03/23/09

Two month from now, the University of Idaho will bring the 'Western Odor and Air Quality Program' to Twin Falls. The program is for lawmakers, producers and producer associations, as well as educators and employees of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Idaho Department of Agriculture.

Gooding County Extension Educator Mario de Hari says, “We're bringing the best educators on air quality, on other quality, on management or BMP's, best management practices.

De Hari is originally from Argentina, and has been working for the University of Idaho for two years now. He says students at Gooding High School are studying composting, recycling and basic sustainability, with information provided by the UI

De Hari says that the 'vaca verde' or 'green cow' program was started two years ago, which teaches Spanish speaking workers at dairies and feedlots how to take samples from wastewater, compost, and soil. He says that enables them to have an awareness of what's going on around them in their environment.

He says, “So they can notify their supervisors if they see a leak, or if they see something that is not working as they should, they can notify because they learn how to, or what to look for.