Chronic wasting disease surveillance: protecting food sovereignty and an important cultural resource

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awarded a $226,336.69 Project Grant to the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, doing business as the Leech Lake Tribal Council, to provide Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance and protection of food sovereignty and an important cultural resource. The grant, awarded on September 29, 2023, will fund activities through the USDA NRCS Soil and Water Conservation program (CFDA 10.902) over a 3-year period ending on September 28, 2026. As a federally recognized tribal government, the Leech Lake Tribal Council will utilize the funding to deliver a range of technical assistance and conservation services to private landowners, tribes, and other organizations within its geographic area to promote sustainable agriculture practices and help conserve natural resources like soil, water, and wildlife habitats.