Idaho
First-generation Idaho ranchers struggle to stay afloat as inflation drives costs up by 75%
Small business owners are struggling to make ends meet as inflation remains painfully high with no relief in sight.
First-generation Idaho cattle ranchers Megan and Trevor Stark have had a “very challenging” time maintaining their enterprise while balancing rising prices and cutting costs to meet their consumer needs.
“[In] the last … year and a half, our costs have actually gone up 75% across the board for livestock, for feed prices, fuel, everything. So it’s gone up a drastic amount. And for us to continue on and to make a living, and expand and go through our entire business plan like we plan on, it’s very challenging,” Megan said on “America Reports” Thursday.
INFLATION, GLOBAL ‘SUSTAINABILITY’ PUSH A POTENTIAL DEATH SENTENCE FOR US AGRICULTURE, FARMERS WARN
Inflation accelerated in March for the third straight month, keeping prices painfully high for millions of Americans and likely delaying any interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.
Since starting their business in 2020, the Starks have faced increasing financial hardship in the agriculture industry.
Trevor has even maintained his second job working at his parents’ construction company.
“I’ve always worked for my parents’ construction company, and we’d notice that with fuel prices and whatnot going up there… I’ll always continue to work the construction job,” he said. “But this is what we want to do to kind of set our kids up for a little more ag[riculture].”
First-generation cattle ranchers Megan and Trevor Stark discussed how inflation is impacting their business. (Starks/Fox News)
Businesses like the Starks’ cattle ranch are having to adapt as high prices hurt their bottom line.
“We’re trying to cut costs in a way that doesn’t hinder our quality of service and product. So we’re doing, like everybody else, cutting costs where we can and adjusting basically any which way we can to keep our costs, at least where they’re at, so they don’t keep rising. And that’s part of the problem is they continue to keep rising. So as we adjust, things keep going,” Megan said.
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The Starks, however, are being transparent and open with customers about their efforts to cut costs and adjust prices.
“We talk to our customers all the time. We have a very open and transparent business with our clients and our customers. So they feel the same things that we feel, and they know they’re basically part of our triangle as family. And so their opinions and their, their opinions matter,” Megan added.
Megan and Trevor put out a survey to gauge the thoughts and perspective of their customers on how to best address the financial constraints of pernicious inflation.
The ranchers reported the survey gave them valuable feedback and “insane” support as they navigate how to maintain their business.
FOX Business’ Megan Henney contributed to this report.
Idaho
Idaho is home to the nation's first DarkSky Reserve. Now it's home to the nations first DarkSky Certified Resort
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A controversy is brewing as the City of Idaho Falls reviews its alcohol ordinance.
The goal is to consolidate four existing ordinances for beer, wine and liquor into a single law and ensure compliance with state code.
However, at its meeting last Thursday, the Idaho Falls City Council unanimously voted to remove the proposed ordinance from its agenda, in order to receive and consider additional public comment.
The proposed ordinance would:
1. Require commercial establishments selling, dispensing or permitting consumption of alcohol – including beer, wine or liquor – to have an alcohol license, alcohol catering permit or a charitable event permit.
2. Business events with 20 or less employees consuming alcohol at the business would be allowed.
3. Require alcohol servers to complete training every three years.
4. Individuals who violate the law could be charged with a misdemeanor.
Idaho Falls City Council President Jim Francis said the changes were the culmination of months of collaboration between law enforcement, business owners and city attorneys.
“We wanted to provide a safe environment – the primary point here – for public gatherings,” Francis said. “We recognize that certain antiquated elements of the current code are overly restrictive and needed to be addressed. We wanted to make the code more accessible to the public. We needed to address over-pouring issues. We wanted to reduce penalties where possible for violations, particularly the first offenses, and yet make the code clear enough to be enforceable consistently by law enforcement.”
But City Council Member John Radford said the changes represent an overreach by city government.
“I believe it’s a bad policy. What problem are we solving in the name of trying to solve a non-problem?” Radford said. “We’re becoming big brother around alcohol in your private property. I’m concerned that landlords will be at risk of being charged with a misdemeanor if they knowingly, which I made sure that was in there, because that is what we’ve been talking about, allowed people to drink in our business. We will be outside the norm of Idaho cities. This is a big step, and I don’t think the public has weighed in on this.”
At a City Council Work Session on June 1, Idaho Falls Chief of Police Bryce Johnson cited an increase in alcohol-related crime – particularly downtown – as a reason for the changes.
“DUI is there, but this would include sexual assaults, assaults, batteries, disturbances, urination, public vandalism, shooting – all sorts of crimes,” Johnson said.
But business owners are concerned about the potential impact on commercial enterprises.
“The ordinance doesn’t address the real problem – which is people drinking … at one event and then showing up in a bar or restaurant already hammered and causing problems anyway,” ” said Terri Ireland, representing the Idaho Falls Downtown Merchants Association. “The industry is really well-regulated by state and local laws already.”
The City of Idaho Falls began the process of updating its alcohol ordinance in January 2026, seeking input from community stakeholders.
Multiple community members spoke out about the ordinance.
For more in-depth information, you can read the full 39-page proposed alcohol ordinance here.
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A simmering dispute between Idaho’s top elections official and the U.S. Department of Justice escalated this month after federal officials warned Secretary of State Phil McGrane about possible prosecution tied to non-citizens voting in Idaho.
The Justice Department sent a letter earlier this month threatening McGrane with prosecution. The warning came amid a broader conflict between the Trump administration and McGrane, whom the administration has sued over his refusal to provide unredacted voter rolls to the federal government.
Idaho’s chief of civil litigation, James Craig, responded on July 10. In a letter first reported by the Idaho Statesman, Craig pushed back on the federal warning, writing, “Insinuations of criminal violations of the federal election laws are not well taken,” and asking the department to “stop threatening your friends in Idaho.”
Craig also requested that the lawsuit against McGrane be dismissed and criticized the Justice Department for sending its letter directly to McGrane rather than to the Idaho attorney general’s office.
The attorney general’s office said the state has already referred 15 cases of possible non-citizen election violations to the Justice Department but is not aware of any of them being prosecuted. Craig’s letter ends by asking the department to do so.
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