Monthly Archives: June 2024

Around Idaho: Economic activity, June 2024

Map of IdahoInformation provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of June and includes professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.

Northern Idaho
North central Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
South central Idaho
Southeastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho

 

 

 

 

 

NORTHERN IDAHO

Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties

Region

  • Family Promise of North Idaho was awarded a $15,000 grant from Clayton and Family Promise National to help families facing homelessness stay in their homes and work toward stability. Source: the Coeur d’Alene Press
  • The Innovia Foundation awarded $330,000 to 34 northern Idaho organizations to assist with local opportunities for education and youth development, health, well-being and arts and culture. Benewah County received three awards, Bonner received 12, Boundary received three, Kootenai received 12 and Shoshone received four. Source: Innovia Foundation

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Idaho’s agricultural evolution: Insights from the U.S. Census

*The charts in this article, except for the H2A chart, are sourced by the U.S. Census of Agriculture*

Idaho’s agricultural roots run deep, with certain regions of the state maintaining this traditional economic base within the broader sector of agri-business.

According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture’s 2022 data, Idaho lost 2,119 farms and 144,000 acres of farmland between 2017 and 2022. While this sounds alarming, it’s important to understand Idaho’s industries usually follow national trends.

For example, it is important to note Idaho’s neighbors and the nation all followed the same downward trend of reductions in farms with a higher number of contiguous states losing ground by a greater ratio, as shown in Figure 1. The argument can be made that production is not dropping, rather agriculture is following the route of manufacturing and producing more with less.

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Alternative measures of underemployment in Idaho

Idaho’s labor underutilization rates show a clear difference in job opportunities between urban and rural areas. Labor underutilization rates are developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and provide an overview of how effectively a workforce is employed, identifying where potential labor resources are underutilized. Business leaders and government officials sometimes use this information to identify specific groups of underutilized workers and develop strategies to reduce workforce inefficiencies in other areas.

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Idaho’s May unemployment rate remains at 3.3%

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 21, 2024
Media Contact: William.Winkle@labor.idaho.gov or Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

– State first in nation for over-the-month nonfarm job growth at 0.9% –

Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3% in May, unchanged since September 2023.

The state’s labor force increased by 1,679 people (0.2%) to 975,713 while the labor force participation rate — the percentage of people 16 years of age or older who are either employed or looking for work — remained at 62.7% between April and May.

Total employment increased by 1,363 (0.1%) to 943,123 as unemployment increased by 316 (1%) to 32,590.

Idaho’s nonfarm jobs increased by 7,600 (0.9%) to 871,000 in May — the largest percentage change among all states. Industry sectors with the greatest over-the-month increases included arts, entertainment, and recreation (10.4%); transportation, warehousing, and utilities (3%); private educational services (2.9%); state government (1.5%); wholesale trade (1.4%); professional and business services (1.2%); durable goods manufacturing (0.9%); health care and social services (0.9%); real estate rental and leasing (0.9%); and construction (0.7%). Continue reading →

Unemployment insurance weekly requirements to increase July 7

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 18, 2024
Media Contact: Josh.McKenna@labor.idaho.gov

Starting July 7, unemployment insurance claimants in Idaho will need to complete and report five work search actions each week to receive benefits. Submitting a resume or job application to an employer or attending a job fair or workshop are examples of acceptable work search actions. 

The Idaho Department of Labor offers help from navigators — unemployment insurance experts at local offices across the state — who can help claimants report their weekly actions and navigate the online claimant portal.

Workforce consultants are also available at local offices to help people with their job search, from preparing a resume to finding and applying for a job. Meeting with a workforce consultant can also be counted as a valid work search action.

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Returning to the workforce: Apprenticeships help pave the way

The Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) “envisions a safer Idaho with fewer people in the correctional system” according to its mission statement.

To help incarcerated people find work, the agency is hosting job fairs for prison residents who will be released in the next six months. The first job fair will take place in July, with more planned for the near future.

Through her work as Apprenticeship Program Coordinator for IDOC, Crystal Robles, sees how incarcerated people want to improve their lives. As a way to encourage this behavior, she decided to coordinate with prison staff to host job fairs.

“I see a lot of people that came into the prison at a very young age. These are individuals that were 19 or 20 and made a bad choice,” Robles said. “Now after 10 or 20 years of being incarcerated, they are being released as a different person with training and education.”

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U.S. Census of Agriculture data to be presented at webinar, June 11

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 6, 2024
Media Contact: Craig.Shaul@labor.idaho.gov

According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture’s 2022 data, released in February, Idaho has lost 2,119 farms, or 8.5% of its total farms, between 2017 and 2022.

Idaho’s contiguous states have also lost farm operations, most to a greater degree than Idaho. Among border states, only Oregon and Utah lost less farms than Idaho.

Idaho Department of Labor economist Jan Roeser will provide an overview of the data presented in a free webinar Tuesday, June 11, from 11 a.m. to noon MDT.

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Spring and summer jobs are main contributors to regional Coeur d’Alene employment growth

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 5, 2024
Media Contact: Tara.McKelvey@labor.idaho.gov

Over 900 northern Idaho employers posted 4,000 jobs online in May 2024. Top listings included health care diagnosis, retail sales, food and beverage workers, and management positions.

April, May, June and July contribute to 80-90% of total regional employment growth for the year in Coeur d’Alene. After July, minor employment declines are expected heading into the fall months, according to Labor Economist Lisa Grigg.

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Economic opportunities remain steady in rural Idaho

Idaho is synonymous with rural. Big skies, open spaces and mountains are as rugged as the brand of individualism prevailing in the state where the population continues to increase. Last year, in 2023, 1.96 million people called it home. From 2013 to 2023 over 350,000 people flocked to the Gem State. While Idaho’s urban counties claimed 79% and the lion’s share of this growth, Idaho rural counties also experienced significant change. The change within the last few years suggests Idaho’s wide-open spaces are continuing to attract those seeking a unique blend of the state’s rural culture and economic opportunity.

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