WASHINGTON— Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson wrote an op-ed highlighting the importance of Community Project Funding and its role in providing critical support for Idaho’s Second Congressional District. One such priority is supporting Idaho’s dairy industry in Rupert, Idaho.

Supporting Idaho's Dairy Industry
By Rep. Mike Simpson

The full op-ed is available below. 

Agriculture plays a central role in Idaho’s economy and way of life.  The farmers and agribusinesses in our state are responsible for one in every eight jobs in Idaho and are the main suppliers of commodities like potatoes and dairy products throughout the nation.  Protecting and promoting Idaho agriculture has been one of my top priorities since I was elected to Congress, and I take seriously my responsibility to advocate for Idaho agriculture within a responsible federal budget.  I work hard to bring Idaho tax dollars back home to invest in Idaho agriculture, ensuring that Idaho farmers can continue to lead the world in innovative production while supporting the way of life we have always valued.

One important way I’m doing this is by supporting Idaho’s dairy industry as it addresses the growing challenges facing the livestock industry.  Dairy is Idaho’s top commodity, ranking third in the nation for milk production.  As our dairy industry continues to grow, it faces a number of rising questions.  Can Idaho dairy farmers continue to produce quality products in a more sustainable way?  How can we address the waste and water quality concerns raised by large-scale dairies while giving dairy farmers the tools they need to succeed and continue to grow our state’s economy?

How we answer these questions is critical for the future of Idaho’s dairy industry and the economic and environmental health of our state.  That’s why I’m glad to support the work that the University of Idaho is doing in partnership with the USDA’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) to address these challenges through the development of a world-class research center in the dairy-rich Magic Valley.  The project includes the development of the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (I) site in Rupert, Idaho.  This 640-acre, 2000-head dairy will be the largest research dairy in the nation and will explore how to make the dairy industry both productive and sustainable into the future.

Recognizing the value of this work in ensuring Idaho’s dairy industry can continue as a national leader, I have supported the development of the I site through a Community Project Funding (CPF) grant.  The CPF program allows me to address critical needs in Idaho through projects that have broad community support and local buy-in and meet rigorous standards for transparency and accountability.  Last year I supported a CPF that helped kick off the initial development phase of this project, which officially broke ground in 2023 and expects to be operational next year.  This year’s project continues that investment by building a system at the site to identify best practices for using water more efficiently, treating animal waste, and improving soil health in the Magic Valley.  These CPFs are only a small portion of the funding needed to make this outstanding project a reality—I is widely supported and invested in by industry leaders including Chobani, Glanbia, and J.R. Simplot Co. and agricultural groups like the Idaho Dairymen’s Association and the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, as well as the University of Idaho, the State of Idaho, and local communities.

This partnership is an exciting opportunity for Idaho, and I’m proud to support the next phase of bringing this world-class research center to Idaho.  There is no doubt that federal spending is a serious problem and that the state of the federal budget is so often a gloomy landscape, but the I project is a bright spot that should be highlighted.  The research out of this center will help make Idaho’s agriculture industry more sustainable and successful into the future.  I will always fight for impactful, important projects like this because they invest Idaho tax dollars into Idaho’s future.  If you’d like to learn more about this or any other CPF project, please visit my website, where you can find all the information.