Parma Research Center Saved

Good news about the Parma Research Center. Nobody can talk about it, but they’re writing about it. Under a pre-agreement document submitted for consideration by the University of Idaho Board of Regents, the University and J.R. Simplot Company propose a $1.5 million multi-year agreement for the university's Parma Research and Extension Center that would give the center a new lease on life.

University of Idaho President Duane Nellis was quoted as saying "The University of Idaho and J.R. Simplot Company have had a long and proud history of providing leadership to the state and its agricultural industry. This is an Idaho-grown partnership that will pay long-term dividends to the state's economy."

Bill Whitacre, Simplot's president and chief executive officer, reiterated the importance of the agreement to Idaho's future with the following written statement:

"The J. R. Simplot Company is excited about the potential for a new level of collaborative research that will benefit both Idaho and our Company.

After months of speculation that the Parma Research Center was going to close, I was excited to get the press release so I called a contact person that was named on the press release and asked him to comment. Here’s what he said; “I can’t comment.”  Well that was then and this is now and I can tell you that the Board met shortly after his “No comment”, everyone agrees, and the Parma Research Center will live on. Thank Goodness.