Freeman chosen for his perspective on Idaho ag and politics

By SEAN ELLIS

Capital Press

CALDWELL, Idaho -- Third-generation Idaho farmer Sid Freeman is the newest member of the Capital Press board of directors.

Freeman is one of two farmers who serve as outside directors on the board and provide a practical perspective about farming to company management. He joins Mark Dickman, a farmer from Mount Angel, Ore., on the board. Freeman said he's looking forward to providing the board with a farmer's viewpoint on important issues affecting agriculture.

"I think it's really important for the board to have that producer perspective of the issues," he said. "I think the insight from a guy in the trenches is a little bit more critical than someone who is not a stakeholder in the issues that affect agriculture."

Freeman, 51, grows wheat, sugar beets, onions, corn and bean seed in Caldwell in southwest Idaho, where he was born and raised. He and his wife, Pam, have two sons: Justin, 24, and Wesley, 20.

Mike Forrester, president of the Capital Press Board of Directors, said he chose Freeman because he has ties to a wide range of agricultural and political groups in Idaho.

Besides serving on the Idaho FFA Foundation's board of directors, Freeman has been a member of the Canyon County Farm Bureau board for 12 years and served as a local Farm Service Agency committeeman for 11 years.

Freeman has been the farmer representative on the Caldwell Housing Authority Board for 11 years and is the Region II representative for the Idaho State FFA Alumni Association.

He graduated from the Leadership Idaho Agriculture course and Boise State University's three-year farm and ranch management class and has testified before the Idaho Legislature on ag-related issues.