Cameron Farm Enterprise

The Cameron Farm Enterprise initiative started in January 2018 when the Cameron Chapter community voted to approved the Cameron Farm Enterprise Board to develop and incorporate the Cameron Farm Enterprise while also overseeing farm planning, development and management. TLE serves as the Fiscal Sponsor for this board to ensure professional financial management and fully transparent accountability to the Cameron Chapter and to the Navajo Nation. The Coalmine Canyon Chapter joined the partnership in December of 2018.

The network of partners supporting this project include Indian Dispute Resolution Services, Navajo Nation's Soil and Water Conservation District and District Grazing Committees, Navajo Nation departments and programs, USDA, BIA, USGS, EPA, and many grassroots entities. Working together, we are facilitating and coordinating technical assistance and capacity building to the Enterprise in organizational development, financing, conservation planning, infrastructure design and construction, crop production and marketing, and overall management. 

The Cameron Farm Enterprise Board is leading the movement to secure our access to food and water starting with a Land Withdrawal of 4,900 acres for Irrigated Agriculture and Wildlife Conservation. 

The purposes of this unprecedented Land Withdrawal are to demonstrate productive and  sustainable community-based regenerative irrigated farming in the Little Colorado River (LCR) Valley, in close coordination, harmony and balance with wildlife conservation. The withdrawn land will be used to:

• grow high-quality corn, vegetables, fruit, and irrigated pasture for Cameron, Coalmine Canyon, and other Dine communities in the region;

• protect and enhance unique riparian wildlife habitat in the LCR Valley; 

• allow for rangeland rest and recovery in the face of severe recurrent drought;

• address chronic health problems of diabetes, obesity and other effects of poor nutrition; 

• create local jobs and income through successful community-based irrigated farming; 

• restore and strengthen Dine language and cultural values and practices of respect, cooperation, generosity, leadership, and stewardship of our wild relatives; 

• strengthen Dine food and water security; and 

• protect and enhance Dine water rights to the Little Colorado River.

 Little Colorado River (LCR) at Cameron : 

 150,000 Acre Feet per Year

  40,000 ac-ft / year to irrigate 10,000 acres of Corn, Squash, Beans, Fruits;

  30,000 ac-ft /yr to irrigate 10,000 acres of alfalfa and grass pasture and hay;

  20,000 ac-ft for drinking water and domestic use by 180,000 people;

  10,000 ac-ft/yr for annual Water Leasing to downstream users; and

  50,000 acre feet reserved for in-stream, wildlife, cultural uses

 Economic value = over $100 million per year