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The Line Rider is the official publication of the Idaho Cattle Association. It is published 10 times each year, in January, February, March, April/May, June, July/August, September, October, November and December.
Unity matters
ICA’s diverse membership creates strength
It has been a busy end to the summer here for us. I hope most of you were able to put up your hay and that your calves are doing well on the range. There have been a few fires burning around the state, but I have not caught wind of any major catastrophes yet. With county fair season in full swing and kids getting ready to go back to school, I’m starting to look forward to fall and the excitement of gathering cows, trailing them home, weaning, vaccinating, and, of course, getting them started on a ration.
As I have said before, all sectors of the industry are needed, but cattle feeding holds a special place in my heart. This is the sector that I grew up in and is the reason why I chose to come back to our family operation. Cattle feeding brings a whole new layer of challenges and opportunities, making our industry more diverse than other ag commodities.
Cattle feeders do deal with the same issues as cow-calf producers, but in different ways. There is a conservation group that is specifically targeting Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in the Pacific Northwest and slapping them with environmental violations. This group is not in it for the money. This is their religion. They are determined to tear down the feeding sector, even though each CAFO has a nutrient management plan approved by ISDA to make sure they are compliant and that their bases are covered. There is a massive amount of foresight that goes into a CAFO—they have to deal with planning and zoning for expansion of a feedlot and listen to all the concerns of neighbors surrounding them. No feeder’s goal is to pollute a neighborhood or community or have negative environmental effects. The priority is to fatten cattle, and do it well. Feeders have to secure feed without the security of knowing whether cattle prices will go up or down. Luckily, right now calf prices continue to climb to record-breaking highs, though I hesitate to even quote
BY SPENCER BLACK ICA President
them because they seem to outpace themselves after every article I write. Feed costs are currently favorable, and that’s fueling ambition, but every feeder knows just how quickly that picture can change.
Feeders complete the chain of sustainability for our industry. My dad told me years ago that there isn’t a byproduct in America that hasn’t been run through a ruminant stomach. We buy feedstuffs that would otherwise be sent to a landfill and feed them to an animal that converts it to the most valuable protein on the market. This is a win. It’s good for cattle, good for the other commodities, and good for the surrounding farmers that use our manure. Feeding cattle is not just about finishing an animal for market—it’s about creating value, reducing waste, and closing loops that make agriculture as a whole stronger.
When I was starting as ICA president, Tom Basabe reminded me of the story of the Idaho Cattle Association’s birth: a 1983 merger between the Idaho Cattlemen’s Association (originally established in 1915 as the Idaho Cattle & Horse Growers Association) and the Idaho Cattle Feeders Association. I am grateful for that decision made years ago and even more grateful that we have maintained that merger. While the issues our various industry segments face may look different on the surface, the core of our challenges are the same— whether your animals call the range or a feedyard home. It’s not cow-calf versus feeder, or feeder versus packer. We’re all in this together, working hard to provide beef to feed the world.
The original ICA merger proves something important still to this day: unity matters in our industry. Alone, we’re specialized. Together, we’re strong. That’s why ICA exists—to represent Idaho’s beef industry across all of its variety—and together, we will continue to be the voice of the West.
The art of building policy
Membership is crucial to setting
ICA direction
As we move toward fall, the season for county fairs has once again passed us by. I hope that you and your cattle had some success in the ring this year!
With our administration and state leadership working around the clock in a changing political environment, there has been a lot of discussion surrounding policy. One item that caught our attention was the announcement of the “Common Ground Summit,” which the ICA Board of Directors addressed during our June board meeting.
The steady, long-term work of associations like ours has lasting impact.
As we reviewed both our state policies and those of our national partners at NCBA, we found nothing new in the language or direction. These issues were recognized some time ago by both our membership and that of our national affiliate. In fact, former NCBA presidents participated in the summit. Recent work in D.C. did lead to some tax relief (a major goal of the summit) through the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” But, as we know, getting policy wins takes time. Laying the groundwork is lengthy—especially since the processes of the government can be intentionally slow. As you read this, I want to remind you that the issues we face are complex, but we’ve positioned ourselves to strike when the iron is hot.
One thing that I’ve come to understand is that
BY CAMERON MULRONY ICA Executive Vice President
some people want their name in the headlines. Although recognition can be important in the world of policy, my experience tells me that it often makes for a good talking point in the short term, but the steady, long-term work of associations like ours has lasting impact. That impact comes from a functioning system for member input and policies derived to help our staff execute the needs of the industry and affect meaningful change.
Let me give you some examples. Immigration is a hot topic across the country right now. ICA currently has no formal policy on immigration. Do we need one? I’m not sure. I don’t see us as the leader on immigration policy in the state, but we understand that agriculture uses a foreign-born workforce. That said, we would need direction from our board to officially weigh in. Without existing policy, we rely on our process to evaluate the specifics of any given situation, and then take those insights to our elected leaders, who then provide guidance to the staff on how to operate.
Now let’s look at a policy that was discussed during the last legislative session—lab-grown or cell-cultured proteins. ICA policy states:
(12) CELL-CULTURED PROTEIN (NEW 21; AMENDED 24)
WHEREAS: Food products are being developed that are made using novel cell culture technologies in a controlled environment to manufacture a product that is biologically similar to meat; and
WHEREAS: These products are not currently available to consumers in the United States, and proposed standards governing the oversight of lab-grown products have not yet been subject to formal rulemaking; and
WHEREAS: Other alternative sources of protein are being labeled and promoted as an equivalent or substitute for beef.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The Idaho Cattle Association opposes alternative proteins being permitted to use nomenclature associated with protein sourced from livestock production.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: ICA supports the definition of beef to only include products derived from actual livestock raised by cattle farmers and ranchers and harvested for human consumption.
This resolution makes our stance clear: that any product created using alternative methods should not be masqueraded as beef—our product. This legislative session brought attention to a bill calling for a state labeling requirement for products that include these cell-cultured tissues. Agricultural groups voiced concern about requirements for state labeling, which could create marketing issues and potentially harm our industries—similar to what we’ve seen with Prop 12 in California.
