are distinctively goosefoot-shaped and covered with a waxy coating that makes it difficult for herbicide to penetrate. Photo by Albert Adjesiwor.

Adjesiwor’s top 5 weeds to watch

1. Kochia

Description: Annual member of the pigweed family (the same as beets)

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “It’s widespread and resistant to three chemistries that we know of – groups 9, 2 and 4.”

2. Wild oat

Description: Annual grassy weed common in small grains

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “I just do!” Wild oat is common in Idaho and has a proclivity for developing herbicide resistance. When it does, says Adjesiwor, “in no-till, there are limited options for combating it.”

3. Italian ryegrass

Description: Annual grassy weed that’s difficult to kill in small grains

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “It’s everywhere in northern Idaho. It’s herbicide-resistant to groups 1 and 2, and it’s only a matter of time before it develops it to group 15. Then, in southern Idaho, you have annual ryegrass [a cultivar of the same species] being planted a lot.”

4. Palmer amaranth

Description: Annual member of the pigweed family and a new arrival to Idaho

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “Just because of what it’s done in other states.” In a study from Paul to Parma, Adjesiwor and other scientists found a lot near feedlots and right-of-ways. “We don’t know the spread yet, but 70 percent of samples were resistant to Roundup,” he says. We don’t know yet if Idaho populations are resistant to other chemistries but “Given the biology of the species, it’s only a matter of time.”

5. Common lamb’s-quarter

Description: Annual member of the pigweed family

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “It’s not resistant here, but it’s everywhere.” It’s naturally tough to kill even without HR traits, and in recent trials 20% of plants survived a double rate of glyphosate. Adjesiwor says, “If it’s resistant, it will take a long time to get rid of. Its seed lasts forever in the soil.”

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Last year, six states planted 100% of the country’s spring wheat acreage. In the Crop Progress Report released Monday, USDA said that 47% of the country’s total spring wheat is planted and 12% is out of the ground.

Washington

According to USDA’s Prospective Plantings report released March 28, Washington farmers are expected to plant 475,000 acres of spring wheat this growing season.

In the Crop Progress report released Monday, USDA said 90% of Washington’s expected spring wheat crop had been planted as of the week ending May 5. Thanks in part to 6 days suitable for fieldwork, the total planted spring wheat increased 14 percentage points from the week prior. Last year at this time 85% of spring wheat had been planted. The five-year average is 84%.

In terms of spring wheat emergence, Monday’s report said that 54% of the state’s spring wheat crop had emerged, which is a 16 point increase from 38% the week prior. That’s also a boost from 48% last year at this time. The five-year average is 54%.

Idaho

USDA predicted farmers in Idaho to plant 410,000 acres of spring wheat this year. 

As of the week ending May 5, 82% of Idaho’s spring wheat crop had been planted, an increase of 10 points since the week prior. Despite experiencing cool, wet, and windy conditions throughout the state during the week, Idaho’s spring wheat planting is ahead of schedule. Only 58% was planted at this time last year. The five-year average is 73%.

Idaho’s spring wheat emergence rose to 51%, supported by mostly adequate (≥80%) soil moisture according to USDA. That’s quite a jump from the 30% emergence reported the week prior and the 31% reported last year at this time. The state’s current spring wheat emergence is also far exceeding the five-year average of 32%.

South Dakota

South Dakota farmers are anticipated to contribute 850,000 acres of spring wheat to the country’s total spring wheat crop this season.

In South Dakota, 79% of the spring wheat is in the ground. For the week ending May 5, there were only 2.1 days suitable for fieldwork, said USDA. Nevertheless, the spring wheat planted in the state increased 17% compared to the week prior. Spring wheat planting in South Dakota is considerably ahead of schedule compared to 45% a year ago and to the five-year average of 54%. 

As for emergence, USDA said Monday that 31% of the state’s spring wheat had emerged. That’s up from 10% the week prior and 6% a year ago. The state is exceeding the five-year emergence average by 10%. Relatively high spring wheat emergence for the state was supported by mostly adequate (≥75%) soil moisture supplies during the week, as reported by USDA.

Montana

USDA said in March that Montana farmers are expected to plant 2.7 million acres of spring wheat this year.

According to USDA, 52% of Montana’s expected spring wheat crop is in the ground. That is up 17 points since last week and is double the percentage of spring wheat planted last year at this time. Planting in the state is also a good deal ahead of the five-year average of 36%. 

In Monday’s Crop Progress report, USDA said that 3% of Montana’s spring wheat had emerged and is the first reported of the season. According to USDA, all of Montana experienced below-normal temperatures during the week ending May 5. That may help to explain why the state is behind its five-year emergence average of 8%.

Minnesota

According to USDA, Minnesota farmers are predicted to plant 1.6 million acres of spring wheat this growing season.

USDA said Monday that during the week ending May 5, Minnesota experienced enough rain to result in only 1.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Despite this, USDA said Monday that 51% of Minnesota’s spring wheat had been planted, which is a 3 point increase since the week prior and is over double the five-year average of 25%. Last year at this time only 5% of the state’s spring wheat had been planted.

As of May 5, 18% of the state’s spring wheat crop had emerged. That’s up from just 5% last week. It’s also considerably higher than last year at this time (no emergence) and the five-year average of 8%.

North Dakota

Farmers in North Dakota are expected to plant 5.3 million acres of spring wheat in 2024. 

Monday’s USDA report said that 32% of North Dakota’s spring wheat had been planted as of the week ending May 5. That’s an increase of 12 points compared to the week prior despite there being only 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week according to USDA. Last year at this time, only 9% of the state’s spring wheat had been planted, while the five-year average is 20%. 

North Dakota’s spring wheat emergence was 5% as of May 5, said USDA. That’s an increase from just 1% reported the week prior. At this time last year there was no spring wheat emergence for the state. However, the five-year average is 3%. 

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