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…