Here’s the dilemma and why it’s important to stay engaged with more than just the headlines. If the discussion had moved forward, we would have had to stay involved. However, we do not have clear policy that either supports or opposes state labeling. We do see the problem with requir ing state labels and the possible fallout from these decisions. Prop 12, in layman’s terms, requires any pork producer who sells into the California market to follow their production standards. If we pass similar legislation in Idaho regarding lab-grown products, are we opening the door for groups to place similar requirements on all of our products? The con cept isn’t one I necessarily oppose, but it would be more ben eficial if done at the federal level. Clarity is key when it comes to policy. As you read our policy above, do you see clarity in the situation outlined?
This is the role of our leadership and staff—to interpret and apply our policy when things are moving in the statehouse.
Let me share one last example—this one where our policy is crystal clear:
(6) TRANSPORTATION
RE-AFFIRMED 23)
es for trucks, it was recognized that there might be a need for exemptions for livestock haulers to safely transport live animals when unforeseen circumstances arise due to new guidelines in the transportation industry. Our membership provided clear policy for staff and leadership regarding hours-of-service requirements and adjustments needed for livestock haulers to properly care for the animals. When it comes to transportation, our policy is clear.
These examples all point to the same thing: we have an active policy process and a strong, engaged association. But we need continued involvement from our members. Just look at the dates on our resolutions and how many of the same issues are surfacing again today. It proves the point— we have to build the ark before it rains.
If you have thoughts on policy and resolutions, please reach out to our committee chairmen or board of directors. Our process is always open, and committee meetings to propose and amend policy will take place later this month. Keep an eye on the executive update or contact the office for exact dates and meeting links. You can also access our full list of resolutions through the member portal on the ICA website.
Stay engaged, invite your friends, pay your dues, tell your neighbors—and above all, be honest and fair in the
OF LIVESTOCK (NEW 18;
WHEREAS: Livestock producers are interested in the well-being of their animals during transportation.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: icy that enforces extended layovers of livestock on trailers due to transportation regulations; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: of-service extension to allow for cattle to be transported to a facility where they may receive proper care, feed, and water.
As you can see from the resolution in 2018, when we discussed the implementation of Electronic Logging Devic
Keeping Idaho farms safe and productive since 1968. Our employee owners are dedicated to ensuring you get the best tires and auto service.
WE PROUDLY SUPPORT
The public love of the public lands
What lessons can the grazing industry learn?
To say the least, the attempt made by Congress earlier this summer to sell public lands was an extremely unpopular idea. In this day and age of hyper-partisan politics, there are very few political issues that can bridge the divide across all sides of the political spectrum. Turns out that public lands management is one issue that can.
It is clear that a growing number of people feel a deep connection to the public land and feel a strong sense of ownership in them.
For a quick recap of the issue, as Congress was debating the “Big Beautiful Bill” in June, U.S. Senate and Energy Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee from Utah inserted a provision that would have directed the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to dispose of between 0.5% and 0.75% of the land owned by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The stated intent was to allow these lands to be used to address local housing or other community needs.
Just as yours probably did, my social media feed blew up over the issue. People with seemingly very little connection to public lands, and no previous involvement in such issues, suddenly became land management experts. I saw posts from distant city relatives proclaiming the virtues of our public lands and decrying anyone who would threaten their existence. From the environmental community to hunters to recreationists to
BY KAREN WILLIAMS ICA Natural Resources Policy Director
ranchers to average Joes who live in suburbia, it seemed that everyone had a very strong opinion on this effort and were united against any disposal of public lands. Informational pieces distributed from these sources, though credible in appearance, were chock full of inaccuracies. As I told a few people who had asked me at the time about the issue, “If you’ve read anything about this provision, you can count on that it was factually incorrect.” The issue became so sensationalized that the facts seemed to get lost and become immaterial to the larger emotional issue.
In the end, the provision was pulled from the bill. And while we do not need to rehash all of the details, it is important to point out that the actual bill language was quite limited in scope. Maps that were blasted on the news and across social media showed all the public lands in American and misleadingly led people to believe all those lands would be offered up for sale. Rather, the intent of the provision, as I understood it, was that smaller, chunked off pieces of public lands that had no preexisting use, including grazing, were the only types of land that would have been available to be disposed of.
I do not bring up this issue to stir up the debate on the merits of this specific provision. Personally, I can see some advantages in both sides of the argument. Professionally, ICA only engaged in the issue to ensure that existing grazing rights were protected and that currently grazed public land would not be available to sell (which it would not have). Rather, I recall this issue to your attention because I think that the resulting frenzy and widespread outcry merits our thoughtful consideration regarding the way the general public now seems to want to engage on public policy issues related to public
lands. It is also instructive to see how fast the public can mobilize around an issue in today’s information age, regardless of the veracity of the information being shared.
What does this all mean to the cattle industry and our ability to continue to use public lands for livestock grazing? If another issue related to changes in public lands management explodes, as did the sale of lands issue of this summer, can we trust the general public to land in our favor?
It is clear that a growing number of people feel a deep connection to the public land and feel a strong sense of ownership in them. At the same time, our public lands across the West are facing exponentially increased recreational use. So, we know the public loves the public land. But how do they feel about our shared presence on the land? Are they eager to rid the land of cattle or do they appreciate the importance of multiple use? A 2022 poll conducted by the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission found that 78% of Idahoans approve of the use of public lands for livestock grazing. Additionally, the poll found that 70% respondents believed that cattle producers manage rangelands in a responsible manner. These numbers are certainly comforting. They also present an interesting juxtaposition. On the one hand, members of the public who do not have background or expertise in the complex
nature of land management issues seem to feel entitled to a large say in how they are managed. At the same time, other than the outliers who are the anti-grazing organizations, people generally seem to find our presence on the land compatible with their interests. To me, these factors present a unique challenge to our industry to tell our story. They also underscore the immense need for ICA and our partner industry organizations to refocus and redouble efforts to educate the public of the many benefits that public lands grazing provides, to support research that provides scientific evidence of grazing’s value, and to shore up laws and regulations that will protect continued grazing use of public lands regardless of the ever-shifting political winds. The gauntlet has been thrown. We must build upon the lessons learned from the public outcry of this summer and take every opportunity to share the benefits of public lands grazing. Individually, we each hold tremendous power in the palm of our hands, through our phones, to share that message. Just as we saw thousands of people online share their love for public lands as they expressed opposition to the potential congressional action, members of our industry can also mobilize to present frequent reminders through their personal conversations and through their social media activities of livestock grazing’s tremendous value on public lands.
Lending a Hand to Grow Your Herd.
