Farmers Fight to Preserve Heritage Crops | Bangor News

Rhode Island’s Dawn and Cassius Spears are reviving Indigenous farming by growing heritage crops like white corn and succotash beans, but federal programs that once supported tribal farmers are being cut — leaving a critical gap in access to traditional foods. The Biden-era LFPA and LFS programs helped tribes and states buy local food for schools and food banks, directly empowering small-scale growers. Now, after their March 2024 termination, advocates are pushing Congress to restore support through a permanent grant bill, with both House and Senate Farm Bills including tribal-focused funding. To truly help, they say mandatory funding is essential — so farmers can plan, thrive, and preserve their cultural agricultural legacy. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6714a8b5c01d7051