Department of Environmental Quality HomeSearchFeedbackContact UsAccess Idaho
skip nav
About Us
Public Info & Input
Air
Water
Waste
INL Oversight
Maps & Data
Rules & Regs

Return to

Pollution Prevention Case Studies

or

DEQ's Pollution Prevention Program

 

Contact DEQ

Joanna Pierce

DEQ State Office
1410 N. Hilton
Boise, Idaho 83706
ph: (208) 373-0146
fx: (208) 373-0342

joanna.pierce@deq.idaho.gov


Pollution Prevention Case Studies:
Agri Beef Company, Boise, Idaho

 
 Environmental Commitment

In alignment with its core policy of environmental stewardship, Agri Beef Co. obtained its ISO 14001 certification, the first cattle feeding company ever to do so.  This ISO certification is part of Agri Beef Co.’s efforts to develop long-term and company-wide environmental conservation activities.

An independent, family-owned business headquartered in Boise with operations in Idaho, Washington, and Kansas, Agri Beef Co. continues to be an innovation leader in the beef cattle industry. Agri Beef Co.’s innovation and leadership in environmental excellence, technology, and stewardship are among the most admirable and consistently demonstrated in Idaho.  As Agri Beef Co. has grown, acquiring beef related operations in Idaho and other states, it has successfully integrated and transformed these operations and their practices into Agri Beef Co.’s culture of innovative environmental stewardship.
 

 Pollution Prevention Leadership

ISO 14001 is a series of international, voluntary environmental management standards intended to improve the environmental management of business through internal and 3rd party audits, documentation and self-regulation. It focuses on addressing environmental issues using a holistic approach of environmental stewardship, rather than focusing solely on compliance to specific regulations.

 

An environmental management system (EMS) uses a systematic approach to plan, control, measure, and improve an organization’s environmental performance.  Agri Beef Co. built its ISO 14001 program utilizing the EMS model ("Plan, Do, Check, and Act") to ensure that environmental matters are systematically identified, controlled, and monitored.  Through its EMS, Agri Beef Co. assumes responsibility for protecting the environment, complies with relevant laws and regulations, and commits to continued improvement in the resource conservation and recycling; energy conservation; resource management; and other areas of environmental stewardship.
 
 EMS Benefits
  • Manage environmental impacts arising out of its activities, product, and services;
  • Ensure compliance to applicable laws and regulations;
  • Create continual improvements in its practices; and
  • Demonstrate high environmental performance to its community and other constituencies by conforming to and achieving the company’s policy, objectives, and targets.

Agri Beef Co. has proactively and voluntarily adopted multidisciplinary methods to foster environmental stewardship, including fossil fuel reductions, research and development, nutrient management programs, water management practices, and dust emissions control measures. The company’s leadership in Environmental Management Systems standards and other disciplines exemplifies the best standards of international practice.

 
 For More Information

Contact Craig Mello at (208) 338-2500.
 

Information on this Web page represents examples of projects undertaken by the organizations only and does not constitute Departmental certification or approval of compliance at this or any other time with federal, state and/or local regulations, but is solely presented as an example of projects undertaken by organizations in order to prevent pollution and/or conserve resources.

 

  Home | Search | Contact Us |Feedback | About PDF Files | Acronyms | Glossary | State of Idaho | Privacy Notice  
  Copyright © 2000-2008, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. All rights reserved.