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November 5, 2022 | 10 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Native Veteran Roundtable
The Native American Agriculture Fund has partnered with the Farmer Veteran Coalition to host a virtual roundtable for Native veterans. Any Native veteran interested in agriculture is welcome to join in a discussion about what Native veterans need to flourish in the agricultural industry.
This meeting will review the results of a nationwide Native veteran survey and dive into what the next steps are to increase veteran-led agriculture production.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcuisqz4vH9NUM-fnDSvVbSD-9RMlbpmQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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NAAF 2023 Internship Available Now | |
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The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) 2023 Internship program will provide currently enrolled college students in good standing with their university/institution an opportunity to sharpen professional development skills, offer learning experiences tailored to supporting Native agriculture, grant-making, and the space to pursue subject areas they are individually passionate about.
Interns will gain a deep understanding of the NAAF mission as they build organizational skills and complete special projects with experienced NAAF staff.
Deadline: Monday December 14, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST
What are the requirements?
- Must be an enrolled college student (undergrad or graduate),
- In good standing with your university/institution,
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Does NOT have to be an agriculture science major to apply.
Any additional questions, email Jasmine Locklear at [email protected] or text/call via phone at 479-445-7853
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New Webinar: USDA Debt Relief to Distressed Farm Loan Borrowers: Tax Implications and What to Prepare For
The Native American Agriculture Fund is hosting a webinar with Rob Holcomb, a tax expert at the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota, as a resource to Native farmers, ranchers, and producers to provide financial education as these payments are released.
We invite you to join us Wednesday, November 9th, 2022 at 2 p.m. CT for a presentation and Q & A to learn more about the tax implications and other important information prior to the 2023 tax season as it relates to the debt relief payments to distressed farm loan borrowers.
| Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC), Indigenous Foods Agriculture Initiative (IFAI), and NAAF host listening session on IRA Section 22007 Discrimination | |
Nov. 9 | 7 PM (MT)
The Intertribal Agriculture Council, the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative as a research partner, and the Native American Agriculture Fund are hosting a listening session for Tribal farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners regarding the Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) discrimination provisions.
This listening session is intended to provide a forum for Tribal producers to discuss their experiences with USDA lending programs, ask questions about the IRA's discrimination provisions, and advise how the IRA's discrimination provisions should be implemented. This listening session is not associated with USDA's listening sessions but is offered as a place for Tribal producers to engage with each other.
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Intertribal Agriculture Council Annual Conference | |
Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas, NV | December 6-8, 2022
Join the Intertribal Agriculture Council for their 35th annual conference. The IAC Annual Conference is being held on December 6 – 8, 2022, at the beautiful Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, NV.
This is the premier conference for Tribal leaders, ranchers, farmers, producers, ag lenders, ag vendors, youth ag advocates, and college students. The three-day event will present solutions to collectively address the historical and current challenges facing Indian country agriculture and tribal communities.
Register by November 18th for early bird pricing.
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10 Days Remaining for Comments from Those Who Have Experienced USDA Lending Discrimination | |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced they are seeking public comment on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Section 22007 addressing discrimination in USDA farm lending programs. Section 22007 of the IRA appropriates $2.2 billion for financial assistance opportunities to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who have experienced discrimination prior to January 1, 2021.
“Despite the previous barriers in this Administration’s attempt to offer assistance to producers who have experienced past discrimination, NAAF is encouraged by the continued measures to better serve those that have and continue to experience those harms,” says Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, CEO of NAAF.
The 30-day comment period opened Friday, October 14, and closes on November 14, 2022.
For more information on the open comment period and additional provisions, visit the Federal Register here.
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First Application Period for Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP) closes in 10 days
Under the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP), USDA is making $500 million in grants available to increase American-made fertilizer production to spur competition and combat price hikes on U.S. farmers. Competitive grants of up to $100 million are available to support and expand independent, innovative and sustainable fertilizer and nutrient alternatives production in the U.S. and its territories to supply American farmers.
