Greetings! My name is Logan Hafer, and I am a senior undergraduate student who will be graduating from the university in May of 2025. I am originally from Dunning, Nebraska, where I grew up on a ranch (cow/calf) in the Sandhills. These days, my family resides farther north near Long Pine, NE. I have been a part of the Schmidt Lab team since October of 2022 and have gotten exposure to a wide variety of experiences. This includes assisting with graduate research projects, participating in extension activities, attending conferences, conducting my own undergraduate research, and more! I have also been very involved both on and off campus through organizations like Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council, the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program, and the CASNR Student Advisory Board. My time with Schmidt Lab has increased my knowledge of different agricultural sectors, provided me with professional development opportunities, and increased my overall passion for Nebraska ag!

As Nebraskans, one of our primary concerns is the relationship between our different agricultural sectors and the environment. Every producer’s motivation towards this issue is different; it can be based on a real interest in helping the environment, it can manifest out of a desire to protect and preserve the industry’s ability to operate, or it can be a combination of the two. For whatever reason, if sustainability truly is our goal, it can never hurt to consider what these agro-environmental dynamics look like in other states.

In April of 2025, I had the opportunity to journey to Boise, Idaho for the biennial Waste to Worth research conference, where I gave a poster presentation on my undergraduate research. I had high hopes for the state of Idaho, a state that I have never been to before. I had heard great reviews about its scenery, as well as the city of Boise. Those reviews seemed to be well-founded. Though I had the rare privilege to grow up in the Nebraska Sandhills, a very beautiful region in its own right, mountains have always impressed me, and there were plenty in Idaho. Additionally, downtown Boise was very clean and safe, whilst also teeming with restaurants, bars, coffee shops, Basque culture, and plenty of other experiences. However, the most impressive (and perhaps surprising) part of the trip may not have been Boise or even the scenery, but the remarkable facility I toured in Hagerman, Idaho. The entirety of the first day of the conference was devoted to tours, which everyone had been able to sign up for ahead of time. The tour I just happened to be on took I-84 from Boise all the way south past Twin Falls, ID. On our way to Twin Falls, we stopped and toured the University of Idaho Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station. 

Aquaculture is not a topic that I am well versed in, so I had no idea that Idaho produced approximately 70% of US commercial trout, virtually all of which is raised in three counties in the Magic valley (Twin Falls, Gooding, and Jerome), or that such a major aquaculture research station existed there. One of our primary guides at the fishery was Dr. Matt Powell, who has been with the research station for years. From him, we learned that the spring water percolating from the aquafer into the Snake River is high in oxygen and at the ideal temperature for raising trout. This abundance of an ideal water supply is what led to the extensive aquaculture industry in this part of Idaho. Dr. Jacob Bledsoe also helped to explain one of their primary research projects at the station, which was to essentially develop vegan trout. Specifically, researchers have been working to create trout that are able to tolerate a soy-based food source, something that does not naturally occur. Normal fish feed contains fishmeal and fish oil, which requires the raising or harvesting of fish in order to supply the aquaculture industry. As someone with a background in the Nebraska beef industry, I am ever weary of the words “vegan” and “vegetarian.” However, I can certainly get behind an alternative, plant-based feed for fish, a vital protein source. This will put less demand on aquaculture and fish populations, whilst allowing more to go towards human consumption. As one can probably imagine, the feed also has major support from the soybean industry, and it serves as yet another example of the remarkable versatility of that commodity. 

The tour was not limited to trout; we were also lucky to see a pool of domesticated sturgeon. There were dozens of sturgeon, and most of them appeared to be approximately 4-6 feet long. According to the staff, the older sturgeon in the school were 30-40 years old. We also learned about the sturgeon and caviar industry in Idaho. Visitors were allowed to pet the sturgeon, and it was pretty amusing seeing people, myself included, try to convince the fish to swim by where we could reach them. Fortunately, I was successful, and I now have no doubt that sturgeon are very cool animals. Visiting the sturgeon pond helped to steer the conversation to a different area, which was how fish feed is designed for different fish. For example, trout have adapted, both physically and behaviorally, to feed from the surface. Therefore, trout feed must be able to float on the surface of the water, where it is most accessible to the fish. This is in direct contrast with sturgeon, who are bottom feeders. Their feed must be dense enough to sink to the bottom where they are able to access it. In both cases, fish feed has evolved to hard, round pellets that are more resistant to degradation in the environment. This allows farm managers to collect excess food and ensure that nutrients do not go into the river system. Aquaculture is unique in that both animal feed and waste are in contact with the water supply, in contrast with livestock and poultry operations which prohibit contact between waste and water which will enter the surface or groundwater supply. This means that for aquaculture proper water quality management, that minimizes nutrients in water, is essential to ensure the water can be safely returned to the environment.

In Idaho, as in Nebraska, the preservation of water resources is essential for the future of the state, its people, and its agriculture and aquaculture industries. Idaho fisheries are uniquely positioned to make a significant impact towards sustainability both through the stewardship of the water it uses and through its development of vegan trout species that will decrease the strain on the fish supply from feed production.  From my limited time at the Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station, I have no doubt that the work they are doing is important, and it provides a great example of what it looks like to pursue realistic sustainability objectives. I was fortunate to see many unique places during my time in Idaho, but this experience will certainly prove to be one of the most memorable.