{"id":220,"date":"2026-01-14T13:11:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T21:11:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/?p=220"},"modified":"2026-01-22T10:26:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T18:26:14","slug":"oars-staff-attend-the-2025-intertribal-agriculture-council-annual-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2026\/01\/14\/oars-staff-attend-the-2025-intertribal-agriculture-council-annual-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"OARS\u00a0Staff\u00a0Attend\u00a0the 2025\u00a0Intertribal\u00a0Agriculture Council\u00a0Annual\u00a0Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In\u00a0December,\u00a0Steph Jamis and\u00a0Guihua\u00a0Chen,\u00a0scientists in\u00a0the\u00a0Office of\u00a0Agricultural\u00a0Resilience and Sustainability (OARS),\u00a0attended the 2025\u00a0Intertribal\u00a0Agriculture Council\u00a0(IAC)\u00a0Annual\u00a0Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The\u00a0Intertribal Agriculture Council<\/a>\u00a0is an organization that\u00a0represents\u00a0Tribes and individual tribal producers across the nation,\u00a0supporting culturally\u00a0appropriate\u00a0outreach. Attending\u00a0the conference gives OARS an opportunity to learn about the issues that tribal\u00a0agricultural producers\u00a0face and\u00a0consider ways\u00a0that our programs can be accessible and\u00a0supportive of Tribal\u00a0food systems.\u00a0Steph and\u00a0Guihua\u00a0went prepared to\u00a0share information about the OARS\u00a0climate-smart agriculture\u00a0programs and promote the upcoming block grant solicitations\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program<\/a>\u00a0(SWEEP)\u00a0and the\u00a0Healthy Soils Program<\/a>\u00a0(HSP).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OARS is actively identifying ways to increase the inclusion of Tribes in incentive programing. In 2024 CDFA\u2019s Farm Equity Office published a recommendations report<\/a> based upon a series of listening sessions with Tribes. One of the top recommendations was that CDFA develop tribal-specific grant application tracks within our programs. In the near future, the Healthy Soils Program team plans, through engagement and coordination with Tribes, to integrate Cultural Burning on tribal land as an HSP-incentivized practice. The IAC Annual Conference was a great place to make some initial connections related to this project.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conference attendees enjoyed presentations on a wide variety of topics  including food sovereignty and Tribal prosperity, farm to school programs, USDA financial assistance programs,  enhancing Tribal water and food systems, technical assistance delivery, soil health and practical applications, women in agriculture, Tribal Ecological Knowledge in NRCS Programs, prescribed burning as a tool for Tribal land and resource management, and many more. IAC hosted Tribal regional caucuses for Tribal members to meet and discuss regional issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A highlight of the trip was the American Indian Foods luncheon, which featured a menu that showcased a variety of flavorful Indigenous ingredients. The menu was crafted by Chef Nephi Craig, the Founder and Director of Culinary Development at the Native American Culinary Association<\/a> and Executive Chef at Caf\u00e9 Gozh\u00f3\u00f3, in Arizona. Our team loved learning about the importance of Indigenous foods and returned from the Conference excited about future engagement with Tribes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The Conference Opening Ceremony begins with a drum performance.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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One of the courses at the luncheon featured the three sisters soup; a mix of roasted corn, beans, squash, topped with a smoked salmon relish, tomatoes, and chives and drizzled with olive oil.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In\u00a0December,\u00a0Steph Jamis and\u00a0Guihua\u00a0Chen,\u00a0scientists in\u00a0the\u00a0Office of\u00a0Agricultural\u00a0Resilience and Sustainability (OARS),\u00a0attended the 2025\u00a0Intertribal\u00a0Agriculture Council\u00a0(IAC)\u00a0Annual\u00a0Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The\u00a0Intertribal Agriculture Council\u00a0is an organization that\u00a0represents\u00a0Tribes and individual tribal producers across the nation,\u00a0supporting culturally\u00a0appropriate\u00a0outreach. Attending\u00a0the conference gives OARS an opportunity to learn about the issues that tribal\u00a0agricultural producers\u00a0face and\u00a0consider ways\u00a0that our programs can be accessible and\u00a0supportive of Tribal\u00a0food systems.\u00a0Steph and\u00a0Guihua\u00a0went … Continue reading OARS\u00a0Staff\u00a0Attend\u00a0the 2025\u00a0Intertribal\u00a0Agriculture Council\u00a0Annual\u00a0Conference<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[7,8],"class_list":["post-220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-event-recap","tag-healthy-soils-program","tag-state-water-efficiency-and-enhancement-program","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Untitled-3-1.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":175,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/technical-assistance-program-builds-statewide-partnerships-in-climate-smart-and-conservation-agriculture\/","url_meta":{"origin":220,"position":0},"title":"Technical Assistance Program Builds Statewide Partnerships in Climate Smart and Conservation Agriculture\u00a0","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"July 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The OARS Technical Assistance (TA) Program is critical to realizing the OARS mission: \u201cto use the best available science and knowledge from the agricultural community to design and implement practical solutions to California\u2019s natural resource challenges that improve the environmental and economic sustainability of producing nutritious food, fiber, and energy.\u201d\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Informational"","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Secretary Ross gives an inspirational talk to Technical Assistance Providers on the importance and impact of their work at the 2024 OARS TA 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2025","format":false,"excerpt":"CDFA & OARS are committed to supporting farmers through the C2P2 MOA, uniting key partners for effective conservation practices.","rel":"","context":"In "Informational"","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dr. Sara Garcia, OARS Technical Assistance Coordinator, represents CDFA\u2019s OARS team in a C2P2 Panel Discussion at the 2024 CARCD State Conference","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2024-CARCD-State-Conference.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2024-CARCD-State-Conference.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2024-CARCD-State-Conference.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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As proof of that, the CDFA\u2019s Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) and Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) awarded nearly $25 million\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Informational"","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A technical assistance provider and rancher are reviewing data at a dairy farm","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/new_office_name\/","url_meta":{"origin":220,"position":3},"title":"Introducing OARS: A New Name for a Stronger Agricultural Future","author":"oars-admin","date":"February 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"We\u2019re excited to announce that our office has a new name: The Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS). This change reflects our commitment to strengthening agriculture while addressing future challenges. Alongside the name change, we\u2019ve introduced a unified logo, symbolizing our shared mission across programs. This rebrand marks the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Informational"","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":193,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/08\/05\/a-note-from-our-director-august-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":220,"position":4},"title":"A Note from Our Director | August 2025","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"August 5, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Dear Stakeholders,\u00a0 I hope you enjoy this newsletter showcasing the accomplishments of our grantees and partners and giving you a peek at how we lead our programs to serve producers while contributing to the state\u2019s sustainability goals. Additionally, I want to take this opportunity to summarize the funding status of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Informational"","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"August 2025 OARS Director Report","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-image-3-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-image-3-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-image-3-2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-image-3-2.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-image-3-2.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":180,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/supporting-spanish-speaking-farmers-in-monterey-county-with-training-on-water-use-efficiency\/","url_meta":{"origin":220,"position":5},"title":"Supporting Spanish-Speaking Farmers in Monterey County with Training on Water Use Efficiency","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"July 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), through its Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS), is helping California farmers grow more sustainably through the Water Efficiency Technical Assistance (WETA) program. 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