NIFA Nutrition Security Webinar: Promoting Indigenous Food Sovereignty

To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, the Director of the USDA Office of Tribal Relations Heather Dawn Thompson provided an overview of the USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative. Staff from NIFA and the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) also highlighted relevant resources. 

NIFA stakeholders including academics, practitioners, and decision makers working to prioritize nutrition security using research, education, and/or Extension, with a special interest in approaches to promote Indigenous Food Sovereignty. 

Moderators

• Sheila Fleischhacker, PhD, JD, RDN, National Science Liaison – Food Safety and Nutrition and NIFA Nutrition Security Team Co-Chair
• Shelly-Bright Manga, Pathways Intern

Panelists

• Heather Dawn Thompson, JD, Director of the Office of Tribal Relations, USDA 
• Erin Riley, MS, National Program Leader, Division of Community and Education, Institute of Youth, Family, and Community, NIFA, USDA 
• Janyce Woodard, MSE, National Program Leader, Division of Community and Education, Institute of Youth, Family, and Community, NIFA, USDA  
• Suzanne Stluka, PhD, RDN, Deputy Director, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, NIFA, USDA  
• Natalie Christopherson, Tribal Affairs Technical Advisor, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA 

Relevant Resources

• ASCEND Nutrition Summit at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting - Bing video
• USDA Food and Nutrition Security 
• USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative
• USDA Office of Tribal Relations 
• NIFA Tribal Programs
• NIFA Food and Nutrition Security 
• NIFA Food Loss and Waste 
• NIFA Nutrition and Food Systems 
• USDA-DOI Treaty Database
• Tepary Beans Resource
• Intertribal Buffalo Council
• Returning Buffalo with Native Nations Forum
• White House Releases First-of-a-Kind Indigenous Knowledge Guidance for Federal Agencies
• National Park Service Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
• First Nations
• ASCEND for Better Health: Building a Healthy Community Together, Bismarck
• United Tribes Technical College, Health & Wellness
• USDA ARS, North Great Plains Research Laboratory
• Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board Good Health & Wellness