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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 21 september 2022
Idaho a step closer to having largest research dairy in U.S.

By KEITH RIDLER of Rupert owned by the
Associated Press university — turning that
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The into endowment land. The
University of Idaho's plan school will now use that en-
to build the nation's largest dowment land and money
research dairy and experi- to build the research dairy.
mental farm cleared a big Endowment land is land
hurdle on Tuesday. Idaho received at state-
Idaho Gov. Brad Little and hood and that the Land
two other statewide-elect- Board manages to pro-
ed officials on the Idaho duce the maximum return
Land Board approved the over the long term for ben-
university's plan to use $23 eficiaries, mainly public ed-
million to buy roughly 640 ucation.
acres of farmland in south- Land Board members had
central Idaho, the heart of other options for the mon-
the state's dairy industry. ey. It could have trans-
That would be the main ferred the $23 million to a
focus of the school's pro- fund that would generate
posed Center for Agricul- money through invest-
ture, Food and the Environ- ments. It also could have
ment, or CAFE. kept the money for poten-
Idaho's dairy industry is the tial investments in timber-
third-largest dairy producer In this March 11, 2009, photo, a line of Holstein dairy cows feed through a fence at a dairy farm land, the most depend-
in the nation, behind Cali- outside Jerome, Idaho. Associated Press able revenue generator for
fornia and Wisconsin. But state land.
the industry in Idaho — and to find solutions for those school to receive millions located at the College of Choosing the university op-
in general — faces a range and other complex prob- in research grant money, Southern Idaho campus in tion was unique in that it
of challenges with green- lems. "The research that we potentially leading to new Twin Falls County. recognized research as an
house gas emissions from do there is going to help us ideas and innovation. The state's dairy industry asset.
animals, land and water improve the water qual- If CAFE succeeds as en- has supported the plan, "If this was more afford-
pollution, and waste sys- ity within the state," Green visioned, the operation donating more than $8.5 able research, private in-
tems from dairies that can said after the vote. "It's go- would include an experi- million to date, according dustry would be doing it,"
have thousands of cows ing to help us utilize waste mental farm and 2,000- to state officials. Little said after the meet-
that produce tons of ma- products from the dairy in- cow research dairy in Mini- Specifically, the board on ing. "These are the kinds
nure. dustry in a way that's ben- doka County. Classrooms, Tuesday voted to use $23 of things government has
University of Idaho's presi- eficial to the environment labs and faculty offices million from the 2021 sale to do, these long-term,
dent Scott Green, who and to agriculture." would be constructed in of 282 acres of endowment low-return (investments).
called the vote a big win Green said students will get Jerome County near where land in Caldwell benefit- If we get research out of
for the state, the univer- the education needed to Interstate 84 and U.S. Route ting the University of Idaho's this that creates a more
sity and the dairy industry, work on the cutting edge 93 intersect. A food pro- College of Agriculture and sustainable, cleaner way
said the school hasn't been of agribusiness and dairy cessing pilot plant with a Life Sciences to buy rough- to have a dairy industry in
able to do the large-scale sciences. He also said CAFE workforce training and ed- ly 640 acres of farmland Idaho, that's a win-win for
research the industry needs opens the doors for the ucation facility would be in Minidoka County north everybody."q

Massachusetts panel explores changes

to state seal, motto

members of Indigenous seals do include a human we seek peace, but peace
tribes, historians and others, figure, the subcommittee's only under liberty," dates
also disclosed plans to so- feelings were that the de- to about 1659 and is attrib-
licit feedback with a survey sign for the new seal should uted to English politician Al-
and several virtual and in- not include a human fig- gernon Sydney, according
person public forums. ure as it was felt it could to the secretary of state's
The current seal that ap- not reflect the full diver- office.
pears on state flags, which sity or identities of either A new motto should reflect
dates to the late 19th cen- Indigenous peoples or of concepts such as liberty,
tury, features a depiction the whole peoples on the peace, justice, equity and
The Massachusetts state flag flies in front of Boston City Hall, of a Native American man Commonwealth," she said. educational opportunity,
Monday, May 2, 2016. beneath a colonist's arm Some ideas include sym- said Michael Comeau of
Associated Press brandishing a sword, which bols or elements from na- the commission's history
By MARK PRATT state's Indigenous com- critics say is a reference to ture that might better re- and usages subcommittee.
Associated Press munities discussed some English colonists' cruelty to flect the state. It should also be easier to
BOSTON (AP) — The com- early ideas, but made no local tribes centuries ago. "We're on the same page understand.
mission appointed to come firm decisions, at a meeting A new seal should not de- that we want to see a com- "It was suggested that the
up with a new state seal Tuesday. pict a human, said Donna pletely new design here," motto should be recogniz-
and motto for Massachu- The Special Commission on Curtin of the commission's said Commission co-Chair able and be transferrable
setts to replace the current the Official Seal and Motto research and design sub- Brian Weeden. and should not require ex-
ones that critics decry as of the Commonwealth, committee. The state's Latin motto that planation to the general
racially insensitive to the made up of lawmakers, "While a majority of state translates as, "By the sword public," he said. q