USDA Takes Steps to Support Food Sovereignty with the Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana

Date
Thursday, November 10, 2022 - 1:30pm
Contact Info
Release No.
180-22

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has signed a cooperative agreement with the Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). Through LFPA, the tribe seeks to purchase and distribute locally grown, produced, and processed food from underserved producers.

“USDA is excited to partner with the Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country.”

Through the LFPA funds, the tribe will work with tribal government units such as the Social Services Department, Education Department, Health Department, Housing Department, the Tribal Criminal Justice system, and collaborate with state and local agencies to identify underserved farmers and food producers to procure from and distribute the purchased foods to tribal families facing food insecurities.

“Our local farmers and ranchers are proud nutrition providers and critical to our local economy,” said Chairman Marshall Pierite. “We are blessed to announce this government-to-government agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe to provide quality local food to those who need it.  Our goal is to bring food sovereignty to those who suffer from food insecurity.”

USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program provides up to $900 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements to enable state, territory, and tribal governments to support local, regional and underserved producers, and maintain or improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination. Funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan and the Commodity Credit Corporation.

AMS looks forward to continuing to sign agreements under this innovative program that allows state and tribal governments to procure and distribute local and regional foods and beverages that are healthy, nutritious, and unique to their geographic area.

More information about the program is available on AMS’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program webpage.

#

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter
@USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender