The region's primary industry is the cultivation of russet potatoes, sugar
beets, and onions. The Heinz Frozen Food Company (formerly Ore-Ida), a
subsidiary of H. J. Heinz Company, processes locally grown potatoes, and
annually produces over 600,000,000 pounds (270,000,000 kg) million pounds
(272 million kg) of 75 different potato products, while employing approximately
1,000. Ontario also has a growing retail-based economy which attracts shoppers
from throughout the county and from Idaho's Payette County, particularly from
the nearby cities of Payette, Fruitland, and New Plymouth. Big-box retailers
Wal-Mart
