A sampling of foods produced for sale by Native American businesses. Photo by John Lowery / USDA / Flickr
Leslie Wheelock, a member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin who serves as director of the Office of Tribal Relations at the Department of Agriculture, highlights efforts by the National Congress of American Indians and the American Indian/Alaska Native Tourism Association to promote Native-made products:
During the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) 71st Annual Marketplace & Convention, I had the privilege to host “Made in Native America: A Workshop on Native Business Exporting”. In this seminar, Tribal leaders and Native business owners came together to discuss the benefits and challenges of moving Native-made/Native-harvested products abroad. “I believe as we start growing and working together, we’ll never have the poverty that we’ve seen in Indian Country,” says Karlene Hunter, CEO of Native American Natural Foods, during the workshop’s first panel. She continued by remarking, “You need to know your market. You need to know your capacity.” Economic growth draws from a variety of sources, and business owners may not always know what exporting means or how to promote goods and services on an international market. Did you know that tourism is considered an export?Get the Story:
Leslie Wheelock: Made in Native America – Exports Growing the Market (USDA Blog 11/25)
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