12/30/05 Year in Review, part two

Idaho sugarbeet growers had to constantly look over their shoulder in 2005. Amalgamated Sugar closed its Nyssa, Oregon plant and did all it could to discourage the passage of CAFTA, the Central America Free Trade Agreement. Amalgamated's Ralph Burton says the handwriting is on the wall. BURTON "Times are changing. We may not look quite the same in five years as we do now." Some of those same farmers also grow potatoes but they had a much better year, thanks to market conditions and the United Fresh Potato co-op effort to reduce acreage. All farmers were hit with huge fuel and fertilizer bills this year, thanks to a pair of gulf hurricanes. The state got a new veterinarian in Greg Ledbetter. Gossner Foods came to Idaho with a multi-million dollar cheese plant and Marathon Cheese of Wisconsin said its building a cheese packaging plant near Mountain Home. Intrepid Technology went on line with a dairy anaerobic digester near Rupert and wind machines started popping up on several Idaho farms in 2005. Dairy growth continued, pushing Idaho to fourth in the nation in milk production. Governor Kempthorne took a couple of trade missions to Asia and Mexico to promote Idaho agriculture. There's a lot more to talk about, mostly to the credit of the men and women who raise the food and fiber we need for everyday living. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott