Law Firm Critical Of Idaho’s Livestock Sectors

Cattle is big business in Idaho.  Beef and dairy were the top two commodities in 2025, generating billions of dollars.

However, one group claims those sectors are leaving large environmental footprints.  Bryan Hurlbutt, staff attorney for Advocates for the West, says there are about 1.5 million dairy and beef cattle in Idaho, generating about 138 million pounds of solid waste daily.

Dairies, Livestock Facilities Produce A Lot Of Waste

“It's hard to properly manage, contain and store that amount of manure in ways that it won't end up in water," he said.

Hurlbutt added nutrients and other pollutants from large farm operations can leech into underground aquifers.  He said contaminants can also flow into Idaho's rivers.

Hurlbutt's organization is representing Snake River Waterkeeper in a case against J.R. Simplot for allegedly polluting the Snake River at its feedlot in Grand View, south of Boise.  He said the state of Idaho has followed suit and filed its own case against Simplot for not having a Clean Water Act permit.

Hurlbutt said that the state released a draft of its consent decree that would require Simplot to get a permit.

The Start Of A Good Path

“Getting one feedlot, which is the largest one in Idaho, to get one of these Clean Water Act pollution permits will hopefully set us on a good path towards bringing more CAFOs into the system and improving manure management throughout the state,” Hurlbutt said

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