Policy Briefings
Policy Brief – September 10, 2024
Summary On Thursday, September 12, USDA will hold a Tribal Consultation with Tribal leaders about the supply chain disruptions for FDPIR. Congress is back in session this week with scheduled hearings from various House Agriculture, Energy, and Natural Resources...
Policy Brief – September 3, 2024
Summary The Tribal Advisory Committee will have its third meeting on September 5, set to take place virtually with a public comment period from 6 to 7 p.m. eastern. Find more information and how to attend at usda.gov/tribalrelations/advisory-committee. USDA announced...
Policy Brief – August 26, 2024
Summary Although Congress remains on recess for this final week of August 2024, the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative has curated a list of important dates, events, and policy-related information. Here are the highlights: USDA announced an emergency Tribal...
Native Farm Bill Coalition
The Farm Bill is a large piece of legislation that passes every five years, and it determines funding for USDA programs. It typically includes 12 separate titles focused on everything from nutrition to crop insurance, and has a profound impact on Indian Country.
The Native Farm Bill Coalition (NFBC) brings together the voices of Tribes, intertribal organizations, other Native organizations and non-Native allies around the country to advocate with a strong, unified voice in Washington, D.C., to advance investments in Native agricultural production, rural infrastructure, economic development, conservation, and forestry.
The Native Farm Bill Coalition was formed in 2017 ahead of the 2018 the largest-ever coordinated effort in Indian County around federal food, agriculture, and nutrition policy. The NFBC was co-founded by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC), the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), and the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) as the Coalition’s official research partner. Learn more about the Native Farm Bill Coalition at www.nativefarmbill.com.
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.
IFAI’s curated tracker offers an analysis of the 2018 Farm Bill’s Indian Country-specific provisions and offers a look at opportunities for Indian Country agriculture in the next Farm Bill.
Click the button below to access IFAI’s tracker.
Please note, this is a living resource that IFAI updates frequently.
Recent Publications and Infographics
Publications & Infographics – 2013 – 2022
Indian Country Stats - A Brief overview of Indian Country
Reimagining Hunger Responses in Times of Crisis
Child Nutrition Programs in Indian Country
SNAP Highlights
Public Law No: 117 - 58
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Traditional Foods in FDPIR
Intertribal Food Systems Report
Agricultural Resource Management Plan Process
Child Nutrition Facts
School Meals: National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program in Schools
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93-638)
Market Access Program
Special Milk Program
Program Highlight: Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Economic Development Opportunities in the 2018 Farm Bill
Program Highlight: Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP)
Program Highlight: Natural Resources Conservation Service
NRCS Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFAs)
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
2017 Census of Agriculture Update
Policy Analysis
The 2018 Farm Bill and the Legal Landscape for Industrial Hemp Production in Indian Country
Regaining Our Future: An Assessment of Risks and Opportunities for Native Communities in the 2018 Farm Bill
Jamie Simms Hipp & Colby D. Duren (2018)
Optimizing Distribution Center Location and Delivery Schemes for the USDA's Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
Karli Moore, Et Al. (2018)
Building Indian Country's Future Through Food, Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Economic Development in the 2018 Farm Bill
Janie Simms Hipp, Colby D. Duren, and Erin S. Parker (2018)
Tribal Consultation for Food, Safety, and Trade
Tribal Consultation Farming, Ranching, and Conservation
Creating a Tribal Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain
Building Indian Country's Future Through Food, Agriculture, Infrastructure, and Economic Development in the 2018 Farm Bill
