Low costs, high energy prices idle sugar plant (04/16/01, 06:15 PM) (Moses Lake) A plant that processes sugar beets grown in the Columbia Basin won’t operate this year.

br>Owners of Pacific Northwest Sugar Company blame low prices for sugar and high natural gas prices. They say the $100 Million plant won’t offer contracts to about 50 farmers who grow sugar beets.

Instead, the plant will sell electricity back to a local public utility district.

About 35 full-time workers are being laid off and the company won't hire as many as 200 seasonal workers this year.

-- Anonymous, April 16, 2001

Answers

I wonder how the Louisiana and Florida sugar cane companies are doing?

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2001

It's been a two-donut morning so far. I wouldn't describe my heart rate as idle mode.

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2001

Got snickers?

-- Anonymous, April 17, 2001