Cooperative Agreement AM24LFPA0000C005

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTE LOCAL FOOD TARGETING PURCHASES FROM SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS. THE TYONEK NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR THE PURCHASE OF LOCALLY GROWN, FRESH FOODS FROM DISADVANTAGED FISHERS, FARMERS, AND OTHER PRODUCERS IN ALASKA. THE NATIVE VILLAGE OF TYONEK CURRENTLY FACES FOOD SECURITY AND SOVEREIGNTY THREATS DUE TO INCREASING FOOD COSTS, SHIPPING EXPENSES, AND SUPPLY CHAIN STRUGGLES. THE FUNDS WILL ALLOW FOR FOOD TO BE BOUGHT DIRECTLY FROM LOCAL PRODUCERS THAT THE VILLAGE DEVELOPS PARTNERSHIPS WITH, FOCUSING ON SMALL FARMS AND DISADVANTAGED AND INDIGENOUS PRODUCERS. PRODUCERS IN THE TYONEK COMMUNITY WILL ALSO PROVIDE CULTURALLY IMPORTANT FOODS FOR THE VILLAGE AND SEE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM. FOR EXAMPLE, SALMON IS A CULTURALLY IMPORTANT FOOD AND A HEALTHY SOURCE OF PROTEIN THAT MANY TRIBES RELY ON, AND THE TYONEK NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM WOULD HELP ENSURE THAT ALL VILLAGE RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO HAVE SUSTAINABLE AND CULTURALLY IMPORTANT FOOD AVAILABLE TO THEM DURING THE LENGTH OF THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WILL ALLOW TYONEK TO NOT ONLY PROVIDE HEALTHY, FRESH FOOD TO VILLAGERS, BUT ALSO PROVIDE MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIGENOUS PRODUCERS, COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN, AND UNDERSERVED PRODUCERS DURING AND AFTER THE END OF THE PROGRAM. THE TYONEK NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM WILL AIM TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 50% OF ITS FOOD FROM SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED PRODUCERS AND WILL AIM TO PURCHASE ALL SALMON FROM INDIGENOUS ALASKAN COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN. THE TYONEK NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM WILL AIM TO PROVIDE A MINIMUM OF ONE MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD TO ALL VILLAGE RESIDENTS WITH THE PRIORITY OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION BEING ELDERS, LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18. THE TRIBE WILL DEVELOP AN ANNUAL TRI-FOLD BROCHURE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE TYONEK NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM, THE OBJECTIVES AND INITIATIVES OF THE PROGRAM, LESSONS LEARNED, AND SUCCESS STORIES THAT WILL BE SHARED AT THE REGIONAL FORUM, THE TIKAHTNU CONFERENCE, TO SPREAD INFORMATION AND INSPIRE OTHER VILLAGES TO BEGIN THEIR OWN PROGRAMS. THE TYONEK NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS AND MINIMALLY PROCESSED FOODS THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING HABITS FOR PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES IN TYONEK. QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORTS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO CAPTURE THE NUMBER OF PRODUCERS, SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS, DISTRIBUTION SITES, AND UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS AS WELL AS FUNDS EXPENDED FOR EACH CATEGORY. ANNUAL REPORTS WILL PROVIDE PERCENTAGES OF NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES AND PURCHASES DISTRIBUTED BEYOND CURRENT FOOD DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS. TYONEK IS A COASTAL VILLAGE LOCATED ON THE COOK INLET AND IS HOME TO AN IMPORTANT SUBSISTENCE AND COMMERCIAL SALMON RUN. THE VILLAGE HAS 8-10 COMMERCIAL SALMON FISHERMEN THAT WOULD BE PRIORITY PRODUCERS TO PURCHASE FROM FOR PROVIDING CHINOOK, COHO, AND SOCKEYE SALMON TO THE RECIPIENTS OF THE TYONEK FOOD PROGRAM. THESE FISHERMEN ARE INDIGENOUS PRODUCERS AND WOULD ALL BE CONSIDERED SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED UNDER THE LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. ANOTHER LOCAL PRODUCER EXPECTED TO BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAM INCLUDE THE TYONEK TRIBAL CONSERVATION DISTRICT AND NATIVE VILLAGE OF TYONEK GARDEN WHICH IS A SEASONAL SMALL FARMING OPERATION LOCATED NEAR THE VILLAGE THAT SELLS PRODUCE TO TYONEK AND OTHER NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. TYONEK WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE ALL VILLAGE RESIDENTS, INCLUDING SEASONAL RESIDENTS, AS RECIPIENTS OF THE TYONEK NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM. THIS IS ESTIMATED TO BE 170-200 PEOPLE DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF YEAR, WITH THE HIGHEST VILLAGE POPULATION OCCURRING IN THE SUMMER DURING THE SALMON RUNS. TYONEK VILLAGE, AS STATED ABOVE, IS A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN A REMOTE PART OF ALASKA AND THE ENTIRE VILLAGE IS CONSIDERED AN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, TYONEK UNDERSTANDS THAT AT TIMES, FOOD PRICES AND AVAILABILITY WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS AND MINIMALLY PROCESSED FOODS TO ALL IN THE VILLAGE AND HAS CHOSEN TO PRIORITIZE THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD TO ELDERS, LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS (THOSE MAKING LESS THAN $19,000 A YEAR), AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18, INCLUDING MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES LIVING IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD. THESE IDENTIFIED GROUPS ARE OFTEN THE MOST VULNERABLE TO ECONOMIC CHANGES, SUCH AS HIGH RATES OF INFLATION AND TRAVEL COSTS TO GO GET FOOD. THESE GROUPS ARE ALSO THE LEAST LIKELY TO HAVE TIME, RESOURCES, OR THE PHYSICAL ABILITY TO FISH, HUNT, AND GATHER SUBSISTENCE FOOD FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 15-25 ELDERS IN THE VILLAGE (THOSE OVER 65), 40 LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, AND ABOUT 25% OF VILLAGE HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ONE OR MORE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 (ABOUT 50-60 INDIVIDUALS).