New Grants Fund Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative's PROFIT Series

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative in the University of Arkansas School of Law has received two $99,992 grants from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency. The grants will fund a series of risk-management presentations prepared by the initiative.

The series, “PROFIT: Crop Insurance, Financial Management Updates and Food Safety Risk Prevention,” will address legal issues relevant to tribal government officials and Native American farmers and ranchers in the USDA’s Spokane and Oklahoma City regions.

Comprehensive risk management is essential to any farmer’s or rancher’s success, but Indian Country producers face unique legal, regulatory and financial challenges that complicate the risk management landscape. Through this partnership with the agency, the initiative will offer the specific training that Native American producers need to handle emerging legal developments, including new complex food safety requirements and innovative crop insurance programming.

The PROFIT presentations will educate farmers and ranchers about the kinds of risk addressed by the USDA’s risk-management tools, to teach appropriate use of these tools, and to establish methods for making sound risk management decisions.

“The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative does an excellent job of supporting itself through grants,” said Jim Rankin, vice provost for research and economic development at the U of A. “It consistently looks for and secures funds to support its innovative programs.”

Part of the initiative’s mission is to empower tribal governments, farmers, ranchers and food businesses by providing strategic planning and technical assistance, as well as creating professional education programs in food systems and agriculture.

The PROFIT presentations will be offered at seven locations within the two regions, and via four scheduled webinars. The times, dates and locations will be published to the initiative’s website and social media accounts once they are available.

Comprehensive risk management is essential to operator success, but Indian Country producers face unique legal, regulatory and financial challenges that complicate the risk management landscape. Through this partnership with the agency, the initiative will offer the specific training that Native American producers need to handle emerging legal developments, including new complex food safety requirements and innovative crop insurance programming.

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency has oversight of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. Through the corporation, the agency provides crop insurance to U.S. farmers and ranchers. One of the agency’s primary goals is to sponsor educational and outreach programs about risk management and the tools offered by the agency. These programs help ensure access to the agency’s tools and products. The agency’s website also offers agency news, summaries of insurance sales, information on pilot programs, crop policies and downloadable publications.

About the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative: The Initiative enhances health and wellness in tribal communities by advancing healthy food systems, diversified economic development and cultural food traditions in Indian Country. We empower tribal governments, farmers, ranchers and food businesses by providing strategic planning and technical assistance; by creating new academic and professional education programs in food systems and agriculture; and by increasing student enrollment in land grant universities in food and agricultural related disciplines.

LL.M. Program in Agricultural & Food Law: The first advanced law degree in agricultural and food law was founded at the University of Arkansas School of Law more than 30 years ago. The LL.M. Program in Food and Agricultural Law was also the first to offer a fully integrated opportunity for face-to-face and distance education options. With the LL.M. Program as the foundation, the University of Arkansas School of Law publishes the nation’s first student-edited specialized journal devoted to food law and policy issues and sustains outreach efforts such as the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative and the Food Recovery Project, which connect academic scholarship with critical legal and policy issues.

About University of Arkansas School of Law: The University of Arkansas School of Law prepares students for success through a challenging curriculum taught by nationally recognized faculty, unique service opportunities and a close-knit community that puts students first. With alumni in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, two territories and 20 countries, it has been ranked among the top 10 "Values in Legal Education" by the National Jurist magazine for three consecutive years and is among the top 41 public law schools, according to U.S. News and World Report.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.