CN awarded USDA grant

Working with the locally owned Rolland Ranch, the Chickasaw Nation is helping ensure its families have access to safe, healthy and nutritious food, while also helping to build a more resilient food system.

Owned and operated by Chickasaw citizen Brynlee Rolland, her husband and two sons, the family takes pride in offering all-natural, quality beef products, free of antibiotics and steroids.

"The health and well-being of our land and cattle is our top priority. Wewantthe families we serve to always have confidence in the beef they put on the table," Mrs. Rolland said.

The Rolland family feels their beef is not only h ealthier than other market beef, but more flavorful and tender. ''We are so excited about the opportunity to offer beef products to our fellow Chickasaw citizens and other First Americans."

"My husband, Chad, and I are blessed with two wonderful sons. We operate a 4,500-acre ranch located in Checotah , Oklahoma," Mrs. Rolland said. "Our family of four is wholeheartedly dedicated to the success of our ranch."

The Chickasaw Nation is one of only eight tribes nationally to be awarded a $3.5 million grant through a partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture.

The grant gives the Chickasaw Nation the opportunity to procure foods for their own nutrition or food distribution programs.

Rolland Ra nch Beef will now supply all of the ground and roast beef products used in the Chickasaw Nation's food distribution program.

This gives the Chickasaw Nation more control over the food products distributed through its nutrition programs, while also supporting Chickasaw agriculture and empowering the Chickasaw people. Food sovereignty is a significant example of the determination and perseverance of the Chickasaw Nation.