A study by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) is examining the benefits and barriers of regenerative agriculture among Indigenous ranchers and farmers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana.
In South Dakota’s Ziebach County, Fanny Brewer and her family have been ranching the same land for three generations. Despite the county’s status as one of the poorest areas in the United States, the Brewers find prosperity in their cattle operation and alfalfa crops. However, Indigenous producers like them face unique challenges, including financial lending discrimination, limited land ownership opportunities, additional governance requirements, and high poverty rates resulting from colonialism. Despite these obstacles, the Brewers are eager to embrace regenerative agriculture practices and participate in a groundbreaking study by the EDF and the IAC, which aims to explore the benefits and barriers of regenerative agriculture among Indigenous ranchers and farmers.
Overcoming Land Ownership Challenges
The Brewers, like many Indigenous producers, face challenges related to land ownership. Unlike their non-Native neighbors who have owned their land for generations, Indigenous families often struggle to develop generational wealth due to the volatility of leasing land and limited borrowing power with banks. When desirable plots of land become available, non-Native ranchers can leverage their owned land and secure bank loans quickly. In contrast, Indigenous producers like Brewer must put up their livestock, machinery, and other assets as collateral, a process that can take weeks to assess. To gain more control over their destiny, Brewer made the strategic decision to convert some of their land from trust status to deed status, giving them more power when dealing with banks. However, this is an all too common experience among Indigenous entrepreneurs who often find themselves stuck in a cycle of survival due to limited equity and unfavorable lending terms.
The Value of Regenerative Agriculture
Indigenous farmers and ranchers are no strangers to regenerative practices, as they align closely with their traditional practices. However, these practices are often more expensive and labor-intensive, making them harder to employ. The EDF/IAC study aims to quantify the costs and benefits of investing in regenerative practices for Indigenous producers. By participating in the study, the Brewers hope to gather quantitative data on the financial investments, loan terms, profitability, soil health improvement, forage quality, and livestock growth associated with regenerative agriculture. The pilot cohort receives technical assistance from the IAC team and participates in the Minnesota Farm Business Management Program, which provides one-on-one financial education and performance analysis.
Breaking the Cycle of Survival
Skya Ducheneaux, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and founder of the Native-focused community development financial institution (CDFI) Akiptan, emphasizes that many Native producers are unable to list their land on their balance sheets, making it difficult to leverage its value. This lack of equity leads lending institutions to view Indigenous producers as risky, resulting in shorter repayment terms and higher interest rates. The EDF/IAC study aims to address these challenges by providing concrete data on the benefits of investing in regenerative practices, which could potentially shift the narrative and create opportunities for Indigenous producers to break free from the cycle of survival.
Conclusion:
Indigenous ranchers and farmers face systemic obstacles that hinder their ability to thrive in the agricultural industry. However, initiatives like the EDF/IAC study are shedding light on the benefits and barriers of regenerative agriculture for Indigenous producers. By quantifying the costs and benefits associated with regenerative practices, this study has the potential to challenge the prevailing narrative and create opportunities for Indigenous producers to overcome financial lending discrimination, limited land ownership opportunities, and disproportionately high poverty rates. With the support of organizations like the IAC and the implementation of regenerative practices, Indigenous ranchers and farmers can take control of their own destinies and build a more sustainable and prosperous future for themselves and their communities.
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