The Ranch Podcast

Rick Naerebout is the Director of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association. The Dairy Industry nationally has been in a horrible bind since 1986, which was the last time there was a meaningful reform made to unauthorized workers in the United States. Because dairy is an agricultural industry, BUT it requires year round labor, the only real mechanism to get a foreign employment base is to have those individuals apply for green cards, which is a 20 year waiting list. The standard H2A visa program is intended more for seasonal Ag employment, and dairy cows make milk no matter the season. This was an incredibly enlightening conversation. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Brian Brooks is the former executive director of Idaho Wildlife Federation and the current VP of Advocacy & Threats Program for American Bird Conservancy. The Bird Flu is a big concern nationally, both from a scientific standpoint and from a consumer standpoint as we see our supply of eggs and chicken decreasing alongside prices rising. There’s also the ever looming threat of the disease successfully jumping to humans in a big way. We also spoke on the Farm Bill and how it could benefit Idaho farmers in a myriad of ways. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Luke Mayville is a northern Idaho native and has been at the center of three recent citizen lead initiatives: Medicaid Expansion, School Funding, and last year’s Prop 1. He came in to speak about his experience with the initiative process as well as why he feels that increasing the voter threshold from a simple majority to pass to 60% voter approval to pass is a mistake. Voter initiatives have a rich history in Idaho, and as we saw in the cases of Prop 1 (which lost conclusively) and Medicaid Expansion (which won conclusively), these initiatives do function to reflect the direct will of the people. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Lauren Necochea is the head of the Democratic Party in the state of Idaho. This is her second visit in the legislative session, and we talked extensively about different tax issues, flags in public schools, energy production, and more. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Charlie Lyons is a multi-decade Idaho rancher who found himself at odds with BLM over fire management for almost two decades. In a heart breaking and awe inspiring story, Charlie told me about being at odds with government agencies and what it took to find a way to both work with the establishment and also be an instrumental part of protecting his property and other Idaho ranchers’ properties. I find his story to be so uniquely Idahoan, centering on citizen led solutions to enormous problems, and in true Idaho fashion, because there wasn’t a solution, Charlie created one. This was beautiful. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Doug Pickett is a District 27 Representative and sits as Chairman of the House Education Committee. He was formerly on the Revenue and Tax Committee and does not have a background with the Ed Committee. We spoke at length about what he sees in education, what Idaho does with tax dollars, what he sees as the value of small rural schools vs larger, urban schools, and more. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Lori Den Hartog is the District 22 Senator in Idaho and is bringing the first School Choice Bill of the 2025 Legislative session forward this coming week. This is structured as a refundable tax credit and would be available to anyone who educates their children outside of the public school setting. There are a lot of details involved, and Lori and I spoke about many, including what accountability actually means with this system. As most people are extremely anxious to see and understand the bill, she offered a ton of details and graciously agreed to come back on as soon as the bill drops to talk about it. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.comSchool choice in Idaho, public funds for private schools, alternatives to public education, Senator Lori Den Hartog District 22, Matthew Todd Ranch Podcast, education reform in Idaho, school vouchers debate, public money for private education, Lori Den Hartog on school choice policies, Matthew Todd on education alternatives, private school funding with public resources, Idaho school choice legislation, benefits of school choice programs, Lori Den Hartog on education reform, Matthew Todd on funding education options, parental choice in education, private vs. public school funding, expanding educational opportunities in Idaho, school choice and educational freedom, public funding challenges for private schools, Senator Lori Den Hartog on school vouchers, Matthew Todd on school funding reform, Idaho education policy debates, alternatives to traditional public schooling, empowering parents with school choice.

Rob Gillis is a law enforcement advocate and president of the organization Idaho Tough on Crime. He works with many legislators advocating for bills and revisions in law to support law enforcement, and we spoke specifically in this interview about enhanced sentencing for a criminal who murders a police officer with the Bolter-Stall Bill as well as a bill that would deliver the possibility of capital punishment for a child predator. This was a sobering conversation but an important one, too.The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Codi Galloway is the District 15 Senator in Idaho and served one term in the same district as a representative from 2020-2022. She has a background in education and business and deeply cares about children, both on an education front as well as prosperity front. There is an increasing population of homeless individuals and children and increasing cost of living in Idaho and especially the Treasure Valley, and Senator Galloway is focused on finding ways the government can help the community thrive without intervening with the big hand of government. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com

Mike Miraglia is a former Boise PD detective and the current legislative chairman for the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police. We spoke extensively about the utility and value of license plate readers in detective and police work. The value spans immediate use for things like bank robberies or in the pursuit of the would-be assassin on the golf course that targeted our president elect as well as longer term uses as in murder investigations and missing person cases. Mike explained what the LPRs do, and more importantly, what they DON’T do. Enjoy!The Ranch Podcast Legislative Session episodes are supported by Truth In Media Foundation, a non-profit media organization committed to unbiased, Idaho focused media. www.theRanchPodcast.orgThe Ranch Podcast is the premier source for long format interviews and information in the Treasure Valley and great state of Idaho. The Boise area is home to many counties and ways of life. It’s also home to many law enforcement agencies, like Ada County and Canyon county Sheriff offices, Idaho State Police, Eagle Police Department, Meridian Police Department, and many more. The school systems in the area are also quite diverse. Boise school district and West Ada School District, though right next to each other, are quite different. Ada County is also home to our state capital and many of our elected officials. The Ranch Podcast is shot just north of Eagle, Idaho. If you’re interested in producing a podcast or need content of any kind, please feel free to reach out to Matt at Matt@MTUStudios.com