Riding the highs, bracing for change
Navigating a record-breaking cattle market
The cattle market has been nothing short of exciting all summer long. We have seen record high prices, followed by even higher prices. It seems that as soon as the market reaches a new high, it turns around and breaks it again. Many factors play into this: a small cow herd nationwide, the early stages of heifer retention (though nothing like what we saw in 2015/16—yet), a closed Mexico border leaving 1.2 to 1.4 million feeder cattle unavailable to place and feed in the U.S., increased competition to fill feedyards and packing plants, lower-priced feed, and the list goes on.
We all have something in common—we are part of the beef supply chain in one way or another.
As cattle producers, we need to enjoy the good days, but also prepare for the future. This is true for cow-calf ranches, stockers, backgrounders, and feeders alike. We are in uncharted territory in these markets, so we need to ask ourselves: What if the market moves lower? What if the market moves higher? How do we set up a multigenerational ranch to sustain the highs and lows for years to come?
We all have something in common—we are part of the beef supply chain in one way or another. More specifically, we are part of Idaho’s cattle industry. Even though we may feel like competitors at times, we are all on the same team working toward one aligned goal: feeding the world
BY LOGAN PETERS Feeder Council Chair
with the best protein source possible. We need to work together to make that happen. The feeders need ranchers across the state to be stocked with cow-calf pairs to produce more calves. The packers need the feeders to have cattle available to harvest year-round. And the consumers will always want a high-quality beef product they can count on. All of this has to happen while navigating continued market volatility.
The tools available to manage risk during these periods of record high prices are just as important as they are during times of lower prices. I often hear ranching families weighing whether to use LRP (Livestock Risk Protection), hedge cattle, contract cattle outright, or do nothing at all. Whether you choose to manage your risk or not, every day you are making a decision. Every day you wait to protect your prices is a day you keep the risk with you.
There’s no single “right” or “wrong” strategy for managing this. Sometimes looking in the mirror will make you feel like you made the wrong choice; other times, you’ll feel like you nailed it. But what matters most is whether the decision
you made aligned with your risk management strategy and supported your operation’s goals. Those goals may be as simple as surviving to pass the ranch to the next generation, expanding by purchasing another ranch in the next five years, or retaining ownership through finishing and vertically integrating. Whatever your goals are, it’s important to set your direction up front. Risk tolerance will vary from operation to operation depending on those goals and the interests of the owner.
As an industry, we need both you and your neighbor to survive every cattle cycle. Our ICA President, Spencer Black, said it well in his “Message from the President” in the July/ August 2025 Line Rider : “Support matters more than ever in the ranching community.” That support includes not only physical help—like showing up to a branding or helping move cows—but also the mental and moral support to navigate these uncertain markets.
We may see higher prices ahead. We may see lower prices. No one can say for certain. But I can promise you this: we will see volatility. And at some point, we will see extreme volatility. The question isn’t if , but when . So, as we enjoy the good days, let’s also plan wisely, manage risk with intention, and continue to support one another in both the highs and the lows.
THE AUTHORITY IN LIVESTOCK HANDLING EQUIPMENT
BY MONTANA MacCONNELL
The Rise of
CALF RANCHES ARE A UNIQUE TYPE OF OPERATION THAT SPECIALIZES IN CALF REARING.
Calf Ranches
Exploring the role, structure, and operations of Idaho’s calf ranches
It’s a constant revolving door—we’re bringing in day-old calves and shipping out others at the same time,” says Idaho calf rancher John Hepton.
Calf ranches have become a notable segment of Idaho’s cattle industry, serving as specialized facilities that raise young calves through their earliest, most vulnerable stages before they move into feedyards. These operations are essentially nurseries, taking baby calves, setting them up for success, and building a unique niche that supports the broader feeder supply chain.
Before calf ranches were established, surplus or non-replacement calves (particularly bull calves from dairy herds) often had limited market value. They were sold very young to local buyers or raised in small-scale settings due to a lack of viable rearing options. In the 1980s and 1990s, as demand for beef shifted and technology improved, the feeding sector began experimenting with dedicated calf-rearing facilities. These calf ranches provide consistent nutrition, improved survival rates, and allow feeders to source uniform weaned calves.
WHAT IS A CALF RANCH?
A calf ranch is a specialized operation that raises young calves—often dairy or beef-on-dairy crossbreds—from the time they’re just days old until they are ready for the next stage of growth. Typically, calves begin their lives in individual hutches until they are weaned, after which they are moved into group pens. While some calf ranchers supply calves directly to beef feeders, others contract with dairies to raise replacement heifers. This stage of production is highly specialized because it manages calves during the most vulnerable period of their lives. New arrivals require bottle feeding, carefully managed housing, and constant health monitoring. Because calves are fed milk or milk replacer, precision is critical—improper mixing, feeding errors, or lapses in consistency can quickly create health
problems. The potential for human error is huge here. It’s intensive work that sets the tone for the animal’s performance later in life, and mistakes made early can affect growth, efficiency, and carcass quality months or even years down the road.
John Hepton, who runs Reynolds Creek Calf Ranch near Melba, explains the scale and rhythm of this work: “We bring in a couple thousand day-old calves a week, right off dairies. At any one time, we’ll have around 50,000 calves here— from day-old up to 500 pounds.”
At his ranch, calves spend about 65 days on milk before weaning onto grain mixes. They start in individual hutches, then move to small groups of 20, and eventually to larger pens of 50 until they ship at 400–500 pounds.
“Managing the first 35 days of life is the most critical,” Hepton says. “Success in health and performance always comes back to one thing: good, clean colostrum. We’re reliant on the dairy to provide that right from the start.”
THE ROLE OF CALF RANCHES IN IDAHO
Idaho’s strong dairy industry has fueled the growth of calf ranches, especially in the Magic Valley and Treasure Valley. Calf ranches are one of the major overlapping sectors between the dairy and beef industries, providing a way for calves to enter the feeder chain and contribute to beef production, rather than staying on the dairy side.
Much like feedlots, calf ranches rely on carefully balanced nutrition plans to optimize growth and health. At his operation, Hepton even formulates his own milk replacer on-site from milk processing components. After weaning, his calves transition to a grain diet. He explained that dairy calves, and even most beef-on-dairy crosses, aren’t well-suited to a traditional grass nutrition model. With a metabolism built for milk production, these calves require a higher plane of energy to thrive, making them well-suited to a straight-tograin program.
