Summary: 

• Do you know anyone aged 18-24 years old who is thinking about a possible career in Tribal food and agriculture? Applications for IFAI’s 2026 Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit are now open! The final deadline for all applications is Friday, March 20, 2026. 

• The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This edition represents a shift in some aspects of federal nutrition policy, calling for Americans to increase their daily protein intake from both animal and plant protein sources. 

• IFAI’s policy team is tracking several Congressional hearings this week, including a U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. 

• The National Park Service (NPS) seeks nominations for individuals to represent subsistence users in several Subsistence Resource Commissions. Nominations must be postmarked by March 9, 2026. 

• Federal Register notices this week include a final rule about the Removal of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations. Separately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for the Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee of its Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), which advises the EPA administrator on environmental policy issues impacting local governments, including Tribal Nations. Interested Tribal leaders or appointed staff should apply by January 15, 2026.  

• If you have not read it yet, please check out IFAI’s 2025 Annual Report for a description of all the work that we did across Indian Country last year.  

Outreach Calendar

Title of Event: USDA Forest Service Tribal Forum: Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experience (EXPLORE) Act, P.L. 118-234 (Expansion of Good Neighbor Authority).  

About: This virtual session is an opportunity for FS to share information with Tribes and answer questions related to the implementation of the EXPLORE Act, which includes an expansion of the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). Since 2014, GNA has been an effective policy that enables Tribal, state, and county governments to work closely with the Forest Service on restoration projects that take place on federal lands. The EXPLORE Act has expanded this authority, and the Forest Service is hosting this Tribal Forum to discuss the changes in the law and how they may benefit Tribes.  

• Date(s), Time, and Location: 

• Feb. 11, 2026, at 2-3:30 p.m. EST, held virtually on Zoom. Register online.  

Congressional Hearings: 

There were no hearings relevant to Indian Country Food and Agriculture last week. 

Looking Back:

There are no Congressional hearings scheduled this week.  

Looking Ahead:

Floor Schedule: United States Senate on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. EST 

Topic: Consideration of the motion to proceed H.R. 6938 “Commerce, Justice, Science- Energy and Water Development- and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026.” 

Hearing: House Natural Resource Committee on Wednesday, Jan.14, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST 

Topic: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 6300 “Grasslands Grazing Act of 2025” 

Hearing: Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. EST 

Topic: Growing the Small Business Agricultural Economy 

Nominations:

Nominations for the Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee of the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee  

Description: EPA is renewing the charter for its Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), which advises the EPA administrator on environmental policy issues impacting local governments (including Tribal Nations). EPA is soliciting nominations for one of the LGAC subcommittees, the Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee. Elected Tribal leaders or full-time Tribal government staff who are appointed by elected Tribal leaders are eligible. 

Deadline: Applications are due by January 15, 2026. 

Nominations for the National Park Service Alaska Region Subsistence Resource Commission Program 

Description: The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking nominations for individuals to represent subsistence users on the following Subsistence Resource Commissions (SRC): the Aniakchak National Monument SRC, the Cape Krusenstern National Monument SRC, the Denali National Park SRC, the Gates of the Arctic National Park SRC, the Kobuk Valley National Park SRC, the Lake Clark National Park SRC, and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park SRC. The SRCs hold meetings to develop NPS subsistence program recommendations and advise on related regulatory proposals and resource management issues. For example, advise on the subsistence of hunting programs, determine seasons and harvest limits, deal with proposed development in and adjacent to the park, and other like activities. 

Deadline: Nominations must be postmarked by March 9, 2026. 

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Consultive Committee 

Description: The purpose of this body is to ensure that the interests of U.S. stakeholders are considered in the development of positions and policy relative to U.S. participation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). 

Deadline: Nominations will be accepted at any time.

Regulatory/Rule Making Actions:

Title: Changes to Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage, and Dairy Margin Coverage Programs  

• USDA is updating three programs as required in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA): the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), and Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) programs.  

• The ARC and PLC are extended until 2031, and had payment levels adjusted for inflation, updated definitions for clarity, as well as updated payment calculations. DMC is also extended until 2031 and will now allow dairy operations to establish a new production history based on 2021 numbers, as well as increasing Tier 1 coverage from 5 million to 6 million pounds. 

• This final rule is effective on Jan. 12, 2026. 

Read More HERE 

 Title: Environmental Assessment for Post-Fire Recovery Actions on National Forest System Lands 

• The USDA Forest Service (FS) is preparing a nationwide environmental assessment to analyze the effects of post-fire recovery actions on National Forest System lands, including mechanical and non-mechanical hazardous fuels reduction, hazardous tree removal, timber salvage, reforestation, and use of natural materials to restore water and soil systems.  

• The intent of this assessment is to identify general actions, issues, alternatives, and supporting analysis that are common to post wildfire activities that occur on National Forest System Lands to facilitate consistency and more efficient subsequent site-specific decisions.  

• FS is proposing to analyze two alternatives in this environmental assessment: the proposed action alternative (developing and implementing a set of standard post-fire activities) and the no action alternative (not implementing a set of standard post-fire activities).  

• Comments must be received by Jan. 26, 2026. 

Read More HERE 

Title: Removal of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations 

• This final rule from the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) responds to public comments from a Feb. 25, 2025, interim final rule (following Executive Order 14154), which removed NEPA implementing regulations from the CFR, concluding it lacked statutory authority.  

• This rule responds to comments and finalizes the interim final rule with no changes. 

• CEQ received comments pertaining to the lack of formal government-to-government consultations with Tribes. In response, CEQ submits that the final rule has no Tribal implications and that any “harms the Tribes assert are speculative.” As a result, CEQ will not be conducting government-to-government consultations.  

• The final rule is effective Jan. 8, 2026. 

Read More HERE