Tribal producers, conservationists and community members gathered Sept. 16 for ‘Honoring Buffalo, Building Tribal Agriculture: Turtle Mountain Field Day’, a free, in-person event hosted by the North Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Intertribal Agriculture Council’s Great Plains Region.
The event celebrated the sacred role of buffalo in Indigenous traditions while promoting sustainable agriculture, conservation practices and partnership-building. Held at the Sky Dancer Casino & Resort Event Center in Belcourt, the field day began with a light breakfast and continued with presentations in the South Buffalo Pasture.
J.J. Desjarlais Jr., of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians Department of Natural Resources, said the department is working with the NRCS tribal liaison to implement cross-fencing through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), supporting rotational grazing. The plan also includes a centralized water unit to serve the buffalo.
Source : usda.gov