LOOKING AHEAD
Advances in genetics, including the widespread use of sexed semen, have shaped the supply of calves entering these operations.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve and taking on new technology that can make a difference,” says Hepton. “Most of the calves we get are dairy-beef crosses, so we get to have input into the bulls we want to breed with. That way, we can take advantage of the best genetics. For instance, we can do Angus X Holstein, but use the top 5% of Angus bulls to breed. All calves have EID tags, so we can see the data on how they perform from start to finish.”
In addition to independent calf ranches, larger companies also recognize the importance of these operations. Scott McNeley, Director of Cattle Feeding at Simplot, explained how
CALF RANCHES PROVIDE A REARING OPPORTUNITY FOR DAIRY AND BEEF-ON-DAIRY CALVES, CONTRIBUTING TO THE VOLUME OF CATTLE IN THE FEEDER CHAIN.
their new calf ranch project fits into the company’s broader supply chain.
“Calf ranches have been a big part of Idaho’s cattle industry for the last 30 or 40 years,” McNeley said. “Idaho is one of the largest dairy states in the country. Calf ranches are an integral part of that supply chain, and will be for the foreseeable future.”
For Simplot, the project represents a natural extension of its cattle-feeding model. The company already feeds thousands of head at their Grandview feedyard. The calf ranch will allow them to source beef-on-dairy calves from across the Pacific Northwest to supplement the flow of animals into the yard—taking advantage of vertical integration. “The
calf ranch is the next step of our supply chain,” McNeley noted. “It all goes back to trying to put good food on the table.”
Daily routines will mirror those on other calf ranches: feeding, doctoring, treating, moving, and closely monitoring calf health, all while maintaining clean facilities. McNeley emphasized that the ranch is being built with current best management practices in mind, particularly in housing, ventilation, and nutrition systems.
THE FEEDER’S PERSPECTIVE
Ryan Steele, with SRS Cattle, provided insight on his experience with buying and feeding calf ranch calves.
“The bonus is the consistency of the calves—you can keep your inventory full and buy feed ahead of time because you know what you’ll have. In a conventional situation, the volume is lower when animals go to grass,” Steele explained.
He also noted how crossbreeding has created more desirable animals for the feedlot. “If you take a plain old Jersey calf, it’s worth nothing in the feedlot. But with genetics now, you can create a pretty nice cross—I fed out Jersey X Charolais and they were great,” Steele said.
DURING THEIR FIRST FEW WEEKS, CALVES ARE FED MILK OR MILK REPLACER.
SOME CALF RANCHES UTILIZE HUTS FOR INDIVIDUAL HOUSING.
Another benefit to calf ranches is that the calves are already used to feeding facilities, they arrive bunk-broke and familiar with water troughs, making them easier to manage. Still, there are challenges. “Sometimes if the calf raiser doesn’t do a good job with colostrum or milk at the get-go, you can have wrecks,” Steele cautioned. “The problem is you don’t know until you’re in the middle of it.”
He compared the transition period to sending a child to kindergarten— young calves don’t always thrive if they’re pushed too quickly. “If you put them straight into big pens, they may
not do as well socially,” he said. “You’ve got to work them up.”
Despite some challenges, Steele believes calf ranches are filling a gap in the supply chain. “Feedyards can’t find enough calves—that’s with the dairy supply already in place. Conventional beef breeds are still more efficient, but we’re so short on numbers that calf ranch calves help keep feedlots full. Empty feedlots kill capacity, and more volume of cattle attracts packers and encourages feedlot expansion.”
CONCLUSION
For ranchers like Hepton, calf ranch-
ing is a demanding but rewarding business built on precision and care. For companies like Simplot, calf ranches represent the next step in securing a steady beef supply. And for feeders like Steele, they provide the consistency and numbers needed to keep cattle flowing through the system.
For the calves themselves, these ranches are more than just a stop along the way—they’re the place where health, growth, and future success begin. In the complex chain that brings beef to plates in Idaho and across the country, calf ranches help bolster the beef supply chain.
CALVES ARE READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF GROWTH AT A FEEDYARD WHEN THEY LEAVE THE CALF RANCH.
Meeting the Needs of the Changing Idaho Beef Consumer
How the Idaho Beef Council is driving demand to keep beef on the plate.
The landscape of beef consumption in Idaho is shifting, shaped by rising food costs, evolving demographics, and changing consumer expectations. The Idaho Beef Council (IBC) closely monitors these changes to ensure producers stay aware and able to connect to their customers. Today’s Idaho consumer remains a strong supporter of beef with 76% report eating it weekly, compared to 71% nationally. Importantly, the top decision drivers when choosing beef remain consistent: taste, protein content, and value for money. However, the dynamics around beef purchase are growing more complex. Inflation and rising menu prices have made affordability a new top concern. While consumers continue to value quality, price sensitivity has led to increasing scrutiny of beef prices, portion sizes and menu value at restaurants, even in a state that strongly supports beef.
Alongside economic headwinds, Idaho’s population is
growing and becoming more diverse, particularly among younger generations who express interest in flexitarian diets and sustainability. In IBC’s Fiscal Year 25 (FY25) consumer survey, nearly 80% expressed positive perceptions of beef nutrition and safety, leading indicators of the trust and credibility the industry has built locally. These attitudes have been bolstered by IBC’s targeted outreach efforts including retail promotions, social media influencer campaigns, and new storytelling platforms like the Meet Idaho’s Ranchers initiative on Facebook and Instagram delivering consumers to the IBC website: IDBeef.org. Highlighting local ranchers’ dedication to animal care and environmental stewardship not only builds transparency, but it also creates an emotional connection between consumers and producers that national campaigns alone cannot achieve.
Looking ahead, the Idaho Beef Council is aligning its efforts around precision marketing, data-driven investment, and strategic partnerships to fuel demand and maximize producer value. This includes tapping into the potential of maximizing underutilized cuts into Idaho’s famous finger steaks through ongoing assessment research, increasing training and education at the meat counter in partnership with retailers like Albertsons, and engaging consumers with digital campaigns that convert impressions into sales. IBC will build off of successful retail campaigns like last year’s campaign with a larger, national retailer which yielded $3.5 million in beef sales attributable beef to Idaho from just $10,000 invested, equating to a $350 return per $1 of checkoff investment.
