First Nations Development Institute

The Goal of This 36-MONTH Standard Grant Project, Native Farmer and Rancher Apprenticeship Network, Is to Provide Training and Technical Assistance (TA) as Well as Networking Opportunities to Two Groups of Native American Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFRS) in Two Regions to Expand Their Business Capacity and Improve the Management of Their Agricultural Operations to Strengthen the Local and Regional Food Supply Chain in Indian Country. the Following Priority Topics Will Be Addressed: Basic Livestock, Land Management, and Crop Farming Practices; Entrepreneurship and Business Training; Natural Resource Management and Planning; Diversification and Marketing Strategies; Mentoring, Apprenticeships, and Internships; Resources and Referral; Basic Food Safety; and Other Similar Subject Areas of Use to BFRS. the PROJECT'S Two Targeted Regions Are Four States in the Great Plains (minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) and Two States in the Southwest (arizona and New Mexico). These Two Regions in Some Ways Greatly Differ in Terms of Their Population of Native Farmers.native Americans Have Sustainably Managed and Cultivated Land Utilizing Traditional Knowledge for Thousands of Years. Strong Links to Culture, Indigenous Farming Practices, and Stewardship Traditions, Coupled With Complex Ownership and Trust Status of Tribal Lands, Mean That Specialized Training for Native BFRS Will Best Meet Their Needs.to Design This Project, First Nations Conducted a March 2021 Online Survey of 31 Native Producers Representing 19 Tribes in NRCS' North Central (16 Producers) and Western Regions (15 Producers). Twenty-seven Producers Replied (a Response Rate of 87%). This PROJECT'S Activities Respond Directly to Our CONSTITUENTS' Recommendations to Meet the Following Needs for Producers: Business Planning; Training (including Indigenous-to-indigenous and In-person) for New Farmers; Help to Grow Business; Support for 1) Marketing, 2) Outreach to New Outlets, 3) Developing Partnerships/networking, 4), Bookkeeping/tax Preparation, and 5) Planning. in Basic Strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (o), and Threats (T) Analyses (in Conjunction With the COVID-19 Pandemic), the Survey Identified: (S) Producers Approximately Equally Sell Products Inside (78%) and Outside (80%) Their Own Community; (W; Due to COVID-19 Pandemic) Food Production Reduced Due to Staffing Shortages/cuts, or Not Enough Workers Available to Harvest, Operations Reduced Due to Uncertainty of Markets; and Reduced Hours to Maintain Safety Protocols; (o) Need to Maintain Food Accessibility for Low Income Families, Need for Strong Regional Economies and Home-grown Foods, Need for Built Infrastructure, and Food Sovereignty Sustained Grown Through Family Networks (not Government), Revival of Interest in Community Gardening Due to Food Shortages and Interest in Self-reliance, and Small Businesses/individual Producers Being Overlooked; and (T) School and Restaurant Closure Limitedmarkets and Prices, and Prices for Cattle and Produce Dropped (in Some Cases by 50%). a Complete Summary of the SURVEY'S Findings Is Available Upon Request.in Addition, While Designing This Project, First Nations Consulted With Our Three Community-based, Native-controlled Partners to Determine How Their Areas of Expertise Will Support the Project Goal as Well as the Vehicles Through Which They May Best Provide Technical Assistance, Training, and Networking. the Partners Are: Cheyenne River Sioux Buffalo Authority (eagle Butte, SD), Oneida Market (green Bay, Wi), and Trilogy Beef (moriarty, NM). Assisting Native BFRS (and by Association the Local Food System) Has Significant Implications for Eliminating Native Food Insecurity, Building the Health of Communities and Community Members, and as a Mechanism for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.