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Miami Tribe of Oklahoma gears up for opening of Indigenous food market

Front of the Miami Tribe of Indians headquarters in Miami, Okla.
Doug Peconge
/
Miami Nation
Front of the Miami Tribe of Indians headquarters in Miami, Okla.

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma in is working to increase food security and support local businesses.

The Prairie Sky Market will be at the intersection of Old Route 66 and Highway 69 in North Miami.

The market will feature tribal and locally grown produce, a hot and cold deli and prepackaged meals made and processed at the facility.

Second Chief of the Miami Tribe Dustin Olds said the idea for the market arose after the tribe identified post-pandemic gaps in the food supply chain.

“We’re trying to create better independence, security and dependability for our people,” Olds said.

Ecological disasters, war and labor shortages can all affect the supply chain and leave lingering problems. In August, tribes across the U.S. faced food shortages after the USDA decided to consolidate their distribution centers.

According to Olds, the new facility will not only allow local growers to market their wares and feed tribal citizens but also reduce the burden of rising grocery costs.

“We're trying to create opportunities for local growers to put healthy, local, grown products in front of our families and the public,” he said. “And we want to reduce their grocery expenditures as much as we can.”

Additionally, it’s an opportunity for visitors, he said.

“This is right on Old Route 66, we have an opportunity to educate (visitors) as they're just coming into Oklahoma,” Olds said. “It’s an opportunity for them to learn about all the tribes here, and to market products to them that they won't find anywhere else than right here in our state.”

The Prairie Sky Market is set to open on January 20.

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Corrected: December 19, 2024 at 8:39 AM CST
This story was corrected to reflect the formal name of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.
Katie Hallum (ᏧᏟ) covers Indigenous Affairs at KOSU.
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