A Simplot Grower Solutions liquid fertilizer storage and distribution facility is under construction in Baker City, Ore., according to the Capital Press. The facility in Baker City’s industrial park is slated to be open for the spring planting season, and will employ seven people initially, with the potential to increase to about a dozen.
Josh Jordan, Simplot’s Senior Manager for Communications and Public Relations, told the Capital Press that the company has operated a temporary Simplot Grower Solutions facility in Baker City, but had longer-term plans to build a permanent facility to meet the needs of area farmers. To reach that goal, the company paid $235,620 to purchase a 14.28-acre parcel in the city’s 64-acre Elkhorn View Industrial Park, he said.
In February 2020, the Baker City Planning Commission approved Simplot’s request for a waiver from the 50-foot height limit in the city’s zoning ordinance to accommodate a 75-foot fertilizer storage tower at the site. Jordan told the Capital Press that the facility will have 2,300 tons of capacity and enhanced fertilizer blending capabilities. The facility will also supply other crop products and services to growers.