Hempitecture Inc. has chosen to build the facility at Northbridge Junction industrial park, where Interstate 84 and U.S. Highway 93 intersect in Jerome County.

The 21,632-square-foot facility will manufacture HempWool, a fiber thermal insulation for residential and commercial construction projects.

“We’re thrilled to be locating our nonwoven manufacturing facility in Jerome, Idaho,” Hempitecture founder & CEO Matthew Mead said.

Hempitecture raised $2.5 million on a crowdfunding website to help with building costs.

Jerome County Commissioner Charlie Howell said the company creates an opportunity for farmers to diversify their crops with a plant that uses less water. The final product could also be used in construction products around the state and the Magic Valley.

Idaho was the only state where hemp was illegal, until recently. In April, Gov. Brad Little signed a bill to legalize the production, research and transportation of industrial hemp starting with the spring 2022 growing season.

Idaho Gov. Little signs bill allowing growing, transport of hemp

Hemp manufacturing company officially coming to the Magic Valley

“If I had no bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all,” Matthews said.

The depredation by bald eagles has reduced his lamb inventory, which in turn limited his ability to support the rest of his sheep operation. No lambs to sell meant there was no money to purchase corn seed. No corn crop meant no feed to harvest for animals. And with no cash, Matthews couldn’t purchase additional feed for the winter.

“It’s a snowball effect,” he said.

The one bright spot? The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

Under LIP, Matthews should be entitled to 75% of the market value for each confirmed kill. But he hasn’t seen a single dollar.

Typically, LIP applications are processed and approved by the local Farm Service Agency County Committee within 30 days, said a USDA spokesperson over email. That timeline can change, especially if the FSA is waiting for required documentation.

Producers are required to provide evidence of losses. This can include proof of beginning and ending herd inventory, tax documents, third-party certification, or date-stamped pictures and videos of losses.

“We understand that there is a process but it’s past that process,” Matthews said. “I did everything I was supposed to.”

He submitted proof of herd inventory and a copy of the Wildlife Services depredation investigation report. Wildlife Services – part of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – handles such conflicts between humans and wildlife.

An investigator came out to his farm April 26 and filed a report in addition to performing necropsies, the equivalent of a human autopsy.

“The evidence basically just speaks for itself,” Jared Hedelius, state director for Wildlife Services, said in a telephone conversation.

“All evidence collected is 99.9% indicative of eagle predation on lambs,” the official investigation report says. The report lists 20 confirmed kills and 30 probable.

The difference between Matthews’ numbers and Wildlife Services’ numbers is the number of sheep killed before or after the investigation or those that just disappeared, Hedelius said.

After such reports are filed, the wildlife services’ involvement is over and the case moves on to the county Farm Service Agency office.

Eagle depredation cases are rare. Wildlife Services investigates one or two each year in Idaho.

Matthews is aware his case is unusual; he’s a member of the Twin Falls County Committee, the same body that signs off on LIP claims. Because of this, he has recused himself from the decision-making process.

“There is no reason for this to be months later and nothing has happened,” Matthews said. “I am hoping we (the committee) never treat other producers this way.”

The Times-News asked the agency why his case has yet to be approved.

“Due to privacy protocol, we cannot discuss application or payment status for individual producers,” a national USDA spokesperson wrote in an email to the Times-News.

The whole ordeal has taken a toll on the farming family. Matthews’ wife, Becca, continues to document their operations in YouTube videos.

“You can feel the pain in her voice as she’s recording some of those,” he said.

Matthews never expected his story to receive national attention. News outlets including The San Francisco Chronicle, Field and Stream, Montana Outdoor and Fox News retold his story in June after it was reported by the Times-News.

Bald eagles kill 54 sheep at Magic Valley farm

Great Pyrenees dogs, bred to guard livestock, roam the Matthews property to protect the herd.

After the attacks, he moved the lambs inside a covered arena but the eagles continued to attack. Eventually, Matthews moved all the lambs to a neighbor’s property until they grew larger.

“No matter what you do, you can’t be everywhere at once,” Matthews said. “Other than building a cover to keep them in, I just don’t think there is much a guy can do.”

Friends of the family started a GoFundMe account to raise money for an enclosure to protect next year’s crop of lambs.

Matthews doesn’t want people to use his story to argue for fewer federal bald eagle protections.

“Out of respect for our symbol of freedom, I still believe that they need a higher level of protection than most protected animals.”

Chobani will soon be the only major U.S. food maker with a paper yogurt cup, according to a company press release.

