The USDA Council for Native American Farming and Ranching (CNAFR) will host its regional meeting in Cherokee on April 4-5 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. The Council was established by Agriculture Secretary Vilsack to provide recommendations on ways to promote American Indian / Alaska Native access in USDA programs and services. Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), public participants are welcome to address the Council directly on Monday, April 4 from 1:30-4pm.
Following is the agenda for the two-day event which will be held in the Hickory Room:
Monday, April 4
9am – Call to Order and Roll Call by Mark Wadsworth, CNAFR chair
Welcoming remarks by Principal Chief Patrick Lambert
Review of agenda
9:30am – CNAFR members’ subcommittee meetings
11am – CNAFR members’ readout of subcommittee meetings to the Full Council
1:30pm – Public Comment period
4:30pm – CNAFR members’ discussion of recommendations and other issues, Keepseagle update
6pm – adjourn
Tuesday, April 5
9am – Call or Order and Roll Call by Wadworth
Review of agenda
9:30am – USDA Office of Tribal Relations update by Leslie Wheelock, director
10am – CNAFR Charter Renewal update by Dana Richey, designated federal officer
11am – Overview of programs of First Nations Development Institute (FNDI) by Raymond Foxworth, vice president of grantmaking, development and communications of FNDI
11:30am – Farm Service Agency Farm Loan Program update by Jim Radintz, Farm Service Agency deputy administrator
2pm – Intertribal Agriculture Council update by Zach Ducheneaux, program manager
2:30pm – SNAP EBT for Farmers Market and other venues by Rogelio Carrasco, SNAP Farmers Markets coordinator, Food and Nutrition Service
2:45pm – Group GAP Certification Training for Indian Country by Arthur Neal, Transportation and Marketing Programs deputy administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service
3:30pm – USDA Ombudsperson update by Joanee Dea, USDA
4pm – Review of recommendations, discussion of issues and closing comments
6pm – Adjourn
– CNAFR
