Spirit Lake Nation commodity food program turns to tribal buffalo herd for meat

The tribal nation, headquartered at Fort Totten, North Dakota, is one of eight that altogether received $4 million in October 2023 to take part in the Self-Determination Demonstration Project. The pilot program could transition commodity foods into “a financial resource that benefits my community, not just a government handout,” said Mary Greene Trottier.

A nationally-known Indigenous food sovereignty advocate, Greene Trottier is a Spirit Lake Nation citizen and in charge of its federal Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. Commonly called the commodities program, it is a supply lifeline for some of the more than 25% of Native American households facing food insecurity in the United States.

The 2018 Farm Bill put the pilot project into the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s budget for commodities, noting it “honors tribal sovereignty” by supporting tribal economies, dietary preferences and agricultural producers. Since 2021, 15 tribal communities have received more than $11 million for self-determination projects.

Through these and other 2018 Farm Bill reforms in the commodity system, products now starkly differ from the syrup, vegetable shortening, canned meat and bleached flour that USDA offered until the late ‘90s. Monthly packages score higher on the healthy eating index than the average U.S. diet, indicative of the nutritionally dense foods available to participants.

In addition to delivering shelf-stable foods to the distribution center on Spirit Lake Reservation, USDA has responded to orders for frozen goods, fresh produce and eggs. The tribe contracts with North American Bison packing plant for meat processing half an hour away in New Rockford, North Dakota. The self-determination project “allows for that deviation of one size fits all,” which has characterized the commodities program, Greene Trottier said.

Program participant Mattie Merrick told Buffalo’s Fire her children enjoy the bison meat she brings home from the distribution center “because they want to be more connected with their culture. Growing up we didn’t have that option.”

The pilot project was an experiment with the viability of turning over the administration of the commodities program to tribes. Among 2024 Farm Bill proposals lawmakers are considering, one would enable tribal contracting to run the federal program.

Tribal nations already contract to administer federal budgets for healthcare, education and criminal justice systems via the 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

Decision makers should know the pilot project funding ends in 2026, Greene Trottier said. Producers who partner with the commodity system need assurances of a stable income flow, she said. The three-year window does not guarantee farmers, ranchers and vendors recoup their investments, particularly if they alter their production to meet federal requirements.

Months-long food shortages In the commodity deliveries drove home the critical need to incorporate local suppliers in the distribution system, said Greene Trottier. Since May, Spirit Lake Nation’s program has faced constant supply chain disruptions from USDA’s warehouse consolidation in April.

As the USDA’s national contractor struggled to build capacity, the department authorized programs like hers to restock inventory with local vendors.

The shortages illustrated that tribes’ need purchasing power to meet community needs, Green Trottier said. They also highlight the value of local food networks in supporting the national supply chain, she said. With the pilot project, she could replace missing USDA beef orders with local bison roasts.

To become the primary meat supplier for the program, the tribe spent a year doubling the size of their herd. Now, they pasture calves three years longer than before, rather than selling them young, said Robert Greywater, the herd manager. Greywater estimates they have roughly 300 animals – 120 adult animals and 180 calves, ages one- through three-years-old.

Alongside other tribal leaders, Greene Trottier testified before lawmakers on Sept. 11 that local procurement programs and regional supply networks are critical to preventing future shortages. A consultation between USDA and tribal leaders followed the Congressional hearing. Another meeting between federal officials and food distribution managers is set for Oct. 9.

Each reservation has unique needs that cannot be completely met by the national distribution network, Greene Trottier said. Individual program managers know best their community needs and local suppliers, she said. Ultimately, “things are changing and I always feel that change equals growth,” she said.

“The farm to table model is really coming into reality [for] the feeding program,” Greene Trottier said. “It’s been out there in urban America for a long time. The awareness, the growth and the attention needs to be paid to that.”