FINDING COMMON GROUND - MERGING TRIBAL LIFE WAYS WITH MODERN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PRACTICES

Working closely with Tribal community members and Land Grant College and University faculty and staff, the goals of this planning proposal are 1) to conduct a needs assessment and compile asset and resource map that will contribute to the development of a white paper outlining a roadmap of activities that will support Tribal agriculture programs and education, particularly in the context of organic agriculture, and 2) to become better acquainted with one another across cultures and the landscape. Through project activities, we will gain clearer understanding of Tribal needs with respect to food production, sovereignty, and education, developing holistic, community-based strategies to strengthen and expand the production of organic food by building strong relationships and trust. Successful completion of this planning process will result in the formation of an expanded ongoing UW-Madison/Native Nations Agriculture Working Group and submission of integrated multiregional proposal(s) to USDA-NIFA and other programs.