Promoting Safe Practices through Preservation of Food and Native American Culture

This project is a sustainable, multi-pronged, collaborative approach between Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC) and North Dakota State University that addresses food safety, access, and sovereignty issues. The Spirit Lake Reservation, a small community in northeastern North Dakota, is comprised of socially disadvantaged and underserved individuals. We will create a series of micro-credentials, designed in consultation with the tribal community, that are culture-based food preservation and foraging workshops with a strong emphasis on food safety. We want to use this FSOP grant to make a consistent schedule of regularly-offered, meaningful, and relevant training sessions that culminate in micro-credentials on topics of importance to the community and with significant portions dedicated to food safety education in support of small Native American-owned businesses and food sovereignty efforts.Specific objectives include:Develop culturally-relevant food safety and preservation curriculaProvide micro-credentials in food safety and preservationIncrease participation at Farmers Markets or in at-home food preservationShare curricula with other Tribes, FSMA Regional Center