Champions of Rural America: Rep. Simpson discusses improving Idaho’s forest health

The Congressional Western Caucus has advocated for agriculture for more than 30 years.

In today’s Champions of Rural America, we are turning our attention to Idaho for an update on efforts to address the economic and environmental needs of the farm community.

Congressman Mike Simpson spoke with RFD-TV’s Suzanne Alexander about his top priorities, forest health, and grazing on public lands.

Related Stories
New Resource Makes It Easier for People to Access Data on Rural Development funded Projects in Rural Communities
U.S. agriculture entered the week with mixed signals as weather, logistics, and markets shaped early-year decisions. Here is a regional breakdown of domestic crop and livestock production for the week of Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
Rising rural business confidence supports local ag economies, but taxes and labor shortages remain key constraints.
CoBank Knowledge Exchange’s Jeff Johnston shares the group’s positive perspective on expanding data centers into rural areas and weighs the risks and rewards for those communities.
Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller joined us to discuss data center expansion, farmland preservation, rural economic impacts, and imminent cattle biosecurity concerns affecting agriculture today.