MODEL ECONOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE CRANBERRY FARM FOR NATIVE AMERICANS

THE COQUILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (CEDC), A FOR-PROFIT WHOLLY OWNED ENTITY OF THE COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE, INTENDS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE CRANBERRY GROWING METHODS FOR THE COQUILLE INDIAN TRIBE. ECOL0GICALLY SENSITIVE MAY OR MAY NOT MEAN "ORGANIC," DEPENDING UPON THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH. THE TRIBE OWNS 1100 ACRES IN THE VICINITY OF COOS BAY AND BANDON, OREGON, APPROXIMATELY 300-500 OF WHICH, THEY HOPE TO PUT UNDER AGRICULTURAL CULTIVATION FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CRANBERRIES AS A CASH CROP. THIS AREA OF OREGON HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL CRANBERRY FARMING EVIDENCED BY THE NUMBER OF EXISTING CRANBERRY GROWING BUSINESSES. THE COQUILLE CRANBERRY "FARM" IS INTENDED TO BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN THE TRIBE'S PLAN FOR ACHIEVING ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. INCOME PRODUCED BY THE CRANBERRY "FARM" AND DISPERSED INTO THE TRIBAL COMMUNITY WILL ALSO HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED DUE TO A DOWNTURN IN THE TIMBER, FISHING AND OTHER LOCAL EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES. CEDCO WITH ASSISTANCE FROM PRIVATE CONSULTANTS, CRANBERRY EXPERTS FROM THE OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION OFFICE, AND OSU SOCIOLOGY FACULTY WILL CONDUCT THE RESEARCH. RESULTS OF THIS RESEARCH CAN BE APPLIED BY OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA.