Oct. 6, 2009–Two Oregon cranberry farms partner in new business venture, earn Food Alliance certification, and wade into direct sales marketplace
Clearwater Cranberries is a collaborative of independent, family-owned cranberry growers who are on a mission to demonstrate that premium cranberries, watershed stewardship, and sustainable farming practices will hit a sweet spot with local restaurants, foodservice, ingredient and grocery buyers who are interested in conscientiously-grown cranberries.
PORT ORFORD, Ore.–Oct. 6, 2009– As cranberry harvest begins on Oregon's South Coast this week, two farming families will wade into their bogs together as the founding members of Clearwater Cranberries, LLC. Clearwater Cranberries is a collaborative of independent, family-owned cranberry growers who are on a mission to demonstrate that premium cranberries, watershed stewardship, and sustainable farming practices will hit a sweet spot with local restaurants, foodservice, ingredient and grocery buyers who are interested in conscientiously-grown cranberries.
Clearwater Cranberries co-founders Scott and Carol McKenzie’s families have been farming and ranching near Cape Blanco since 1874, while Randy and Gretchen Farr have lived and farmed on the Elk River since 2002. Since 2006, the farmers of Clearwater Cranberries have worked in partnership with the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) and the South Coast Watershed Council to implement innovative farming practices, including finding smart solutions and alternatives to pest and disease management, and to create a collaborative, transparent business model based on shared values between farmer, buyer and eaters.
“We’re working with these growers to understand the connection between harvest water runoff from cranberry farms and the overall quality of the South Coast watershed,” said Harry Hoogesteger, project coordinator for the South Coast Watershed Council. “On farm research to test low-impact growing practices helps us help the growers reduce their environmental impact and improve the health of the local watersheds."
Today, their responsible growing practices are substantiated by Food Alliance's certification of Clearwater Cranberries. A third party audit and eco-label program based on standards that define sustainable agricultural practices in North America, Food Alliance certification has been adopted as a requirement of the growers' collaborative.
“We're very pleased to add Clearwater Cranberries to the growing list of brands founded on a strong commitment to stewardship, and are especially proud to see farmer-owned brands like this enter the market with sustainable agriculture as a core value,"said Scott Exo, executive director of Food Alliance.
Clearwater Cranberries aims to reach out to buyers who value their dedication to environmentally responsible growing practices and restoring the health of the local watershed. Beginning next week, orders can be placed for Clearwater Cranberries, which will be available as fresh, raw berries, or as a dried or frozen product. For more information on ordering visit, www.clearwatercranberries.com.
“Customers of Clearwater Cranberries will know how and where their cranberries were grown, and that environmental protection and preservation of family farms are a priority for these farmers,” said Allison Hensey, program director for Oregon Environmental Council. “When grocers, chefs, food processors and bakers source Clearwater Cranberries, they are supporting a farming model that protects Oregon’s unique landscape and ensures that these families can continue to farm for generations to come.”
The name, Clearwater, is symbolic of the founding members’ clear vision for the future they’d like to have in this pristine coastal watershed, and their passion for preserving clean water in local rivers, and a quality of life they value by protecting the region’s diverse natural habitat, which is home to bobcats, cougars and elk, to mink, otters, eagles, osprey and salmon.
About Clearwater Cranberries, LLC
Founded in 2009, farmer-owned Clearwater Cranberries collaborative is committed to tending the land and managing resources responsibly, and marketing their premium fruit collectively. By protecting water quality and salmon habitat in local rivers, they show how cranberry farming and environmental preservation can co-exist and prosper. In addition to Food Alliance certification, the growers of Clearwater Cranberries have earned designation as Watershed Friendly Stewards by the non-profit Southwest Oregon Resource Conservation and Development Council.
Media contacts:
Amy Brown
503.341.3795
Jeremy Graybill
503.222.1963 x111
