[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF BOB NAEREBOUT RECEIVING THE BISHOP MICHAEL DRISCOLL 
                                 AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2018

  Mr. SIMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service of 
Bob Naerebout, a longtime champion of Idaho's dairy and agriculture 
industries. Bob oversees government affairs for the Idaho Dairymen's 
Association and formerly served as their Executive Director for 15 
years. He was recently recognized by the Catholic Diocese of Boise with 
the Bishop Michael Driscoll Award. The award recognizes individuals 
``who have served in love and justice the needs of those in our 
community who are less fortunate, left behind, or in any way 
marginalized.'' Bob's passionate cause is bringing agricultural 
laborers out of the shadows. Bob's service to laborers in Idaho's dairy 
and agriculture industry has been a brave service of moral and economic 
importance.
  Prior to coming to Idaho, Bob graduated from Michigan State 
University and managed the Dairy Research and Teaching Center, as well 
as his own dairy in McBain, Michigan. Bob and his family went west to 
Utah when he worked for Dairy Farmers of America, a marketing 
cooperative of nearly 14,000 farm families. In 2002, he moved to Idaho, 
where he served as Executive Director of the Idaho Dairymen's 
Association.
  From his first days in Idaho, Bob brought a fresh perspective to 
addressing the challenges facing Idaho's growing dairy industry. Bob 
went to work on a number of regulatory reforms affecting the industry. 
These included a memorandum of understanding between the industry, the 
Idaho State Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, that ensured practical and effective environmental 
regulation of Idaho's dairies. In Idaho, policymakers know that if you 
want to talk dairy, you had better visit with Bob Naerebout.
  Idaho's dairy industry has rapidly expanded its economic footprint 
across the state, especially in the Magic Valley. Bob has played no 
small role in this growth. As producers and processors alike looked for 
a new home where they could expand, Bob would seize opportunities to 
introduce them to Idaho. He would help find a way to ensure that Idaho 
would be a great place to do business. For example, Bob worked to bring 
Chobani to Idaho to build the largest yogurt plant in the world.
  Today, Idaho is the third largest dairy state in the U.S. The Boise 
Diocese's Driscoll award recognizes Bob's work with these most 
vulnerable of new citizens, many of whom are Catholic and all of whom 
are trying to make a better life and a fresh start for their families. 
Theirs is the same pioneer spirit that settled our country--from 
Virginia to Michigan to Idaho--since its founding.
  Bob's work on behalf of the dairy industry recognizes a very simple 
fact about immigration--it is an issue of vital economic and moral 
importance. Bob believes every corner of Idaho benefits from the 
tremendous strength and productivity of our agricultural industry.
  Bob has advocated for common sense immigration reform, and has been 
part of a team that has helped build Idaho's dairy industry into an 
economic powerhouse. All the while, Bob has put a human face on the 
debate of immigration. That human face--with its diversity and optimism 
for a better life--is a face that is an integral part of the fabric of 
American agriculture.
  I offer my congratulations to Bob Naerebout for the recognition of 
his good work, and thank him for reminding us all of the importance of 
being a better citizen and friend to those looking for that same 
opportunity.

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