 |
         |
      |
 |
      |
| Volume XXV, Number 10 | July 23, 2004 |
By Shelley Marmor
HOLLYWOOD — On Wednesday June 30, The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. convened for a regular meeting at the Hollywood tribal headquarters. All board representatives and liaisons were present, with the exception of David D. DeHass, Hollywood representative.
The most intensely discussed resolution was for the approval to enter into negotiations for the purchase of the 560-acre Hondo Creek Feedlot. The feedlot is in the Southern Texas city of Edroy, five miles north of Corpus Christi, Texas.
Don Robertson, Director of Natural Resources, informed concerned tribal citizens in the audience that he has looked into several feedlots, and believes the Hondo Creek facility will be the most advantageous for the board to purchase. He said the board has thrown around the idea of purchasing a feedlot for years, and argues “it's another step up for us in the cattle industry.”
President Moses Osceola said the feedlot will benefit the tribe because fattening up the cattle means the tribe makes more money when they sell the cattle.
“ The whole purpose of it is just to increase the weight of your cattle before you put them on the market for sale,” he said. “Instead of just sending them out at, say 600 pounds or something, you can send them to the feedlot, fatten them up, increase their weight... we’re almost able to double the weight before [we] put them on the market.”
Robinson told the board the Hondo Creek Feedlot is in a prime location, calling it “valuable for where it sits.” Located just eight miles from the largest packinghouse in Southern Texas, the tribe will save money on transporting the cattle from feedlot to slaughterhouse.
Roberston said the feedlot can currently maintain 13,500 head of cattle, but can be expanded to hold 20,000, since that is what the lot is zoned for. Osceola said if the tribe purchases the lot, land may be leased out to individual cattle owners that the tribe currently deals with.
An audience member asked Robertson why the tribe does not just build a feedlot on unused land on one of the reservations. Tribal Treasurer Mike Tiger said he asked Robertson the same question in the briefing the day before the meeting. Basically, Tiger said it costs too much money to open a feedlot in Florida because the foods the cattle eat cost so much money to transport to Florida.
Robinson added that there have been several attempts at running a successful feedlot in Florida, but all attempts have failed miserably. He said the hot weather and humidity in Florida hurts the cattle’s ability to grow. In addition, there are no packing houses in Florida, so the cows will have to be transported to the nearest packing house–located in Southern Texas.
“ I don’t even want to think about starting one here; that’s out of the question,” Robinson said. “It’s a losing proposition since day one.”
Vice President Mitchell Cypress said he agreed with Robinson, arguing that building a feedlot in Florida will untimely hurt the tribe financially.
“ I don’t think you can make any money with a feedlot in South Florida,” Cypress said. “Even big cattle companies don’t have a feedlot around here.”
As Robertson suggested, the board unanimously approved going into negotiations to purchase the Hondo Creek Feedlot.
The board also discussed, and unanimously passed, two resolutions approving new homesites to be built on pasture land in Brighton. One new homesite will be for Aaron Billie, and the other is for Todd Kevin Osceola and Sandra Kay Osceola.
In addition, the board members unanimously approved a resolution to change the tribe’s purchasing policies. Jim Talik, the board’s executive administrator, said the policies currently used have been in place since 1992, and they are being changed so the tribe is in compliance with National Indian Gaming Commission’s newly implemented policies.
The next regular meeting of The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc., is scheduled for August 13.
| Home · History · Culture · Tourism & Enterprises · Government · Services · Employment |
Copyright © MMIV Seminole Tribe of Florida
6300 Stirling Road
Hollywood, Florida 33024
Phone: (800) 683-7800
URL:
All questions/comments: tribune@semtribe.com
Webmaster: webadmin@semtribe.com
Web site maintained by Seminole Tribe of Florida
Page Updated: Thursday, July 22, 2004 11:44 AM