U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced ways the administration is fulfilling long-standing Tribal requests for USDA to support and better partner with Tribal Nations in empowering Tribal food sovereignty and co-stewardship of federal lands and waters.
Secretary Vilsack announced the first grant recipients under the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program, as well as advances in Forest Service co-stewardship with Tribes, including 120 new agreements totaling more than $68 million in investments.
Vilsack said, “These investments will also create economic opportunities in Tribal communities, elevate the agency’s work to increase co-stewardship in forest management, while also increasing the availability of affordable, healthy protein sources from Indigenous animals that have been the backbone of Tribal food systems for generations.”
The Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana is receiving a grant of more than $191,000 to purchase a composter and walk-in freezer for the new Fort Peck meat processing facility, where they process bison, elk, deer, antelope and pheasant. The upgraded facility will also give the Fort Peck Tribes Fish and Game Department a local place to take bison to be processed and distributed to families in need.
Secretary Vilsack also announced the inaugural appointees of the new Tribal Advisory Committee.
USDA news release
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