The U.S. Department of Agriculture is doing its part to ensure Tribes and Tribal communities flourish by providing access to both necessary infrastructure and money.
According to a Nov. 1 USDA news release, it's one of many ways the agency is celebrating the month honoring Native American Heritage.
"During Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the countless contributions of American Indians and Alaska Natives and honor the vital influence they have had on the advancement of our nation," USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said in the release.
It's all a part of the USDA's renewed promise to strengthen partnerships with Native people and the communities they live in, the release stated.
Under the agency's policy statement, the USDA vowed to uphold the department's Trust responsibility to Tribal communities, respect Tribal sovereignty, talk with Tribes about the USDA's policies and programs and look back on their history with the federal government, according to the release. It also calls for the creation and implementation of a Tribal Training program for Rural Development employees.
In the release, Torres Small added under the current administration, the agency has reiterated its promise to "work hand in hand with Tribes and Tribal communities to create a bright future."
