This document is strictly for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice nor create an attorney/client relationship.
COMMODITIES TITLE I
Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance
Amends Section 1501(e) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 to require the Secretary to provide a reimbursement of 75 percent of the losses for beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers (also includes young producers) under the Tree Assistance Program
Implementation Status: Unclear
- No current information on applications available
CONSERVATION TITLE II
Funding of Conservation Reserve Program
Transition Incentives Program – Increases funding to $50 million, including up to $5 million for outreach and technical assistance, for the transfer of lands from existing CRP contract holders to new and beginning or socially disadvantaged producers (including young producers)
Implementation Status: Self-Implementing
- Funding Increase
Assistance to Certain Farmers or Ranchers for Conservation Access
Set-asides for “beginning” and “socially disadvantaged” farmers or ranchers, including young producers, are reauthorized for 5 percent
Implementation Status: Self-Implementing
- Reauthorization of existing set-asides
Administrative Requirements for Conservation Programs
Requires USDA to enter into alternative funding arrangements for conservation programs under the Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program, allowing beginning and young producers to have access to these programs administered at the tribal level.
Implementation Status: Pending
- Awaiting administrative guidance and/or regulation from the USDA
TRADE TITLE III
Foreign Trade Missions
Requires the Secretary to seek to support greater inclusion and participation of Native farmers, ranchers, and producers on international trade missions. This also requires a report to Congress within 2 years regarding the efforts of the agencies to increase tribal inclusion on international trade missions.
Implementation Status: Pending
- No report is publicly available
NUTRITION TITLE IV
Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
Demonstration Project for Tribal Organizations – Authorizes $5 million for demonstration projects for tribal organizations to enter into 638 self-determination contracts to procure foods for FDPIR packages, allowing for more locally sourced foods from youth producers in the area.
Implementation Status: Pending
- Congress appropriated $3 million for this demonstration project, available to be expended until Sept. 30, 2021. Congress appropriated an additional $3 million for this project in 2020. Those funds are available until Sept. 30, 2022.
- USDA has opened the application process for this authority, with applications due March 15, 2021.Food Distribution on Indian Reservations: “638” Self-Governance Demonstration Project
CREDIT TITLE V
GAO Report
Requires the GAO to study the availability of agriculture credit to tribes and tribal producers, including young producers, within the Farm Credit System.
Implementation Status: Complete
- Report available at www.gao.gov/products/GAO-19-464
RURAL DEVELOPMENT TITLE VI
Establishment of Technical Assistance Program
Establishes a permanent Rural Development Tribal Technical Assistance Office to provide technical assistance across all areas of rural development funding for tribal governments, tribal producers, tribal businesses, tribal business entities and tribal designated housing entities.
Implementation Status: Pending
- No information publicly available
RESEARCH, EXTENSION AND RELATED MATTERS TITLE VII
Native American Student Scholarship Fund
Creates a new Native American student scholarship fund for tribal students attending land-grant universities and colleges
Implementation Status: Complete
- Institutions have begun receiving funds
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Activities
Partnerships to build capacity in international agricultural research, extension, and teaching – Includes 1994 Tribal Colleges as eligible for program to build the capacity and improve the performance activities substantially similar to agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities.
Implementation Status: Complete
- More information about grants available under this authority can be found at https://nifa.usda.gov/opportunities-global-engagement
McIntire-Stennis Forestry Program
Assistance for forestry research under the McIntire- Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act – Makes 1994 Tribal Colleges eligible for McIntire-Stennis Forestry program capacity funding
Implementation Status: Complete
- TCUs listed as eligible applicants in 2020 RFAs
Smith-Lever Community Extension Program
Adds TCUs as eligible for funding for the Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Program and the Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP).
Implementation Status: Pending
- No information on the USDA-NIFA website indicates that 1994 TCUs are eligible for funding under FRTEP and/or CYFAR. No recent RFA has been posted. IFAI Resource: Program Highlight: Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP)
HORTICULTURE TITLE X
Local Agriculture Market Program
Establishes tribal eligibility in local programs to grow, process, and market Native foods, including those produced by beginning and young producers.
Implementation Status: Complete
- The LAMP program partially combines and streamlines two existing, cornerstone local/regional food system programs: the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) and Value- Added Producers Grant Program (VAPG)
CROP INSURANCE TITLE XI
Underserved Producers
Includes tribal producers in definition of “underserved producers” for review and report of whether crop insurance is providing adequate coverage.
Implementation Status: Unclear/Pending
- Tribes included as part of “underserved producers” in legislation, but no RMA report is publicly available
MISCELLANEOUS TITLE XII
Creates permanent, mandatory baseline funding for outreach, education, and training for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, including youth tribal farmers and ranchers, in the new Farming Opportunities Training Outreach program, and specifies tribal government and tribal producer eligibility for grants under these programs.
Implementation Status: Complete
- This program merged the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) and the Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (aka “Section 2501”) programs under the same umbrella, while also slightly modifying the criteria for each