Policies to support sustainability and indigenous foods across Menominee County/Nation

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CDC HOP: Ashland County & Menominee County/Nation Community Health Project

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CHALLENGE

Indigenous knowledge, language and culture can promote community empowerment and are important components of health promotion efforts in the Menominee County/Nation. A commitment to traditional values and ways of knowing is driving efforts to increase access to healthier foods and guide nutrition standards policies in key community settings in the rural community of Menominee County/Nation.

Data Snapshot

77%

of Menominee County employees are interested in healthier food options and/or Menominee foods in vending machines

83.3%

of 4H club members said they were extremely or very interested in eating Menominee traditional foods at 4H meetings (such as wild rice, berries, squash or fish)

83.3%

of 4H club respondents said they would bring a dish bag to meetings if they had one

APPROACH

Kemāmaceqtaq team members:

Engaged community partners and leaders with a commitment to Menominee culture, language and indigenous foods, and health during 2019-2020

Identified community partners and leaders with a commitment to Menominee culture, language and indigenous foods, and health

Assessed needs and assets, including existing efforts aligned with the Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities

Summarized findings and reported back to community partners and leaders

Identified priority areas and policy levers

Drafted model nutrition standards language aligned with the Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities and centering indigenous and local foods, Menominee language and culture

Supported community partners and leaders in generating support for policy passage

RESULTS

Community partners and leaders at 4 community sites, encompassing 7 venues reaching approximately 1000 individuals during 2019-2020, drafted nutrition standards policy language. Community sites included:

HeadStart

4H clubs in Neopit and Keshena

Menominee County courthouse and public facilities building

Menīkānaehkem

Leaders in all 4 community sites are poised to observe passage of nutrition policies in fall 2020

Policies are tailored to each community site – select examples of critical components of the nutrition standards policies include:

A commitment to sustainability, e.g. reducing one-time use plastics and promoting the use of dish bags, a traditional practice of sustainability and waste

Promoting local and indigenous foods at concessions, community meetings and vending; Supporting the development of the Harvest of the Moon program

Making water readily available and promoting it as the beverage of choice at community meetings

Serving fruits, vegetables and/or whole grains for all 4H snacks and meals

Providing at least one fresh fruit, one fresh vegetable and low-fat dairy options at concession sales

Promoting snack foods with limited salt, solid fats and added sugars at concessions and vending machines

Once policies are passed, the Kemāmaceqtaq project will provide supplies and technical assistance support to maintain nutrition standards implementation. Three additional community sites are starting to partner with the Kemāmaceqtaq team in developing nutrition standards year two into year three of the project.

“I fully promote healthy vending options. I would use them more with healthier food options.” – Menominee County employee

Contact Us

Cooperative agreement: Outreach Programs to Reduce the Prevalence of Obesity in High Risk Rural Areas Agreement (1809) funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Recipient: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension

Strategy focus: Nutrition standards

Jennifer Gauthier

Director Sustainable Development Institute of the College of Menominee Nation, former Community Development Educator Division of Extension – Menominee County/Nation, Menominee Tribal Member

jgauthier@menominee.edu