Summary:

• Check out the General Ag Policy Updates section for updates from Congress regarding last week’s House passing its version of the 2026 Farm Bill and the FY27 Agriculture Appropriations markup. 

• The first 2026 meeting of the FDPIR Tribal Leader Consultation Working Group is scheduled for June 23, 2026, during the NAFDPIR Annual Conference in Niagara Falls, NY. 

• This week, IFAI will focus on two sessions at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs; one on May 5 about Kipnuk and Kwigillingok experiences following Typhoon Halong and another on May 6 about Strengthening Tribal Communities through Federal Response.

General Ag Policy Updates:

• The House passed its version of the 2026 Farm Bill (R.7567 – Farm, Food, and National Security Act) on April 30 with a 224-200 vote. The bill includes provisions advancing Tribal sovereignty and parity, supporting Tribal and local food systems, and supporting Tribal-led conservation efforts. Most Democrats opposed the legislation because of cuts to nutrition programs in last summer’s reconciliation bill, while a few Republicans opposed due to costs and concerns with changes to pesticide regulations. The bill heads to the Senate, where it has an unclear path forward. Read IFAI’s analysis of this important Farm Bill development HERE. 

• The House Appropriations Committee marked up the FY27 Agriculture Appropriations bill on April 29. The bill would cut USDA funding by 3%, significantly less than the 19% proposed in the President’s Budget Request. The bill would generally maintain current funding levels for most Tribal specific programs, including the Office of Tribal Relations, the Food Distribution Program in Indian Reservations (FDPIR) demonstration project, and most programs for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and for Native students. FDPIR funding will increase by 15%. However, conservation technical assistance will be cut by 35%. Check back soon for IFAI’s detailed analysis of the legislation!  

• The President’s proposed FY27 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget includes an 83% cut to State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG), which would be harmful to Tribal Nations. Read IFAI’s analysis

Outreach Calendar:

General Policy Update:

Tribal Consultation/Listening Sessions/Advisory Committee Meetings:

Title of Event: FDPIR Tribal Leader Consultation Working Group

About: This is the first meeting of the Consultation Working Group for 2026, covering ongoing topics including program administration and policy updates, food package availability, procurement challenges, and funding levels. The meeting will be held in person with an option for virtual attendance. The agenda will be posted when it is available. 

Date(s), Time, and Location:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET
NAFDPIR Annual Conference
Sheraton Niagara Falls
300 Third Street
Niagara Falls, NY, USA, 14303
Room TBD 

All participants must register by June 22, 2026, HERE

Written comments must be submitted by July 23, 2026, to sm.fn.tribalaffairs@usda.gov

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Title of Event: Forest Service Tribal Forum

About: Tribal leaders are invited to participate in a feedback session to update the 2026 USFS Draft Tribal Action Plan, which is based on the Strengthening Tribal Consultations a Nation-to-Nation Relationship: a USDA Forest Service Action Plan.  Feedback will be accepted until the Tribal Action Plan’s anticipated publication in the summer of 2026.

Date(s), Time, and Location:
Thursday, May 21, 2026, from noon to 1 p.m. ET

Register HERE 

Title of Event: Tribal Interior Budget Council (TIBC) Tribal Consultations

About: Indian Affairs is holding a two-day in-person consultation with Tribal Nations about budget, strategy, and planning for the FY2028 budget, as well as the future of TIBC. 

Date(s), Time, and Location:
Day 1 Tribal Consultation Session on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET

1849 Street NW
Washington, DC
Yates Auditorium

Registration CLOSED on May 1, 2026

Day 2 TIBC Session on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET

1849 Street NW
Washington, DC
Yates Auditorium

Registration CLOSED on May 1, 2026 

The meeting will be livestreamed HERE for those who wish to listen in.

Feedback about strengthening the TIBC can be provided HERE

OR

You may provide written input in an email, no later than May 20, 2026: TIBCimprovement@bia.gov 

• Dear Tribal Leader Letter – dated Mar. 16, 2026
• Addendum to Dear Tribal Leader Letter – dated Apr. 21, 2026 

Title of Event: FDPIR Produce Safety Training

About: This is a 2-day in-person training designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities for FDPIR program operators and staff who are receiving, handling, and storing fresh produce. The training helps Tribes and State agencies properly assess and safely distribute fresh produce to program participants. 

Date(s), Time, and Location:

May 19 – 20, 2026 at Spirit Lake Tribe: REGISTER

June 2026 (alongside the NAFDPIR Annual Conference in Niagara Falls, NY): REGISTER

Congressional Updates: 

Looking Back:

Hearing: House Committee on Rules on Mon., Apr. 27, 2026.

