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Idaho Department of Agriculture asks for pay ladder, quagga mussel funding after expanded 2024 response
Summary
The Idaho Department of Agriculture outlined FY2026 budget requests including a career-ladder pay structure for agricultural investigators, continued funding for quagga mussel response and one-time replacement items after a large 2024 effort to double sampling and inspections statewide.
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Oct. 24 that it is seeking ongoing and one-time budget increases to address staff retention, equipment replacement and continued invasive-species response following expanded work in 2024.
The department requested a $340,400 ongoing appropriation to create a pay structure for 53 agricultural investigator positions, and a $1.1 million one-time request that includes vehicles and IT hardware replacements. Frances Lippett, budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, summarized the department’s FY2026 request and fiscal trends for the committee.
The department “doubled the sampling statewide” and increased watercraft inspections in 2024 as part of its response to quagga mussels, Director Chanel Tewell told the committee. Lippett said the Legislature provided a $5,000,000 one-time general‑fund infusion to the invasive species fund in…
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