Rumors continue to circulate in western Idaho on the future of Simplot's potato processing plants in Nampa and Caldwell, ID.
While Simplot Corporate offices are not making any statements whatsoever, the rumors continue to persist that either one or both could either be closed or sold.
Western Idaho growers, who had contacts cut, are on edge, as are hundreds of workers employed in the plants.
With southern Idaho growers still reeling from the phase-out of Simplot's Heyburn, ID, fry plant and its cutback of 20,000 contracted acres this year, the matter will probably not be put to rest until the company makes a statement.
The Heyburn plant's scale-down and closure next year rocked the Idaho potato industry more so than any news announcement in decades. There are still hard feeling about Simplot's announcement coming too late for growers who had already spent thousands of dollars preparing fields for this year's crop.