DUS Arthur "Butch" Blazer Visits The University of Arkansas

Arthur "Butch" Blazer

USDA Deputy Under Secretary Arthur "Butch" Blazer (Mescalaro Apache) will be at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville campus on Friday, November 20th. The highlight of his visit will be a freeform lunch talk with students, which will cover topics ranging from climate change to conservation and sustainability, to USDA career possibilities in various disciplines.

The talk will be held 11:30 am - 1 pm in the Six Pioneers room in the Law Building. Sandwiches and chips will be available.

Butch Blazer was the first Native American to hold the position of State Forester of New Mexico.  During his tenure, Butch was also named as Chair of the Council of Western State Foresters and Co-Chair for the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition. He is the former owner of Blazer Conservation Connections, a natural resources based consulting company that specialized in connecting clients with the resources needed to enhance and protect the environment.  He was also a co-founder of the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society, and has served on their Board of Directors and as the organization's National President. A member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, Butch has been intimately involved in Tribal issues throughout his life.

Download the event flyer.

Indigenous Peoples Day Event: Save the Date!

On this upcoming Indigenous Peoples Day (Monday, October 13th), the Initiative is proud to be co-sponsoring a roundtable discussion on the role of indigenous communities in feeding America and fighting hunger. During the discussion, we will be reflecting on the rich and diverse histories of the agricultural and food production systems of Tribal communities. As we move from the past into a discussion of the present, we will be celebrating the innovative ways Tribal communities are engaging in food production today. We are fortunate to have special guests from the Choctaw Nation, who are active innovators in this area, to share their work and further our discussion as we conclude the session with a look forward into the future, considering the many ways Tribal producers will continue to play a pivotal role in the space of food and hunger.

The Initiative and our partners at the University of Arkansas School of Law, the College of Agricultural, Food & Life Sciences, the College of Engineering, Farm Journal Foundation, and HungerU, are pleased to announce the following special guest speakers will be with us to begin the day's discussion:

Dean Stacy Leeds, University of Arkansas School of Law (Cherokee) Dean Mike Vayda, University of Arkansas, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences 

Margie Alsbrook, Editor, Farm Journal 

Janie Hipp, Director, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (Chickasaw) and Visiting Professor of Law, University of Arkansas School of Law 

Shannon McDaniel, Executive Director Tribal Management, Choctaw Nation Sara-Jane Smallwood, Choctaw Nation Tribal Policy, Director of Public Policy and Promise Zone Coordinator for the Choctaw Nation
Hillary Renick, J.D., LLM Candidate, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians Stephany Paige-Parker, Associate Research Professor and Chickasaw Nation Outcomes Coordinator, Deputy of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University

We will also be joined by student representatives of the Native American Law Students Association, the Native American Student Association, and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. 

The event will run from 9:30-11:30AM CST, and it will take place on our home campus at the University of Arkansas, UA Union Rooms 508-511. All are welcome! If a trip to Fayetteville isn't in your immediate future, don't worry: we will be recapping the event afterwards here on our blog.