Topic: Floor consideration of H.R.7567 – Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026

Highlights: The House Committee on Rules marked up a rule for considering the 2026 House Farm Bill for a floor vote. After significant disagreements on allowing year-round sale of E15 and pesticide regulation, the Committee advanced the rule, and the House voted to pass H.R.7567 on Thursday, 224-200. The Farm Bill now heads to the Senate, where it faces an unclear path forward.

Read more here. 

Hearing: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on Mon., Apr. 27, 2026.

Topic: Budget Hearing – Environmental Protection Agency

Highlights: The hearing examined President Trump’s FY27 budget request for the Environmental Protection Agency, which proposes a roughly 50% reduction in EPA funding and major structural changes to programs supporting states, Tribes, water infrastructure, enforcement, research, and pesticide regulation. While EPA highlighted discrete investments and enforcement actions benefiting Tribes and farmers, many Members argued these do not compensate for deep, systemic funding reductions. See IFAI’s analysis on the impacts of the proposed cuts to EPA’s State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) to treaty-protected food and environmental resources here.

Read more here. 

Hearing: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Wed., Apr. 29, 2026.

Topic: Hearing to examine the President’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Interior.

Highlights: The hearing reviewed the FY27 Interior Department budget, with debate over expanding energy and mineral development, reorganizing wildfire management, and reducing or restructuring funding for national parks, conservation, and water programs. Senators raised concerns about impacts on Tribal trust responsibilities, water rights settlements, drought and agriculture, and permitting fairness, while Interior officials emphasized efficiency, energy production, revenue generation, and maintaining core services. 

Read more here.

Markup: House Appropriations Committee on Wed., Apr. 29, 2026.

Topic: Full committee markup of Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill.

Highlights: This was a markup session for amendments to the FY 27 USDA and FDA appropriations bills. See notes below for a list of amendments raised during the session.

Read more here.

Hearing:  Senate Appropriations Committee on Thurs., April 30, 2026.

Topic: Budget Hearing- United States Forest Service

Highlights: This hearing analyzed the FY27 Forest Service budget, showing cuts to state and Tribal forestry assistance, research, and collaborative programs that could undermine Tribal co‑management, treaty‑based coordination, and cross‑boundary forest management tools such as those enabled by Good Neighbor Authority. While Forest Service leadership affirmed commitments to Tribal consultation, co‑management, and partnership‑based stewardship, Senators questioned whether those commitments can be sustained without dedicated funding and staffing to support meaningful Tribal and state participation.

Read more here.

Looking Ahead:

Hearing: Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Tues., May 5, 2026.

Topic: Alaska Native Voices: A Roundtable with Kipnuk and Kwigillingok on Disaster Impacts, Recovery, and Resilience. 

Hearing: Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Wed., May 6, 2026.

Topic: From Disaster to Resilience: Strengthening Tribal Communities through Federal Response, Mitigation and Relocation Programs. 

Nominations:

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Consultative Committee (NCC)

Description: This committee advises the Secretaries of Commerce and State on issues relevant to the work of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) convention. NAFO is an international fisheries management body focused on coordinating international scientific studies of key marine species in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. NCC seeks nominations from committee members with fishing and/or seafood processing industry experience, marine/fisheries conservation and management experience, and more.

Deadline: Nominations for the committee will be accepted at any time.

Regulatory/Rule Making Actions:

Title: Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program; 2026 Benefit Levels

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has published a notice informing the public about the annual adjustments to benefit levels in the Summer EBT for Children.
• The adjusted EBT levels reflect the differences between the costs of providing meals and supplements to other geographic areas (e.g., Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam) and the 48 States, Washington, DC, and the ITOs that administer the Program.
• Adjustments reflect changes in the Thrifty Food Plan.
• The monthly benefit for the Summer of 2026 in the 48 States and DC is $120.
• Benefit levels are in effect Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2026.

Posted: Week of Apr. 27, 2026

Read more here. 

Title: Removing Outdated and Unnecessary Provisions

• USDA’s Office of the Secretary (OSEC) has published a final rule removing certain provisions deemed by the Administration to be obsolete, unnecessary, and outdated from Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR).
• After regulatory planning and review were conducted, no federalism or tribal implications were identified in the rescissions.
• Some of the subjects in 7 CFR Part 15f include Agriculture, Farmers, Guaranteed Loans, and Loan Programs.
• The final rule took effect on Apr. 17, 2026

Posted: Week of Apr. 20, 2026

Read more here.