The United States Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recently awarded $3.5 million to eight tribal nations in order to expand their options in selecting foods for food distribution packages, according to a press release.
The project, which will provide tribes with flexibility in their management of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), makes it so that the tribal nations can now purchase their food from commercial vendors instead of the USDA. This will give them more control over selecting food in their FDPIR food packages, and let individuals/communities better choose to receive packages that align with their preferences.
"Indigenous and tribal nation voices matter to the USDA," Rural Development - Utah wrote in a Nov. 2 Twitter post.
FDPIR, currently operated by 105 tribal nations and three state agencies, purchases and ships USDA foods for eligible households. The program served approximately 75,000 individuals per month in fiscal year 2020, according to the release.
"USDA is fully committed to supporting the restoration of indigenous food, to empower indigenous agricultural economies and to improve indigenous health through traditional foods. This FDPIR demonstration project is an important part of that effort,” said Stacy Dean, deputy under secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services. “We are embracing this opportunity to make long-term enhancements to FDPIR by learning more about the nutritional needs and preferences of tribal communities."
The project was implemented last month and some contracts are expected to last up to three years.
