Cindy Siddoway on family ranching, Hall of Fame honors and the future of Idaho agriculture
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IDAHO FALLS — Jeff and Cindy Siddoway are among this year’s inductees into the Eastern Idaho Agriculture Hall of Fame.
The Terreton couple are fourth-generation sheep ranchers and will be among six recipients who are recognized in a banquet at the Shoshone-Bannock Event Center on March 20.
On this episode of “It’s Worth Mentioning,” Cindy speaks with host Rett Nelson about this induction. Jeff’s father was inducted in 1975, and some of Cindy’s relatives are also in the Hall of Fame.
Cindy took time out of lambing season to discuss what it’s like working with the sheep, spread across 450,000 acres on federal, state and private land. In 2001, the couple launched an elk and bison operation called Mountain Juniper Ranch. She explains their motivations for diversifying their livestock and why it appealed to them.
One of Cindy’s responsibilities includes processing H-2A visa applications, which allow migrants to apply for a permanent green card for temporary seasonal work. The Siddoways hire Peruvian immigrants to work with them on the sheep ranch every summer. As the Trump Administration continues its crackdown on illegal immigration, Cindy shares how the threat of deporting migrants here illegally is impacting their workforce.
She also talks about the ranch’s beginnings, how her and Jeff’s family intersect, and their long history of public service. Jeff stepped down from the Idaho Senate in 2012 after 12 years in office. Cindy has been a member of the American Sheep Industry Association for decades. In 1999, she became its first female president. She shares her thoughts on that achievement, the future of the family ranch, and whether any of her posterity is interested in running for office.
If you like agriculture or politics, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!
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