In recognition of the need for more agriculture education opportunities specifically geared toward Native students, the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) helped establish a brand-new entity, the Tribal Agriculture Fellowship (TAF) with additional support provided by John Deere, Farmer Mac and the Farm Credit.
In August 2023 at a student dinner, a TAF Fellow recalled their experience, “I’ve had many scholarships. I’ve had a lot of support. But I have never before felt supported.” This is exactly what TAF was hoping to accomplish: supporting Native students by creating opportunities to advance their education in agriculture, increase specialized knowledge and preserve and promote the legacy of agriculture in tribal communities. TAF Fellow continued,
“TAF is supportive of my career and education. They welcomed me in and treated me like family.”
NAAF was created by the settlement of the landmark Keepesagle vs. Vilsack class-action lawsuit which claimed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) discriminated against Native Americans by denying them equal access to credit in the USDA Farm Loan Program. NAAF is the largest philanthropic organization devoted solely to serving the Native American farming and ranching community.
NAAF is investing in the future of agriculture by helping develop leaders in the field. Through the TAF program, they are focused on creating a space for Native American students to have the opportunity to pursue a career in agriculture.
The genesis of this program stemmed from the relationship between the founding CEOs of NAAF and FFAR, Janie Simms Hipp, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and the first Native American to serve as general counsel to the USDA, and Sally Rockey, a former FFAR CEO, and their joint experience working in education and agriculture. They realized that there was a gap; there were programs for underserved groups but not a program exclusively funded for Native Americans in the agricultural education space. Hipp felt that to be successful in advancing agriculture, we needed to build up the bench or bring people back into agriculture.
FFAR and NAAF collaborate, bringing experts together to lead the TAF program. FFAR Scientific Program Director, Dr. LaKisha Odom serves on the TAF board and brings a wealth of knowledge. She helps connect students to networks of researchers and helps them develop their roadmap. Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, a citizen of the Colville Confederated Tribes, a member of the Equity Commission Committee and chief executive officer of NAAF, had the honor of seeing the TAF program to its fruition. TAF ensures students have access to the resources of both organizations as well as agricultural networks.
For our Native American students, the cultures and communities they come from are unique. TAF’s Executive Director Nicole DeVon, Mescalero Apache, has been working with these students for more than 20 years and she understands that their life experiences are different from other students. FFAR and NAAF built this program with a holistic view and are ensuring that TAF fills any gaps—tuition, books, and a living stipend are all covered; students also have access to housing and childcare.
The results of the TAF program have been incredible. TAF has had two cohorts and is recruiting for a third. Students have strong relationships within their cohort and across cohorts. This is important in building a supportive community for those who may be a first-generation student or the only ones in their universities with their life experiences.
As their careers evolve and they branch off throughout the world, they will serve their own tribal communities and will take their commitment to their identity and their communities with them. TAF Fellows will build on and foster that relationship with new communities wherever they might land.
NAAF and TAF welcome other partners who wish to join this effort with open arms; new partners open opportunities in their organizations for fellows to intern and network. It is a benefit to have a Native American student join an organization. They bring a different perspective—centuries of knowledge that has been passed down from generations before, giving them a different worldview.
Applications for the next cohort of the Tribal Agriculture Fellowship are now open. Applications are due February 2, 2024.