June 4, 2020
ACL's Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs (OAIANNHP) has launched a project to help develop a searchable list of American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian farmers willing to sell direct to consumers through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) On-Farm Market Directory. On-farm markets are managed by a single farm operator that sells products on their farm or a property next to their farm.
OAIANNHP has developed a quick, easy application for farmers of federally recognized tribes.
Developing a searchable list through USDA’s Directory may benefit Title VI programs in the following ways:
- Ensuring there is a viable marketplace available to find and purchase fresh, in-season products to serve to elders while also supporting local economies.
- Locating traditional, culturally important foods that are difficult to find otherwise.
- Providing a reliable, alternative source of local food vendors in times of crisis or economic instability.
- Ensuring farmers are properly identified and searchable by one of the following keywords: American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Native Hawaiian.
- Resulting in the creation of more targeted directories for Title VI programs.