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3. 2015 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Understanding the unique legal landscape of Native American producers

Cris Stainbrook and Jim Wabindato

Summary

Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) provides risk management education to Native American farmers, ranchers, and other producers in order to maximize revenue and minimize risks from agricultural production on reservation lands. We tailor each presentation to the particular needs of each reservation community we visit, offering information and educational resources to producers on several topics, including but not limited to:

• The Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations, a federal program that offers Indian landowners the opportunity to sell their reservation land interests to the tribe,
• Estate planning under the American Indian Probate Reform Act (AIPRA), a unique federal law governing inheritance of reservation-based trust assets, and
• The USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program, carbon markets and other conservation programs that pay producers to conserve natural resources.

ILTF serves thousands of Native American producers through in-person training, educational resources, and direct legal services each year. Most recently and with the support the USDA’s Risk Management Agency and Extension Risk Management Education, ILTF has provided risk management education to nearly 500 tribal member producers across a dozen reservation communities. In addition, ILTF has supported the provision of AIPRA-compliant estate planning services to tribal members in Minnesota over the past three years, serving more than 800 landowners and finalizing nearly 400 wills. In a 30-minute breakout session, ILTF will share its models for service delivery, how ILTF coordinates with the tribal nations whose members it serves, and the importance of risk management education specifically designed for Native American producers.

Details

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