My name is Tom Brothers, and I'm your Farm and Ranch Manager . I know that many of you only see me as a white man. Though I may not be the right color in some people's eyes, I know where my heart is. It's with the Cheyenne & Arapaho people. Let me explain why I consider the Cheyenne & Arapaho my people, and why I dream for you too. 
          When I first came to the Farm we had little to nothing to start with. We had limited equipment that wasn't worth much, 30 head of cattle and 12 head of buffalo, tribal land which had been depleted of all its nutrients, and two farm hands. Income generated by the Farm was next to nothing, and could not provide for a true farming and ranching operation. 
          By 1994, tribal leaders saw the potential of working and caring for our own land. They saw the potential of working and caring for our own land. They saw the potential of raising our own cattle, and of building our own herd of buffalo. They also saw the opportunity to create jobs. Tribal leaders took the initiative to create the Farm, and tribal members took on this task with commitment and determination.
          The Cheyenne & Arapaho can now boast that we are the ONLY independently chartered Indian farming operation in Oklahoma. We can boast that we have more than 200 head of cattle, and the largest tribally owned buffalo herd in western Oklahoma. We can boast that we have over $9000,000 in tribally owned livestock, crops, and equipment. And, we can boast that we care for our tribal lands, ourselves. We've had good audits for six years running. No other tribal enterprise can say they've EVER gotten a good audit. The Farm has amply demonstrated its business worth, over and over again.
          To build a dream takes time and effort. The farm's biggest obstacle has been the bureaucracy of the BIA, and the internal political dispute with Committee members. It is difficult to advocate for the Farm when tribal leaders won't take the time to listen and learn. I find it hard to comprehend that a tribal leader would stand against something that they know absolutely nothing about. In closing, I would like to say it has been an horror, a pleasure, and most assuredly, a learning experience working as your tribal farm manager. I want to personally thank my staff for all their dedication and loyalty none of this would be a reality. We at the Farm continue to look forward to the challenges of making the farm the largest and most successful tribally owned farming operation in the state.

                                              Respectfully,