Mississippi Band Of Choctaws Expand Produce Program

PRESS RELEASE

CHOCTAW, Miss. (October 17, 2014) – The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians was recently awarded a $299,378 grant from the Community Food Projects (CFP) program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The Tribe was one of 23 awardees in 16 states to receive a CFP program grant. Funding for the CFP program grants was authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014, or Farm Bill. This grant will be used to expand the Tribe’s capacity to supply fresh fruits and vegetables, improve health and create job opportunities.

In 2013, the Tribe formed Choctaw Fresh Produce whose mission is to supply hyper-fresh, healthy produce to the Tribal community and surrounding region. The CFP grant funds will be used to expand the production capacity of Choctaw Fresh Produce to grow more fruits and vegetables for the Tribal schools, Diabetes Prevention Program and Choctaw Health Center, among others. The expanded production will be located on Tribal lands in the Red Water Community.

“The funding from this grant will help us to address some of the Tribe’s most important goals,” said Tribal Chief Phyliss J. Anderson. “Promoting healthy lifestyles and developing the Tribal workforce are two key elements for building a successful future for our people.”