06/10/05 ECAC to promote Elmore County ag

The Elmore County Agri-Business Coalition or ECAC is a newly formed group whose purpose is to promote their county's agricultural diversity. GRIMMETT "The we want to educate our local folks or anybody who will listen to us of what ag does for everybody on a daily basis." ECAC President Mike Grimmett says Elmore County agriculture has been well established since the late 1800's. GRIMMETT "We were the head of the sheep industry here until after World War Two. Our diversity is strong in ranching and farming." Obviously agriculture in Elmore County has changed over the years and its changing again with the addition of new dairies. GRIMMETT "We don't have the big dollar crops of sugarbeets and potatoes that we had in the early 70's. We have an opportunity to get into some of the dairy issues and at the same time allow these guys to farm, raising corn and hay and grain products." The ECAC is a volunteer non-profit organization and Grimmett says it's open to folks like him, a non farmer who is joining with many of the county's ag producers to begin the education process. Voice of Idaho Agriculture