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IFAI’s policy and research team monitors the Federal Register for updates, notices, information, events, and more that are important or could impact Indian Country. The listings are broken down into three categories:

  • Announcements

  • Rule/Policy Updates

  • Nominations

Annoucements| Rule/Policy Updates| Nominations

Announcements

These are Federal Register notices about upcoming Tribal Consultations, listening sessions, public meetings, and funding opportunities as well as policy updates.

Establishment and Call for Nomination for the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of BLM Public Lands Rule

Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior

Action: Request for comments by November 18, 2024

Why it matters: The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management is seeking comments about the establishment of the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the BLM Public Lands Rule. The Council will include a maximum of 15 primary members and up to 15 alternate members. Two representatives are from Tribal governments.

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Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC); Call for Nominations

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Action: Call for nominations

Why it matters: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations for the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC). This Committee provides policy advice, information, and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on environmental issues and policies. The Committee’s topics may include climate change, water or air quality issues, food loss and waste, environmental justice, and emergency response. The membership of the FRRCC will consist of a balanced representation of interested persons that include Tribal agriculture groups and Tribal governments. Nominations should be submitted no later than September 5, 2024.

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Notice of Semiannual Regulatory Agenda for Fall of 2023

Agency: USDA Office of the Secretary

Action: Notice of Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

Why it matters: This semiannual agenda provides a summary of significant and non-significant regulations being developed in USDA. This provides an opportunity for Tribal Nations and organizations to monitor federal regulations that may impact Tribal food and agriculture. 

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Rule/Policy Updates

These are Federal Register notices about rules, regulations, and policy updates that have potential impacts to Tribal food and agriculture and provide opportunities for public comments or feedback. 

Longitudinal Study of SNAP Households

Agency: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Action: Request for comments by December 17, 2024

Why it matters: USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is seeking a new information collection request to do a long-term study of SNAP households. Data collected will allow FNS to carry out a detailed analyses of SNAP participants’ characteristics over time, giving FNS the ability to examine how SNAP households do before and after potential economic upheavals. Some of the study’s objectives include (1) statistics on sociodemographic and economic characteristics of households; (2) statistics on key household characteristics, and (3) statistics on dietary quality of randomly selected adult households.

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Price Discovery and Competition in Markets for Fed Cattle

Agency: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

Action: Comments requested by: December 10, 2024

Why it matters: USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act). AMS seeks stakeholder comments on options about base prices in formula pricing agreements to encourage fare and competitive trading environments in fed cattle markets. For more than 20 years, producers have complained about issues such as unfair prices they are paid for fed cattle, difficulty negotiating with packers, and predatory pricing strategies that favored only some players.

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Delegations of Authority

Agency: USDA Office of the Secretary

Action: Final rule effective October 2, 2024

Why it matters: Effective October 2, 2024, the delegation of authority from the Secretary of U.S. Department of Agriculture is amended to the Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) and the FPAC mission area agencies, the General Counsel, and the Director of the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR). With this expansion in delegation of authority, FSA is no longer limited to agreements related to conservation programs as well as outreach and technical assistance carried out by FSA. In terms of OTR, this expansion in delegation of authority allows OTR to enter into cooperative agreements with institutions of higher education for the purposes of student development in support of the 1994 Tribal College Program.

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Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP); Withdrawal Notice

Agency: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Action: Withdrawal notice of previously proposed rule

Why it matters: USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is withdrawing its proposed rule issued on May 10, 2016, which would have established procedures for planning, requesting, and operating D-SNAP. Disasters like COVID-19 pandemic showed that the proposed rule would have prevented USDA from adapting and enacting public health emergencies in a timely manner. As a result of feedback received through listening sessions and submitted comments, the rule is being withdrawn.

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Extension of Approval of an Information Collection re Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Livestock and Dairy Herd

Agency: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Action: Comments requested by October 28, 2024

Why it matters: USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is requesting public comments on its extension of approval of an information collection regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza. APHIS is encouraging farmers and veterinarians to report cattle illnesses quickly and implement biosecurity measures. The Federal Order which went into effect on April 24, 2024, requires lactating dairy cattle be tested before interstate movement and laboratories report positive Influenza A cases in livestock. APHIS is asking the Office of Management and Budget to approve our use of this information collection activity for 3 years.

