Published 1:27 pm Tuesday, January 18, 2022
BOISE — Food Producers of Idaho has named 14 state lawmakers Ag All Stars for the 2021 legislative session.
The group, which represents more than 45 commodity and farm organizations, has presented the awards after each of the past 22 Idaho Legislature sessions. The most recent awards banquet was Jan. 12.
Awards are based on legislators’ votes on various bills. The organization during the 2021 Legislature tracked around 20 bills.
Executive Director Rick Waitley said Ag All Star legislators are important to agriculture and natural resource industries, and to Food Producers’ advocacy and policy work.
In deciding which issues and bills to track in a legislative session, the group looks at general issues that impact or relate to agriculture, he said. But because it comprises many organizations, it also looks at natural resource, transportation, tax and environmental issues.
Waitley said an issue also could be deemed worth tracking because it impacts water, or county government as it applies to planning and zoning, rights of way and land use, for example.
“We don’t track rules and we don’t track every tax bill,” Waitley said. The group will track a tax bill “only if it is directly related to property, equipment or our industry.”
Food Producers usually does not track issues specific to a single commodity. It does not get involved in many social issues, though schools might be an exception.
All-star recognition is not based on a lawmaker’s position in the Legislature, or past support.
“Each session is an entity unto its own. It’s totally based on the vote,” Waitley said.
Lawmakers are allowed one vote against a Food Producers position.
Many of the state’s legislators are “faithful to agriculture and our industry,” Waitley said. “However, sometimes based upon the location of their district and the people they serve, they have to vote against a position of Food Producers.”
A legislator can be honored multiple years.
Ag All Stars was patterned after a similar program in Oregon.
“We have always understood the strength of the ag lobby and worked to keep open channels of communication amongst our ranks,” Waitley said.
Food Producers also formed the Agriculture Natural Resource Industry Political Action Committee to financially support candidates who stood strong on ag-related issues.
“After we invested financially to help them get elected and then we lobbied and educated them on our issues, it only seemed right we would recognize them for their support of our issues,” Waitley said.
“It seemed to sort of complete the circle,” he said.
The Senate has 35 members, and the House has 70.
Food Producers of Idaho Ag All Star legislators:
• Fred Martin and Chuck Winder, both R-Boise.
• Kelly Anthon, R-Burley.
• Mary Souza, R-Coeur d’Alene.
• Abby Lee, R-Fruitland.
• Patti Anne Lodge, R-Huston.
• Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon.
• Jim Woodward, R-Sagle.
• Mark Harris, R-Soda Springs.
• Jim Patrick, R-Twin Falls.
• Scott Syme, R-Caldwell.
• Clark Kauffman, R-Filer.
• Laurie Lickley, R-Jerome.
• Linda Wright Hartgen, R-Twin Falls.
