Beyond Scale: Native Grains and Indigenous-Led Food Systems with Jacob Birch

While there is a growing recognition of the importance of indigenous knowledge in agriculture, all too-often, First Nations people are being asked to fit in with an established model. What if we flipped the script to create food systems that are led by indigenous principles?

That’s what Jacob Birch is aiming to do in reawakening a native grains industry in Australia. He’s a proud Gamilaraay man, scholar, Churchill Fellow, and entrepreneur who founded Yaamarra & Yarral, a wholesaler of ancient grains and retailer of stone milled flour.

In this episode, Jacob shares his journey into native grains, beginning with biodiversity and landscape restoration, and expanding into food, culture, and economic sovereignty. He explains why native grasses are keystone species for Australia’s ecosystems, how Indigenous Australians managed grain systems for tens of thousands of years, and why these histories, including bread-making, are still largely absent from mainstream narratives.

In his Churchill Fellowship, Jacob draws on lessons from First Nations communities in North America, exploring what Indigenous-led food systems can look like when the goal is not export-driven scale, but healthy communities, country, and self-determined economic development.

Sarah and Jacob discuss:

• The nutritional value of native grains and their role in climate resilience and food sovereignty.
• Why post–farm gate ownership is crucial for First Nations people.
• How subsidies could potentially support indigenous-led enterprises in food and agriculture.
• The realities of building a native grains industry; from land access to challenges in processing.

Useful Links:

• Jacob Birch, Churchill Fellowship report
• Grasslands Documentary
• Jacob Birch researcher profile
• Modernising Indigenous Native Grains Processing | AgriFutures Australia
• White Earth Nation
• Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
• Native Farm Bill Coalition
• Tribal Elder Food Box - Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
• First Nations Australians in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - DAFF
• 2030 Roadmap - National Farmers' Federation

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