2023 Farm Bill Tracker

Approximately every five years, Congress passes a new Farm Bill that sets programs, funding, and eligibility for U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. These programs impact nutrition, farming, ranching, and production, rural development, utility and internet access, and more across the U.S., Indian Country included.

The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative serves at the Native Farm Bill Coalition’s research partner. In 2017 ahead of the 2018 Farm Bill, the NFBC formed to provide a strong, united voice for Indian Country’s priorities for the Farm Bill. The NFBC continues its work to ensure that Indian Country’s priorities continue to be heard and are included in future farm bills.

The IFAI, along with NFBC partners from the Intertribal Agriculture Council, National Congress of American Indians, and Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, published Gaining Ground that features Indian Country Farm Bill priorities compiled through direct Indian Country outreach and NFBC roundtables as well as unmet priority concerns from the 2018 Farm Bill, highlighted in Regaining Our Future.

IFAI’s curated 2023 Farm Bill tracker is designed to stay on top of Congressional hearings, proposed legislation, and more that tie back to Indian Country’s key priorities and topic areas, as highlighted in Gaining Ground.

Before diving into tracker, let’s cover a few basics: What are marker bills, and what is the Farm Bill process?

A marker bill is a piece of proposed legislation that can help with forming the Farm Bill’s legislative language. Elected officials will propose bills within committees, and depending on how the bills do within the committees determines whether or not the legislation makes it into the house or senate versions of the bill.

See NFBC’s tracker here.