Applications are open now.
Program Application Period:
First application window closes November 14, 2022. (45 days from 9/30/2022)
Second application window closes December 29, 2022. (90 days from 9/30/2022)
FPEP webinars
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Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP): Program Overview | |
Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP): Application Requirements | |
Do you want to be featured like the grantee's below? |
Tag us, @nativeagfund, in your social media posts and we'll reach out to you to highlight in our next newsletter!
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October closed out the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe's farm stand in the greater Humboldt region.
Fresh produce such as zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, beets, tomatoes, artichokes, kale, radishes, and pumpkins were available.
This season the majority of produce has been grown in the tribe’s two high tunnels, which have produced 1300 pounds of fruit and vegetables this season! High school and college interns have helped harvest the produce, while learning about different gardening methods, tribal food sovereignty, and sustainable food production.
Currently, community volunteers, including students from a Cal Poly Humboldt Service Learning class, are helping care for the crops.
The farm stand is part of the tribe’s food sovereignty educational programming, where community members will be able to sell their produce and learn about agricultural marketing, distribution, and sales, granted from NAAF funding.
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Three Sisters Garden
West Sacremento, California
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Three Sisters Gardens (TSG) is an Indigenous-led nonprofit in West Sacramento, CA. They work with at-potential high-promise youth and community members through workshops on agricultural skills, research training, education, and hands-on experience with food production processes. Founder and CEO of TSG, Alfred Melbourne grew up in the urban area, realizing a greater need for youth mentors and increasing access to healthy foods that nourish the community. Their goals include connecting Native youth back to the land, building connections with community elders, and reclaiming food sovereignty.
Facebook | Instagram | Website
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California Indian Museum and Cultural Center
Santa Rosa, California
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The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) supports its Tribal Youth Ambassadors in agribusiness through Advancing Cultural Opportunities to Reclaim Nutrition (ACORN). Through this program, youth are able to integrate traditional foods into daily lives and grow their ACORN Bites business while also increasing the ability to steward ancestral territory and increase traditional acorn flour supply. This project has expanded into other projects including researching traditional foods, increasing access to traditional foods through public and private lands, as well as creating more opportunities for the community to be engaged.
Learn more about Acron Bites here: https://acornbites.com/
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Native Farm Bill Coalition Releases Gaining Ground Report
Have you had a chance to read the Native Farm Bill Coalition's new report: Gaining Ground: A Report on the 2018 Farm Bill Successes for Indian Country and Opportunities for 2023?
The report outlines the significant progress to be made in strengthening Tribal sovereignty, food security, and rural infrastructure and includes more than 150+ Indian Country priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.
Here's What's Included in the Report:
- Title I: Commodities (p. 16)
- Title II: Conservation (p. 24)
- Title III: Trade (p. 36)
- Title IV: Nutrition (p. 42)
- Title V: Credit (p. 54)
- Title VI: Rural Development (p. 62)
- Title VII: Research (p.76)
- Title VIII: Forestry (p. 86)
- Title IX: Energy (p. 94)
- Title X: Horticulture (p.100)
- Title XI: Crop Insurance (p. 106)
- Title XII: Miscellaneous (p. 114)
The Native American Agriculture Fund is proud to be a sponsor of the Gaining Ground report alongside Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger.
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Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
Zuni, NM
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The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project was highlighted this past October in Indian Country Today's newscast before Indigenous People's Day. Watch the 27 minute episode above.
The Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP) is a 2022 NAAF youth grantee. Their NAAF grant supports the "Rooted in Healthy Traditions: After-school Food Sovereignty Program for Zuni Youth," which is a 12-month after-school program that provides more than 200 Zuni youth with increased opportunities to participate in Zuni’s traditional agriculture cycle of planting, maintaining, harvesting, and seed saving. Through this program, participating youth build their connection to Zuni culture and language as they practice Zuni food sovereignty.
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