Construction continues at the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (Idaho CAFE), a University of Idaho-led facility in Rupert, Idaho, that will include the nation’s largest research dairy. Phase II is currently underway and includes construction of a commodity barn, a calving and research barn, and a classroom building.
The university says innovation and efficiency are the hallmarks of this new facility, which will increase the capabilities for researchers to address challenges facing agriculture, including environmental issues.
“CAFE will play a key role in addressing critical challenges related to water-use efficiency and environmental quality, while directly supporting the productivity and efficient sustainability of Idaho’s dairy, livestock, cropland and food processing sectors,” says Rachael Bickerton, director of government and external relations at the University of Idaho. “It will also open up exciting opportunities for cutting-edge research and education, especially by enabling studies with larger herd sizes that better reflect the realities of today’s dairy industry in Idaho.”
In addition to current faculty, multiple positions are being filled that will conduct research at CAFE, including an air quality scientist, forage specialist and irrigation specialist.
Phase I, which included major earthwork and construction of the milking barn, was completed at the end of 2024. A viewing area will overlook the 60-cow rotary milking parlor to minimize operational disruptions during tours.
“We are in the process of issuing an RFP for Phase III – the construction of the corrals, which will be designed to allow flexibility for research needs,” Bickerton says.
The dairy is scheduled to be fully operational in early 2026. They plan to milk approximately 400 cows by the end of 2026, building up to a herd size of 2,000 to reflect the average dairy size in Idaho.
“As the herd size increases, we will be working on building a flexible manure treatment research facility, working in conjunction with USDA-ARS. Congressman Simpson has helped to secure community funding support to help with this part of the project. We would also like to build a cross-ventilated freestall barn in the near future,” Bickerton says.
CAFE is funded by a partnership involving U of I, industry and government. In 2017, the Idaho Legislature appropriated $10 million from the state’s Permanent Building Fund to help finance the project. In September 2022, the Idaho Board of Land Commissioners awarded $23.25 million toward CAFE from the sale of U of I endowment land in Caldwell that was no longer being used for experimental farming. During the 2025 session, the legislature appropriated $250,000 toward building maintenance funds for the new milking parlor.
Construction at the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (Idaho CAFE) nears completion outside Rupert, Idaho. Image by Bill Schaefer.
Hybrid student learning options
The University of Idaho plans to offer undergraduate classes in a hybrid format with the option for students to come to CAFE in Rupert from the university’s main campus in Moscow for a hands-on experience. The facility will also be important for graduate student training and research. Additionally, it will allow for collaboration with other educational institutions.
“We are in conversations with the College of Southern Idaho, BYU – Idaho, Utah State University (USU) and Washington State University (WSU) about the collaboration at CAFE,” Bickerton says. “CAFE will offer important workforce training opportunities – providing technical experience and training for people working in the dairy and supporting industries. This will be a great opportunity to work with community colleges to develop programs that are relevant and needed by our industries. We will be able to offer rotations for USU and WSU veterinary students. We also have had interest from institutions and industry from inside and outside of the state, and internationally as well.”
The project is being built in multiple phases to manage costs, which has extended the original timeline, but Bickerton says it was imperative to ensure that they had the best facility possible.
“The concept of Idaho CAFE has been in the works for over a decade, and groundbreaking was two years ago. That’s a long time to keep the momentum and excitement for this project. But now that the parlor is complete and the construction of the maternity and commodity barns and classroom is visibly underway, it feels like the enthusiasm for the project is regaining momentum,” she says.
