To help advance a more sustainable dairy farming industry, Cargill has made a large contribution of $500,000 to the nation’s largest research dairy in Idaho’s Magic Valley.
Located in the nation’s third-largest dairy-producing state, the University of Idaho-led Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (Idaho CAFÉ) is designed with the size and scale of a commercial dairy, with additional capabilities to grow and study crops used for animal nutrition. Idaho CAFÉ will include a 2,000-cow research dairy and 640-acre demonstration farm, as well as a Jerome-based education center and a food science program developed with the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.
“Supporting the next generation of agriculture sustainability experts and the dairy farmers who will benefit from their advancements is important to our company,” says Julie Abrahamzon, commercial director for Cargill’s animal nutrition business in North America. “We are making investments in projects like U of Idaho’s CAFÉ because we believe in the future of the dairy industry.”
A variety of ongoing research experiments will be overseen by the University’s faculty and staff at the new research dairy in Rupert. Officials shared that the push is twofold, both geared toward scientific research and sustainability efforts. The results from the site’s research will then immediately apply to Idaho dairy farms and around the Western U.S. In addition, innovators will study additional revenue streams for farmers beyond milk from emerging bio-based products and carbon credit markets.
“Idaho CAFÉ presents a viable farm-scale solution for conducting the research needed to address the sustainability of the dairy industry nationwide,” said College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Dean, Michael P. Parrella. “Cargill’s investment in this effort underscores the critical need for the research-based solutions that will benefit dairy producers for generations to come. We could not do this without their generous support.”
The $22.5 million multiphase project will begin milking its first cows by the end of 2024 and will house 2,000 cows when fully operational.
