North American Foods closes another potato processing plant: Glenns Ferry

February 12, 2008
North American Foods confirmed Wednesday that it will close its potato processing plant in Glenns Ferry, ending nearly six months of uncertainty about the future of the plant. The Idaho Department of Labor estimates that about 110 people will be left without jobs. However, North American Foods has not said how many of those employees were full-time workers.

A skeleton crew of 23 employees has been manning the plant since August and will continue working until the plant's closure. A spokesman for North American Foods, which has food processing plants in Rupert, Lewisville, Dubois, Idaho Falls and Winnemucca, Nev., told city officials that the plant will be offered for sale after April 12.

Bob Fick, a Department of Labor spokesman, said the Glenns Ferry closure is not expected to have an impact on the company's other locations. North American Foods, formed last year by R.D. Offutt Co. of North Dakota and United II Potato Growers of Idaho, announced recently that it is also closing plants in Grand Forks, N.D.