The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service is partnering with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) to promote locally grown and processed foods, including salmon.
Under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, CRITFC and its four member tribes will seek to purchase and distribute locally grown, produced, and processed food from underserved producers, USDA said in a press release.
With the LFPA funds, the commission will develop and structure a food delivery system to provide healthier food to underserved tribal communities on their respective reservations along the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Oregon.
“We appreciate the USDA’s support in providing this local food purchase assistance investment. CRITFC’s member tribes value the foods our homeland provides, whether that be our First Foods such as salmon, or the garden and farm produce they grow themselves,” CRITFC Executive Director Aja DeCoteau said. “By helping develop a food delivery system aligned with our cultural values, this investment will help our tribal communities access fresh and nutritious foods thereby improving their diets and overall well-being. With this funding, CRITFC and our member tribes will continue to be at the center of the decision-making for our food supply along the Columbia River."
CRITFC works with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, and the Nez Perce Tribe.
USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program provides up to USD 900 million (EUR 849 million) through non-competitive cooperative agreements to enable state, territory, and tribal governments to support local, regional and underserved producers, and maintain or improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination.
“USDA is excited to partner with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities,” USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt said. “The Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country."
Funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan and the Commodity Credit Corporation.
“AMS looks forward to continuing to sign agreements under this innovative program that allows state and tribal governments to procure and distribute local and regional foods and beverages that are healthy, nutritious, and unique to their geographic area,” the agency said.
Photo courtesy of Max Lindenthaler/Shutterstock
