Monday, December 5th 2016
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the appointment of six new members and the re-appointment of five members to the Council for Native American Farming and Ranching. As a discretionary advisory committee, the Council provides recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on changes to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and other measures that would eliminate barriers to program participation for Native American farmers and ranchers. With the addition of a representative from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Council membership is changing to better reflect the diversity of resources provided by the USDA. NRCS provides farmers, ranchers and forest managers with free technical assistance, or advice, for their land. The Council consists of fifteen members, including four USDA officials and eleven Native American leaders and representatives. Members of the Council are appointed for two-year terms by the Secretary of Agriculture. The appointees may include: Native American (American Indian and Alaska Native) farmers or ranchers; representatives of nonprofit organizations that work with Native farmers and ranchers; civil rights professionals; educators; tribal elected leaders; senior USDA officials; and other persons the Secretary deems appropriate. Among those appointed include Sarah Vogel, a Civil Rights Attorney and Former North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner and Tawney Brunsch, a member of the Oglala Sioux community in South Dakota. Vilsack also appointed USDA officials to the council and include Jason Weller, Chief of Natural Resources Conservation Service, FSA Administrator Val Dolcini, Dr. Joe Leonard and Leslie Wheelock. The Council will hold its next meeting on December 8th and 9th in Las Vegas. The Council will continue to work closely with the Office of Tribal Relations and other USDA agencies to improve the success of Native farmers and ranchers to access USDA's entire portfolio of programs to build and support their businesses.