Friday, July 8, 2022
CapitalPress.com 7
Groundbreaking ceremony held for nation’s largest research dairy
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
RUPERT, Idaho — Ground
has fi nally been broken for the
much-anticipated research dairy —
the largest in the U.S. — that can
take Idaho’s dairy producers sus-
tainably into the future.
“This really is an historic event,”
said Mark McGuire, University of
Idaho associate dean and director of
the Idaho Agriculture Experiment
Station.
The university knew there was a
need for a research dairy in south-
ern Idaho. Dairymen and Idaho
Dairymen’s Association led the
eff ort, and the university responded,
he said.
Dairy is a progressive force that
wants answers and solutions. The
research dairy has been a long time
coming, and the university’s part-
nership with dairy producers led to
success, he said.
“It’s nice to be moving dirt,” he
said.
The research dairy will be the
main component of the universi-
ty’s $45 million Center for Agri-
culture, Food and the Environment,
Carol Ryan Dumas/Capital Press
Breaking ground for the nation’s largest research dairy are, from
left, Chandra Zenner Ford, University of Idaho executive offi cer;
Pete Wiersma, president of Idaho Dairymen’s Association; Maxine
Bell, former state representative; Rick Naerebout, Idaho Dairy-
men’s Association CEO; and Micheal Parrella, dean of the University
of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The ground-
breaking took place June 30 north of Rupert, Idaho.
said Michael Parrella, dean of the
university’s College of Agricultural
and Life Sciences.
“Today is certainly a signifi cant
milestone for the research dairy,”
he said.
Dairy research by universities
around the country is making great
progress. But that research is on a
small scale, about 100 cows, he
said.
“They are not going to be able to
do the work that we’ll be able to do
here,” he said.
The commercial-scale dairy will
be built on a 640-acre demonstra-
tion farm conducting environmen-
tal research and will have a capac-
ity of up to 2,000 cows. Its research
will have a unique focus on the arid
West, where herd sizes are espe-
cially large and operations face
unique challenges such as water
constraints.
“We expect this facility to be a
mecca,” bringing in other research-
ers, students and research funding,
he said.
Research will address environ-
mental impacts of dairies on water
quality and effi ciency, as well as
nutrient management and soil
health. It will be an intersection of
animal agriculture and crop agricul-
ture, he said.
Dairy producers came to the uni-
versity to drive the impetus and
need for the facility, he said.
“I don’t look at this as a U of I
project; I look at this as a partner-
ship,” he said.
Rick Naerebout, CEO of Idaho
Dairymen’s Association, said the
foundation of a research dairy
unique to Idaho was laid by dairy
producers Mike Quesnell and Bill
Stouder (now deceased), who
saw the need for environmental
research.
“This is a huge moment for us,”
he said.
The U.S. dairy industry has
committed to net zero carbon emis-
sions by 2050. The research dairy is
going to be a key fi gure in helping
the industry reach that goal, he said.
“After two decades of talking
about this project … we’re going to
move dirt,” he said.
The research dairy is expected to
be completed in 2023 and to begin
milking cows in 2024.
The dairy is a partnership
between the university, Idaho
Dairymen’s Association—which
has led the eff ort for more than 15
years—and the state, with each
contributing funding.
Other agriculture groups, pro-
cessors and individuals have con-
tributed or committed funding for
the larger Center for Agriculture,
Food and Environment. CAFE
includes an education and outreach
center in Jerome and food science
eff orts in partnership with the Col-
lege of Southern Idaho in Twin
Falls.
Study: Dam plan puts region behind ‘decarbonizing’ goal
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
The Pacifi c Northwest is
already behind in reaching polit-
ical leaders’ goal of “decarboniz-
ing” the electric grid, and replacing
the lower Snake River dams would
only add more cost, create delays
and generate more carbon dioxide,
according to a recent study from
Northwest RiverPartners.
“For
farm-
ers, this is a huge
issue,” said Kurt
Miller, executive
director of the not-
for-profi t organi-
zation, which rep-
resents regional
community-owned Kurt Miller
utilities.
