Nutrition Times - Native American Heritage Month 2021

USDA Food and Nutrition Service sent this bulletin at 11/29/2021 01:37 PM EST

Nutrition Times

Native American Heritage Month Special Edition - November 2021

First collard greens harvest for 638 demonstration projects

USDA Celebrates Native American Heritage Month and Promotes Tribal Self-Determination

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) celebrates the profound history and contributions of American Indian and Alaska Native people.  On November 15, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the launch of several new initiatives that expand USDA’s commitment to serving Indian Country through equitable policies and programs in a way that aligns with their sovereignty and our nation's trust and treaty responsibility.

The USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative promotes traditional food ways, Indian Country food and agriculture markets, and Indigenous health through foods tailored to American Indian/Alaska Native dietary needs. USDA is partnering with tribal-serving organizations on seven projects to reimagine federal food and agriculture programs from an Indigenous perspective and inform future USDA programs and policies. These projects range from the launch of new seed-saving processing centers, to marketing Native-produced foods, and promoting bison production.

USDA Commits to Expanding Tribal Self-Determination by supporting tribal nation self-governance and food sovereignty by entering into contracts with tribal nations to procure foods for Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) recipients directly. These projects will support tribal nation self-governance and decision making on USDA programs and policies that affect tribal nations. The 2018 Farm Bill authorized USDA’s Forest Service and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to further self-determination efforts in their respective programs.

Picture: Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians receive first shipment of collard greens as part of their FDPIR Self-Determination Project. The project empowers eight awarded Tribes to select foods to go in their food packages that better align with their dietary preferences and to procure these foods from commercial vendors who can be local, native producers. The collard greens shown above were procured from Choctaw Fresh Produce located in Choctaw, Mississippi on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Reservation.

Funding Opportunities
FY 2022 Farm to School Grant Program - On an annual basis, USDA awards competitive Farm to School grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs. (Deadline: 01/10/22)

ReConnect Program - USDA Rural Development will accept applications starting on November 24, 2021, to expand the availability of broadband in rural areas. $350 million in grant funding - no matching funds requirement - is being made available for Tribal governments. (Deadline: 02/22/2022)

Rural Business Development Grant Program - Provides grants to support technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Each year, Congress has mandated that a portion of this program is set-aside to fund projects that benefit members of federally recognized Tribes. (Deadline: 02/28/2022)

Indigenous Communities Program
U.S. Department of Commerce
Economic Development Administration offers American Rescue Plan funding specifically for Indigenous Communities to develop and execute economic development projects to recover from the pandemic and build economies for the future. (Deadline: rolling)

Click here for a list of more funding opportunities for Tribes and Tribal members

Events
Internship and Career Opportunities at USDA FNS Webinar
Audience: Native American college students
November 30, 2021 at 12 pm EST
Register here
December 1, 2021 at 4 pm EST
Register here

Resources
A School Food Authority’s Guide to School Meals: Table of Flexibilities -
Summarizes flexibilities available to schools under different learning models such as in-person, temporary virtual , and hybrid.

USDA Awards $3.5 Million to Eight Tribes for FDPIR Self-Determination Demonstration Project

Picture: Tribally-caught halibut packaged and ready to be shipped across Alaska.

Through a collaboration with the Department of Interior (DOI), USDA FNS awarded funds to eight Tribal nations for projects that, for the first time, will offer greater flexibility in the selected tribe's administration of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). The FDPIR Self-Determination Demonstration Project will empower tribal nations by giving them more options in selecting foods for their FDPIR food packages that better align with their dietary preferences, and providing an ability to procure foods from local commercial vendors including native producers.

FNS funded proposals from the following Tribal organizations:

Oneida Nation/ Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa from Wisconsin
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians from Michigan
Lummi Nation from Washington State
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) from Alaska
Chickasaw Nation from Oklahoma
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians from Mississippi

Below are some highlights of the Tribes and their plans for the demonstration projects. We would like to thank the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) in providing information for these profiles. IAC collaborates with the USDA on IAC's Intertribal Technical Assistance Network (ITAN), which were established in order to increase access and use of USDA programs and services by Indian producers and Tribes.

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC)

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is a nonprofit Tribal health organization designed to meet the unique health needs of more than 180,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people living in Alaska. As part of ANTHC’s statewide community health services, the organization administers the FDPIR Program for 21 Tribes in Alaska. ANTHC recognizes the deep connection and positive benefits that traditional, Alaska Native foods bring to the people and communities. With the support of the 21 Tribes participating in Alaska’s FDPIR Program, ANTHC was recently awarded the FDPIR demonstration project to replace catfish with halibut, a healthy fish that is traditional to Alaska. Tungwenuk (Gregory Nothstine), ANTHC’S FPDIR Program Manager says, “We have learned that all traditional foods provide the best source of good nutrition, as well as a deep respected feeling of connection to the lands of our roots.”

