For much of 2016 into the early months of 2017, SCALE worked to assess the strengths, weaknesses, gaps and opportunities to build a stronger and healthier food system within the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Working with Economic Development Associates, a Mississippi firm, the year-long process involved tribal leaders, farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses, tribal social service agencies and small to mid-size potential buyers, ranging from mom and pop grocers to a major casino. The only formal project SCALE has done in Indian Country, we were impressed by the resourcefulness and creativity of tribal and community leaders, even as they faced barriers and layers of bureaucracy beyond what most others face. Ultimately, we released a plan for strengthening the regional food system in their territory, encompassing a large portion of southeastern Oklahoma.