Chobani’s oat milk, cold brew coffee and coffee creamers already come in recyclable paper-based packaging. Although other yogurt products will remain in the same cup, over time the company plans on moving more products to sustainable packaging that uses less plastic.

“We all have a role to play in protecting our planet,” said Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya. “People have been asking for a paper cup, and we welcome this challenge to start reducing our plastic use, and to spark a conversation about how we can drive change together.”

The cup is 80% paperboard with a thin plastic lining to maintain product quality. Although it is recyclable, the company is aware the U.S. recycling system is complex and recycling centers often have unique rules.

“Innovative packaging often challenges the current recycling capabilities across the U.S.,” Chobani said.

The company wants to advocate for improvements that expand the current recycling infrastructure.

Guess what Chobani’s making now (Hint: It’s not yogurt)

A University of Idaho extension educator, he is applying his brew to corn as part of a study researching the effect of different biostimulants on corn silage yield.

Over 45 farmers, marketers, industry representatives, graduate students and university scientists learned about de Haro Marti’s work Thursday as part of the University of Idaho Kimberly Research and Extension Center summer field day.

Visitors stopped at different trial plots to learn about tools for controlling weeds, best methods of potato storage, cover crops, irrigation techniques, potato virus Y, and new insecticides for common pests.

Todd Ballard, who farms near Kimberly, said it was a toss-up for his favorite part of the tour.

“It was all super interesting,” Ballard said.

Two trial plots focused on corn silage and cover crops. A common practice in the Midwest, it has never really been tried locally, he said.

U of I graduate student Kelie Yoho presented her research on the effectiveness of crop oils on potato virus Y management. The virus is transmitted by aphids and reduces the size and yield of potatoes.

Crop oils have been found in other regions to help prevent virus spread within a field. Her work aims to see if that remains true in the Magic Valley.

Yoho is also interested in establishing at what point during the growing season are the plants no longer susceptible to the virus.

“If we can do that, then it will inform us what we can tell growers about when to use crops oils, is it necessary to use them throughout the entire season or can we limit that to just early season when these plants are most susceptible to virus transmission,” Yoho said.

U of I extension weed specialist Albert Adjesiwor had multiple test plots including testing alternative herbicides for dry beans.

Farmers have relied on the same herbicides for years and that causes weeds to grow a resistance, he said.

Roundup is a popular option, however there is a possibility it will become banned in the future. In 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer released a study that said Roundup contains a chemical compound that is “probably carcinogenic.”

Some of the research being done is top secret. Eric Wenninger, U of I entomology specialist, is working with the chemical company BASF to test an insecticide for wireworm.

“They have some secret chemicals that I can’t even tell you what they are because I don’t know what they are myself,” Wenninger said.

The larvae of click beetles, wireworm feed on the roots of growing plants, which delays maturity. They can also destroy seedlings and reduce yields.

Why is this grad student knocking the starch out of potatoes? So they can get infected, of course.

PHOTOS: A fascinating day of crop science

“We never caught a break,” Hollifield said.

Early rain and high heat at the maturing time mean his farm is facing an estimated 13% decrease in yield from the 2020 season.

Across the entire state of Idaho, barley production is forecasted to be down 36% from 2020, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. This includes both irrigated and dryland farms.

“In my 20 years, no, I’ve never seen this. I’d say we are fairly steady,” Hollifield said. “You have those slight 1, 2% swings but nothing as drastic.”

Idaho is the top barley producing state in the U.S. and last year farmers had record yields of 110 bushels per acre, according to the Idaho Barley Commission. The state produced 55 million bushels of barley accounting for 33% of the nation’s barley crop.

“Idaho has ideal conditions for growing barley because of the high desert climate, controlled irrigation, low disease pressure and typically ideal growing conditions,” said Idaho Barley Commission executive director Laura Wilder. “The drought that we are seeing now, it not an ideal growing condition.”

As bad as this season was, Idaho is in better shape than Montana and North Dakota, the other top two barley producing states, Wilder said. The USDA is predicting barley production will be down 54% in Montana and 37% in North Dakota from last year.

Together, Idaho, Montana and North Dakota account for 79% of the U.S. barley supply, making the heat and drought conditions even more problematic, she said.

Rough weather happened multiple times this year. First, hot weather melted the snowpack early before growers needed irrigation. Water flowing down rivers was not able to be stored, Wilder said. Then there were instances of wind during planting that forced growers to replant crops.

Even though some of the barley survived, the plumpness or quality of the kernels was affected by the high heat, she said. Heat also means higher protein, which brewers don’t want.

The change in quality can be seen in the weight of each bushel. A heavier bushel indicates higher quality.

