Savage and his wife, Tawny, own and operate Spirit Lake Native Farm. They produce pure maple syrup, wild rice, blueberries and apples.
Bruce Savage started his service on the South St. Louis County, Minnesota, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee in 2014 as the minority advisor. He became an elected member in 2016.
County committee members are elected by their peers and are a direct link between the agricultural community and USDA. Committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA. They help deliver FSA farm programs at the local level. Farmers who serve on committees help decide the kind of programs their counties will offer and work to make FSA agricultural programs serve the needs of local producers.
“I joined the committee to bring information to my tribal community,” Savage said. “A lot of people don’t realize the benefits of FSA programs. It’s important to keep it diverse. Being on the county committee also gives me the opportunity to get to know other farmers. It builds a better community all around.”
Savage is a representative on the tribal council for the Fond du Lac Reservation, one of six Chippewa Indian reservations in Minnesota. He was introduced to the maple sugaring industry when he was nine years old and has owned his own farm since 1986.
He and his wife, Tawny, own and operate Spirit Lake Native Farm. They produce pure maple syrup, wild rice, blueberries and apples.
For more information on FSA county committee elections, contact your local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. To find your local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov.