To help consumers keep beef on the table even as food costs rise, IBC is rolling out a new recipe campaign built around the “cook once, eat twice” concept - making beef meals stretch further without sacrificing flavor. The effort puts a fresh spin on practical and proven Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. resources to meet today’s busy, value-conscious shoppers across Idaho.
The future beef consumer is informed, health-aware, and values transparency. With the right tools, messaging, and
CHECK OUT THE MEET IDAHO’S RANCHERS SECTION ON THE IDBEEF.ORG WEBSITE!
programs, IBC will help to ensure that Idaho’s beef producers can continue to thrive by meeting consumers where they are and reminding them why beef belongs on their plates.
Let’s keep telling the Idaho beef story! The future of the industry depends on it! Contact the Idaho Beef Council at BeefCouncil@IDBeef.org to nominate your ranch or someone you know who has an outstanding sustainability or animal handling/welfare story to tell!
MEETING CONSUMERS WHERE THEY ARE (SOCIAL MEDIA) AND WITH THE INFORMATION THEY WANT IS AN IMPORTANT TACTIC TO KEEP BEEF ON IDAHOAN’S PLATES.
Meat, Meet AI
Advancements in technology impact efficiency in beef processing.
BY PHIL BASS Associate Professor — Meat Science Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences University of Idaho
You know, it’s funny how terms that have been used in the beef industry for years have now made it to mainstream vernacular, except for with a completely different connotation. One of those is the term “AI.” Frequently, as one who lives in the cattle world, I must constantly define to which of the AI terms I am referring. Artificial insemination is what most in the cattle world would think of when the abbreviation AI is used. However, society, and that includes us, is becoming more and more familiar with the abbreviation AI in reference to artificial intelligence . And that’s what brings me to a new topic of which I am now investigating.
I’m not one who embraces change out of novelty or with any sort of zeal. However, I’ve become more accepting of change as my orbits around the sun progress. This acceptance includes the use and integration of artificial
intelligence (to which AI will refer in the remainder of this editorial) in the animal and meat sciences. Let me explain why I’m cautiously optimistic in approaching this relatively new technology.
For many years in the sciences we have relied on computing software and computing power to help us manage and analyze data. This is fine if our lines of data in a spreadsheet are limited to a few hundred, and possibly a few thousand, bits of information. Yet, as our inquisitive nature of science has progressed, so has our ability to collect vast quantities of datapoints. I must admit that we are now in what a lot of folks call “big data” times. Think of it this way. In the past we may follow a group of cattle from the feedyard to the packing house. After harvest, we would assess the grade of those carcasses through subjective, and sometimes objective, means. A few dozen lines of data from that lot of cattle and we have our study. Now, consider this. An average size beef packing house in the Midwest can slaughter upwards of four to five thousand head of cattle per day. If we’re on the upper spectrum of those packing houses we’re looking at over one million head of cattle in a year slaughtered at
a single location. My current Microsoft Excel spreadsheet can contain 1,048,576 lines of data. That means that our ability to collect and maintain just the grading data of those cattle, from a single large packing house, is already unattainable using simple software that most computers will have. Thankfully, there are specialized databases out there that can indeed capture these datapoints and store them, yet it becomes increasingly more difficult to analyze these data over several years. We slaughter around 30 million head of cattle each year in this country. That’s a lot of datapoints. Were we to hypothetically analyze these datapoints using conventional means, we’re already limited in
our computing power. This is where our artificial intelligence computing capacity comes in. Artificial intelligence can not only take these enormous amounts of data, but it can also begin to factor in other parameters that we may not have even considered such as regionality, seasonality, time of slaughter, etc. Not to say it would be impossible using conventional means of data analysis, but AI technology can do in a matter of seconds what would have taken us as scientists possibly weeks or months to achieve using more traditional processes. It’s not outsourcing our jobs, per se; it’s making our jobs more efficient so we can do even more than was dreamed possible before.
A real-world example of the use of AI for data analysis is what my friend and former colleague, Dr. Dale Woerner at Texas Tech University, is doing to create a better yield assessment model for beef carcasses. He’s currently using 3D modeling, in addition to CT scanning, of beef carcasses to generate virtual beef carcasses that can be used to predict red meat yield. Of course, this modeling produces incredible amounts of datapoints (think of all the drops of water that make up an entire cloud you see in the sky) that then must be analyzed in order to build prediction equations that would be practical to the industry. This vast quantity of data would be nearly impossible to analyze using conventional techniques. However, AI can be employed to look at the millions of datapoints from large numbers of beef carcasses and find patterns—an incredible feat that would seem unfathomable 20 years ago.
Although it’s called artificial intelligence, the software is still just a tool which requires inputs. I often say, although it’s called artificial “intelligence,” it’s still not all that smart. This is where humans come in to help the AI “learn” how to do a task. For example, our meat science team at the University of Idaho has helped a meat robotics company with beef cut identification. A photo of a beef cut comes up on screen and the students tell the computer what cut it is. This helps the AI software to “learn” what the cuts are. The end result is only as good as the human telling the computer what it’s looking at. However, what that company now produces is a system that can sort the great variety of beef cuts in packing houses via robotics which helps to free up human workers to do more skilled tasks in the plant.
In the end, artificial intelligence is a tool. There are great impacts that can be made to livestock production and processing using these large data driven technologies. But, like any tool, it needs to be used appropriately, and for good. No telling where we’ll go with AI in the future, but for now there are some truly fascinating uses of the technology in the present.
Go Beef!
CT SCAN OF BEEF ROUND. IMAGE SOURCE: DR. DALE WOERNER, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
What Brings Us Together: Five Lessons from the Range
Helping rangeland partners find common ground for decisionmaking.
BY BRENDA RICHARDS Idaho Rangeland Conservation Partnership Coordinator
Conserving and restoring healthy rangelands is a community-scale effort that depends on people in many roles, from restoration crews and wildland firefighters to land managers, permit specialists, agency staff, and landowners. One of the most vital—and often overlooked—roles is that of the facilitator: someone skilled at bringing diverse interests into the same room to navigate differing opinions, build understanding, and find options to move forward together.
Brenda Richards, a lifelong Idaho
rancher, has spent more than 35 years doing exactly that. As Coordinator of the Idaho Rangeland Conservation Partnership (IRCP), she brings together landowners, agencies, recreation groups, and conservationists to work through thorny disagreements and make collaborative decisions about the future of the range.
Here, she shares five lessons in conservation facilitation, conflict resolution, and collective decisionmaking drawn from her decades of experience helping people find common ground.
