IDAHO 500 | 

Rick Naerebout

Organization
Idaho Dairymen’s Association
Title
CEO

Rick Naerebout leads the Idaho Dairyman’s Association, representing Idaho’s $4 billion dairy industry, the state’s most valuable agricultural sector. With more than 20 years of experience advocating for 400 dairy farms across the state, his most significant recent accomplishment was guiding the industry through massive growth, with Idaho dairymen producing more than 2 million more pounds of milk daily compared to the previous year.

Born and raised on his family’s dairy farm in McBain, Michigan, Naerebout moved to Idaho after his family sold their dairy in the late 1990s. He attended College of Southern Idaho and Idaho State University before joining the Idaho Dairymen’s Association in 2002. For his first 12 years, he simultaneously managed Independent Milk Producers, a local milk marketing cooperative.

Naerebout established IDA Consulting Services to provide on-farm nutrient management planning and worker training programs, expanding the association’s services to meet changing industry needs. Under his leadership, Idaho dairy farmers achieved a 5% to 6% growth rate in 2024, positioning the state to reclaim its ranking among the nation’s top three dairy producers.

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