The Ranch Podcast

Ilana Rubel is an Idaho State Representative and came on to talk about Idaho’s Budget, Medicaid costs, and the war on local governments. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great st...

Andrew Finstuen is the Dean of the honors college at BSU and the director of the Institute for Advancing American Values and came in to speak about his work in understanding what contemporary Idahoans value, what they feel about our current world, and what he is doing to help them communicate these issues. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organ...

Mike Satre works with HECLA Silver mining company and came in to explain the unbelievable journey silver has had over the last several years, what HECLA is doing, and how Idaho stands to benefit from the enormous cross industry demand for the critical mineral. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused me...

Brett Wilder is an Ag Economist with UofI and a Ag producer in Idaho and came in to speak on the state of agriculture. Inputs have increased, commodities have been hammered, and the average Idaho producer is hurting, but that’s not the entire story. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The R...

Eric Olsen is an Idaho attorney who, among other things, represents ag irrigators in eastern Idaho and came on to explain what he feels is driving increased costs that many ag producers are experiencing. With the influx of new industry and expanding existing industry, Eric feels there is an undue burden being placed onto other “rate classes,” and ultimately people are paying for energy infrastruct...

Tal Sampson is a lifelong Idaho hunter and recreationist and a member of the HAT Committee. The HAT Committee was charged with the task of reviewing the available technology and making a recommendation to the Dept. of Fish and Game on what tech should be allowed on what animals and when. Tal came in previously to explain the broader strokes of the group, and he agreed to come back to give specific...

Erik Weiseth is the executive director of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association and came in to talk about this incredible self driven economy and industry that relies on public access to our public lands to continue pushing Idaho’s culture and traditions forward. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho f...

John Gilligan is the CEO of Liberty Gold, a mineral extraction company working in Idaho to extract a number of different mineral resources, including gold. The difficulty and complexity of bringing a viable resource out of the ground to push to refinement is mind boggling, yet it’s something that our country and our state so dearly need. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foun...

Marco Erickson is an Idaho State Representative and came in to talk about the work being done in Idaho to support young people and mental health issues. Idaho has triple the national average for teen suicides and leaders like Rep. Erickson are working to find solutions to save our kids. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to...

Richard McPherson is a world leading authority on Nuclear Technology. In Episode 22 of the American Nuclear series, we discuss the process of recycling spent nuclear fuel. Idaho has engaged in spent nuclear fuel storage for years, both on the commercial and military side, and in most reactors, operators replace fuel rods when the rods still have 97% usable fuel left. This is an incredible waste co...

Debbie Critchfield is the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Recently, JFAC requested that superintendent Debbie Critchfield send in a framework to cut the K-12 budget 1-3%, something that was understood coming into the session would not be asked or happen. Superintendent Critchfield had worked diligently prior to the session to remove requests and tighten the K-12 budget so this wouldn’t...

Tammy Nichols is an Idaho State Senator and came in to talk about the infestation of CA Rats in the Treasure Valley (that’s not even a joke or play on words) and revisions to a law regarding the Son of Sam (also not a joke). Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The Ranch Podcast is the premi...

Lance Davisson is the owner and principal of the Keystone Concept, a consulting firm that helps organizations understand and manage natural resources around land and timber. He has worked and continues to work with many areas that we all love and want to preserve, including Boise parks and Bogus Basin. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organizat...

Roy Akins is a long time Riggins City Councilman, a professional guide, and a champion for the community. He fell deeply in love with the Riggins community as a younger person and committed to spending his life and raising his family in the small town of 400. This is the first of many conversations needed to understand what Idaho means and what Idaho life is like for people of this iconic Idaho to...

Amber Grant is the mother of two disabled children that she cares for, one of which is an adult in his 20s. She does receive assistance through Medicaid, and she came in to talk about the realities of her life and the reasons she needs the assistance from the public.  The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused m...

Rod Gramer is an Idaho businessman and former president of Idaho Businesses for Education and came in to speak on the culture and focus of Idaho. Rod is concerned that Idaho has lost its way to a degree and that the principles and ideals that made the state an incredible place are being replaced by others that will change the state fundamentally forever. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Tr...

Loren Enns is the director of State Campaign for the Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force with the Heartland Institute and came in to speak on the issues the US faces with runaway debt, the threat is poses, and why he feels Idaho should join other conservative states in supporting a Convention of the States to discuss a balanced budget amendment. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In M...

Darnisha Orcutt is the CEO of Jannus, Inc, a non-profit organization that works within Idaho to provide over 10 different services to Idahoans, including the suicide and prevention hotline, employment assistance for parents re-entering the workforce, urban gardening, and refugee assistance. Many of the services are paid for by grants from the federal government that are designed to ensure that loc...

Jim Woodward is an Idaho State Senator and came in to talk about the ever evolving situation with federal conformity with Idaho code and our current state of taxes. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the...

Tera King is the resource analyst with the Idaho Forest Group and came in to explain the state of the industry. Forestry is a vital part of Idaho wildlands management, but it is also vital for our building industry, recreation industry, wildlife industry, and more. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focus...

Cindy Carlson is an Idaho State Senator and came in to talk about the issue with recreationists abusing areas of the state. Thousands upon thousands of people flood into the state at different seasons to use our natural resources and leave trash, damage, and bad feelings with local communities. They also leave enormous bills with infrastructure and emergency services that small taxing districts mu...

Jessica Gunder is a Univ. of Idaho Law Professor and came in to speak about the recent executive orders by President Trump regarding artificial intelligence and AI applied to law school and the legal field broadly. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The Ranch Podcast is the premier source...

Mark Uranga is a pediatrician with St. Luke’s in the Treasure Valley and came in to talk about the Vitamin K shot that is offered at birth, infant fatal bleeding, and the recent hesitation around vitamin K. Enjoy! The Ranch Podcast is supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media.  The Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long...

Tracy Basterrechea is the chief of police for Meridian, the population center for Idaho, and came on to speak about what he sees as issues with ICE operations throughout the country. Chief Basterrechea works frequently and aggressively with our federal partners, but is also an enormous advocate for de-escalation, identification, and community safety. Instances where ICE agents engage in stops in u...

Jacob Gray and Sierra Robatcek are with the Idaho Dept. of Fish and Game and came in to talk about big game migration corridors, data collection, and working with the public and developers to ensure that we find a way to live our lives but also preserve these incredible resources that have become so iconic for the state. Hunting is a way of life in Idaho, and there can be no surplus for harvest wi...