U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Alaska State Director for Rural Development Julia Hnilicka today announced the first grant recipients under the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program
“President Biden supports Indigenous food sovereignty by working to fulfill Tribal requests for flexible nutritional funding,” State Director Hnilicka said. “This Administration is listening and incorporating Tribal and Indigenous Knowledge to encourage the processing and distribution of affordable, healthy animal proteins that have sustained Alaskans from time immemorial. USDA Rural Development is extremely proud to fund and partner with our Tribes in this important work to feed Alaskans with culturally significant foods.”
Two Alaska Native Tribes are receiving Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grants in the first round of funding announcements today:
- The Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor in Alaska is receiving a $1 million grant to buy and modernize an unused processing facility that will help the community address food shortages due to climate change. Members of the Tribe live in a remote village accessible only by boat or small plane. Severe weather can delay food deliveries, and algae are depleting fishing stocks. The funding will allow the Tribe to increase the amount of local game and fish they can process using traditional methods. This includes meat from the Sitkalidak Bison Herd the Tribe manages.
- The Tribal Government of St. Paul Island in Alaska is receiving a grant of more than $668,000 to re-establish a local reindeer meat processing operation at the Aleut Community Store. The Aleut community will use the grant to develop a program to harvest, process, market and sell local reindeer products. The project will increase the availability of locally sourced organic meat products and drive profits back to the island. It also will help Tribal members remember, relearn and practice traditional herding techniques important to the cultural heritage of the island.
USDA partnered with Oweesta Corp., a Native Community Development Financial Institution, to provide grants under the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program. Oweesta Corp. is selecting the grantees under the program.
USDA designed the program to support priorities voiced by Tribal Nations during consultations held over two years. It aims to expand processing opportunities using modern and traditional harvesting methods for animals native to North America such as bison, reindeer, and salmon.
The program reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to work in partnership with Tribal Nations to advance prosperity and dignity for all Native peoples. It also supports the Administration’s priority to build a fairer, more competitive, and more resilient food system by supporting local farms and businesses.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ak.
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