Tikaan Galbreath, Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Technical Assistance Specialist for the Alaska Region, helped connect ANTHC with a tribally-owned seafood producer who will partner with ANTHC to package and ship the halibut to participating Tribes. Galbreath adds, "The funding is going to support a tribally-owned business, who in turn is employing our local fisherman. The dollars stay within our community. Knowing that the food commodities that are going to our Tribal members is sourced from Alaska gives a sense of cultural pride. This is a connection to our land. This is the fish that we want to eat and are excited to eat."

Tribal Administrators participating in the FPDIR Program are excited to have halibut added to the food package. Martha Wood with Klawock Cooperative Association says, “Adding halibut to the food package is a very important change. I believe traditional nutrition is vital for immune strength, especially for our Tribal Elders in the program.” Linda Powell with the Native Village of Eyak adds, “I think the households are going to love having halibut as an option, especially since its tribal caught.” ANTHC is looking forward to working with its vendor to add halibut to the food package and expects to begin shipments during this holiday season.

Picture: Tribally-caught Alaska salmon. Alaska salmon has been an option in the FDPIR food package for a few years now. ANTHC will now be adding Alaska halibut

Oneida Nation/ Menominee Indian Tribe

The joint project for the Oneida Nation and Menominee Indian Tribe will feature products such as, buffalo, beef, and apples all coming from the Oneida Tribe. The two tribes will also purchase wild rice from Spirit Lake Farm, which is located on Fond du Lac Reservation. Wild rice is considered a sacred food to some Tribes of the Midwest. They will also be purchasing whitefish and lake trout from Red Cliff Fish Company from the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

The Red Cliff Band will also be receiving whitefish from the Red Cliff Fish Company. Red Cliff Fish Company primarily produces whitefish, lake trout, and herring. In addition, the tribe will be purchasing a variety of fresh produce including carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, squash and apples from Mino Bimaadiziiwin Tribal Farm, which are products grown on-site in Red Cliff, Wisconsin.

Dan Cornelius, IAC's Technical Assistance Specialist for the Midwest-Great Lakes Region, who has worked with Oneida Nation, Menominee Indian Tribe, and Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa for many years, says, "When you get wild rice or Red Cliff fish, for most folks they just light up. That's the good stuff. It's something that is a treat and that is special. Most folks don't get it every day. When elders see whitefish, their eyes light up. When you have food that is traditional and that is harder to get in these programs it changes the perspective and appreciation of these programs for Tribal members."

FY 2022 Farm to School Grants Give Priority Consideration for Applications from Indian Tribal Organizations

USDA's fiscal year (FY) 2022 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications (RFA) is now available. The solicitation will remain open until 11:59pm ET on January 10, 2022. The RFA includes priority scoring incentives for applicants who meet certain criteria, including priority consideration for applications from Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) and entities led and staffed by Native Americans and serving Native American communities. USDA FNS' Office of Community Food Systems hosted two webinars on November 8 and November 9, 2021 to help interested applicants learn more about the RFA and put together a grant package, respectively. Recordings and resources from the webinars will be available on the Farm to School Grant Applicant Resources Page of the FNS website.

Please contact the OCFS team at sm.fn.farmtoschool@usda.gov regarding any inquiries on the RFA.

Since 2013, the USDA Farm to School Program has offered annual grants and technical assistance to assist eligible entities in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods. Some examples of Tribes who received grants include:

Campo Band of Mission Indians

Campo Band of Mission Indians will serve students at a charter high school at the Campo Education Center and a public elementary and middle school in Campo, California. The Campo Kumeyaay Farm to School Edible Garden Project will expand on current USDA programs by supporting an opportunity for the Kumeyaay children and youth to learn the traditional ways of growing local and Native foods, which will be incorporated into the USDA nutrition programs.

Santa Fe Indian School

Santa Fe Indian School in New Mexico will develop a school plan and increase school capacity to implement farm to school programming. The plan includes developing partnerships and obtaining products from local growers/producers and increasing awareness and education within the school community regarding farm to school principles with a special focus on Southwest Native American culturally rooted foods and farming practices.

Osage Nation

The Osage Nation’s Bird Creek Farm will develop a farm to school action plan to increase local food procurement at the Wah Zha Zhi Early Learning Academies (WELAs). WELAs are located in four towns across rural Osage County, Oklahoma, serving children who range from 6 weeks to 12 years old.

