Rick Naerebout: Dairy Association Leader’s Solution to Immigration Workforce Challenges

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This year has brought six months of uncertainty and chaos for farm producers and their migrant workers. Rick Naerebout doesn’t pretend that he thinks that he has all the answers, or that he can predict the future. But he is feeling more confident that some of the changes that he seeks for the dairy industry could happen in the months ahead.

Naerebout has been in the dairy business most of his life. He grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Michigan. And for the past 20 years, he has worked for the Idaho Dairymen’s Association. For the last five years, he has served as the association’s CEO.

Rick Naerebout bio:

• Michigan native – grew up on family dairy farm in McBain

• Idaho Dairymen’s Association – CEO since 2017

• IDA Consulting Services – Provides on-farm services for 350 dairy farms in the state

“I mean, we've been working on immigration for 20 years,” Naerebout told American Farmland Owner from his office in Twin Falls. “Until we get to the pinnacle, you know, it's gonna feel like an uphill climb. But we just don't know where that pinnacle is.”

The U.S. dairy industry, particularly in states like Idaho, is heavily dependent on immigrant labor. The nature of dairy work—year-round, physically demanding, and located in rural areas—makes it difficult to attract domestic workers.

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Dairy Farmers Rely on Migrant Workers

Many dairy operations rely on undocumented labor or workers without stable legal status. This creates uncertainty not just for workers but also for the farms and communities that depend on them.

But Naerebout sees a shift in momentum. “It is really refreshing to see it being discussed at the levels that it's being discussed,” he said. “Clearly, the number of times that President Trump has talked about publicly doing something for ag employers is refreshing. We've never had a presidency take it this serious.”

President Trump has said numerous times in recent weeks that the administration is aware of what removing all migrant workers would do to the agricultural industry. He has discussed the idea of farmers being able to vouch for migrant workers, which could allow them to remain in the United States.

Trump said early in his presidency in 2017 that he would look out for farmers amid plans to deport workers without legal status.

According to Naerebout, this level of attention from the White House is unprecedented.

“So, it does feel like there’s some opportunities here that we haven’t had in the past. Whether that comes in the form of an executive order or congressional action,” Naerebout speculated, “...we'd probably lean that the odds are better for executive order than congressional action right now.”

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Legal Pathway for Migrant Workers

For many dairy leaders, the hope is for a pathway to legal status for the existing workforce. While the term “amnesty” often stirs political resistance, Naerebout made clear that what is being proposed isn’t a free pass.

“’Amnesty’ is getting something for nothing,” he explained. “And if you're passing a background check and you're paying a monetary penalty, that's not something for nothing.”

Naerebout emphasized that previous proposals have included what he considers common-sense guardrails: “Every time there's been a conversation around what legislation or an executive order should look like…when you get to the legalization piece,” he said, “It’s always been, okay, there's going to be a monetary penalty, and a background check is wanted by all sides.”

The uncertainty lies in the conflicting signals from Washington. While President Trump has signaled support for agricultural employers, others in his administration have been less clear. “It is difficult to try and parse through all of the public statements that are being made,” Naerebout acknowledged. “At the end of the day, I’m gonna say, well, the President—the buck kind of stops with him.”

Optimism for Immigration Reform

That belief in Trump’s leadership is what sustains Naerebout’s hope. “He stayed strong there...he hasn't really wavered,” he said of Trump’s public support for agricultural labor reform.

“That’s what gives us the optimism. He seems brave enough to take this on and take the political heat for doing something when many others have been scared off,” Naerebout said.

Yet even with optimism, the dairy industry remains realistic. Congress has long struggled to agree on immigration legislation, with politically charged language—like “amnesty”—often derailing efforts.

Naerebout said, “Maybe I’m overly optimistic. I hope I’m not. I hope we finally find a solution here.”