Welcome to the Business Plus Newsletter!

September 2023

2023 Third Quarter Meeting

Our Third Quarter Meeting was held last month at the Historic Wilson Theater in Rupert, Idaho with the topic All Things Food: Production, Processing and Research, Our Southern Idaho Workforce.

Moderated by Idaho State Senator Kelly Anthon and also Administrator for the city of Rupert, panelists spoke about the challenges our agriculture-based economy faces, particularly with a workforce population comprised of over 70% foreign-born workers. Joel Anderson, Executive Director of the Snake River Farmers Association, framed the discussion explaining the legal immigration options and changes in policy over the past 40 years. Rick Naerebout, Director for the Idaho Dairymen's Association, disclosed that the dairy industry represents 35% of the agricultural sector in Idaho representing 33,000 jobs and $10.7 billion in total sales. Daragh Maccabee, CEO for Idaho Milk Products and Vice President of the Unity Alliance of Southern Idaho, stated "The biggest risk to the milk industry is that we won't have people to milk the cows."

Below are links to speakers' slides, the NextGen news, Idaho Congressmen Mike Simpson's and Mike Crapo's columns supporting Idaho's agriculture, and Times-News Editorials that reference our event and/or the economic impact of our agriculture-based economy.

Daragh Maccabee speaks about the Unity Alliance of Southern Idaho, a non-profit organization that was founded in 2016 to foster an understanding and appreciation of the contribution that all foreign-born labor make to our Idaho economy. Maccabee is Vice President of the Unity Alliance organization.

Third Quarter Meeting Speaker Slides

USDA's NextGen Program

The College of Southern Idaho was awarded a $3M grant from the USDA to increase the number of students prepared to meet industry needs in agriculture, food, and natural resource fields. Dr. Barry Pate, Dean of Career and Technical Education, shared details about this project at our Third Quarter meeting.

Idaho's Congressmen on Supporting Agriculture

and our Dairy Industries

Times-News Editorials on Southern Idaho's Agriculture Economy

Save the Date!

Our Business Plus Annual Meeting is Thursday, November 16th in Twin Falls with the theme:

Exploring Fundamentals of Economic Development:

The Economic Impact of Urban Renewal Areas in Southern Idaho

Would your company like to be a co-sponsor?

Check Presentations

Thank you D.L. Evans Bank!

L-R: Rudy Ashenbrener, Matt Sandberg, Rebecca Wildman, Katie Milam, Jim Evans, and Zehireta Avdic

Thank you PMT!

L-R: Rebecca Wildman, Juli Jaime, Rick Harder and Mike Walsh

Investor Spotlight!

Economic Reports

CSI Career Fair

COMMUNITY

Always Developing Leader, LLC

- J.J. Shawver NEW!

Family Health Services

Gem State Welders Supply*

Ireland Bank

Moss Greenhouses

New Energy One, LLC

New Leaf Properties*

Oregon Trail RV Park*

Sparklight*

Stevens Pierce & Associates CPAs*

Strategic Financial Group

Stratus Marketing

Umpqua (formerly Columbia Bank)

Window Welder

LEGACY LEADERS

Leonard Anderson

Rep. Maxine Bell (retired)

Doug Brown

Cindy Collins

Rep. Lance Clow

Jeff Harris

Sen. Linda Hartgen, and in memory of

   Stephen Hartgen

Jeff Harris

Carleen Herring NEW!

Alan Horner

Dan Lloyd NEW!

Rex Lytle

Dave McAlindin

Mike McBride

Gregg Middlekauff

Gary Nelson

Dan Olmstead

Mayor Ruth Pierce

Cally Grindstaff Roach

Jan Rogers

Rich Stivers NEW!

Doug Vollmer

Lee Wagner

Deb Wilson

John Wright

IN-KIND SUPPORT

Atlas Technical Services

BBSI

Best Western Burley Inn

Coldwell Banker Commercial

- Christy Latta NEW!

Con Paulos Chevrolet

Idaho Central Credit Union

Idaho National Laboratory (INL)

KeyBank

Minidoka Memorial Hospital

Mr. Gas

Nu-Vu Glass

Oregon Trail RV

Packaging Specialties of Idaho

PCA Packaging Corporation of America

PerforMix Nutrition Systems

PMT

Starr Corporation

Stratus Marketing

TOK Commercial

Umpqua (formerly Columbia Bank)

Watkins Distributing

WATCO

Willamette Dental Group

WillTran, Inc.

*Indicates 10+ years of support since 2003

+includes additional promotional investment