Growing Stronger: The Federally-Recognized Tribes Extension Program at Work | Article

Indigenous foodways, a term referring to the “complex significance of food within native ideology,” reflect respect and reciprocity between human and ecological systems. The resulting agricultural practices embrace biocultural knowledge, resilience, and sustainability. More broadly, these systems are integrated with the local environment, as well as important elements of Indigenous tradition. Supporting Indigenous food systems, therefore, not only bolsters agricultural sustainability, but supports traditional ecological knowledge, nutrition and health, and Indigenous languages and culture.

The Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP) seeks to sustain these holistic, traditional, agricultural practices by bringing together government resources and tribal leadership. Founded under the 1990 Farm Bill, the program supports Indigenous farmers and ranchers through outreach and education. FRTEP agents facilitate a wide range of programs centered around traditional agriculture, sustainability, and community development. Specific program initiatives aim to reinforce Indigenous foodways, bolster climate resilience, address historic marginalization, and improve community health and food sovereignty.

FRTEP also facilitates collaboration between Native nations and land-grant universities to further sustainable agriculture research and implementation, both within and beyond tribal territories. Land-grant universities receive federal support to provide agricultural education or “Extension” programs to surrounding communities. These programs operate under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to “bring vital, practical information to agricultural producers, small business owners, consumers, families, and young people.” FRTEP operates parallel to county Extension programs, which are run through the Cooperative Extension System (CES).

Tracy Ann Morgan, Extension Coordinator for Washington State University (WSU) and the Kalispel Tribe, describes her role as a FRTEP agent as one that “enhance[s], perpetuate[s], or bridge[s] tribal government programs.” Historically, she says, academic or government action has been extractive and exploitative of Indigenous people and knowledge. Morgan works to facilitate connections between WSU and the Kalispel Tribe through research and joint experimental projects that emphasize respect for Indigenous culture, ideologies, and methods. Trent Teegerstrom, Associate Director of Tribal Extension Programs and Extension Specialist at the University of Arizona, points to soil mapping and rainwater harvesting programs as examples of this work in Arizona. FRTEP employees facilitate conversations between researchers and Indigenous producers to establish mutual trust and a transparent understanding of objectives before initiating projects on tribal lands.

As climate change imposes mounting pressure on the agricultural sector at large, Indigenous food systems offer tried-and-true models of resilient and sustainable farming. Increased federal support for these practices—and for Indigenous communities as a whole—can help inform climate-smart agriculture across the United States, while also working to redress some of the impacts of historic marginalization.

Community-Deep Benefits

As climate breakdown threatens many Indigenous agricultural practices, FRTEP projects help bolster resilience in Native communities while preserving regenerative, culturally-important food systems. In speaking with EESI, Morgan described how FRTEP-facilitated community gardens have revived dwindling populations of fire-resistant or edible native plants, thereby increasing resilience and bringing back diminished traditions to which these local species are integral.

The benefits of FRTEP programming extend beyond Native communities. The Indian Country Extension Commission (ICEC) reported in 2022 that support for FRTEP also aligns with national priorities around plant and animal production and health, food safety and nutrition, natural resource use, climate-smart agriculture, rural communities, workforce security, and other issues.

In addition to furthering social, agricultural, and environmental priorities, support for Tribal Extension operations also benefits local economies, both within and beyond Indigenous communities. A 2022 report from the University of Arizona found that “Extension operations [in Arizona] generate at least a one-to-one match on their direct state funding…. [F]rom a total economic impact perspective, the Return on Investment (ROI) is even greater.”

Progress Impeded by Funding Challenges

FRTEP programs receive funding on a four-year competitive grant cycle, administered by NIFA. These grants support areas such as agriculture and natural resources; family, consumer, and health sciences; community economic development; and youth development. Currently, FRTEP receives $3 million in federal support—an amount that has not kept pace with inflation or with the number of programs that have been added over the years. This stagnation hinders the capacity of Indigenous communities to make their agricultural systems more resilient to the impacts of climate change. To meet current needs, ICEC has recommended a $30-million increase in funding to FRTEP.

Dedicated federal funding could address the issue of excessive competition for limited resources, which puts programs in constant flux. “It’s pitting tribe against tribe,” says Morgan. Even once they have secured funding, agents are unable to plan for the long term, as continued funding is not guaranteed. Even well-established programs, like those in South Dakota (which has the twelfth largest statewide population of Indigenous producers), are insecure—all three agents in the state lost their funding in the 2017 grant cycle.

Many FRTEP programs dedicate valuable time and resources towards competing for funding when they could be serving communities, according to Teegerstrom. Within the short guarantee of a single four-year cycle, he says, “agents can’t get fully engaged in the communities they work with. There isn’t time to build that trust or continuity of programs. You can’t fully understand the communities you’re trying to serve.” Indigenous producers and FRTEP agents have long advocated for the removal of competition in the grant process, supporting a formula-funded program instead.

An increase in funding could also bolster the capacity of FRTEP agents to adequately serve Native communities. Presently, a total of 35 FRTEP agents serve only 32 of the 574 federally-recognized tribes. Meanwhile, CES—FRTEP’s non-Indigenous counterpart—maintains offices and Extension agents in nearly every county across the nation. Even in combination with the only other program that provides dedicated agricultural education to Indigenous communities, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), the reach of Extension programs is limited. According to the 2022 report from ICEC, “FRTEP and [TCUs] now reach about 75 of the 574 eligible Federally Recognized Tribes, or approximately 13%. The demand for services from Tribal Nations vastly exceeds the current available resources.” Increasing the number of funded FRTEP positions, as well as matching funding to meet demand and the program’s original commitments, can allow FRTEP to approach its intended reach.

An Opportunity for Increased Support

The Farm Bill, the country’s single largest law governing agriculture and food systems, presents an opportunity to increase support for FRTEP, and by extension, for Indigenous communities and traditional, sustainable agricultural practices. The 2018 Farm Bill included a record 63 provisions supporting Native agricultural producers and related USDA programs, setting the stage for increased prioritization in the upcoming iteration. The 2023 Farm Bill process is already well-underway, but policymakers still have time to ensure that the voices of Indigenous agricultural leaders, including groups such as the Native Farm Bill Coalition (NFBC), are meaningfully included in policy formation. The resulting climate, cultural, economic, and health benefits would be welcome. “There’s a debt there to be paid,” remarks Morgan. “This is restorative justice.”

Author: Georgia Wluka

Read the other articles in our Growing Stronger: Spotlight on Indigenous Sustainable Agriculture series on Supporting Indigenous Sustainable Agriculture through Federal Policy at Work and The Sustainable Roots of Indigenous Agriculture.