Putting Tribal Sovereignty
in Food Sovereignty
Summary: After 54 days of the government shutdown, Congress is back in the swing of things. There are three Congressional hearings relevant to Tribal food and agriculture this week: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, House Subcommittee on Indian and...
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting comments to their proposed updated staple food stocking standards for retailers in SNAP. If you would like to submit comments for USDA Food and Nutrition Service Updated...
Summary: There are no Congressional hearings scheduled this week, but the House is set to return on Wednesday, Nov. 12, and vote on a funding bill that could reopen the government. DOI’s Bureau of Indian Affairs series of consultations on Secretarial Order 3443,...
Summary: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is holding a nomination hearing on Wednesday, November 5, for Glen Smith to be the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development. DOI’s Bureau of Indian Affairs scheduled two in-person...
With the generous support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, IFAI developed the Tribal Governance Guide to Food and Agriculture to provide Tribal governments with a one-stop-shop for navigating opportunities as they invest in their food systems. The W.K. Kellogg...
Summary: There are three Senate Committee meetings worth noting on Wednesday, Oct. 29, including a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing about the impacts of government shutdowns and Agency reductions in force on Native communities. IFAI has released its...
The "Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) Strategy Report, released by the White House in September 2025, outlines a comprehensive national initiative aimed at reducing rates of childhood chronic disease in the United States. The report identifies four primary areas of...
Summary: Today is the last day to register for the Oct. 22 Tribal consultation on proposed changes to SNAP. That consultation is still happening regardless of the government shut down. IFAI will release an analysis piece following the consultation. IFAI has a...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are currently considering whether to define “ultra processed foods” (UPFs) and how that definition could be used in food labeling, nutrition programs, and dietary guidelines. The...
IFAI Executive Director, Carly Griffith Hotvedt, was featured in a KOSU article discussing the impacts of federal funding uncertainty on Tribal food and agriculture. After the Oct. 14 Tribal leader consultation on USDA’s departmental Reorganization Plan, there is...