Cranberries...continued from page 27 the Eugene 4J School District, Grand Central Baking Company, New Seasons Market and Scenic Fruit. However, local demand for Oregon cranberries is finite simply because most of us eat fewer cranberries than other types of fruit, like Northwest-grown apples or summer berries. Approximately half of Oregon’s cranberry growers sell to Ocean Spray, which, by virtue of its size and brand recognition, dominates the market and influences pricing. The past few years in the industry have been volatile, with prices dropping from more than $1 per pound to less than 50 cents. Choosing independent distribution over the commodity market, as the McKenzies, Farrs and a handful of others have attempted, is risky and demands patience. While Clearwater growers hope to sell all of their berries through the collaborative someday, the export market is critical to their current business strategy. An oversupply forces them to pursue other markets, a reality not always considered by those who celebrate local food. China, Japan, Taiwan and India have shown an unquenchable thirst for single-juice concentrate and continue to be strong markets. Knowing that increasing demand from abroad exists is reassuring for growers as they work to establish themselves in the domestic specialty market. Having proven that sustainable cranberry production methods are possible on the South Coast, the SCWC received additional funding through the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Grant Program. The grant will enable the SCWC to continue its work with growers to implement these proven growing practices more widely, which bodes well for cranberries, salmon and future generations on Oregon’s South Coast and beyond. ep
Ellen Jackson is a Portland-based writer and food stylist.
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