TAHLEQUAH, OKLA. — After completing its first year of operations, 1839 Cherokee Meat Co. recently announced that it secured two large-scale grants worth more than $10 million from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The company stated that the grants help support the Cherokee Nation’s food outreach programs and grow demand at nutrition sites throughout the reservation.

“We’ve worked hard to position Cherokee Nation at the forefront of food sovereignty efforts, and thanks to our relationship with the USDA, we’re able to exercise that sovereignty in new and exciting ways,” said Adrian Sinclair, manager of 1839 Cherokee Meat Co. “These grants are vital in our ability to deliver a quality protein within the Cherokee Nation, and we take great pride in helping put food on the tables of our friends, families and neighbors.”

1839 Cherokee Meat Co. is a 12,000-square-foot USDA and state-certified meat processing plant. During its first year, the company processed hundreds of cattle along with various other animals like bison, elk, lamb, pork and deer.

The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations grant by the USDA provides more than 91,000 lbs of ground beef and 21,600 lbs of beef roast on an alternating six-month schedule for three years, according to a release.

During 2023, custom processing exceeded expectations during deer season, when 1839 Cherokee Meat reached capacity ahead of rifle season. Orders were fulfilled with a turnaround time of about a week. According to the company, custom cattle processing remains steady as the facility schedules those orders by appointment.

The plant currently employs 11 people with 91% being Cherokee Nation citizens. The company passed USDA inspections throughout the year with zero infractions.

“Ensuring food sovereignty and access to good, nutritious protein is key to the long-term health of the Cherokee people,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Cherokee Nation has a growing role locally in the agriculture industry, and the 1839 meat plant facility is creating new and sustainable economic opportunities within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.”

Along with beef, pork and chicken, 1839 Cherokee Meat offers specialty products like mango habanero sausage, hatch green chile hamburger patties, bacon-wrapped filets and bison.

The company said it offers discounts to citizens, veterans and employees of Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses. It also became a SNAP-certified retailer in March 2023.