Cattle feedlot threatens Minidoka Internment National Monument
The Friends of Minidoka is collecting donations on behalf of the coalition for legal fees related to the confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) litigation. All donations will go directly to this cause.
Any unused donations will be directed to the Friends of Minidoka for use in other Minidoka National Historic Site projects.
National Trust for Historic Preservation:
Idaho's Japanese Internment Camp in Limbo 
Magic Valley Times-News:
Judge hears arguments in Big Sky feedlot case
Press Release 10/21/08 PDF
Press Release 9/19/08 PDF
In the fall of 2007, Big Sky Dairy applied for a land use permit to build a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) one mile from the Minidoka National Historic Site. Originally, the petition was denied. However, upon Judicial Review, the permit process was sent back to the three Jerome County Commissioners to re-evaluate. On September 23, 2008 the CAFO permit was approved by a split vote.
Part of the Friends of Minidoka's mission is to assist in the preservation of the Minidoka National Historic Site's cultural resources, national history and its development into a visitor friendly, relevant, National Park. We are dedicated to this cause and are therefore engaged in a legal review of the CAFO permit. We have partnered with several local and national organizations and neighboring farm families (see list below). The National Trust for Historic Preservation also listed Minidoka as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places because of the proposed CAFO facility.
TThe Friends of Minidoka supports local ranching, farming and agriculture. However, this massive CAFO is in the wrong location. The air, water and soil borne contaminates caused by 13,000 confined dairy cows would be a considerable detriment to the function of Minidoka as a public park and endanger its historic assets. There are also road safety issues with pedestrian visitors at Minidoka and the traffic from the feedlot.
A life-long Twin Falls resident made a poignant personal comment about a CAFO at Minidoka:
“In driving around other CAFOs in this area, the flies and odor are pretty horrific at times. The roads are often caked with mud and other waste from the trucks necessary to operate the farms. The trucks also damage the roads which makes it more difficult to drive in the area. There is also noise pollution from the trucks and loaders… There are so many negatives, that it makes the positives (economic) pale in comparison… If you imagine visiting a park near a CAFO - you wouldn't even want to get out of the car, let alone have a picnic, peruse the waysides, look for names on the Honor Roll or Issei Memorial.”
President Clinton proclaimed the few acres that remained of Minidoka War Relocation Center a National Monument. Congress agreed when they voted in approval of the National Park Service's General Management Plan. Therefore, the Minidoka National Historic Site is owned by all Americans. The peoples' property and history should be protected.
The Friends of Minidoka has joined the coalition formed to protect Minidoka from a CAFO which threatens Minidoka's fragile remnants and its use as an educational site for future generations. This local, regional and national coalition has unified to protect the Minidoka National Historic Site and it's neighbors from the damaging ramifications of a nearby Confined Animal Feeding Operation.
To date, the coalition is as follows:
 Dimond Family |
- Idaho Concerned Area Residents for the Environment
- Preservation Idaho www.preservationidaho.org
- Japanese American Citizens League www.jacl.org
- National Trust for Historic Preservation www.nthp.org
- Idaho Rural Council www.idahoruralcouncil.org
- Friends of Minidoka
- Dean Dimond. His family has owned his farm since the late 1940’s. He is a direct neighbor to the Minidoka National Historic Site.
- Harold & Carolyn Dimond
- Wayne Slone, guardian of James Slone who lives a within a mile from the proposed CAFO
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