Policy & Resources

Policy Briefings

IFAI Policy Brief May 13, 2025

IFAI Policy Brief May 13, 2025

Summary The House Agriculture Committee plans on holding a Tuesday night debate on the committee’s reconciliation bill text for the fiscal year with implications on many food and nutrition programs impacting Indian Country. The bill text is expected to be released 24...

IFAI Policy Brief May 6, 2025

IFAI Policy Brief May 6, 2025

Summary Mark your calendars for the upcoming USDA Tribal Advisory Committee’s hybrid meeting on May 7-8, 2025, taking place in Washington D.C. Registration details are in the full policy brief. The Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs is holding a series of...

IFAI Policy Brief May 6, 2025

IFAI Policy Brief April 29, 2025

Summary   Mark your calendars for the upcoming USDA Tribal Advisory Committee’s hybrid meeting on May 7-8, 2025 taking place in Washington D.C. Registration details are in the full policy brief.  Check out Congressional hearings this week, with the Senate...

Educational Resources

History of the Census of Agriculture in Indian Country

History of the Census of Agriculture in Indian Country

Gathering and collecting information for the goal of counting in Indian Country, whether agricultural and/or population data, has looked different throughout the ages. As the first part in the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative's Census of Agriculture webinar...

Look at Indian Country Farming, Agriculture, and Food Security

Look at Indian Country Farming, Agriculture, and Food Security

REGIONAL DATA INFOGRAPHICS - FARM & AG AND FOOD SECURITY ACROSS INDIAN COUNTRY The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative's team conducted research and has analyzed the 2017 Census of Agriculture data to compile infographics detailing statistics and facts on...

Census Information

ANNUAL MARKET VALUE of ai/An Ag products*

Number of AI/AN Farms in 2022

Number of AI/AN PRODUCERS in 2022

*Does not include government payments.

Trainings/Webinars

The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, with the University of Arkansas, tailored tax and asset training specific to Tribal producers and Tribal citizens.

The materials are based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number FSA22CPT0012189.

Click the button below to access educational materials regarding tax and asset management.

EATS Academy

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.

As needs for EATS Academy resources change and evolve for Tribal governments and producers, the academy will reflect updated information as it becomes available. Sign up to receive communications on updated resources and news related to the Indigenous food and agriculture.

Walmart

Support for the EATS Academy has been generously provided by the Walmart Foundation.

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? Send an email to tribalag@uark.edu.

Start below by sorting the information based on which category best fits your role, interests, goals, or areas of expertise.

Food Safety Traceability

Food Safety Traceability

Navigating Food Safety Supply Chains

Navigating Food Safety Supply Chains

Credit Access and Financing Your Agriculture Operations

Credit Access and Financing Your Agriculture Operations

Integrating Food Safety in Scaling Farm Enterprises

Integrating Food Safety in Scaling Farm Enterprises

How Tribal Departments of Agriculture Benefit Native Producers

How Tribal Departments of Agriculture Benefit Native Producers

Identifying Business Structures for Tribal Citizens

Identifying Business Structures for Tribal Citizens

Tribal Department of Agriculture Support for Scaling Value Added Operators

Tribal Department of Agriculture Support for Scaling Value Added Operators

Business Structure Decision Tree

Business Structure Decision Tree

Structuring a Tribal Department of Agriculture Mind Map

Structuring a Tribal Department of Agriculture Mind Map

How Tribal Departments of Agriculture Benefit Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

How Tribal Departments of Agriculture Benefit Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

Marketing Native-Produced Food Products

Marketing Native-Produced Food Products

Example Organizational Charts

Example Organizational Charts

Success Stories

Success Stories

USDA Conservation Programs

USDA Conservation Programs

Financing Agriculture Operations: FSA Credit Access

Financing Agriculture Operations: FSA Credit Access

Farm to School Guided Worksheet

Farm to School Guided Worksheet

Developing Agricultural Efficiencies in Scaling Up

Developing Agricultural Efficiencies in Scaling Up

Local Agricultural Marketing Program (LAMP)

Local Agricultural Marketing Program (LAMP)

Evaluating Food Regulatory Oversight and Industry Standards: Resource Banking for Informed Compliance Measures

Evaluating Food Regulatory Oversight and Industry Standards: Resource Banking for Informed Compliance Measures

Starting or Scaling Up Tribal Agriculture Operations: Resource Banking for Informed Goal Setting

Starting or Scaling Up Tribal Agriculture Operations: Resource Banking for Informed Goal Setting

Developing a Tribal Department of Agriculture: Resource Banking for Informed Goal Setting

Developing a Tribal Department of Agriculture: Resource Banking for Informed Goal Setting

Beginning Farmers and Rancher Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill

Beginning Farmers and Rancher Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill

Native Youth Internship Opportunities

Native Youth Internship Opportunities

Native Youth Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill

Native Youth Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill

Model Tribal Food and Ag Code

The Model Tribal Food and Agriculture Code Project serves as a resource for Tribal governments, providing a comprehensive set of model laws for review, adoption, and implementation. The model laws contained in the code were designed by IFAI and contributing attorneys to facilitate agricultural production, food systems development, and health outcomes improvement in Indian Country.