Empowering Agriculture Through Tribal Sovereignty
The Empowering Agriculture through Tribal Sovereignty (EATS) Academy is an ecosystem of trainings and resources developed by the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative to support Tribal governments and producers develop robust food systems throughout Indian Country.
Educational resources are available for varied goals and areas of expertise:
- Native Youth Agriculture Leaders
- Beginning Famers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Agriculture Entreprenuers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Support for the EATS Academy has been generously provided by the Walmart Foundation.
How to Get Started
This centralized resource ecosystem is intended to bridge gaps in information available to Tribal governments and producers. This is in no way complete, but it is a foundation for Tribal stakeholders to start their work in Tribal food sovereignty efforts.
Your feedback is important – we want to hear from you! What educational resources are missing? Contact our Associate Director, Carly Hotvedt at hotvedt@uark.edu.
Start below by identifying which category best fits your role, interests, goals, or areas of expertise.
I am a native youth agriculture leader
I am a beginning farmer and rancher
I am a tribal leader
I am an individual producer or Agriculture Entrepreneur
I am a Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff
Native Youth Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill
- Native Youth
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Beginning Farmers and Rancher Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Developing a Tribal Department of Agriculture:
Resource Banking for Informed Goal Setting
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Starting or Scaling Up Tribal Agriculture Operations
Resource Banking for Informed Goal Setting
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
Evaluating Food Regulatory Oversight and Industry Standards
Resource Banking for Informed Compliance Measures
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
Local Agricultural Marketing Program (LAMP)
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Developing Agricultural Efficiences in Scaling Up
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
Farm to School Guided Worksheet
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
Financing Agriculture Operations: FSA Credit Access
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
USDA Conservation Programs
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Success Stories
Departments of Agriculture
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Example Organizational Charts
Departments of Agriculture
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Marketing Native-Produced Food Products
Available Marketing Programs
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
How Tribal Departments of Agriculture Benefit Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Native Youth Internship Opportunities
- Native Youth
Structuring a Tribal Department of Agriculture Mind Map
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Business Structure Decision Tree
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Tribal Department of Agriculture Support for Scaling Value Added Operators
- Individual Producers/Value Added Operators
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Identifying Business Structures for Tribal Citizens
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
How Tribal Departments of Agriculture Benefit Native Producers
- Individual Producers/Ag Entreprenuers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
- Tribal Leaders
Integrating Food Safety in Scaling Farm Enterprises
- Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
- Individual Producers
- Tribal Agriculture, Nutrition, or Natural Resources Program Staff/Subject Matter Experts
Credit Access and Financing Your Agriculture Operations
Navigating Food Safety Supply Chains
Food Safety Traceability
Building a Tribal Department of Agriculture
Cultivating Tribal Food Sovereignty
638 Opportunities For Tribal Food and Agriculture
What is the EATS Academy?
The EATS Academy is a program, policy, training, and resources academy ecosystem aimed at empowering local Tribal food production through Tribally driven methods to support Tribal governments and Tribal producers build robust food systems and increase economic development in Indian Country. It is in no way a complete resource bank, and new information will become available.
I'm a tribal leader and want to start a tribal department of agriculture, how do I get started?
Check out a guided worksheet intended to assist in the development of an inventory of resources available to the tribe. In order to set practical and realistic goals for a new Department of Agriculture, information about existing operations and enterprises, tribal assets, and available guidance materials can be compiled and reviewed for more complete decision making and goal setting. This document is intended for internal guidance as sensitive material may be compiled as a result.
Will more material and resources be available in the future?
Absolutely! Needs for edcuational materials change are always evolving for Tribal governemnts and producers. If you have feedback on one of our resources or suggestions for addtional subject matter areas, please contact our Asscoiate Director, Carly Hotvedt at hotvedt@uark.edu.
I'm an individual producer and looking to scale up my agribusiness, what resources are available?
One of the first steps for starting or scaling up your agribusiness can be resource banking for informed goal setting. View our guided worksheet intended to assist in the development of an inventory of resources available to individual producers.
I do not see an answer to my question, who do I contact?
We would love to hear from you! Below is the contact information available for our team members:
Erin Parker, Director, esparker@uark.edu
Carly Griffith Hotvedt, Associate Director, hotvedt@uark.edu
Josiah Griffin, Program and Policy Specialist, jwg012@uark.edu
Whitney Sawney, Communications Manager and Program Specialist, wsawney@uark.edu
Brenton Jones, Budget and Grant Specialist, baj005@uark.edu
Nikki Young, Administrative Assistant, any007@uark.edu
