Cliff Tacke

Cliff Tacke describes himself as a “newly retired” farmer.

He raised soft white wheat on several thousand acres in Idaho County and turned over his farm to his son and daughter-in-law in 2022, after 47 crops.

Tacke, 69, was appointed by Gov. Brad Little in July to serve a five-year term. He replaced Bill Flory of Winchester, Idaho.

He hopes to “take my spot” in continuing the commission’s overall activities “in an upstanding manner.”

His goal is to “just continue on the road that has been blazed by previous commissioners,” he said.

Tacke pointed to the commission’s mission: Education, promotion of product and research.

“I’m interested in all three of them,” he said. “I know a little bit about how boards work, and I’m hoping I can make a contribution.”

He previously served as a director of the local electric co-op.

It has been a 10-year process to transition the farm to his son. Tacke highly recommends an extended transition.

“This is a long-term project — it works out fine in the end, but don’t expect blazingly good results every single year,” he said. “There’s all kinds of things to learn, and I think he’s learning them well — he and his wife are doing well.”

As a farmer, Tacke most enjoyed finding the balance between good business management and good agronomic management.

“This is one of the few kinds of jobs that you can actually use both business and working with Mother Nature, and make a living,” he said. “I enjoyed the challenge and the rewards — I’ve enjoyed the whole trip. It’s been a very rewarding life.”