LESSON 1: MAKE ROOM FOR THE WHOLE TABLE
“In my position as the Idaho Rangeland Conservation Partnership
Coordinator, I can get people together by calling a meeting and we can all sit down and have a conversation. I can encourage folks by saying, ‘let’s bubble ideas, let’s circulate, let’s talk about what we have in common and what we’re looking to do.’ You need that place for open dialogue where it’s non-judgmental and non-threatening, but you also need the understanding that different entities have different needs. Agencies have rules and regulations they have to follow; communities need sustainability; ranchers need to have a bottom dollar and have some assurances. There’s always this understanding. And to me that’s the
exciting part: having people learn about how each group is approaching the same subject, and then figuring out how to move it forward.”
“What really excited me about IRCP is that it builds on my 35 years of experience bringing together diverse groups—conservationists, academics, landowners, agencies—to find common ground and move things forward. One of the key lessons I’ve learned is that sometimes, you have to leave your baggage at the door and focus on what you can achieve together.”
LESSON 2: START WITH SHARED HUMANITY AND LOVE FOR THE LAND
“Sometimes it’s scary to approach somebody who might have a differing opinion about the area, a natural resource, or a project. The trick is diving into understanding, because everybody on a natural resource issue generally has some passion behind it. It’s about understanding what makes them excited about the land, and opening that dialogue. Just knowing that it’s one human being talking to another human being is huge, but it’s often one of the scariest steps. Oftentimes, with a couple key questions you can get to a common thread to follow—you get rid of all of the frayed edges and follow the thread, because you can build on it. If you’re just focusing on things you can’t agree on or the things that you can’t fully understand, it becomes difficult to find the common thread to work toward the end goal. It all starts with asking questions like, ‘ what do you love about this spot, this land? ’”
“For example, we’ll be moving cattle and we might get ATV riders coming through. Now their initial reaction might be irritation, because we have 500 head of cattle on the road stall -
“All in all, there’s nothing worse than ruining somebody’s good day of being out on the land. A lot of the time it’s most productive to approach people with a non-threatening question first… Most people want to do the right thing, they want to gather information, they want to understand and know.”
LESSON 3: CURIOSITY DEFUSES CONFLICT
“One aha moment that I remember is regarding these travel management plans that we have on the Owyhee front. We stopped to talk with some people that were on dirt bikes in an area that wasn’t authorized for that kind of motorized recreation. We just explained it to them—just over the hill there is a whole designated motorized area set up specifically for you! I really saw this as an aha moment, talking about the different trail uses, the safety factor, and why so much time and effort was taken for it to be set up that way. They were so cool with the new information! They immediately said, ‘oh wow, we’ll head back and go the other way.’ It could have been confrontational, but if you don’t make it confrontational—if you just explain a little bit—it can be really cool to see them say, ‘I get it, we didn’t know that,’ and even, ‘how do we find out more information about this?’”
ing your ride! But just going over and having a conversation like, ‘hey, we really appreciate that you’re waiting; we keep our cattle on the road to keep them out of sensitive riparian areas, and it won’t take us long to be out of here…And if you need to work through our cattle, here’s the best way to go through.’ All of a sudden, it’s a human connection instead of a conflict. ”
“So, sharing information is critical, but so is knowing where people are coming from and why they come out to the country. Everyone out on the land is here for a reason that’s important or special to them, and it really helps to understand that. ”
LESSON 4: LEAD WITH PASSION— AND LET THE CONVERSATION GROW
“I love going into these meetings and being able to have everybody
BRENDA RICHARDS IS AN EXPERT IN CREATING COLLABORATION WHERE IT MATTERS ON MULTIPLE-USE RANGELAND.
learn from each other. I love asking big questions so we can all understand what we’re looking for. I feel like I’m a cheerleader for the end result , and for and sharing information. That is really important to me—that we all understand the different perspectives.
Everybody might care about the issue for a totally different reason. But once you hear that from somebody else, and it really clicks for you, then it’s easy to move forward.”
“ The biggest thing I would say is, be curious. Don’t be afraid to open those conversations, listen and learn, and share your experience. Just don’t be afraid to have those conversations with the human element, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box.”
LESSON 5: THINK HOLISTICALLY, ACT LOCALLY
“The one thing that I always try to focus on is, what are the key components that make overall rangeland health—because that will make things work for all the diverse interests. You have to look at all the puzzle pieces and realize that they all fit to make the picture whole. If you don’t approach it that way, it’s really easy to take your issue, pull it out of its context, and make it too big to get back into the whole picture… If you take anything out of its context and make it bigger than the whole issue of holistic rangeland health, it doesn’t fit back into the picture and it distorts it.”
“It’s also extremely important to understand that these conservation partnerships need landowners that are often generationally committed to being there on the land . Being able to approach and understand the knowledge that they bring to the table is
absolutely crucial. Wildlife doesn’t differentiate land ownership. We’re an intricate part of the whole ecosystem—of keeping the web whole.”
Need help with collective conservation decisionmaking within your own community? This work is tough, but it can be one of the most rewarding parts of the process of making landscapes whole and healthy. The IWJV’s Science to Implementation Team is dedicated to helping land managers make local implementation decisions based on best practices, and members of our Sage Capacity Team (like Brenda!) are at work in communities near you to get the work done. For more information, visit www.IWJV.org. And for more information on Brenda’s work with the Idaho Rangeland Conservation Partnership, visit their website at www.idahorcp.org.
Young Cattlemen on the Move
Idaho rancher Eric Wittman reflects on eye-opening experience.
BY MONTANA MacCONNELL
For more than four decades, the Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC) has served as a unique, immersive program designed to develop future leaders in the beef industry. The program was established in 1980, with the purpose of providing young beef producers with a launchpad into industry involvement. This year, Idaho’s very own Eric Wittman embarked on a journey across the country to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nearly 70 young cattle producers and professionals from across the U.S. came together to explore all segments of the beef supply chain, visit top industry facilities, and meet with peers, mentors, and policymakers.
“We went to National Cattlemen’s Beef Association HQ in Denver, Tyson’s Dakota City plant, Certified Angus Beef HQ in Wooster, Ohio, and then ended up in D.C.,” Wittman said.
Each stop on the trip provided a unique look into the national beef industry, but one location in particular stood out to him.
