Ag revenue

David Sparks Ph.D.

Each year Idaho legislators in the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee hear from people from different industries, economists and academics, to try and get an idea of what revenue the state might have in the coming year and what they can budget for. University of Idaho Agricultural Economist Brett Wilder presented them with his take on the financial condition of agriculture in Idaho in 2025, and the forecast for 2026.

Verbatim:

 “My name is Brett Wilder. I am an assistant professor and area extension educator of farm business management with the University of Idaho,” said agricultural economist Brett Wilder.

“I'm fortunate to be part of the group of speakers that comes in for the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee.”

Each year the Idaho legislators in that committee hear from people from different industries, economists and academics, to try and get an idea of what revenue the state might have in the coming year and what they can budget for.

“And my role as part of that meeting is to give a pretty good outlook for what did agriculture do in 2025? What's the forecast looking forward for 2026?” said Wilder.

It’s part of a series of meetings for them to hear from as many experts as they can.

“It absolutely is a crazy year for agriculture, and agriculture in 2025 for both the U.S. and for Idaho is really a tale of two different ag economies,” said Wilder. “We have the livestock sector that's frankly fared fairly well and the crop sector that has not done as well. Top line number, we're looking at a new all-time high number for cash receipts at about 12.1 billion. Very much led higher by cattle and calves, up 18% to 3.9 billion.”

But most crop prices are a different story.