Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Idaho seed industry tells House Agriculture Affairs Committee it is a global leader but faces farmland, pesticide and water risks
Summary
Roger Batt of the Idaho Eastern Oregon Seed Association told the House Agriculture Affairs Committee the state’s seed sector is a global leader worth about $800 million and producing a large share of several seed crops, but it is threatened by loss of farmland, pesticide label losses, uncertain water returns and an aging workforce.
Roger Batt, executive director of the Idaho Eastern Oregon Seed Association, told the House Agriculture Affairs Committee on Feb. 20 that “seed is the cornerstone of agriculture” and described Idaho as one of six global seed-production regions.
Batt said the United States accounts for roughly 34.5% of global seed production and that Idaho ranks No. 1 in production of several seed crops. He told the committee the industry’s internal analysis values Idaho’s seed sector at about $800,000,000 and, using a University of Idaho multiplier, generates roughly $1.5 billion in statewide economic impact.
The value and reach of Idaho seed production, Batt said, underpins national food security. “Seed is to agriculture what microchips are to technology,” he said, adding the state ships seed to…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
