We are seeking feedback and responses from ALL Native communities in reservation, rural and urban settings.

The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) is exploring the connections between Tribal governments and foods consumed in reservation, rural and urban Native communities. With generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, we seek information on Tribal institutions and their relationship with feeding programs, food policy assessments, community food assessments, and food policy activities. If your Tribal community has taken steps to assess and strengthen their food systems—or is currently in the process of doing so—such as examining food accessibility or attempting to increase food production, please complete this survey. Results of the survey will provide important information as we act to revitalize our traditional food systems and animate a culture of health.

The purpose of the survey is to find out how many Tribal governments, Tribal nonprofit organizations, Tribal staff offices, Tribal communities and grassroots organizations have taken steps to develop community food assessments, food sovereignty assessments, or food policy actions in their communities and how such assessments or policies are being utilized.  We are also interested in identifying any barriers or challenges to Tribal communities taking such actions.

If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant, please contact Ro Windwalker, a UA Compliance Coordinator, at 479-575-2208 or irb@uark.edu.  Those having questions about this survey should contact Janie Hipp (jhipp@uark.edu).  It should take no longer than 3 to 5 minutes to complete the survey.  Your participation is entirely voluntary and refusing to participate in the survey will not adversely affect any other relationship with the University of Arkansas Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative.  We appreciate your time and attention to this survey.

Thank you for participating. Your feedback is very important.

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* 1. Name of Tribal Community:

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* 2. Please choose the options that best describe the type of activities your community has done to examine its food assets then provide a brief description of each (select all that apply):

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* 3. What was the inspiration that instigated your community food assessment initiatives?

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* 4. Were there identified leaders that got the conversation started?  Were these leaders, youth, elders, adults, staff members, tribal government officials, others?  Please identify.

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* 5. What were the findings of the community food examinations?

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* 6. Did these findings initiate the development of food policy or food actions?

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* 7. Was the community able to identify historic and modern uses of its food system?

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* 8. Did the tribal government get involved in the food assessment activities and/or implement a policy action from the findings?  If so, how did they get involved (appointment committees, assign staff members, conduct meetings hosted by tribal governments, personal involvement as leaders, or other (please specify).

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* 9. Has your tribal government taken steps to adopt formal resolutions, law, regulations, requirements, ordinances that would support food sovereignty through policy?

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* 10. Were there challenges to adopting policies?  (If yes, please explain)

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* 11. In your tribes’ general activities in support of food sovereignty were challenges identified that inhibit community members from accessing healthy and traditional food?   (If so, what were those challenges?)

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* 12. Were any food policies developed that involve the following nutrition programs or campaigns (select all that apply):

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* 13. Please select some of the potential challenges your community has faced in its efforts towards strengthening its food system and give a brief description of each:

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