Putting Tribal SovereigntyPolicy
What we do
The IFAI Policy team assists Tribal Nations in strengthening their food systems and agricultural initiatives by delivering timely and accurate analyses of federal laws and policies that affect Tribal agriculture.
Policy RESOURCES
Policy Brief- March 17
Summary: Register now to join IFAI’s Farm Bill Update webinar on Wednesday, Mar. 18 at 1 p.m. CT. As part of our discussion of recent Farm Bill news, we will also talk through some of the Congressional amendments offered on the House Agriculture Committee version of...
Policy Brief- March 10
Summary: IFAI completed an analysis on the amendments offered during the markup session for the House Committee version of the 2026 Farm Bill (H.R.7567) For more information on our analysis, key takeaways for Indian Country, and registration for IFAI’s upcoming Farm...
House Agriculture Committee Advances Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Agriculture Committee held a markup of their proposed Farm Bill, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567) on March 3 and 4, passing the bill out of committee 34 – 17. Seven Democrats joined Republicans to pass the...
Policy Brief- March 3
Summary: The markup session for the House Committee version of the 2026 Farm Bill (H.R.7567) is scheduled for March 3, 2026. See the General Policy Updates section below for more info on the expected multi-day markup and Fiscal Year 2027 funding process. IFAI has...
IFAI Analysis: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
FAYETTVILLE, AR. - This analysis examines the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, jointly released by the U.S. Departments of Health & Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA)in January 2026.We begin with a brief explanation of the changes these new...
2026 House Farm Bill: Key Takeaways for Indian Country
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Feb. 13, the House Committee on Agriculture released its long-awaited Farm Bill draft, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567). The Committee will hold a markup beginning March 3. Background The Farm Bill is an important...
Policy Brief- February 24
Summary: The markup of the recently released Farm Bill language has been postponed to March 3, 2026. Federal Register notices to highlight this week include proposed rules from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regarding the Maximum Line Speed Rates...
Policy Brief- February 17
Summary: Check out our new section, General Policy Updates, below! Read about the new FDIPR Food Package Review Group and recent updates on the Farm Bill. The Senate and the House of Representatives are out of session, and no Congressional hearings related to Tribal...
Policy Brief- February 10
Summary: This week, we will be monitoring a hearing from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs examining the Small Business Administration Native 8(a) Programs. Nominations for the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council will close on Feb. 17. USDA’s...
Policy Brief-February 3
Summary: There are two Congressional hearings on Tuesday from the House Appropriations Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources. Notes relevant to Tribal food and agriculture will be posted next week. Two Federal Register notices of interest this week...