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Dirt Road Discussions
We are all about agriculture all the time. This podcast will surprise you! It is not your ordinary farm podcast. These are fascinating stories, from technology to human interest, where we talk to captivating people who are changing the landscape of the world around us. Hosted by the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation.
Episodes
110 episodes
Why Your Vote Matters with Phil McGrane
Why does your vote matter on the farm and beyond? On this episode of Dirt Road Discussions, Cam and Ott sit down with Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane. With nearly two decades of experience protecting the integrity of ...
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The Science Behind Dirt Roads
Dirt Roads make up 1/3 of all roads in the United States and they require more than a sprinkle of gravel and a steamroller to make them functionable and durable.Both chemists and engineers use crazy science to make that top layer of dir...
BONUS EPISODE: Is Northwest Barging Being Jeopardized?
BONUS EPISODE: Those who rely on the Port of Lewiston for their livelihoods are trying to understand a 2026 order that came from a federal Oregon judge to increase water over the dams and lower water levels in some areas. Scott Cor...
Watt’s the Cost of Power?
As energy demand surges across Idaho, what does it mean for the farmers and ranchers who depend on affordable, reliable power? We sit down with Eric Olsen, Partner at Echo Hawk & Olsen, to break down the growing strain on the grid, the rise...
From Field to Foam: A Look At Barley
Barley is sometimes known as the underappreciated crop, but to breweries across the nation, barley is essential. Laura Wilder, Executive Director of the Idaho Barley Commission, talks about how Idaho has become the #1 barley-producing state, he...
SPUD Crypto
Many people mistakenly think that cryptocurrency is just bitcoin. Actually, there are many different types of cryptocurrency. One recently developed is SPUD, a meme coin built for the agricultural community. SPUD was created by Cody Holm, 5th g...
County Lines & Community Voices
Mary Huff is the Director of Owyhee County Community Planning, as well as a rancher. She has a message for everyone to be involved with their local and state elected officials. From planning and zoning to farmland loss, Mary shares her real-wor...
Matt Dorsey: The Power of Showing Up
Matt Dorsey, the President of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, joins Cam and Ott for this episode of Dirt Road Discussions. They explore Matt's experiences as a farmer, his insights from traveling the state, and the importance of community and...
Food Bullying with Michele Payn
Consumers can be overwhelmed as they walk through the aisles of the grocery store. Food has become a battleground where marketing labels and misinformation persuades people around their eating choices. Michele Payn brings clarity a...
Skijoring: Horses, Skis, Adrenaline
Winter months in rural Idaho may lack a Friday night football game, but locals are discovering Skijoring: a sport where competitors ski behind a galloping horse, navigating jumps, grabbing rings, and trying not to break any bones. It has been d...
100th Episode - Live From Sun Valley
100th Episode! The Dirt Road Discussion crew literally hit the road to travel to Sun Valley for 10-minute interviews with a lineup of ag experts attending the Idaho-Oregon Grain & Oilseed Convention. They each share a personal message on th...
Christmas Farm On Mount St. Helens
In 1980, the eruption of Mount St. Helens left a landscape of devastation. Decades later, that volcanic soil has become the foundation for a farm that produces products that become our holiday boughs, wreaths, garlands, and centerpieces.
Bridging Fields: Agriculture & Academia
Leslie Edgar grew up in a large family Kuna, Idaho, where her parents emphasized the importance of hard work and education. Back then, she probably never knew that her life would take her to multiple states only to return as the J.R. Simplot En...
Garlic Gods
While most farmers are trying to get their crop out of the ground by October 15th, Geoffrey and Jana Yockey are working to get their garlic seed in the ground before winter hits. The funny part is that they hope its a frigid winter with lots of...
On The Road With Lance & Lea
She was a girl who grew up singing at church in her Amish community. He was a boy that grew up in Texas listening to Metallica. A chance encounter at a Nashville event would create the country duo sensation of Lance and Lea.In this podc...
When Is Land Development Good?
Should land be used for farming or houses? Maybe the better question is, how do we plan for the future so people can still build neighborhoods and businesses without taking up all the farmland that grows our food?Keri Smith's thought sh...
Dams Of The Pacific Northwest
Adam Ratliff, known as the Armchair Engineer, knows that when the topic of dams in the Pacific Northwest comes up, people start talking. Whether it is the topic of salmon recovery and breaching or the need for hydroelectric power and agricultur...
Haircuts and Harvests
Three years ago, Ashlie Sutton's family was frantically working to get potatoes out of the ground before a potential frost killed the crop. From the spud truck, she started posting on social media about the plight of farmers in her valley. It c...
Talking Trades & Timber
Blake Manley is most invigorated when he helps students realize that there is an entire world of high-paying jobs in the trades, specifically forestry.As the originator of Manley Jobs, Blake piloted an idea during COVID to produce YouTu...
Oasis Camel Dairy
Nancy Riegler loves and lives with camels. She runs the Oasis Camel Dairy Farm in Ramona, California with her husband Gil. Her stories of meeting Gil, discovering camels, learning how to milk camels, and many other antics are told in this inter...
Mike Simpson: Farm Kid To Congressman
Mike Simpson noticed in the newspaper one day that only one person was running for two seats on the city council, so after talking to his wife, he decided to try politics for the first time. Unfortunately, a few others also noticed, and he had ...
Knowing J.R. Simplot: Building A Legacy
When J.R. Simplot met with Ray Kroc (McDonalds) and sold him on the idea of “consistent” frozen Idaho potatoes, the Simplot company was headed for big things. A second encounter with a guano (bat poop) salesman, led to an experiment that would ...
Roots Of Forestry
Garrett Kleiner thinks more people should consider leaving traditional occupations in an office setting for a career in forestry. He loves being in nature and working with individuals to plan forest management. What may surprise so...
Raising the Steaks for Better Beef
Raising cattle to produce quality beef is a process that gets better every decade. New research provides valuable knowledge, but the tricky part is getting this new information to our American ranchers, who are some of the busiest workers aroun...
Increasing Idaho's Long-Term Water Storage
For many years, Idahoans have been working to solve the puzzle of increasing water storage to provide for farms and city municipalities and to recharge the aquifer. The goal is to have more water storage built up to use across Idaho's water cor...