Indigenous Foods Working Group

In 2020, a new and much-needed working group was born, focusing on Indigenous and traditional foods. The working group is still in its infancy, meeting with various members throughout Alaska’s communities. We are working on our mission and have established three goals:

1. advocacy

2. provide networking opportunities

3. provide support for food system assessment and planning.

Launched in 2020, this much-needed working group was born, focusing on Indigenous and traditional foods. The working group is still in its infancy, meeting with various members throughout Alaska’s communities. We are working on our mission and have established three goals: 1) advocacy, 2) provide networking opportunities, and 3) provide support for food system assessment and planning.

The diversity that exists across Alaska’s landscape is reflected in the diversity that exists between Tribes. Yet, there are things that connect us all, no matter the culture, language, or history. We all eat. What we eat and how we eat is something that defines us, and it is something that connects us. Over the past year, the Indigenous Foods Committee has continued to refine scope and strategic plan for the committee to help ensure that the priorities being pursued were meaningful to the committee members. Priorities include identifying and supporting policy that helps ensure continued access to traditional use harvest areas, increased opportunities for funding and technical support, and strengthening relationships between the State of Alaska and Tribes to support food sovereignty and security.

We are working to further food security with Alaska Native/American Indian communities, food sovereignty, and advocating for policies that affect the production, sale, or trading of traditional foods. Indigenous foods are a vital part of Alaska’s food system. It is important we work to further food security and sovereignty throughout Alaska and advocate the importance of Indigenous foods. The committee meets on the last Thursday of every month, 12:30-2pm. We are currently recruiting more participants to increase the scope and capacity of the work that is occurring.  

Contact Chair Tikaan Galbreath to get involved.

Indigenous foods resources

Alaska Resources:

• Alaska Village Initiatives - AG Alaska

• Inuit Circumpolar Council-Alaska: ICC Alaska

  • ICC Food Sovereignty and Food Security Reports/Resources List

  • ICC Report- FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND SELF-GOVERNANCE:

    INUIT ROLE IN MANAGING ARCTIC MARINE RESOURCES

  • ICC - ALASKAN INUIT FOOD SECURITY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK:

    HOW TO ASSESS THE ARCTIC FROM AN INUIT PERSPECTIVE

• Tribes Extension Program at Tanana Chiefs Conference

  • Collection - Resources for Alaska Farmers--new, old, big and small

• Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium - Traditional Foods & Nutrition

• Article: A Conversation about Food Sovereignty and Food Justice in Alaska at the Alaska Food Festival and Conference

• SEARHC Southeast Alaska Traditional Foods Guide

• Article (2018) A scoping review of traditional food security in Alaska

National Resources:

• Intertribal Agriculture Council

• Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative

• National Congress of American Indian's Tribal Food Sovereignty and Food Production

Funding Resources:

• Native America Agricultural Fund

• Alaska Division of Agriculture Grants - Micro Grants for Food Security & Specialty Crop Block Grants

• RurAL CAP: Growing Rural Opportunities for Wellness (GROW) Program (information about the 2021 funding cycle)

USDA RESOURCES:

FNS has various resources to assist CNP operators in determining how traditional Indigenous foods may contribute toward a reimbursable meal:

• Bringing Tribal Foods and Traditions into Cafeterias, Classrooms, and Gardens

• Child Nutrition Recipe Box

• Community Food Systems in Native Communities – Incorporating Traditional Foods in Child Nutrition Program Menus

• Crediting of Child Nutrition Programs and Traditional Indigenous Foods Memo 

• Crediting Tip Sheets in Child Nutrition Programs

• Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

• Crediting Updates for Child Nutrition Programs: Be in the Know! Webinar Series

• Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG)

• FDPIR Sharing Gallery

• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations

• Gardens in Tribal Communities

Policy Guidance

• Farm Bill Implementation Memo: Donated Traditional Foods and Civil Liability

• Grain Requirements for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

• Nutrition Standards for CACFP Meals and Snacks

• Nutrition Standards for School Meals

• NSLP Afterschool Snack Service

• Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Game, and Eggs for Child Nutrition Programs

• Service of Traditional Foods in Public Facilities

• Summer Food Service Program

Other Resources:

• USDA New Farmers Guide

• Intertribal Ag- Key Findings from the 2022 Census of Agriculture