Putting Tribal Sovereignty
WASHINGTON-Last week, the Senate Agriculture Committee released its long-awaited Farm Bill text, the Agriculture Act of 2026. The legislation includes new safeguards against FDPIR warehouse disruptions, support for seafood producers, and advances for Tribal-led conservation and forest management. It also includes several recommendations from USDA’s Tribal Advisory Committee to increase access to capital for Tribal producers, expands access to Rural Development programs for Tribes, and reauthorizes and expands support for Tribal Colleges and Universities.
However, the legislation does not delay new state cost-sharing requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that take effect next fall. States will be on the hook for tens to hundreds of millions in SNAP funding, which may result in States restricting access to SNAP or withdrawing from the program entirely. Over one million Tribal citizens participate in SNAP.
The legislation also cuts conservation funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), despite both programs being oversubscribed. Unlike the House Farm Bill, the bill does not designate an Office of Self-Determination or establish a new 638 pilot program for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).
The Senate Agriculture Committee is expected to mark up the bill in July. However, the legislation faces an uncertain path forward, as Senate Democrats are likely to oppose the bill without a delay of the SNAP cost-share requirements.
IFAI will publish additional analyses of the Agriculture Act of 2026 in the coming days, including a section-by-section analysis of provisions with Tribal implications. Read IFAI’s analysis of the House Farm Bill here, including a section-by-section analysis and an amendment tracker.