Champions of Rural America: Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho backs PLR recission, return of local land decisions

Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) joined us on Champions of Rural America to share his insights on upcoming changes to public land management and how they will benefit agriculture and the Western working class.

The Department of the Interior is planning to end the Bureau of Land Management’s 2024 Public Lands Rule, which put conservation on equal footing with recreation and grazing on federal lands.

In this week’s Champions of Rural America, we review what the move holds for ag communities and U.S. energy. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) joined us for his perspective on the regulatory changes.

In his interview with RFD-TV’s own Suzanne Alexander, Rep. Simpson shared how the rescission of the Biden-era rule will empower local decision-making in Idaho and rural America as a whole.

He also provided insight on the conservation issues he expects will be resolved by the rollback, and how overturning the rule will impact the Trump Administration’s “Unleashing American Energy” order.

Simpson also discussed how the agricultural community can help expand his state’s economy with restored access to public lands, and how these changes will benefit the working class in his state.

Related Stories
According to the new report, seven out of ten rural bankers support President Trump’s recent trade steps with China, expressing cautious optimism about future export potential.
Brooks York with Agri-Sompo discusses how this year’s pricing period played out and what it could mean for farmers heading into the end of the season.
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) shares his outlook on the developing U.S.-China Trade agreement, and the ongoing impact of the federal government shutdown—now stretching past four weeks—on rural communities and producers.
The Livestock Conservancy joins us in the RFD-TV Studio to discuss how protecting heritage-breed poultry is essential to resilient food systems and the preservation of agricultural traditions.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Southern producers head into 2026 with thin margins, tighter credit, and rising agronomic risks despite scattered yield improvements.
Record yields and exceptionally low BCFM strengthen U.S. corn’s competitive position in global markets.
Raulston Acres Christmas Tree Farm in Rock Springs, Ga., has been in the same family for three generations.
Reed Marcum started hosting a toy drive in 2015. Since then, he has distributed thousands of toys across his home state of Oklahoma and in Texas and Arkansas. Now serving in the Army, Reed’s family and local 4-H chapter are running the event.
RFD-TV Farm Legal and Tax Expert Roger McEowen explains the basics of Low-Risk Credit in Farming, and how an understanding of the farm credit landscape lets producers tactfully approach debt.