By Scout Nelson
The USDA recognizes the pressing food security concerns within Native American communities. Many tribal areas, due to their geographical isolation, rely heavily on convenience stores, leading to limited healthy food options.
Addressing this, the USDA has initiated a pilot project via the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) to supply local ground bison meat to tribes in South Dakota, namely the Cheyenne River Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux, and Lower Brule Sioux.
This fresh approach emphasizes local procurement, ensuring that the meat is sourced directly from the regions where these tribal communities reside. USDA's Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, highlighted the pivotal role of USDA's purchasing power in uplifting smaller, local, and tribal producers.
The pilot initiative focuses on raising and harvesting bison using indigenous-informed principles, such as infrequent animal handling, nature-aligned purchasing calendars, and opting for either USDA or state inspections, highlighting differences in USDA's purchase specifics compared to small and mid-sized producers' practices.
The method of field harvesting stands out. This humane and stress-free method involves harvesting the buffalo in their natural environment, ensuring the animal's well-being up to its last moment. The significance of buffalo in tribal culture is profound, often accompanied by prayers and traditional ceremonies upon harvesting.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: South Dakota, Livestock