Editorial by the Press-Enterprise, published Wednesday, December 8, 2004
Decades ago, a visitor to the Inland region would have seen citrus groves, vineyards and other agriculture stretching out to the horizon. Years of growth and development changed the Inland landscape, but the region shouldn't completely pave over its historic industry.
The new, Redlands-based Inland Orange Conservancy aims to preserve a taste of history by building a market for locally grown oranges. Most local oranges now go overseas or end up as juice.
For $65 annually, conservancy members will get a regular supply of local oranges, with the money going to help growers stay in business. The group also plans to secure easements or land donations to preserve citrus groves.
That's healthy for a region in which economic and development pressures have driven out local agriculture. Area citrus farmers have trouble making enough profit to stay in business, and their land is far more valuable for growing homes than oranges. So it's no surprise that Inland citrus farming has shrunk by roughly half over the last two decades.
Citrus won't be returning as a dominant Inland force, but it's good to see the region resist squeezing out all traces of its agricultural heritage.