Tribal College Grant Program & FSA County Committee Elections

Tribal College Grant Program & FSA County Committee Elections

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

JEFF: My name’s Jeff, and I’m a Lummi tribal member - been attending Northwest Indian College. I’ve completed a A.A.S. degree in Native American studies. Currently I am working on a Bachelor of Science for Environmental Science.

Jeff is one of over seven hundred students enrolled at Northwest Indian College located in Bellingham, Washington. NWIC recently received a $158,656 grant through the USDA Rural Development Tribal College Grant program as part of the funding for outreach and education services to help meet the needs of Native American Communities. Over $3 million in grants were announced in late October for twenty-one projects in eight states. NWIC will use the funds to purchase furniture, fixtures and equipment for the Coast Salish Institute.

November 5th marked the beginning of the 2012 FSA County Committee elections with the mailing of ballots to eligible voters. An eligible voter is a farmer or rancher who participates or cooperates in an FSA program. Candidate nominations were submitted by producers in each county during the nomination period, which ended August 1. FSA County Committee members serve a three year term, and help make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Ballots must be submitted by December 3. For more information call or visit your local FSA office.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.