Yurok Tribe

The Yurok Tribe Environmental Program Food Sovereignty Division will create the food production component of the Wautec Food Village and a corresponding garden and traditional foods curriculum to support the Jack Norton Elementary School Farm to School program in Hoopa, California.

Picture: A geodesic dome greenhouse and school garden at Red Cloud Indian School, a FY 2020 Farm to School grantee. Students are able to grow and harvest their own organic produce, and then learn to prepare them in healthy meals in the cafeteria.

Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Community Comes Together to Build a Food Shelf

A leadership group within Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, a Tribal Nation in rural northern Minnesota, met and posed the question, “What do you want to see in the community?” During this brainstorming conversation Jill Schuchard, a registered nurse with the Bois Forte Maternal and Child Health Program, proposed a food shelf. With that recommendation, Schuchard along with many other community members were soon hammering nails and building shelving to make the idea a reality. They now have a SuperShelf food shelf that distributed 8,730 pounds of food to Band members in September.

Included with this distribution are culturally specific foods such as wild rice, bison, and Red Lake walleye. The food shelf is a collaboration of many programs within Bois Forte. SNAP-Ed classes are taught online using available products at the food shelf; Big Woods Transit is delivering food to the outer sector of the Nation; and local farmers are contributing produce for distribution. They also work closely with the Bois Forte FDPIR program and distributed Farmers to Families food boxes. “The food shelf was more than building a building, it was building relationships” said Amber Zapata, SNAP-Ed Coordinator.

Native Boys & Girls Club in Wisconsin Starts Mobile Food Distribution During Pandemic

Woodland Boys & Girls Club in Wisconsin continues to be an example of the positive difference that USDA’s funds make in Native Boys & Girls Club communities. While the Woodland Club’s programming was always centered around on-site food distribution, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic required an adjustment. They could no longer gather in large groups.

Club CEO Ron Corn reflects, “All of a sudden, we had so many kids gathering outside of the Club for food. We had to come up with a solution to feed all of these children.” The Club applied for a waiver to the initial USDA requirements, which USDA accepted. This allowed the Club to implement a mobile food distribution program that avoided unsafe crowds.

Through this mobile distribution, the Club delivered 250 daily meals to youth and families in the community. Combined with the existing meals that are distributed at its two sites, the Club has provided around 400 total meals per day. The food is prepared at the Club, with a head cook who makes meals with a pre-approved and healthy menu. Food that is used for the mobile program is then packaged and delivered.

The hybrid model is a direct response to a critical need in the local community that existed long before COVID. “There is a huge need to supply food to children on reservations. This funding was especially important during COVID-19 due to the fact that kids were not being fed at school. While 100% of our kids are eligible for free school meals, all of the schools were closed,” noted Corn. While mobile delivery has slightly decreased in recent months, the Club plans on continuing the hybrid model due to the expanded number of youth it allows them to reach. “I hope that they realize at the Federal level, the tremendous impact that this funding is providing to Native communities. It is critical to make sure that Native children are fed,” said Corn.

Fond du Lac SNAP-Ed Educators Create Healthy Lifestyles Billboard Campaign

Fond du Lac Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Education Program (SNAP-Ed) Educators developed a social marketing campaign to promote healthy lifestyles on their Minnesota-based reservation. Since its launch in August 2019, the campaign has reached an astounding 182,192 people.

The marketing campaign encourages healthy habits on the Fond du Lac Reservation in northeast Minnesota and included outreach through the Fond du Lac community, including the Ojibwe School’s Physical Education teacher.

“When I see the billboard, it makes me want to get out and be more active, and I have been,” said a Fond du Lac community member.

The team decided on two key slogans: “They learn from watching you. Eat more fruits and vegetables,” and “They learn from watching you. Be active and your kids will too.”

Osage Nation WIC Program Keeps Busy During Summertime

Summer 2021 was a busy time for the Osage Nation (ON) WIC Program. Osage Nation W.I.C. held its Drive-Thru Health Fair Recruitment and Retention Event for Children under the age of five in four different locations. The program handed out bags with nutritious food items and served as a distribution site for the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. Further, Osage Nation WIC engaged in outreach with Tulsa Birth Equity Initiative to promote breastfeeding during the World Breastfeeding Week, a global campaign that aims to highlight the health benefits that breastfeeding can provide to infants and their mothers.

The Osage W.I.C. was also busy promoting and serving their clients through the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) which provides coupons to eligible WIC participants for the purchase of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables that are in addition to their regular WIC benefits, as well as through the Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), which provides low-income seniors with access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey and herbs from farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs.

For more information about Osage W.I.C. Program activities please check out their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/osagenationwic/.

Pictured: Osage Nation's mobile farmer's market.

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