Putting Tribal Sovereignty in Food Sovereignty
Senate Indian Affairs Co-Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is requesting comments from the public by September 12, 2025, on a discussion draft for “The Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act of 2025.” As noted in Senator Murkowski’s section-by-section breakdown,...
Welcome back to Rooted Wisdom! In this episode, we dive deep into a fascinating and often overlooked intersection of art, agriculture, and cultural representation. Our guest, Dr. Browning Neddeau, is an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a professor...
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will have impacts on federal food and nutrition policies for Tribal Nations, producers, and citizens. This law consolidates a wide range of provisions that reshape how food access, agricultural support and nutrition education are funded...
On July 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an end to certain uses of the “socially disadvantaged” producer designation. In a final rule published in the Federal Register, the department explained it would “no longer employ the race- and...
In the latest episode of “Rooted Wisdom,” Executive Director of Akiptan, Skya Ducheneaux, joins the podcast to discuss how Community Development Financial Institutions, or CDFIs, are reshaping access to capital in Indian Country. Ducheneaux, a member of the Cheyenne...
In July 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a sweeping reorganization plan that could significantly affect Tribal governments, producers, and service delivery across Indian Country. The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) has...
In the summer of 2024, the Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations led impactful implementations of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) Program, a federal nutrition program designed to reduce food insecurity among children during the summer months when school...
Growing Potential: Voices from the 11th Annual Native Youth in Agriculture Summit Each summer, the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) hosts a transformative event that brings together Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian youth from across...
As IFAI enters its 13th year of serving Indian Country our Executive Director, Carly Griffith Hotvedt (Cherokee Nation) has a message for all of our stakeholders. When you think of the next generation of Native agriculturalists, who comes to mind? While we work to...
The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) is hosting the 11th Annual Youth in Agriculture Leadership Summit. The summit brings together Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian youth, ages 18-24, from across Indian Country to the University of...