The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) supports Tribal Nations through various agricultural programs and technical assistance aimed at establishing nation-to-nation relationships with the federal government in agriculture. IFAI’sBuilding Agricultural Business Potential for Native Youth in Indian Country, expands the organization’s impact by enhancing its annual Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit through place-based learning in Indian Country, specialty financial and policy education, and a peer mentoring program that strengthens knowledge, leadership, and community among Native youth agriculturalists. Celebrating its thirteenth Youth Summit in 2027, IFAI remains committed to youth educaiton and leadership development. The annual event brings together youth from across Indian Country for seven days of skill-building and community engagement. The immersive, hands-on learning experience builds foundational knowledge in agriculture, business development, food systems, and legal infrastructure. The Summit features five curriculum tracks: Agricultural Law and Policy, Land Stewardship and Conservation, Nutrition and Health, Animal Science, and a Special Focus area, each tailored to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced in Indian Country. The Youth Summit’s plan to expand agricultural business and risk management track programming into plenary sessions for all attendees ensures a broad exposure to essential topics such as access to credit, financial opportunities, and available business resources. IFAI’s annual Summit encourages place-based learning and broadens opportunities for connection, taking place for the first time in Indian Country. This change creates intentional opportunities to deepen partnerships with Tribal governments, producers, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and youth. Finally, IFAI’s peer mentoring program expansion incorporates lessons learned and participant feedback. NAAF supported the program’s pilot in 2026, which pairs Summit alumni with current participants for post-Summit guidance. This approach has successfully kept Summit attendees engaged in agriculture year-round while providing peer mentors with leadership opportunities to further their development as young professionals.
© Native American Agriculture Fund 2018 
About Company
The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) provides grants to eligible organizations for business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services to support Native farmers and ranchers.
The charitable trust was created by the settlement of the landmark Keepseagle v. Vilsack class-action lawsuit. NAAF is the largest philanthropic organization devoted solely to serving the Native American farming and ranching community.