Douglas County intern urges formal tribal partnerships, advisory board and support for Indigenous food enterprises

Star Hunting Horses, food systems intern for the Douglas County Sustainability Office, presented a 2025 study of Kansas tribal foodways and recommended that Douglas County formalize relationships with nearby federally recognized tribes and support tribally led food initiatives.

The study, based on outreach and interviews with multiple tribes, identified community gardens, orchards, meat processing and food-box programs, and noted recurring barriers including securing sustained funding, staffing daily operations and integrating education into food sovereignty programs. "We are committed to collaborative food system building with tribal nations as an expression of sovereignty, community well-being, and cultural continuity," Hunting Horses said while outlining recommended policies.

The report focused on the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas; the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska (Sauk and Fox); the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation; and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. Hunting Horses said two interviews (with the Iowa Tribe and the Prairie Band) were recorded and transcribed for analysis; the Sauk and Fox declined recording but remain open to future collaboration. Hunting Horses added that all four nations are within about 95 miles of Douglas County and that findings from site visits and interviews informed the recommendations.

The presentation summarized tribal programs the intern documented. For the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Hunting Horses showed community gardens, an orchard, workshops on harvesting and seed saving, and plans for a food-sovereignty building that would include a mercantile, meat processing facility, community kitchen and learning space. "I was fortunate enough to attend one of their community events and learn more about their prairie restoration efforts and see some of their community gardens as well," Hunting Horses said of a visit to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, which the presentation described as operating farms, bee operations, greenhouses, traditional medicinal plant gardens, local meat production and a "food is medicine" program that provides food boxes and community farmers markets.

Using thematic analysis, the study coded recurring topics such as local foodways, collaboration, land stewardship, tribal member support, challenges and food entrepreneurs. Hunting Horses told the council the analysis helped identify potential actions including sharing information about funding opportunities, supporting tribal entrepreneurs, exploring linkage with local farmers markets and including tribal priorities in the county's Indigenous Food Systems Study and Action Plan and next iteration of the Douglas County Food System Plan.

Policy recommendations presented to the council included: 1) an explicit county commitment to collaborative food-system building with Kansas tribes to support culturally grounded local and regional food networks; and 2) establishment of a tribal-member advisory body (an Intertribal Relations Advisory Board) composed of representatives from the four federally recognized Kansas tribes and other tribes with historical ties to the region to advise on planning, program design, implementation and evaluation. Hunting Horses said such structures should be "guided by tribal leadership and advisory input, ensure that decision making reflects community priorities, respects culture protocols, and uplifts indigenous food sovereignty." The recommendations also called for prioritizing tangible benefits for tribal nations, including access to funding, capacity building and co-created programs.

Multiple community members and tribal program staff responded during the meeting, praising the approach and offering ongoing partnership. Melinda Williamson, director of the food-sovereignty program at the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, thanked Hunting Horses for visiting and said she looks forward to continuing the work. Brett Ramey, climate resilience planner for the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, offered practical support, saying, "Anything that I can do to help, just let me know." Council members and K-State Extension staff signaled interest in procuring tribal products for institutional purchasing and in helping coordinate the value chain.

Hunting Horses noted the presentation materials, including a research protocol and introductory documents, are available and that a short version of the recorded section will be sent to the Board of County Commissioners ahead of a planned presentation. The intern also recommended continuing the Indigenous Food Systems Working Group as a standing group within the Food Policy Council to maintain Indigenous-led priorities.

The presentation contained no formal votes or motions. Next steps cited in the meeting were continued outreach with tribal contacts, inclusion of tribal priorities in the county food-system planning process, and follow-up meetings between tribal representatives, county leadership and the working group.