“My favorite part of the trip was the Tyson plant,” he said. “It’s incredible how many animals they can kill and process in a day. And how they can manage to keep it all running smoothly.”
Beyond the facility tours and educational sessions, one of the most valuable aspects of YCC for Wittman was the connection with fellow participants—all with different backgrounds, regions, and operations.
“YCC makes you open up and talk about your operations, and you learn how to see things from a different perspective,” Wittman explained. “The connections are easy to make, since you aren’t very afraid of talking and getting to know each other once you’ve been on an 8-day trip across the country with 67 people you don’t know.”
Wittman said one of the biggest surprises of the trip was discovering that there are so many young people involved in
agriculture — even when it might not always be visible from a local or regional perspective.
“What surprised me most about this trip was just how many producers my age there are that are scattered across the country,” he said. “I think there’s a lot more young people getting into or trying to get into farming and ranching than most people realize.”
The experience didn’t just expose Wittman to a variety of peers; they also got to tour a variety of operations, learning along the way about the current state of beef production and processing across the country. Even with challenges like lower cow inventory, he was struck by how the industry continues to deliver.
“I didn’t know just how efficient we as an industry have gotten with our carcasses,” he said. “It’s impressive we can still keep up with demand even as low as the cow inventory is.”
Every participant brought something to the group, Wittman added, and the collective experience left a lasting impression on him.
“I would say that everyone in our group was impactful because of just how proud they were to be in the cattle industry, at whatever level that was,” he said.
YCC also emphasizes the importance of advocacy. One of the most powerful moments of the program takes place in Washington, D.C., where participants meet face-to-face with national lawmakers to discuss real-world issues affecting cattle producers. These conversations help to bring grassroots-level concerns to the national stage, using young cattlemen as a conduit to enact change.
From production to processing, from local concerns to national policy, and from new connections to lasting friendships, YCC not only
broadened participants’ perspectives on the cattle industry—it gave them a sense of purpose and belonging. Wittman expressed a renewed confidence and reassurance about the support system that exists within the beef industry.
“I would say my perception changed for the better of the cattle industry,” Wittman said. “We face a lot of new challenges ahead, but there is also a vast network of people in the industry that I can reach out to and get my questions answered—and that’s good to know.”
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Combatting New World Screwworm
An update on the status, response, treatment options, and work to eradicate NWS.
Nearly 60 years after New World screwworm (NWS) was eradicated from the United States, this pest is once again an animal health threat to American cattle producers. For months, NCBA has been collaborating closely with its state partners and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to protect the nation’s cow herd, but the situation remains far from resolved.
SCREWWORM STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES
Currently, no cases have been detected in the United States. The northernmost cases in Mexico are roughly 370 miles south of the border. Mexico is dealing with roughly 3,800 cases total, mostly in cattle, but also some equines, dogs and humans. The outbreak in Mexico is a continuation
of the spike in cases that began in Panama in 2023 and quickly spread through the rest of Central America. Screwworm was endemic in the United States from the 1930s-1960s. After decades of work by producers and APHIS, it was officially declared eradicated from the U.S. in 1966. In total, from the 1930s-1960s, the effort to eradicate screwworm in the United States cost more than $52 million. Adjusted to today’s value, that’s closer to $675 million. In 1996 (around the time sterile insect efforts began in Panama), screwworm eradication was estimated to save American producers $796 million a year.
USDA’S RESPONSE
USDA’s strategy to combat NWS centers on stopping its spread in Mexico, improving early detection of infected animals before they reach
our border, strengthening U.S. disease response plans and treatment tools, boosting sterile fly production, and advancing research and producer education. USDA has also begun converting a facility at Moore Air Base in Texas so we can better disperse sterile flies in northern Mexico (and U.S. border states, if necessary). That facility will not produce sterile insects yet, so the flies will still be coming from Panama. Although all these steps are helpful, we urgently need a sterile fly production facility in the United States.
NCBA’S WORK
NCBA has remained in constant contact with USDA-APHIS staff on this issue since cases started gaining momentum in Central America in October, while educating and advocating on Capitol Hill. Securing $300 million to build or convert a U.S.-based sterile
fly production facility remains a top priority. NCBA is actively pursuing every avenue to obtain this funding, so we have a sufficient supply of sterile flies to combat the pest.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
If NWS is suspected, a veterinarian should be consulted for treatment of affected animals. Currently, there are no animal drugs approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) for the treatment or prevention of NWS myiasis in animals. CVM is working with drug sponsors, federal and state partners and international regulators to understand options for U.S. veterinarians to treat NWS effectively and safely. Veterinarians may prescribe the use of FDA-approved products for uses that are not on the label, in accordance with the existing regulations with a valid veterinary/client/patient relationship. NCBA has also been working to reduce hurdles at USDA, EPA and FDA that could slow down new drug approvals or indications for screwworm. For guidance on how to prevent and treat a potential NWS infestation, refer to www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/cattle/ticks/screwworm for official resources.
HOW TO PREPARE
As pupae, NWS cannot survive soil temperatures that
are consistently below 46 degrees. For perspective, last year soil temperatures stayed above 46 degrees from mid-April to late-October in Pullman, Washington; Grand Island, Nebraska; Minot, North Dakota; and Brookville, Pennsylvania. From spring to the early fall, there was almost no part of the United States that was completely inhospitable to this pest — that means all American producers need to be prepared and stay vigilant for screwworm. When screwworm was endemic in the United States, the response for farmers and ranchers was time and labor intensive. Start planning now, especially if you are in a border state, on how you will effectively monitor your herd for signs of screwworm. Familiarize yourself with the signs of a screwworm infection and talk to your vet about treatment options. Closely watch your state animal health offices and departments of agriculture for information on any emergency response plans they might be updating. If you suspect a screwworm case, report it to your state veterinarian for proper testing and confirmation. Sharing unverified information online can cause unnecessary alarm and negatively impact the livestock industry. Accurate reporting helps protect both animal health and our agricultural community.
Additional information and resources are also available at ncba.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: August 1, 2025 Morgan Lutgen Director of Communications & Industry Relations (208) 343-1615
morgan@idahocattle.org
Statewide Funding Available for Livestock Education Programs
BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Cattle Foundation (ICF) is requesting submission of funding applications for public and/or higher education programs that advance the state’s livestock industry to be received by November 1st, 2025. Through an application process (available at https://www.idahocattlefoundation.org/unclaimed-livestock-funds), the ICF will recommend funding to the Idaho State Board of Education for livestock education programs. Funding is available from the proceeds of the Unclaimed Livestock Account for programs that advance Idaho’s livestock-based industries through public or higher education.
