Dear HCN,
Thanks to author Stephen
Stuebner for the excellent article on dairy problems in the Magic
Valley (HCN, 4/15/02: Raising a stink). I was raised on an
irrigated dairy farm (70 head of Holsteins) in the Orchard Valley
area south of Wendell, Idaho, and still have family there. During
visits over the last 10 or 15 years, I have become increasingly
concerned about the odor and groundwater effects of the large
dairies that have moved into the region. Stuebner’s article does a
fine job of detailing the major concerns, public reaction, and
dairy farmer point of view, although I wish he had given more
detail on the economic impact of the dairy industry, and on the
measured pollutant levels. Those who are concerned that raising the
bar on environmental protection will drive dairies out of the
region should look to California, whence many of these dairies
came. The dairy industry is thriving and growing in California.
Those who stayed were the ones who came to grips with air and water
quality regulations. Guess what Idaho
got?
Steve Evett
Bushland, Texas
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Take a look at California’s dairies.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