“Tens
of thousands of acres of irrigated
farmland will be lost if the dams
are breached. Additionally, elec-
tricity is a major expense for farm-
ers, especially for those who use
pumps for irrigation. Electricity
rates could jump by 25% or more
if the dams are lost.”
Environmental groups and
West Coast
ports remain
open after
contract
expiration
By SIERRA DAWN McCLAIN
Capital Press
Ports on the West Coast
continue to operate even
though a contract between
container terminal owners and
a union representing dock-
workers expired on July 1.
Negotiations began May 10
over the contract that governs
wages, benefi ts and employ-
ment rules for the longshore-
men who work at Pacifi c Mar-
itime Association terminals.
The contract expired at 5 p.m.
Pacifi c Time last Friday, but
there was no strike or lockout,
good news for shippers who
say a slowdown could have
impeded port operations and
hobbled supply chains.
When the previous con-
tract ended in mid-2014, it
caused work slowdowns that
cost businesses, including
agricultural exporters, hun-
dreds of millions of dollars.
Shippers say they are relieved
that didn’t happen this year.
In a joint statement July 1,
the International Longshore
and Warehouse Union and the
Pacifi c Maritime Association
said talks over a new contract
are ongoing.
“Negotiations for a new
labor contract covering more
than 22,000 dockworkers at
29 West Coast ports will con-
tinue to move forward,” the
statement said. “…While
there will be no contract exten-
sion, cargo will keep moving
and normal operations will
continue at the ports until an
agreement can be reached.”
The statement said both
sides “understand the strate-
gic importance of the ports to
the local, regional and U.S.
economies.”
Associated Press File
Ice Harbor Dam, one of four dams on the lower Snake River.
a handful of politicians want to
breach the lower Snake River
dams, but the electricity they gen-
erate would need to be replaced.
“Decarbonizing” the power
grid refers to eliminating the use of
coal, oil and natural gas to gener-
ate electricity. Dams are a carbon
dioxide-free resource, Miller said.
The study found it would cost
$142 billion to meet current Ore-
gon and Washington laws that
aim to achieve decarbonization by
2040 and 2045, respectively.
Removing the dams would add
at least $15 billion to the total cost.
The study, conducted by Energy
GPS Consulting, considered
the historic paces of developing
renewable resources for the West-
ern Power Pool, California and
Texas, and doubled them.
The study fi nds the capac-
ity required to achieve base case
requirements while maintaining
the dams, would not be achieved
until 2057 in a best-case scenario,
and 2076 in a worst-case scenario.
“It’s showing how far behind
the region is in achieving its decar-
bonization requirements under
those laws,” Miller said. “It is gen-
uinely shocking once you see what
it takes to get there.”
Miller thinks the extra $15 bil-
lion cost of removing the dams,
“even in today’s age, is still a lot
of money.” He notes that’s just the
cost of the power supply, at current
values, so it’s likely to increase.
“Right now, it’s public power
customers who would be stuck
with the bill if they were removed,”
he said. “For them, the rate impact
would be tremendous.”
Northwest RiverPartners pre-
sented the study’s fi ndings to con-
sultants working on Washington
Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Patty
Murray’s federal-state assessment
on dam breaching. Murray and
Inslee are slated to make their fi nal
recommendation this summer.
“As the governor and senator
noted when the draft consultant
report was released, they take pub-
lic feedback very seriously,” said
Jaime Smith, spokesperson for Ins-
lee’s offi ce. “The governor will be
considering that feedback when he
makes his recommendations.”
Stakeholders need to under-
stand the importance of hydro-
power to clean energy, and fi nd
ways to get more production from
them if possible, Miller said.
Miller called the study a
“wake-up call” and “major warn-
ing” to people concerned about
carbon reduction.
“It shows we really can’t get
there, especially without the lower
Snake River dams remaining in
place,” he said.
According to the study:
• Existing state laws to decar-
bonize the electric system require
160,000 megawatts of new genera-
tion and batteries.
• An additional 14,900 mega-
watts of new generation and batter-
ies will be required to make up for
the loss of the lower Snake River
dams in a zero-carbon future.