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Submission for OMB Review on the School Meals Operations Study

Agency: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Action: Comments requested by September 23, 2024

Why it matters: USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is requesting comments on the School Meals Operations Study, which helps the Agency answer annual research questions about child nutrition programs. Information collected informs the budget process, current policy interests, training and technical assistance for State agencies and school food authorities, as well as identify child nutrition program trends.

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Agency Information Collection Activities: CSFP Participant Characteristics and Program Operations Study

Agency: USDA Food and Nutrition Service

Action: Comments requested by October 4, 2024

Why it matters: USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is seeking written comments from the public, including Tribal governments. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program provides USDA foods to low-income seniors aged 60 years and older. The main objective for this study is for FNS to better understand the characteristics of people participating in the program, how the program is operated, as well as success and challenges in CSFP.

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Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans

Agency: USDA Farm Service Agency

Action: Comments requested by October 7, 2024

Why it matters: USDA’s Farm Service Agency is requesting comments about a final rule effective September 25, 2024. The rule includes amendments to the Farm Loan Programs (FLP), implementation of the Distressed Borrower Set-Aside (DBSA) Program, and other changes. The DBSA will allow the borrower to defer one annual loan installment at a reduced interest rate. FLP will also amend its regulations to improve program access and delivery.

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Nominations

Including Native voices and perspectives to inform federal agencies through committees and boards is critical to addressing the unique needs of Indian Country. Check out this curated list of current opportunities, and please reach out with any questions: agpolicy@uark.edu.

Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council; Request for Nominations

Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior

Action: Request for nominations by November 12, 2024

Why it matters: The Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture seek to fill one vacancy to the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council. The Council makes recommendations about programs and policies with objectives that include (1) conservation and restoration of wetlands, grasslands, and forests; (2) encouraging coordination among public entities that include Federal, State, and Tribal, and territorial governments.

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Regional Tribal Conservation Advisory Councils (RTCAC)

Agency: USDA, Natural Resource Conservation Science (NRCS)

Description: NRCS establishes regular and meaningful consultation with Tribal officials when developing federal policy with tribal implications. In 2013, three RTCAC were formed for the Eastern, Central, and Western regions to improve Indian country’s access to federal conservation and land stewardship programs through the NRCS.

Nominations due: November 1, 2024

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Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Technical Advisory Panel

Agency: USDA, Forest Service

Description: This panel will use a consensus-based process to evaluate grant applications and provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on which applications best meet the program objectives. Meetings are held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Nomination due: Open nominations

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Resource Advisory Council

Agency: Bureau of Land Management

Description: The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public nominations for existing and upcoming member vacancies in nine Resource Advisory Councils. The Councils provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on local public land use planning and management within designated geographic areas.

Areas:

Arizona, Central California, Northwest (Colorado), Rocky Mountain (Colorado), Southwest (Colorado), Northern New Mexico, Southern New Mexico, Southeast Oregon, Western Oregon

Nomination due: November 15, 2024

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Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council

Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service

Description: The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture are seeking nominations to the Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council (Council) to fill one vacancy for a representative from a state fish and wildlife management agency. The Council provides recommendations to the Federal Government, through the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, regarding the establishment and implementation of existing and proposed policies and authorities with regard to wildlife and habitat conservation endeavors that benefit wildlife resources; encourage partnership among the public, sporting conservation organizations, wildlife-associated recreation interests, and Federal, State, Tribal, and territorial governments; and benefit fair-chase recreational hunting and safe recreational shooting sports.

Nominations due: November 12, 2024

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American Lamb Board

Agency: USDA

Description: The program’s goal is to develop and expand the markets for sheep and sheep products. Must be a producer, feeder, seedstock producer, or first handler who markets or handles lamb or lamb products in the United States and pays the mandatory assessment.Must be nominated by a certified producer organization and submit a completed application.

Nominations due: November 30, 2024

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