The feedlot, constructed in 1952, had a capacity of 35,000 cattle. A gradual phase-down of operations began several months ago, and the final cow was removed earlier this week. Tom Basabe, President of the Simplot Agriculture Group, said expansion of the company's Grand View, Idaho, feedlot made it possible to close the Caldwell facility. He also noted that increasing population and business growth in the Caldwell area increasingly made it more difficult to operate the 300-acre feedlot, which is near the city limits. Virtually all of the feedlot's 24 employees have been able to transfer to Grand View or other Simplot Company locations.
Work is underway to dismantle gates, pens, the feed mill and other parts of the facility.
These components will be used at other Simplot ranches and feedlots. The property, located two miles west of Caldwell, will be turned into farm land. The Caldwell feedlot was acquired by Simplot in 1970. In addition to Grand View, the company operates feedlots near Pasco, Washington, and Boardman, Oregon. Overall production is approximately 400,000 cattle a year.