The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians signed a cooperative agreement under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.
This agreement will help the Tribe "purchase and distribute locally grown, produced and processed food from underserved producers," according to a Nov. 7 Agricultural Marketing Service news release.
"USDA is excited to partner with Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy and nutritious food in underserved communities," USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt said in the release. "The Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country."
"The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians is honored to partner with the USDA in this innovative program," Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Chairwoman Regina Cuellar said in the news release. "We are committed to sustaining and improving the lives of all Native people and the underserved of El Dorado County."
USDA's Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program provides up to $900 million to non-competitive cooperative agreements to help state, territory and Tribal governments access and supportlocal, regional and underserved food producers, according to the release. The program also supports and seeks to maintain or improve supply chain resiliency by purchasing food produced within 400 miles of delivery destination.
The program's funding comes from the American Rescue Plan and USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation, the release reported.
