Jerome’s agribusinesses see a bright future ahead

JEROME — From increased livestock feed options to upcoming ice cream production, there is a whole lot of agribusiness expansion going on in Jerome.

Agribusiness company Scoular will soon be churning out steam-flaked and calf grains, thanks to its $20 million expansion.

Idaho Milk Products, just around the corner from the Scoular facility, announced last month it will begin a $200 million expansion as it sets sights on an ice cream and powder blending facility.

The project is expected to be in full commercial production by May 2026.

“It’s an exciting time to be here,” Scoular regional manager Andy Hohwieler said at a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony. He said the company’s expansion represents an investment in its customers. That isn’t the only investment going on, as producers are investing in their operations as well, whether for animal health, resource management or other reasons, he said.

The activity shows that agriculture remains the lifeblood in southern Idaho, Hohwieler said.

Scoular’s steam-flaking process involves steaming and heating barley or corn and pressing it into a flake.

“It’s like corn flakes for cows,” Hohwieler said. The process allows cattle to more easily absorb the nutrients from the grain, and the demand for it has grown as producers see its advantages.

A second portion of Scoular’s expansion is a mill to produce feed pellets. Pellets, typically used for feeding calves and beef cattle, are easy to handle and proportion for optimal nutrition, the company says.

The expansion, which included a 120-foot-tall concrete structure, boosts production capacity by 35% and storage capacity by 40%.

The new facility, expected to be in full production at the end of October, will churn out up to 60 tons of steam-flaked feed per hour and 20 tons per hour of pelleted feed.

“This new investment is a perfect example of meeting our customer’s demands and bringing forward the ideal solutions,” said Scoular CEO Paul Maass.

Jeff Ackerman, chief operating officer for Bettencourt Dairies, which operates dairies in Jerome and Wendell, said the added feed options will help the dairy maintain its mission of providing high-quality milk and dairy products to customers.

“Scoular is helping us provide the right nutritional profile to the animal at the right time,” Ackerman said.

“Tailor-made feed blends are essential.”

The investment not only helps livestock producers, but the farming community as a whole, Ackerman said.

Scoular, founded in 1892, is based in Omaha, Neb., and has $8 billion in annual sales.

Idaho Milk Products

Idaho Milk Products announced last month it was getting the ice cream business.

A news release from the company says a $200 million expansion calls for a 183,000 square foot plant for ice cream manufacturing and powder blending facility in Jerome.

The company will focus on premium indulgent and functional recipes in both bulk and novelty formats while blending capabilities will support the ice cream business and create capabilities to provide custom formulations to both existing and new customers, a news release said.

Construction is expected to begin within two months and be substantially complete by early 2026 with full commercial production by May 2026.

While the focus of the company to its core business remains the same, said CEO Daragh Maccabee, Idaho Milk Products is seeking out new ways to add value to its milk.

“The project was initially born out of the conviction to add incremental value to a portion of that product stream,” said Kevin Quinn, vice president of sales and marketing. “The inclusion of a blending facility in the new plant creates new ways to service our customers and add to the benefits of our vertically integrated model.”

Owned by Idaho dairy farmers, Idaho Milk Products supplies milk protein isolate, milk protein concentrate, milk permeate powder, and fresh cream to customers around the world.