Sheep Experiment Station receives state funding, but still needs federal

The Idaho State Legislature passed a bill that includes some funding for Sheep Research Station north of Dubois. For the local economy the announcement is a good step in the right direction. City and County leaders in Dubois have watched the area struggle as funding has dropped for years.

“We have lost a number of students from the school district,” said Karri Ellis, a Clark County Administrator. “We’ve lost interns and staff. So we’ve lost a lot of the people who would be living here, spending their money in the community.”

That’s why city and local community members are working to change the purpose of the sheep experimenting station. They created a committee to come up with ideas for the station and get more funding from both the state and federal governments. Idaho leaders are in favor of keeping the facility, now it’s just convincing Washington DC to do the same.

“We went with suggestions of what could be done at the sheep station, and what we think the mission should be,” said Bill Frederikson, a member of the local committee charged with We haven’t heard back yet [from the federal government], but we hope they will refund the sheep station.”

Frederikson says the station could provide a lot of needed research for new challenges farmers and ranchers are facing. “We have global warming issues. We have the sage grouse being threatened to be listed on the endangered species list. There are so many things that can be done out at that facility and on that property that are relevant to today’s issues.”