OTR

Earlier this week I was honored to participate in an event here at USDA that marked National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Billy Mills, 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist addressed a capacity audience, sharing his life story and observations about how America and the world’s diversity...

November is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month and a fitting time to highlight USDA Rural Development’s recent projects on tribal lands. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Mashpee, Massachusetts, are the direct ancestors of those who helped the Pilgrims on their arrival to New...

Representatives of USDA Rural Development and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently met with leaders from the Sac and Fox Tribe of Mississippi in Iowa to share information on ways the two federal agencies could assist the tribe with funds for such things as community improvement...

As we mark the beginning of National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month I would like to make a request of everyone reading this blog: Take time today to learn more about the culture and history of the first people of this country. There will be events across the Nation, including here...

In the mid-1970’s, the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (Sioux Tribe) relocated from a small tribal office building in Sisseton, SD, to establish a new tribal government at the Old Agency Dakota community in Agency Village, SD. Since then, the tribe has grown immensely in population and in services provided...

The announcement last week that USDA and the Department of Justice have reached an agreement with Native American farmers and ranchers to settle alleged incidents of discrimination by USDA marks the start of a new civil rights era. This isn’t just talk. It is meaningful action on the part of the...

Maine USDA Rural Development State Director Virginia Manuel welcomed the Deputy Administrator for Rural Utilities (RUS) Jessica Zufolo to Maine this week for an important tribal consultation meeting with leaders of Maine’s Native American tribes.

A new, yet traditional cedar Plankhouse on the southern Oregon coast provided a culturally appropriate setting for American Indian Tribal leaders to gather with USDA Rural Development last week. At the meeting, Tribes from across the state provided feedback to help improve the delivery of USDA...

USDA Rural Development officials joined Greg Bell, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Utah recently at the 2010 Native American Summit held in Ogden. This historic gathering provided an opportunity to meet with Utah’s tribal Leaders, and explore the means available for USDA to become a more...