Grow Idaho

09/14/2026

Two weeks ago, we brought 150 students into farmland to learn about what happens between planting a seed and putting food on the table: aquifers, pollinators, seed varieties, produce and harvest, and how zoning can protect farmland.

But most importantly, they learned where their food comes from, and how special Canyon County is in the local, regional, and global markets of agriculture!

Read more on the Idaho Press Tribune Idaho Press and Caldwell Perspective Caldwell Perspective by clicking these links:
https://www.idahopress.com/news/grow-idaho-ag-field-days-canyon-county-students/article_c30d9a4e-0e31-4be3-8ad1-66c8a8d46ba4.html

https://caldwellperspective.com/editions

A special thank you to Amalgamated Sugar Company, Ada County Soil and Water District, Land Trust of the Treasure Valley, Crookham Company, and the Idaho Mint Growers Association for partnering with us for this field trip.

04/03/2026

Idaho is growing, and farmers are struggling. Housing is limited and expedited. These issues share the same same problems, and thankfully also share the same solutions.

New development needs to happen close to the city center, not in farmland. This means more housing options like townhouses, duplexes, and ADUs, as well as building within unused city lots (infill).

Then, zoning and agricultural overlays need to be protected and respected. No more sprawl.

Thoughtful planning means protecting our farmers, and keeping affordable living for locals.

03/20/2026

Compared to counties, cities can more easily address housing issues because they have existing infrastructure for development to plug into (water, sewer, and electricity), which is cheaper than building wells and septic systems far away from the city center.

Cities also have a wider variety of housing options to choose from that fit many different needs and preferences, while counties often build low density single family home, which are costly and take up space.

Counties are in the business of zoning and overlays, which is critical for farmland protection. When cities and counties work together, we see affordable living in both vibrant downtowns and robust agricultural areas.

03/20/2026

https://www.growidaho.org
[email protected]

Compared to counties, cities can more easily address housing issues because they have existing infrastructure for development to plug into (water, sewer, and electricity), which is cheaper than building wells and septic systems. Cities also have a wider variety of housing options to choose from that fit many different needs and preferences, while counties often build low density single family homes, which are costly and take up space.

Counties are in the business of zoning and overlays, which is critical for farmland protection. When cities and counties work together, we see affordable living in both vibrant downtowns and robust agricultural areas.
https://youtu.be/kkM38rIFRAE?si=RBTmdo-5qDDGrDrj

[email protected]" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://[email protected] to counties, cities can more easily address housing issues because they have existing infrastructure for ...

03/13/2026

https://www.growidaho.org
[email protected]
sources from Urban Three / https://www.urbanthree.com Sprawl is the rapid expansion of cities and towns, often characterized by low density residential development, single use zoning, and reliance on cars for transportation.

This type of development is paving over valuable farmland and never pays for itself. What do we do?

1. Cities need to build up, not out. This means more diverse housing options, infill development, and in some cases, smaller lot sizes.
2. Counties need to apply zoning and overlays to appropriate rural areas to prevent future development.
3. Both need to have urban/rural boundaries. Once we build to this line, we stop.

03/13/2026

https://www.growidaho.org
[email protected]
sources from ‪Urban Three‬ / https://www.urbanthree.com

Sprawl is the rapid expansion of cities and towns, often characterized by low density residential development, single-use zoning, and reliance on cars for transportation.

This type of development is paving over valuable farmland and never pays for itself. What do we do?

1. Cities need to build up, not out. This means more diverse housing options, infill development, and in some cases, smaller lot sizes.
2. Counties need to apply zoning and overlays to appropriate rural areas to prevent future development.
3. Both need to have urban/rural boundaries. Once we build to this line, we stop.

https://youtu.be/LvsFZI5ZCMo?si=A-M5oiuLt2LPbdtP

[email protected]" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://[email protected] from / https://www.urbanthree.comSprawl is the rapid expansion of cities and towns, often characte...

02/26/2026

This is a recent video that Urban Three created for the National Association of Homebuilders. We see a trend where home builders are recognizing that sprawl is unsustainable for many communities, and an interest by these associations in alternate solutions. It is somewhat remarkable that agriculture interests and the National Association of Homebuilders agree.

When we keep development close to the city center, we save farmland, improve our downtowns, and reduce costly suburbs. All of this keeps money in taxpayers’ pockets. We can get a lot more done when we work together on solutions for our future; these are the practical solutions that Grow Idaho is interested in.

To learn more about city planning and farmland preservation, visit www.growidaho.org.

https://youtu.be/hFu4Pyn8aTA?si=HO9VsU50YiMrvQdi

Local governments across the country are facing growing fiscal pressures as infrastructure costs rise and housing affordability continues to worsen. While ho...

01/02/2026

Idaho is changing; more specifically, Idaho is growing. What does “growth” mean in this moment for Idahoans? It looks like suburbs racing into farmland, ranch land and conservation areas. It looks like more dangerous traffic and dwindling city services. It looks like increased pressure for farmers to sell or move their farms.

We’re not here to stop growth, we’re here to manage it. Our go-to slogan in 2025 what “build up, not out”. In 2026 it’s going to be “agricultural zoning”. This is how cities can adapt to their growing populations without throwing farmers and ranchers under the bus (or perhaps more appropriately, the 9-5 traffic).

We worked with to create the "Land and Legacy" series.

11/17/2025

Monday, November 11th, we are sitting down with Boise State Public Radio, Idaho Matters, for our final segment in the "Land and Legacy" series. This week we discuss farming with your neighbors out in Canyon County. We are also joined by Braden Jensen from the Idaho Farm Bureau. Each of these individuals will There were several farmers that we wanted you to meet early in our series, but they were in the middle of harvest. Bobbi Bicandi, Miguel Villafana, and Tristan Winegar are almost past harvest and are ready to talk with you now. We are also joined by Braden Jensen from the Idaho Farm Bureau. Each of these individuals will help you understand why farming is important to their families, their communities and Idaho. They will also talk about how we also talk about how we can work together to protect it for future generations.  

Join us Monday, Nov. 17 at 12pm and 8pm at 91.5FM or listen later at this link:

www.boisestatepublicradio.org/show/idaho-matters
link in bio