Putting Tribal Sovereignty in Food Sovereignty
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are currently considering whether to define “ultra processed foods” (UPFs) and how that definition could be used in food labeling, nutrition programs, and dietary guidelines. The...
On September 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it would hold two Tribal consultations to allow input and comment on the proposed departmental reorganization. The outline of the proposed reorganization was laid out in the July 2025 Secretarial Memorandum...
Deadline to apply is December 5, 2025. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced the opening of its FY2026 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, offering up to $18 million in funding to support local food systems and agricultural education in schools...
Senate Indian Affairs Co-Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is requesting comments from the public by September 12, 2025, on a discussion draft for “The Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act of 2025.” As noted in Senator Murkowski’s section-by-section breakdown,...
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...
On July 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an end to certain uses of the “socially disadvantaged” producer designation. In a final rule published in the Federal Register, the department explained it would “no longer employ the race- and...
In July 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a sweeping reorganization plan that could significantly affect Tribal governments, producers, and service delivery across Indian Country. The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) has...
In the summer of 2024, the Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations led impactful implementations of the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) Program, a federal nutrition program designed to reduce food insecurity among children during the summer months when school...
As IFAI enters its 13th year of serving Indian Country our Executive Director, Carly Griffith Hotvedt (Cherokee Nation) has a message for all of our stakeholders. When you think of the next generation of Native agriculturalists, who comes to mind? While we work to...
The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) is hosting the 11th Annual Youth in Agriculture Leadership Summit. The summit brings together Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian youth, ages 18-24, from across Indian Country to the University of...