Electricity and Dairy

Here's a story that you cannot make up. Does “stray" or ambient electricity from the massive Intermountain Power Plant near the Delta Dairy sicken dairy cows? That is an allegation that is being made by six family-owned dairies in Millard, Utah. They are claiming in court that electricity generated by power plants that are part of The Intermountain Power Agency are making their cows sick and dramatically affecting their milk production. This is no joking matter and to prove that they have hired lawyers and have been going after Intermountain Power. Could electricity in the air have an effect? I remember a story that I did four or five years ago that showed cows lined up and grazed in a very specific directional orientation dependent upon the direction and arrangement of power lines going over their pastures. The story seemed funny but it was documented by photographs and some science. I called Bob Naerbout, Executive Director of the Idaho Dairyman’s Association: “What is your feeling about this lawsuit over in Utah by the dairy families? I think the dairy producers down there have a legitimate concern. What is different about the Delta Utah plant is that they take their electricity underground. They convert it from AC to DC or vice versa and when it comes above ground in California, they convert it back. I know some of those dairy producers and they are good people and know what they are doing and I think they have a legitimate concern.