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Whether it’s agriculture, tourism or energy, a look at the industries that shape Idaho’s economy and how they are affected by state policies.

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August 23, 2012

18 Idaho Companies Make Inc. Magazine’s Fastest-Growing List

Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies was released this week, and 18 Idaho businesses made the cut. To qualify, companies apply by providing relevant financials and a general description of their business. Some familiar companies that frequent these kinds of rankings were again included. Scentsy ranks 516, Balihoo ranks 853 and Pita […]

Idaho’s Foreclosure Problem: Better, But Still Here

A foreclosure counseling event in downtown Boise Wednesday offered a window into how homeowners are faring, years after Idaho’s foreclosure rate began to climb. The basic message was this: we’re not out of the woods yet. In August 2011, Idaho’s foreclosure rate was the fifth highest in the nation, based on data from RealtyTrac. But […]

August 22, 2012

Micron’s CEO To Address Boise City Club

Micron Technology CEO Mark Durcan is scheduled to speak at next week’s City Club of Boise luncheon. Duran took over as CEO in February after longtime CEO Steve Appleton died in a plane crash. Micron employs more than 5,000 people in Idaho, but has gone through a series of layoffs since 2005. The company shuttered […]

August 21, 2012

One Drought, Two Idaho Farmers, Very Different Outcomes

Some of Idaho’s most fertile farm ground has been hit by the drought that’s crippling crops nationwide. Farmers who have deep wells and irrigation are faring well. Those who don’t aren’t. It’s one indication of the very different economics of dry-land and irrigated farming.

August 20, 2012

Some Idaho Farmers Suffer, Others Succeed In Summer’s Drought

In Idaho’s arid, high desert, the drought has a mixed effect. There’s a big divide between farmers with deep wells and irrigation, and those without. Hans Hayden is a rare find: a talkative farmer. He likes to explain things. But when it comes to the wheat he planted this spring, there’s not much to say. […]

August 16, 2012

Why South Korea’s Ban On Fresh Northwest Potatoes Won’t Have A Big Effect On Idaho

Starting Friday, fresh potatoes from Idaho, Oregon and Washington can no longer be exported to South Korea. As Capital Press reported earlier this week, Korea’s export ban results from concerns over an insect-borne disease that causes light yellow potato flesh to darken and stripe — the zebra chip. According to the Idaho Department of Agriculture, the […]

August 15, 2012

The “Honest” Home, And What It Has To Do With Idaho Timber Exports

Our recent story on Japanese homebuilding preferences and how they’ve helped one North Idaho sawmill led me to a guy named Roger Williams. He’s an architect based in Seattle, but he’s done a lot of work in Japan. He’s made dozens of trips there over the years. I was trying to understand why there’s such […]

August 14, 2012

California, Like Idaho, Benefits From Timber Exports

Last week StateImpact told the story of Idaho Forest Group’s Laclede mill, which experienced its first shutdown in decades when the housing bubble burst, decimating lumber demand. The mill reopened thanks in large part to the company’s new focus on the export market. The Wall Street Journal this week reports that the export market is […]

Should Idaho Expand Medicaid? St. Luke’s CEO Wants To Know

The CEO of Idaho’s largest health system, St. Luke’s, is asking readers of his blog what they think Idaho should do about expanding Medicaid. Dr. David Pate began his blogging endeavor almost a year ago as a way to reach more of St. Luke’s 10,000 employees spread across six hospitals and 100 clinics in Idaho. […]

August 13, 2012

Why Exporting Lumber Takes More Than Just Shipping Containers

When the recession hit, it hit Idaho’s forest products industry hard. For years, the U.S. housing market had been strong enough that lumber producers had little trouble finding buyers. But by 2009, housing starts stood at a fraction of what they had been just four years earlier. Anxious for sales, lumber producers looked to foreign […]

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