Cooperative Agreement AM22LFPA0000C051

WITH LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE GRANT FUNDS, THE CHICKASAW NATIONWILL EXPAND THE CHICKASAW NATION WINTER FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BENEFITPROGRAM FOOD PACKAGE TO INCLUDE LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLESPRODUCED BY FIRST AMERICAN AND OTHER SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGEDFARMERS/RANCHERS AND WILL EXPAND THE DIET QUALITY OF ITS CHICKASAWSENIORS BY INCLUDING LOCALLY SOURCED PROTEIN AND DAIRY ITEMS IN THEWINTER FOOD PACKAGE. LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE FUNDING WILL ALLOWTHE CHICKASAW NATION THE OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE DIET QUALITYOF ITS SENIORS BY EXPANDING LOCALLY GROWN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FOOD ITEMOFFERINGS, ALONG WITH THE INCLUSION OF PROTEIN AND DAIRY ITEMS IN THEWINTER FOOD PACKAGE. A DUAL PURPOSE OF PROVIDING IMPROVED DIET QUALITYOF CHICKASAW SENIORS, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING THE LOCAL FARMING ANDRANCHING ECONOMY BY PURCHASING FROM LOCAL SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERSWILL BE ACHIEVED. THIS WILL MINIMIZE THE NEED TO PURCHASE FOODSWHOLESALE FROM LARGE CORPORATIONS THEREBY INCREASINGECONOMICOPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL FARMING AND RANCHING COMMUNITIES. QUARTERLYPERFORMANCE REPORTS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO CAPTURE THE NUMBER OFPRODUCERS, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS, DISTRIBUTIONSITES, AND UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS AS WELL AS FUNDS EXPENDED FOR EACHCATEGORY. ANNUAL REPORTS WILL PROVIDE PERCENTAGES OF NEW MARKETINGOPPORTUNITIES AND PURCHASES DISTRIBUTED BEYOND CURRENT FOOD DISTRIBUTIONNETWORKS. THE CHICKASAW NATION INTEND TO INVEST OVER $1,000,000 INTO THECOMMUNITY OF LOCAL, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS/RANCHERS AND REACHAPPROXIMATELY 2,500 CHICKASAW SENIORS, 100 PERCENT DISABLED CHICKASAWCITIZENS AND CHICKASAW VETERANS MONTHLY DURING THE FIVE MONTHS OF CHICKASAW NATION WINTER FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BENEFIT PROGRAM. THE TRIBE WILL ALSO PRODUCE A NARRATIVE THAT WILL INCLUDE METRICSDESCRIBING NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES ESTABLISHED BY PURCHASING FROM LOCALAND REGIONAL SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS. THE CHICKASAWNATION INTENDS TO IDENTIFY FIRST AMERICAN FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND OTHERSOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS WHO EXPRESS INTEREST INTRANSITIONING TO YEAR-ROUND GROWING OPERATIONS AND ARE SEEKING ANOPPORTUNITY TO SCALE THE VOLUME OF THEIR PRODUCTION. THE TRIBE WILL ALSORECRUIT FIRST AMERICAN RANCHERS WHO HAVE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN THEPROTEIN AND DAIRY CATEGORIES AND ARE LOCATED WITHIN A 400-MILE RADIUS OFTRIBAL TREATY TERRITORY. THE CHICKASAW NATION ESTIMATES CONTRACTING WITH20 SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS DURING THE PROJECT. THERECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.