Summary
- On Weds., Jan. 22, USDA FNS is holding a webinar to hear from Tribes on a new pilot project allowing Tribal administration of federal nutrition programs. The webinar starts at 3-3:45pm eastern, register here. IFAI has a comment template in process for Tribes to use before the final March 24 comment deadline.
- On Jan. 20, 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order freezing all pending rules that have not previously been published in the Federal Register. IFAI is in the process of analyzing rules and actions impacting Tribal food and agriculture and will publish a more thorough analysis to follow.
- The House Agriculture Committee convenes Jan. 23, 2025 to discuss the nomination for the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
- Two final rules have been posted in the Federal Register: one from the Agricultural Marketing Service regarding more transparent practices in the Grower Payment and the Capital Improvement Systems in live poultry; another is from the Commodity Credit Corporation and Farm Service Agency regarding streamlining and simplifying deadlines in Supplemental Agricultural Assistance Programs.
Calendar
Tribal Consultation/Listening Sessions/Advisory Committee Meetings
Title of Event: Request for Information: Child Nutrition Programs Tribal Pilot Projects
About: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking feedback from Indian Country on the Child Nutrition Tribal Pilot Projects through a Request for Information process. The pilot will allow Tribal operations to administer one or more child nutrition programs like:
- National School Lunch Program
- School Breakfast Program
- Child & Adult Care Food Program
- Summer Food Service Program
USDA is hosting a webinar to gather valuable feedback from Tribal partners on how to design the projects Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 from 3-3:45pm eastern. Register here. The final comment period deadline is Mar. 24, 2025, with IFAI in the process of developing a comment template for Tribes interested in submitting.
Congressional Sessions:
Looking back:
There were no hearings relevant to Indian Country Agriculture last week.
Looking ahead:
There are no hearings relevant to Indian Country Agriculture this week.
Nomination opportunities:
There are no nomination opportunities at this time.
If you’re interested in seeking more information on nominations, reach out to agpolicy@uark.edu.
Regulatory/Rulemaking Actions
Title: Regulatory Freeze Pending Review
- On Jan. 20, 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order freezing all pending rules that have not previously been published in the Federal Register.
Posted: January 20, 2025
Title: Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems
- USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service issued a final rule that amends its regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921.
- The final rule takes effect on Jul. 1, 2026, and requires live poultry dealers to adopt fairer policies and procedures, increasing transparency in broiler grower payments, tournament operations, and capital improvement systems.
- One of the requirements by this final rule is for growers to be provided greater clarity and protection about the minimum payments they can expect under broiler growing arrangements.
Posted: Week of Jan. 20, 2025
Title: Supplemental Agricultural Assistance Programs
- The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) have issued a final rule to simplify and streamline deadlines for the following programs: the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).
- The final rule took effect on Jan. 17, 2025, and also clarifies ELAP provisions for assistance for transportation of livestock feed.
- Across all three programs (ELAP, LFP, and LIP) there is now a single deadline for filing a notice of loss, an application for payment, and other requirements.
- The deadline changes are effective starting with the 2024 program year that started in Jan. 1, 2024, which are now due on Mar. 1, 2025.
Posted: Week of Jan. 20, 2025
Title: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Regarding Data Security Requirements for Accessing Confidential Data
- USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) requests comments about an Agency’s use of a Standard Application Process (SAP) to collect information about individuals requesting access to confidential data sets.
- SAP is the process through which entities (including Agencies, States, Tribal governments, and researchers) may apply to access confidential data assets held by a federal statistical agency or unit.
- The SAP Portal is an application interface connecting applicants seeking data with a catalog of metadata for data assets owned by the federal statistical agencies and units.
- Comments submitted by Feb. 12, 2025, will be considered.
Title: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Quality Control Review Handbook Incorporation by Reference
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is seeking public comments on a proposed rule to include the FNS Handbook 310 into SNAP regulations.
- Handbook 310 is the standard operating procedure manual for conducting quality control reviews of SNAP cases.
- The SNAP quality control reviews have four goals that include measuring the validity of the SNAP eligibility caseload and provide the basis for determining all SNAP error rates.
- Written comments must be received by Mar. 4, 2025, to be considered.
Posted: Week of Jan. 6, 2025
- USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking comments on a proposed rule about creating regulations that govern the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP).
- US SHIP would be a voluntary livestock improvement program with the objective of improving biosecurity, traceability, and disease surveillance for swine health.
- Establishing a health improvement plan would allow participating sites to market their products with the relevant certification status. This would limit disruptions to international and interstate commerce during outbreaks.
- Currently, there is no health improvement program that exists for the swine industry.
- Comments received by Jan. 30, 2025, will be considered.
Posted: Week of Jan. 6, 2025