Simplot expands services to growers and suppliers in Western Canada

The J.R. Simplot Company, a diversified, global food and agriculture company headquartered in Boise, Idaho, is expanding its fertilizer distribution operations in Alberta, Canada. Simplot plans on developing a high volume blending facility at their Chin and Cardston, Alberta locations.

The Chin, Alberta location currently has three large fertilizer storage buildings on site that have been used since Simplot purchased the Canadian Pacific rail-serviced facility in January 2015. Simplot will make significant upgrades to one of the buildings to add blending capabilities up to 350 tons per hour and storage for twelve granular fertilizer products. Once complete, the location will have a 50,000 ton capacity with high volume load-out lanes for both blended and straight product.

The company also purchased a fertilizer storage location East of Cardston, Alberta and will begin construction of a new high-volume fertilizer blending plant this spring. The location will include a 10,000-ton fertilizer blend plant with additional storage and new office on site. Cardston and Chin will both be equipped with impregnation capabilities to meet the growing demands of coated granular products.

"Simplot has been a long-term supplier of fertilizer products to the Alberta market and expanding our operations in these communities is an important part of our overall growth strategy in Western Canada," said Luke Burton, Manager of Simplot's Western Canada AgriBusiness Division.

"As demand for our products and services continues to grow, it is important that we have the proper assets and people in place to service our customers in the most efficient manner. We are excited about the future of western Canadian agriculture, and these investments are a testament of our commitment to southern Alberta," said Burton.

The company offers a wide variety of agriculture products and services including dry and liquid fertilizer, application and storage services, soil sampling and agronomic consulting, specialty crop input products, and seed.