Putting Tribal Sovereignty
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will have impacts on federal food and nutrition policies for Tribal Nations, producers, and citizens. This law consolidates a wide range of provisions that reshape how food access, agricultural support and nutrition education are funded and administered across Indian Country.
One of the bill’s most significant changes comes in nutrition assistance and nutrition education, both of which are deeply important to Tribal communities which continue to experience disproportionately high levels of food insecurity and barriers to accessing healthy foods. The final bill changes the structure and funding of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including adjustments to eligibility calculations, limitations on USDA’s ability to adjust benefits to keep pace with inflation, and changes to work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD’s). The bill does provide some exceptions for Native Americans and Alaska Natives who meet the ABAWD definition. The final bill also phases out SNAP-Ed, a nutrition education program that has supported culturally relevant nutrition education and wellness initiatives in some Tribal communities.
The bill impacts Tribal producers through adjustments made to commodity programs, crop insurance, and disaster relief mechanisms. These have the potential to impact Tribal food sovereignty and economic development initiatives in Indian Country. While some federal administrative streamlining may benefit Tribal governments, other changes may limit flexibility in how nutrition and agriculture programs are implemented locally.
This document outlines the specific provisions that Tribal leaders and staff should be aware of, with a focus on how these changes may influence food security, health outcomes, and economic resilience in Tribal Nations.
What is a reconciliation bill, and why is it different from an appropriation bill?
An appropriations bill provides funding for federal agencies and programs on an annual basis, through the regular federal budget process. Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are involved in this regular process. A reconciliation bill is a special budgetary measure that Congress may utilize to make long-term, specific reductions in direct spending, revenue, or the national debt limit. As a reconciliation bill, the OBBBA will change the funding levels and formulae of a large number of federal programs. As these changes go into effect, many will have an impact on Indian Country food and agriculture.
This not a Farm Bill, correct?
Correct. Although the OBBBA makes changes to several key Farm Bill programs, OBBBA is not the Farm Bill. Congress must still pass legislation addressing the majority of Farm Bill programs—either a new Farm Bill, or an extension of the existing 2018 legislation—by September 30, 2025, to prevent a lapse in Farm Bill programs.