Editing J. R. Simplot (section)

==J. R. Simplot Company==
{{main article|Simplot}}
By [[World War II]], the [[Simplot|J. R. Simplot Company]] had become the largest shipper of fresh potatoes in the nation.

In 1967, Simplot and [[McDonald's]] founder [[Ray Kroc]] agreed by handshake that the Simplot Company would provide frozen french fries to the restaurant chain. Previously, restaurants had cut potatoes at each location for fresh french fries, but the favored [[russet Burbank potato|russet potato]] was not available for three months in the summer, leading to a quality control problem. Simplot was able to supply frozen russet potatoes all year long. By 1972, all fries were frozen.<ref>'': Behind the Arches'', pp. 327–332, Love, John F., rev. ed., 1995, New York: Bantam Books</ref> The frozen fry deal led to expansion of Simplot potato processing plants and construction in 1977 of a new plant at [[Hermiston, Oregon]]. By 2005, Simplot supplied more than half of all french fries for the [[fast food]] chain. Simplot also produces [[fertilizer]]s for agriculture.<ref>{{cite journal
 | last = Brandt
 | first = Richard
 | title = J.R. Simplot: Still Hustling, after all these years
 | journal = Business Week
 | issue = 3176
 | pages = 60–65
 | date = 1990-09-03
 | issn = 0007-7135 }}</ref>

Simplot retired as president of his company in 1973, but remained as chairman until 1994. He held the title of chairman emeritus until his death in 2008. Simplot received an honorary degree from [[Utah State University]] in [[Logan, Utah|Logan]] in 2001,<ref>[http://www.usu.edu/aa/awards/honorary_degrees.cfm Honorary Degrees] from [[Utah State University]],</ref> honoring him for his many contributions to the agricultural industry of America, particularly the [[Intermountain West]].

Simplot was responsible for the [[New York Mercantile Exchange#Goods|Potato Bust]] of 1976, after making massive short plays he refused to honor those contracts. This resulted in millions in dollars of losses for the New York Merchant Exchange. A public outcry followed, and the newly created [[Commodity Futures Trading Commission]] held hearings.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=D2y7SftShx8C The Asylum], [[Leah McGrath Goodman]], Harper Collins, 2011</ref>

Further enhancing his enormous wealth, the J.R. Simplot Company provided startup capital in the early 1980s for the fledgling [[Micron Technology]], a [[Boise, Idaho|Boise]]-based manufacturer of [[computer memory]] chips;<ref name=trlhaas/> in 1994, he owned a 20% stake in the company.<ref>{{cite news |title= The Micron Mystery : Sudden Departure of Three Execs Goes Unexplained |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-21-fi-41148-story.html |newspaper= [[Los Angeles Times]] |date= September 21, 1994 |access-date= 2024-03-06}}</ref> Additionally, he invested heavily in [[Remington Oil & Gas Corporation|Remington Oil]].

In 1961, Simplot financed the [[Brundage Mountain]] [[ski area]] near [[McCall, Idaho|McCall]], two hours north of Boise. The Simplot Company sold its 50% interest in Brundage in April 2006 to the longtime co-owner, the DeBoer family. In the early 1950s, Simplot was the benefactor to the fledgling [[Bogus Basin]] ski area near Boise when it had financial difficulties; the base area lodge is named in his honor.

In 1995, the J.R. Simplot Company expanded into [[Australia]], acquiring iconic food brands like Birds Eye, Leggo's, Chiko, and Edgell.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.simplot.com.au/about-simplot/introducing-simplot-australia/|title=Simplot Australia - Introducing Simplot Australia|website=Simplot.com.au|access-date=29 March 2019}}</ref>