08/02/05 Idaho Dairy Environmental Action League

It was the second annual golf tournament for IDEAL and the Idaho Milk PAC. The tournament at Clear Lakes in Buhl raised nearly 16 thousand dollars and will benefit two industry organizations. IDEAL is the Independent Dairy Environmental Action League, a proactive group created by the Idaho Dairymen's Association to respond to environmental challenges. Magic Valley dairyman Bill Stouder says Idaho milk producers need continual research. STOUDER "Some of those environmental problems are problems that probably we as an industry created. We need to take the initiative and let's eliminate them. I think we're unfairly attacked for other issues by people in my opinion who have agendas." The men and women who make up the state's dairy industry are the ones who foot most of the bill for IDEAL and Stouder sees the real potential for such an organization. STOUDER "We're funding it through checkoff dollars. Everybody in Idaho is putting in a half a cent per hundredweight into it. It's being used to solve environmental problems in Idaho and hopefully we'll be leading the nation as far as coming up with solutions and they'll get used in other areas of the United States. The Idaho Milk PAC is the political action committee registered with the state to promote the dairy industry through contributions to political candidates and causes. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott