S2E8: Labeling the Community: Insight into Agricultural Crate Labels and Native American Imagery

🎙️ Rooted Wisdom – Season 2, Episode [X]: “Native Imagery in Agricultural Art” with Dr. Browning Neddeau

🧠 Episode Summary

In this thought-provoking episode, host Tish Mindemann sits down with Dr. Browning Neddeau, an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and professor at Chico State University, to explore the intersection of Native American imagery, agricultural crate labels, and public perception. Dr. Neddeau shares his personal journey, research insights, and the cultural implications of how Indigenous peoples have been portrayed in agricultural art over time.

🧾 What You’ll Learn

• The history and evolution of agricultural crate labels from the 1880s to today.
• How Native imagery has been used—and often misused—on food packaging.
• The impact of these visuals on societal understandings of Native identity.
• Why representation matters in art, agriculture, and cultural history.
• The story behind iconic labels like Land O'Lakes and their transformation.
• How Dr. Neddeau’s research contributes to material culture studies and educational awareness.

🧑‍🏫 About the Guest

Dr. Browning Neddeau is an associate professor of Elementary Teacher Education and American Indian Studies at California State University, Chico. He serves on the National Advisory Council for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. His research focuses on Native American representation in agricultural art, particularly crate labels, and how these images shape cultural narratives.

🖼️ Key Topics Covered

• The four eras of crate label art: Naturalistic, Advertising, Commercial, and Modern.
• The persistence of outdated imagery and its cultural consequences.
• The role of gendered depictions in Native imagery.
• The importance of tribal specificity and avoiding generalizations.
• How collecting and curating crate labels can be a form of storytelling and cultural reflection.

📚 Resources & Links

• Learn more about Dr. Neddeau’s work and research collections.
• Explore the Intertribal Agricultural Council for Native-owned agricultural products.
• Support IFAI and its mission to promote Indigenous food and agriculture initiatives.

🛒 Takeaway Challenge

Next time you're at the grocery store or farmer’s market, take a closer look at the labels. What stories are they telling? What histories are they preserving—or erasing?