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andcosmetics,wasa$4.4billiondollarindustryin2004,upfrom$3.8billiondollarsin2001. <br />Themarketgrewby51.9%from1999to2004.Atthesametime,themainstreamcosmeticand <br />16 <br />personalcaresectorexperiencedslowgrowth. <br />Thegrowthofthenaturalproductsindustryappearstobedrivenbyrisingcostsofhealthcare <br />coupledwiththepublic?sdisenchantmentwithtraditionalmedicine.Consumerperceptions <br />oftheofalternativemedicinesalsoaddfueltothemarket.Somepeoplealsobelieve <br />thattheuseoforganicfeedstocksbynaturalproductcompaniesmayhelpexpandtheorganics <br />industry.Mostlocalreportfewdirectcompetitorsbecausetheynichesin <br />themarketplace. <br />InEugene,thenaturalproductsectorconsistsofprocessors,retailers,distributors,educatorson <br />thecollectionanduseofherbs,aswellasnaturopathsprescribingherbalmedicines.Justoutside <br />Eugene,herbfarmers,additionaleducators,andlargerdistributorswithinternationalmarkets <br />canbefound.Manyoftheprocessorsanddistributorshaveanationalmarketthattheyaccess <br />throughinternetandphonesales.Theindustryasawholeincludesmarketingandresearch <br />organizationsaswellasinsuranceagenciesthatcovernaturopathicmedicine. <br />By2020,theEugeneareahasavibrant,productiveandindustryingrowing, <br />producinganddistributingnaturalproducts.Theindustryprovidesqualityjobswithquality <br />wagesandNaturalproductsarewidelyavailableandcommonlypurchasedandused <br />bylocalconsumers,thusenhancingpublichealth.Localfarmersproducemuchoftheraw <br />materialsneededandtheindustryusessustainablepracticesinallaspectsofoperations. <br />TheCityofEugeneshouldpubliclycommittosupportingthenaturalproductsindustry. <br />TheCityofEugeneshouldreduceimpedimentsandconsiderincentivesforexpanding <br /> thenaturalproductsindustrysuchasstreamlining/fasttrackingthepermittingprocessusing <br /> TripleBottomLinecriteriaandconsideringtheneedsofsmallwhenwritingcodes <br /> (e.g.limitationondrivewaysthatlimittheabilitytogettrucksinandoutofasite). <br />TheCityofEugeneshouldpartnerwithmembersofthelocalnaturalproductsindustry <br /> andotherlocaleconomicdevelopmentagenciestoinstituteaconsumereducation <br /> campaignfocusedonexpandingconsumerawarenessandincreasingdemandfor <br /> theproducts. <br />Thelocalnaturalproductsindustryshouldconsiderestablishinganetworkingmechanism <br /> orassociationwherelocalpractitionersmeetregularly,enhancebasicbusinessskillswithin <br /> theindustry,sharecommonconcernsanddevelopcommonsolutions(suchasidentifying <br /> waystopoolhealthcarecosts,reducetransportation,andgeneratemorelocallyproduced <br /> feedstock). <br />LaneCommunityCollegeandotherbusinessdevelopmentandtrainingorganizations <br /> shouldconsidereducationandtrainingprogramstargetedtothenatural <br /> productsindustrytoincreasebasicbusinessskills. <br /> <br />