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U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack (center left, second row) meets with and takes questions from the USDA Council for Native American Farming and Ranching (CNAFR) members, on Monday, Sept. 9, 2013 at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, in Washington, D.C. They are pictured here, left to right, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Deputy Administrator for Farm Loan Programs Chris Beyerhelm, Farmer/Rancher of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians in Banning, CA Edward Soza, USDA FSA Administrator Juan Garcia, Civil Rights Attorney and former Agricultural Commissioner for North Dakota in Bismarck, ND Sarah Vogel, Farmer/Rancher of the Choctaw Nation in Soper, OK Henry “Porter” Holder, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Rancher of the Navaho Nation in Shiprock, NM Gilbert Harrison, USDA Director of Tribal Relations Leslie Wheelock, Rancher/Farmer of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Cherokee, NC Mary Ann Thompson, President, CEO, and co-founder of Ho-Chunk, Inc., of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Lance Morgan, Natural Resources/Range Manager of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Blackfoot, ID Mark Wadsworth, USDA Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Dr. Joe Leonard, Jr., and State Legislator and Farmer/Rancher of the Muscogee Nation in Warner, OK Jerry McPeak. Not seen is Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Chairman Michael Jandreau.

CNAFR was created to advise the Secretary on ways to eliminate barriers to participation for Native American Farmers and Ranchers in USDA programs. The Council was established as part of the Keepseagle settlement, and is conducted under the oversight of USDA's Office of Tribal Relations, which is part of the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture. The Director of Tribal Relations Leslie Wheelock serves as Designated Federal Official (DFO) for the Council.