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From left to right, Radena Rutherford, Doug Bane, Steve Swogger, all employees of the Cherokee Nation. Jim Reese, Oklahoma state director of the FSA, Principal Chief Chad Smith, Bill Lieb, district director for the FSA, Bernie Gipson, FSA county executive director, and Jack Carlile, FSA farm loan manager.

TAHLEQUAH, OKLHOMA - The Farm Service Agency recently presented the Cherokee Nation with an award for hosting outstanding agriculture outreach and educational meetings in the state of Oklahoma.

"The Farm Service Agency has told me that we have the best organized, highest attended meetings of anyone in the state", said Steve Swogger, agriculture liaison for the Cherokee Nation.

The Cherokee Nation began hosting agriculture outreach and educational meetings last year and has held meetings in Stilwell, Jay, Nowata, Claremore, Dewey, Muskogee, Sallisaw, and Tahlequah. These meetings have covered topics such as foot and mouth disease, the farm bill, and wildlife habitats.

At the meetings, local residents were also given information on farm and agriculture programs available from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Cherokee Nation.

"We try to arrange speakers to cover topics that we know farmers are interested in", Swogger said. "It’s great that the Farm Service Agency has recognized us for the work that we do for farmers in northeastern Oklahoma."

"This award is important because it shows that the Cherokee Nation is trying to help our farmers and ranchers as much as possible", said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Related contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma Attn: (Department Name) P.O. Box 948, Tahlequah, OK 74465 Telephone: 918-456-0671 (Toll Free OK) 1-800-256-0671