The ICF has recommended Unclaimed Livestock Funds (which are funds transferred into the Idaho State Board of Education’s miscellaneous revenue fund) be granted to educational programs advancing the livestock industry. Applications for these educational funds are available at www.idahocattlefoundation.org. Interested programs should utilize the link which reads “application” and applications will be accepted until 5:00 pm November 1st, 2025.
###
ICF is a charitable organization established by the Idaho Cattle Association to provide an Idaho beef industry presence in education and science, priding itself in being the state’s official organization tasked with recommending unclaimed livestock proceeds. For more information, please visit the website at www.idahocattlefoundation.org or call (208) 343-1615.
Nominate Producers to Fill Seats On the ICA Board of Directors
The Idaho Cattle Association Board of Directors is comprised of 23 members that meet to help direct the organization through the processes of working to preserve, promote, and protect the cattle industry in Idaho.
ABOUT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ICA board members include the officer team: President, President Elect, Vice President, Past- President, and Treasurer. In addition to our officers, our Executive Committee is comprised of the officer team and four council chairs. The four councils represented on the executive committee include: Cow-Calf, Purebred, Feeder, and Cattlewomen.
The nine-member executive committee is accompanied by fourteen additional board members, with two delegates from each of the five ICA districts, two at-large positions, an Allied Industry representative, and a CattleWomen Council representative. Continued input and support from the ICA Board of Directors is a vital part of the continued success of the Idaho Cattle Association. Idaho Cattle Association bylaws state that the Nominating Committee is comprised of the four past presidents, the retiring president, and five district vice-presidents. The immediate past president will serve as the chairperson of this committee. The current retiring president will only vote to break a tie in the process. You may be able, or know of someone who is able, to join the leadership of ICA.
NOMINATING PROCESS
The ICA Nominating Committee will consider all names sub-
mitted to fill vacated ICA officer and board seats. Please call or submit your letter of interest to any ICA Nominating Committee member prior to October 15, 2025. A brief cover letter stating the background of the potential candidate, their leadership experience, and interest to serve would be appropriate. This could be given directly to a member of the committee, mailed to the chair or mailed to the office to be forwarded on to the committee. Council Chairpersons will be selected by the respective councils when the seat becomes vacant. Each council should submit two names in ranking order for consideration. Nominations are brought forth in either a council meeting or submitted in a written format to the proper council chair. The council chairs then submit nominations to the Nominating Com-
mittee for review and consideration. It is important to note that our bylaws allow for nominations to be taken from the floor at any annual business meeting, and are in addition to the recommendations put forth by the nominating committee. Nominations from the floor are considered official nominations of the Association.
THE 2025 NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Chair: Jerry Wroten
Past Presidents: Mark Pratt, Jay Smith, and Kim Brackett
Current Retiring President: Spencer Black
District Vice Presidents:
District I: Eric Wittman
District II: Royce Schwenkfelder
District III: Jesse Human
District IV: Shane Rosenkrance
District V: Tim Munns
BOARD POSITIONS EXPIRING IN 2025
• Office of Vice President
• Cow-Calf Council Chairman
• District One Representativ e
• District Two Representative
• District Three Representative
• Allied Industry Representative
• CattleWomen Council Representative
MAIL TO
Idaho Cattle Association
Attn: Nominating Committee PO Box 15397 Boise, Idaho 83715
Or Call/Email: (208) 343-1615
cameron@idahocattle.org
WILDFIRE ASSISTANCE APPLICATION
2025 Fire Season: Application submission deadline for receipt to ICA office by October 31, 2025
Application Instructions & Information
• 2025 season Wildfire Assistance Applications are to be received to ICA office no later than October 31, 2025. Mail to: Idaho Cattle Association, PO Box 15397, Boise, ID 83715
• Qualifying entities or individuals:
o ICA members and local associations
o Cattle producers
o Rural Fire Protection Associations (RFPA)
o Volunteer Fire Departments or similar organizations
o Individuals or others that provided assistance, resources or funds to fight 2025 wildfires which caused losses or threatened cattle producer’s livestock, property or resources.
• Assistance funds were received by ICA as private donations (no public funds).
• Most wildfire assistance funds will be awarded at levels between $1,000 - $4,000.
• Assistance applications (with supporting documentation) will be considered for reimbursement of expenses or losses incurred by individuals or entities as a direct result of wildfires in Idaho counties for claims which have not been or are not expected to b e covered by the reimbursement of another program or source such as property insurance or FSA Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) cost share program.
• Assistance applications will be considered for incurred expenses or losses suffered from:
a) Emergency feed, transport, or pasturing,
b) Fencing loss,
c) Infrastructure loss,
d) Seeding cost,
e) Assistance provided to producers for wildfire related costs,
f) Supplies & materials used, which are to be replaced, or
g) Other losses or expenses as described by applicant.
The procedure for reviewing applications received, as well as review of applicant’s supporting documentation, and issuing disbursements to qualified applicants will be determined by ICA’s Board of Directors. This committee will determine if the application meets program criteria, as well as award amounts. The wildfire fund may not be sufficient to meet all requests and may be prorated between applicants at the committee’s discretion.
Any questions may be directed to Cameron Mulrony, ICA Executive Vice President, at (208)3431615 or cameron@idahocattle.org.
Contact Information
Contact Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip: County: Phone: Email:
TOTAL ASSISTANCE FUND REQUEST AMOUNT:
ICA Member? Yes ☐ No ☐
Assistance Claim
*Please include a brief description of how the assistance funds requested were, or will be, utilized, as well as supporting documents for all requests, along with completed application. Use addt ’l page for further details.
A.Emergency Feed, Transport, or Pasturing for Displaced Livestock $
B.Permanent or Temporary Fencing
1.Supplies and Materials: $
3.Other Costs (Describe Below): $
Description:
Please indicate length or number of miles of fence related to the above listed expense:
C.Other Infrastructure Loss (structures, water improvements, etc): $
D.Seeding Cost for acres burned: $
E.& G. Other Losses, Costs, or Expenses incurred fighting wildfire: $
F.Equipment, Supplies or Materials lost, used or to be replaced: $ FIRE NAME(S):
Applicant Role & Description of Assistance:
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