WASHINGTON—Today, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson highlighted the inclusion of $2,000,000 in funding for the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (CAFE) Project in Rupert, Idaho, at his request through Community Project Funding (CPF) in the Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Act. 

“Throughout my time in Congress, I have proudly worked to ensure that Idaho's agriculture can continue to thrive in the future. Like many Idaho agriculture sectors, the dairy industry plays a significant role in our state's economy,” said Rep. Simpson. “Securing funding for this world-class research center is crucial for promoting long-term sustainability in Idaho's agriculture industry. I am committed to supporting Idaho's dairy industry and ensuring our tax dollars are being put to work right here at home.”

“Congressman Simpson has been a tireless advocate for Idaho agriculture and, in particular, advancing our state’s dairy industry,” said Michael P. Parrella, Dean of the University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. “We are thankful for his support of Idaho CAFE and his work to secure critical resources that bolster our collaborative work with USDA-ARS fostering sustainability, innovation in environmental stewardship and economic growth through pioneering research.”

This funding would be used to complete a flexible manure handling and testing system as part of the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (CAFE) site, a University of Idaho led effort to establish the nation’s largest research dairy, consisting of 2,000-cows and 640 acres in Rupert. Previous awards have improved research facilities at the USDA’s Agriculture Research Service Kimberly site and supported the base manure handling system at CAFE. Building on the previous investments, the new request would create research ponds for long-term evaluation of pond lining systems, allow testing of products that reduce emissions from ponds, provide critical research enhancements to the base manure handling system through expansion of separation capacity, add a laboratory at CAFE to support soil and emissions research, and provide equipment to transport manure, its byproducts and liquid for agronomic testing.

Despite claims that CPF projects are "wasteful earmarks," Community Project Funding gives Members of Congress like Congressman Simpson the opportunity to bring Idaho tax dollars back home for Idaho priorities. These projects fill a clear and present need in communities across Idaho and enjoy broad community support. The federal dollars designated for CPF projects exist within existing budget limits. Rather than that money going to fund projects in different states, CPF projects give Idahoans a critical voice in determining where budgeted funding goes.

As Idaho’s only appropriator, Rep. Simpson has a unique opportunity to fight for Idaho’s priorities and ensure Idahoans’ hard-earned tax dollars return to Idaho.

The CAFE Project is a part of the Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Act. This measure has been approved by the House Appropriations Committee.