doi:10.7916/rfz1-8037Oral history interview with Janie Simms Hipp, 2022Hipp, Janie Simms, 1955-oral historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesIndians of North America--Government relationsMinority farmers--Services for--United StatesAgriculture and state--United StatesAgriculture--Economic aspect--United StatesHipp, Janie Simms, 1955-Obama, BarackWhite House Tribal Nations ConferenceUnited States. Department of AgricultureJanie Simms Hipp reflects on her career in agricultural law and policy, and on relations between Native Americans and the Obama administration, in which she served as senior advisor for tribal relations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and as director of USDA's Office of Tribal Relations. Hipp focuses on the importance of engagement and consultation with tribal governments, and outlines the challenges and issues that Native American farmers and ranchers faced during the years of the Obama presidency. She details major policies, efforts, and initiatives with which she was closely involved, including the Keepseagle v. Vilsack settlement, the White House Tribal Nations Conferences, the Council for Native American Farming and Ranching, and the increased representation of Native Americans on Farm Service Administration county committees. Also discussed are the importance of understanding the history of U.S. government relations with Native tribes, the distribution of attention to Native issues throughout the U.S. government, the role of listening and lived experience in effective policy design and implementation, and the farm crisis of the 1980s