Summit within a summit focuses on FARMS and food

Sessions and speeches explored the balance between technology and tradition in agriculture

The role of Indigenous farming practices in North Dakota’s new multimillion-dollar agricultural partnership took center stage at the United Tribes Technical College 27^th Annual Tribal Leadership Summit.

This week, hundreds of students, community organizers and tribal leaders from throughout the Great Plains attended the summit. Sessions throughout Wednesday and Thursday addressed renewable energy, food sovereignty, healthcare, media, tribal and local politics and education.

Organizers dedicated a spate of sessions solely to food sovereignty and agriculture, as part of the inaugural Inter-Tribal Agriculture Innovation and Food Sovereignty Summit.

The regional partnership FARMS (Food systems Adapted for Resiliency and Maximized Security), sponsored the registration costs for individuals and organizations participating in the Food Sovereignty Summit. FARMS plans to eventually scale the initiative to an annual, independent regional gathering.

The National Science Foundation selected FARMS as one of 10 “engine” programs. The FARMS regional network will leverage up to $160 million over a decade toward projects addressing food insecurity and climate resiliency in agriculture.

The FARMS projects will put agricultural technology research into practice and establish education, workforce development and infrastructure systems to sustain those practices at a commercial scale.

The team and regional partners believe that the communities that have been historically excluded from the agricultural innovation sector should inform — and in many cases, drive — FARMS projects. This includes tribal communities, small-scale growers and students.

“We’re bringing their voices to the table not just as participants, but as leaders, as decision-makers and as equal partners in this work,” said Hollie Mackey, chief executive officer for the FARMS organization, during Thursday’s keynote address.

Through the summit, panels on seed rematriation and establishing reservation farmers’ markets provided opportunities for students, tribal leaders, and state and federal officials to discuss where they see opportunities to transform food systems using traditional knowledge, along with institutional support and emerging technology.

There are not many instances where agriculture students get to talk one-on-one with U.S. Department of Agriculture officials – but during the discussion section of “What is the FARMS Engine?” UTTC agriculture student Jessica Ulmer shared what she’s learned studying and working in Indigenous agriculture with Natural Resources Conservation Service officials.

It was a unique opportunity for agencies to “hear our voice so that they can help us help the community,” Ulmer said.

Melanie Moniz, a longtime community organizer and UTTC agriculture student, led a hands-on workshop during the summit. She guided participants in crafting tea developed using traditional knowledge, such as a blend called “Healing Hearts” incorporating mint, rosehips, hawthorn and rose petals.

The summit was “an opportunity to share what you know and what you love,” she said. “It’s beautiful connecting with so many relatives and our traditional medicines.”

Attending the summit illustrated to Moniz that when it comes to addressing the various socioeconomic, educational and environmental challenges in Indian Country, “we need to find the answers for ourselves.”

Throughout the two-day summit the answers were in abundance, and so were examples of tangible, impactful projects addressing food insecurity, encouraging youth leadership and incorporating traditional plants.

“Indian Country has mastered innovation, knowing federal support is not always predictable or reliable,” said Mackey during Thursday’s keynote speech.

She envisions the NSF award as “a generational opportunity, one that has the potential to fundamentally alter the trajectory of our region.”

The FARMS team emphasized that this opportunity begins by incorporating youth and student voices, like those welcomed during the summit.

As the summit drew to a close, UTTC’s Land Grant Director Edwin Kitzes told Buffalo’s Fire, “We would like to see this event grow over the years by bringing in Native farmers and producers from across the state and neighboring areas.”

“We are here to support the Tribal agriculture community,” he said, “and strengthen resources for them to thrive.”

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Throughout the week, Buffalo’s Fire staff are covering the United Tribes Technical College Annual Tribal Leaders Summit and International Powwow. Catch up on the opening ceremony event and read about Wednesday night’s entertainment. Find out what to expect this weekend in a preview for the International Powwow.