Farm & Ranch

            Before 1950, most tribal members were raised on Indian lands owned by their parents or grandparents. And because the country's economy was different back then, most tribal members did some farming on those lands. Things have changed. today, Far fewer Tribal members can say they were raised on Indian lands, and even fewer can say they have any real farming experience.
           We changed from people who once lived in the country, to people who now live in towns and cities. And from people who once found jobs on farms, to people who now find work in service or production jobs. These changes inevitably lessened our contact with, and connection to, the land. 
           For some, the changes merely make it harder to see the value of hiring Indians to work our tribal lands instead of leasing them to non-Indians to works.
           With very little thought, these people quickly realize seeing Indians working the land is a matter of cultural pride, as well as, resource protection.
           However, for a few the changes could be more culturally damaging. They have completely lost the spiritual connection to the land that their ancestors held so dear. To these people, the land is nothing more than another commodity and source of money, a view not unlike that held by the dominate culture.
           Fortunately, several members of the Business committee, those on the Farm Board, those who work for the Farm, and the vast majority of tribal members do know the importance of seeing Indians working and caring for tribal lands.

Farming Before 1970

     Cheyenne & Arapaho tribal land has been used as cattle pasture for more than a century. During the late 1800's Texas cattle ranchers crossed Cheyenne & Arapaho tribal lands every year while on their way to railroad shipping points located in Kansas. These cattle were routinely allowed to rest on our lands for a few days before moving on because of our abundance of water and good grazing pasture. 
           With implementation of federal allotment policies in the 1890's the entire reservation area quickly became family-sized wheat-farming and cattle-ranching country. As a means of supporting themselves, many tribal members also farmed and raised cattle on their individual allotments.
           However, the economy began to change in the 1950's. Cities began to grow and new jobs found there brought people in from the country-side. In time, many Cheyenne & Arapaho members also left their "country homes' to find better paying employment elsewhere. Eventually, Indian that had not been sold to non-Indian farmers and ranchers were usually leased to them.

Tribal Farming Begins

            The federal self-determination policies of the 1970s allowed the business Committee to end the leasing of tribal lands at Concho and to begin a tribal farm as a means to economic development. They began operating the tribal Farm under a BIA 638 contract. All farming expenses were paid for with BIA money just like the programs in the complex today. The tribal farm was not a "real business."
            The Business Committee next decided the Farm should operate like a real business. They ended the Farm's 638 contract and told tribal farmers to rely solely on their own earnings to pay for all of the Farm's expenses. However, the Farm's earnings continued to be handled by the Tribal Finance Office. When it came time to pay bills, the Farm often found it had no money because the Committee had used the Farm's earnings to pay for its own expenses.
             By 1994, the business Committee came to realize the practice of spending Farm earnings to pay for Committee expenses would keep the Farm from reaching its true potential. They realized the Farm's business activities needed to be protected from political interference. And what is more important, they realized the Farm needed to control its earnings separately and independently from the money the Committee spends.
             The Committee decided to create a legal corporate business structure around the Farm by granting it Articles of Incorporation. This charter insulates the Farm from the interference of unhappy and disgruntled political leaders. The Farm has operated independently since.
            The Farm is entrusted with the management of Tribal lands for the purposes of restoring and preserving the land while at the same time insuring a profitable tribal farming and ranching business is maintained. Farm & Ranch is the only tribally owned, for-profit farming Corporation chartered under the laws of any tribe in the state.