Impact in Action: NCIAF’s Indigenous Agricultural Summit 2025

Weaving Indigenous Voices into Canadian Food Literacy

At a glance:

• The Partnership: National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF) + Canadian Food Focus
• Event: Indigenous Agricultural Summit
• Focus Achieved: Story identification, knowledge keeper connections, community building
• The opportunity

Indigenous agricultural practices and food traditions represent centuries of knowledge, innovation, and sustainability—yet these voices are often underrepresented in national conversations about Canadian food and farming. Canadian Food Focus is committed to being genuinely inclusive and representative of all Canadian agriculture. Bridging that gap requires authentic partnership and relationship-building, not performative gestures.

What we did

In support of our Memorandum of Understanding with the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF), Canadian Food Focus attended the Indigenous Agricultural Summit to advance culturally relevant, inclusive food literacy for all Canadians.

Inspiring Initiatives in Indigenous Agriculture

The conference showcased projects that are building food security, community strength and sustainability. We heard from Terry Lerat about the incredible expansion in the cattle herd and grain operation at Cowessess First Nation that is part agricultural business and part mentorship network. From Dr. Leroy Little Bear, we learned about the critical historical importance of bison to Indigenous communities and then about opportunities in the future with the announcement of the Indigenous Prairie Bison Initiative, which will support Indigenous-led capacity building, training, and mentorship across the Prairie bison sector. Alex and Mikwan Mistickokat spoke about wild rice farming in northern Saskatchewan and the amazing potential for continued community development, additional research, and expanded interest in their product. The conference also provided inspiration for the next generation in the form of a panel of youth warriors from the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in Manitoba.

A particular highlight was connecting with Chef Steph Baryluk, whose work bridges Indigenous culinary traditions and contemporary food systems. Steph Baryluk is a proud Teetl’it Gwich’in from Teetl’it Zheh in the Arctic as well as a Red Seal Chef who is passionate about preserving and sharing Indigenous culinary traditions through her creations and educational initiatives. Steph’s approach—grounding modern cooking in Indigenous ingredients, techniques, and cultural values—exemplifies the kind of authentic, innovative storytelling that resonates with Canadian consumers and honors Indigenous knowledge. We look forward to collaborating to feature Steph’s recipes and food stories on CFF platforms.

Impact to outcomes

• Stories identified that will diversify CFF’s content and represent the full spectrum of Canadian agriculture, including building out content on bison and wild rice.
• Relationships forged with knowledge keepers, producers, and food leaders who bring authenticity and trust to conversations
• Strategic positioning to further develop CFF as an organization that listens, learns, and commits to inclusive representation.
• Including Indigenous voices builds a more resilient, trusted, and truly national platform.
• This partnership signals that Canadian Food Focus is serious about diversity and inclusion as key to its core mission. When stakeholders support CFF, they’re supporting an organization committed to lifting up voices that have been historically marginalized in agricultural conversations. That alignment strengthens the social license to operate for the entire sector.

How we’ll build on this

• CFF will continue to develop a content track specifically highlighting Indigenous ingredients, traditional practices, and contemporary Indigenous food innovation.
• Continue conversations with Chef Steph Baryluk and other Indigenous food leaders about ongoing collaboration.
• Continued engagement with NCIAF to identify new opportunities to collaborate.