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The Office of Native American Programs is located in the USDA Office of the Secretary, Intergovernmental Affairs, because the relationship between the Department of Agriculture and Tribal Governments is a government-to-government relationship.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is committed to a USDA that faithfully serves Tribal organizations and also individual Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The Office of Native American Program works to ensure that relevant programs and policies are efficient, easy to understand, and accessible to Native American constituents including:
Tribal leaders
Farmers and ranchers
Foresters, hunters and fishers
Rural citizens
Individuals and families
Students and teachers
The Office of Native American Programs is designed to:
Serve as a liaison in ongoing consultation with members of the Tribal community.
Develop and lead a consultation process to ensure strong partnerships that will preserve Tribal sovereignty and result in high quality service for farmers, ranchers, consumers, and other constituents.
Work closely with officials at the highest levels of USDA to ensure that policy solutions consider the needs and issues of importance to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Coordinate Department-wide initiatives and strengthen a network of Tribal liaisons across USDA's diverse offices and agencies.
Indian Ag Link Provides a unified effort to promote change.