Barley in the Magic Valley can reach 50 to 52 pounds per bushel, which are above the average of 48. This year Hollifield was seeing barley in the 42 to 46-pound range.

“If somebody said they had a great crop they are lying. We all at the coffee shop grumble about it,” Hollifield said.

Another indication of plant stress appeared in the barley screenings. Screenings are the small pieces that include debris or broken seeds.

“That goes out the back of the combine or else it affects your grade when they receive your barley,” said Clark Kauffman, who farms in Filer.

Kauffman is the chair of the Idaho House Agriculture Committee. He saw increased screenings this year because the barley wasn’t as plump.

Molson Coors Beverage Co., one of the main companies local farmers sell to, realized it was a tough year and raised the limit on screenings, Kauffman said.

The impact of the poor season on consumers is yet to be seen, said Laura Wilder from the barley commission. There might be higher costs passed onto consumers because of the tight supply this year.

“Barley is not the only crop suffering but no barley no beer. It’s fairly important,” said Wilder.

A positive this year came from feed prices. Although most of the barley in Idaho goes towards brewing, a portion is used for animal feed. This year feed prices were higher than barley sold for drinks.

Scoular recently announced a new program, Barley MVP, that is meant to help producers get into other markets.

“That’s what Scoular is trying to do with Barley MVP, shine a light on the fact that there are more markets for barley than just malt. Whether it be feed or food barley production,” said Andy Hohwieler, trade unit manager for Scoular.

Barley MVP gives farmers access to special varieties of seeds and risk management tools. Farmers can learn more by calling the local office at 208-324-0147.

PHOTOS: A rough year for barley

Business Plus members were updated on the project at its quarterly meeting by Brent Olmstead, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ director of government and external relations.

“Rather than studying the front end of the cow, we want to do a lot of studies on the back end of the cow,” Olmstead said. “That’s where most of the problems are.”

The dairy will hold 2,000 cows and provide researchers with opportunities to study animal health, manure, water usage and more.

In July the university selected the DeLaval rotary milking system to be installed after the dairy is completed. Olmstead said this system is reflective of where the industry is headed in terms of robotic milking.

University of Idaho researchers have also been on-site in Rupert, collecting soil samples to create a baseline before cows arrive on the property. So far they have taken 8 tons of soil, he said.

CAFE consists of three parts: the research dairy and soil health demonstration farm in Rupert, the discovery complex Jerome, and a food processing plant on the College of Southern Idaho’s campus in Twin Falls.

“The purpose here is sustainability for the dairy industry and for agriculture in general,” Olmstead said.

The entire project will cost over $45 million.

Olmstead said they have received multiple grants for different research topics. Anheuser-Busch gave CAFE $200,000 to study irrigation and water efficiency. The United States Department of Agriculture gave CAFE $10 million to study manure usage including alternative products. The university has a researcher who is studying how to make plastics out of manure.

Turning manure into money: University of Idaho gets $10 million to research manure, help dairymen

“I don’t want to know that my Starbucks iced tea cup is made from manure,” Olmstead said to a laughing audience. “But ignorance is bliss sometimes.”

John Wright was named as the CAFE dairy project manager in 2020. A retired dairyman himself, Wright is excited to take his experience and apply it to a project with far-reaching impacts.

Wendell dairyman tapped for CAFE research dairy manager

For example, the U.S. dairy industry has a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Wright said it would be difficult for a small farmer to study how to meet that goal.

“You have just given him a huge job,” Wright said. “How is he equipped to do that?”

A dairy that isn’t reliant on profits will have the time to study questions related to greenhouses gasses and sustainability.

After the dairy, the first building built in Jerome will be the education center. It will serve as a tourist stop where people can learn about what it takes to bring a desert to life, Olmstead said.

He envisions displays on sugar beets or how water moves through canals.

Following that, future plans call for a community arena, laboratory’s and a possible dormitory.

The third and final component of CAFE is the food processing plant. This space will help train the workforce for the industry including programs on safety.

PHOTOS: BusinessPlus and IdahoCAFE

A feasibility study has narrowed down the potential locations for a food innovation center in the Magic Valley. Initial programming will launch in the fall of 2021.

Region IV Economic Development commissioned the months-long study led by an independent research team. They concluded that downtown Twin Falls would be the best location for the facility and listed two potential sites, 164 Third Ave. S. and 139 Third Ave. S.

The facility will focus on food and agricultural entrepreneurship featuring specialized equipment and conference spaces. There will be a dairy processing center, a commercial kitchen, cold and dry storage and a maker space according to a press release.

