Idaho Milk Products Unveils Comprehensive Sustainability Report
A Legacy of Excellence and Commitment
Idaho Milk Products is a vertically integrated, farmer-owned enterprise, formed through a partnership among Bettencourt Dairy, Big Sky Dairy, and Skyline Dairy. These respected members of the dairy community in south-central Idaho embody a long-standing commitment to excellence. Our collective ownership group provides all the milk our operations require from just 12 dairies, while also cultivating over 32,000 acres (~12,950 hectares) of cropland. Our active milking herd comprises over 80,000 Jersey and cross-bred (Jersey x Holstein) cows, consistently delivering milk with above-average fat (>5%) and protein (>3.6%) content.
Proximity and Freshness
Our processing facility in the picturesque Magic Valley lies within a 50-mile (~80 km) radius of all our owners’ dairies, ensuring that the freshest milk reaches the plant within minutes to hours of milking. Upon arrival, we separate the fat from whole milk to produce IdaPro® Cream and concentrate the remaining skim milk into IdaPro® and IdaPlus® Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC), Milk Protein Isolate (MPI), and Micellar Casein (MC) product lines, as well as IdaPro® Milk Permeate Powder (MPP). Our facility processes approximately 4.5 million pounds (~2 million liters) of milk daily, utilizing proprietary cold loop filtration to produce premium dairy ingredients sustainably and efficiently.
Innovative Research and Development
The Milk Innovation Center (MIC) is a 4,114-square-foot (~385 square-meter) hub for Research and Development (R&D) and Pilot Plant operations, facilitating prototype creation to meet customer needs. The center features a state-of-the-art processing area, an instrumentation lab, and spaces for evaluations and meetings. Our R&D team excels in developing products like ready-to-drink beverages (RTDs), yogurts, protein bars, and high-protein ice cream, positioning us as industry leaders in innovation and nutrition.
Sustainable Practices and Environmental Stewardship
Our commitment to sustainable manure management is evidenced by the use of anaerobic digesters on our farms. These digesters mitigate methane emissions by processing manure into biogas, which fuels engines generating electricity for the local power grid. One of our farms boasts the longest-running dairy manure digester in Idaho, generating sufficient electricity to supply over 920 homes annually. Another digester has been operational for more than 14 years, producing biogas that meets pipeline standards and is injected into the natural gas distribution network.
2022 Sustainability Report: A New Era of Accountability
In 2022, Idaho Milk Products embarked on a process to rebuild its sustainability platform from the ground up. By integrating data, insights, and stakeholder feedback, a robust foundation for lasting change was established. The updated platform features metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs), allowing for more accurate progress tracking. From carbon emissions reduction to water conservation, every step forward is quantified. By forging strategic partnerships with customers, industry experts, and local communities, Idaho Milk Products actively seeks to extend its positive influence beyond organizational boundaries.
Leadership Perspectives
Daragh Maccabee, CEO of Idaho Milk Products, stated, “The most important aspect of our work over the last few years has been to take the existing solid foundation of our sustainable business model and link it in a real way to what we do, what we measure and what we talk about every day. This report reflects a snapshot of how we are doing and what we view as important as we strive for continuous improvement.”
Jeremy Pike, Sustainability Platform Leader at Idaho Milk Products, added, “I am thrilled to unveil this comprehensive update on our sustainability initiatives. We have an inherent responsibility to strengthen our positive impact, and I am excited to continue pushing the boundaries of science and innovation to drive meaningful change.”
Image by idahomilkproducts.com