Southern Idaho Economic Development, Region IV Development, Dairy West, University of Idaho, College of Southern Idaho and Chobani are working together on the project. The feasibility study was made possible through funding from Chobani and Dairy West.

The research team looked at two other potential locations, the future Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment facility in Jerome and the College of Southern Idaho campus. The outreach center location lacked assets such as housing, entertainment and dining, according to the report.

The Magic Valley already has a ton of big food processors and the center could help bring in new kinds of food businesses, officials told the Times-News.

Southern Idaho Economic Development Executive Director Connie Stopher said earlier this year that a small food-based business can’t afford its own research and development facility. This project would help provide the equipment and expert staff and educators.

Project updates can be found at mvfic.com. The feasibility study was led by KRNLS and Plaka and Associates.

Investing in innovation: New facility could grow Magic Valley’s ag renown

The combined average daily temperature for Idaho in June and July is now the hottest on record, which goes back to 1895.

Idaho Department of Water Resources hydrologist David Hoekema, author of the report, said the high temperatures have put a strain on the water demand.

“We ended up with really low supply, much lower than expected, and demand that you know is setting records,” Hoekema said. “So we kinda got hit on two sides.”

It was hard to prepare for the drought as the snowpack looked normal as of April 1, he said. Lack of spring rainfall and then high summer temperatures have exacerbated the problem. About 90% of SNOTEL snowpack sensors set new minimum precipitation records across the Pacific Northwest from March 1 to July 31.

The Big Wood, Big Lost and Little Lost basins may all set record lows this year according to runoff data.

The drought is leading to a depletion of reservoirs across the state which normally store water from one year to the next, Hoekema said. Carryover acts as an insurance policy.

“We are really hitting hard and using up our storage pretty strongly. So if we do go into a couple more years of drought there is potential we could see some of the worst drought, period, on record,” he said.

Idaho needs an above-average snowpack in most basins this year to recover the lost storage, he said.

On the bright side, there are developing La Nina conditions that could help the water supply, Hoekema said. During periods of La Nina the southwest sees drier conditions and the northwest gets more water.

The Idaho Water Resource Board met Thursday and Friday in Twin Falls for their regular meeting and discussed the changing water levels.

Although the aquifer has increased overall, more than 550,000 acre-feet was lost from 2020 to 2021, said Mike McVay, an Idaho Department of Water Resources hydrologist.

“Nature still rules the roost and we have to deal with her,” McVay said.

The aquifer supplies drinking water to about 300,000 people and irrigation water to more than 2 million agricultural areas, according to IDWR.

Volume increases can be attributed to recharge efforts by the board and the 2015 settlement of Eastern Snake Plain groundwater users, McVay said. After decades of declining aquifer levels, groundwater irrigations agreed to collectively reduce pumping.

“Aquifer management has substantially improved the level,” said Noah Stewart-Maddox, a hydrogeologist with IDWR.

Twin Falls City Manager Travis Rothweiler spoke at the meeting during the public comment period. He brought forth an agreement the city made in 2008.

Water irrigators were facing curtailment and the city participated in the negotiation agreements. Twin Falls contributed financially and in turn, was supposed to acquire a new water right referred to as “Pristine Springs water right.”

“The city was a partner and it contributed in good faith $10 million to the overall effort,” Rothweiler said.

Although the city has paid off the $10 million, they still have not been given the water right, he said. Many things have happened since 2008, including a settlement and additional conditions.

“I liken it to I went to the car dealer, I bought a car, I made all my payments and now I’m still waiting to be able to drive my car,” he said.

The board also adopted a list of priority water projects across the state, broken into three different tiers. Cassia County has a possible tier-one project.

Raft River basin is a potential site for cloud seeding generators and other equipment. This process involves injecting silver iodide into clouds to produce more snow. Idaho Power currently uses the technology in the upper Snake River basin.

On Thursday, the board toured the Twin Falls Canal Company’s facilities. The next water board meeting is on Sept. 16 and 17.

Watch now: Whitewater rafting on the Snake River

The food maker announced it filed a confidential draft registration statement for a proposed underwritten public offering of common stock with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.

The company has not determined how many shares will be sold or the price range, it said in a statement released Tuesday. It said it plans to have an initial public offering once the SEC completes its review process.

The company could be valued at more than $10 billion, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing an anonymous source.

Chobani employs more than 900 people in the Magic Valley at what it says is the world’s largest yogurt factory.

A company spokesperson declined to release any other information about the move.

Chobani Zero Sugar

Chobani Zero Sugar