• IFAI’s 11th annual Tribal Youth Summit starts next week, read more about it here. 

• The Indian Health Service is hosting four In-Person Tribal Consultations and one Virtual Consultation starting July 8 proposed realignment and strategic changes.  

• Several Federal Register notices this week could have Tribal food and agriculture impacts, including Publication Methods of Lists of States with and Without State Meat or Poultry Inspection Programs and Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program .  

• With the Senate taking up the reconciliation bill this week, there are no Congressional hearings relevant to Tribal food and agriculture this week. There were several committee hearings in the House from last week with Tribal food and agriculture impacts in our notes section.  

Calendar

Title of Event: Indian Health Service In-Person Tribal Consultations 

About: The IHS is holding several in-person Tribal consultations on proposed realignment and possible strategic changes in relation to (1) Delivery of Direct Patient Care; (2) Enterprise/Operational Management; and (3) Supporting Tribal Self-Determination. 

Date(s), Time, and Location: 

• July 8, 2025 (Tuesday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. pacific – Seattle, WA (Register Here)
  • Seattle Airport Marriott (Washington Room)
  • 3201 South 176th Street, Seattle WA 

• July 10, 2025 (Thursday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. mountain – Phoenix, AZ (Register Here)
  • Marriott Phoenix Chandler
  • 1600 South Price Road, Chandler, AZ
•  July 15, 2025 (Tuesday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. central – Minneapolis, MN (Register Here)
  • Hyatt Regency Bloomington – Minneapolis
  • 3200 East 81 Street, Bloomington, MN 

• July 23, 2025 (Wednesday), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. eastern – Washington, DC (Register Here)
  • Hubert H. Humphrey Building – Hall of Tribal Nations
  • 200 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC
    
•  July 28, 2025 (Monday), from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. eastern – Virtual (Register Here)

 Dear Tribal Leader and Urban Indian Organization Leader Letter 

The deadline to provide written comments is August 28, 2025 

Congressional Sessions:

Looking back: 

Hearing: House Appropriations Committee – June 23, 2025.  

Topic: House Appropriations marks FY26 Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Markup. 

Highlights: The committee discussed and voted on several amendments related to agriculture, rural development, the FDA, and related agencies. Final committee vote favored to move the bill to the full House by a vote of 35 to 27. 

Hearing: House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands – June 26, 2025. 

Topic: Fix Our Forests: Advancing Innovative Technologies to Improve Forest Management and Prevent Wildfires 

Highlights: The hearing focused on how innovative technologies can improve forest management and wildfire prevention, particularly through the proposed Fix Our Forest Act (FOFA) and President Trump’s recent executive order on wildfire response. 

Hearing: House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit – June 26, 2025. 

Topic: A Review of the U.S. Grain Standards Act 

Highlights: This hearing discussed the reauthorization of the U.S. Grain Standards, Act (USGSA), which underpins the federal grain inspection and weighing system. Several provisions of the Act are set to expire in September 2025, and a lapse could disrupt grain exports and damage U.S. credibility in global markets. 

Hearing: House Committee on Appropriations – June 26, 2025. 

Topic: Full Committee Markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Bill 

Highlights: The hearing focused on the FY26 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill. A major point of contention was the proposed 50 percent cut to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The bill was approved by a vote of 34 to 28. 

Looking ahead:

No congressional hearings relevant to Indian Country Agriculture or Policy this week. 

Nominations:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee – due before July 18, 2025. 

Regulatory/Rulemaking Actions

Title: Proposed Revisions to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service 

• USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service seeks public comments about proposed changes to the conservation practice standards (CPS) in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices (NHCP). 

• NRCS is requesting comments on the several CPS including, Access Control (Code 472), Pest Management Conservation System (Code 595), and Wildlife Habitat (Code 645). 

• Comments sent before July 30, 2025, will be considered.  

Posted: Week of June 30, 2025 

Title: Publication Method of Lists of States with and Without State Meat or Poultry Inspection Programs 

• USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published a final rule regarding methods of publishing lists of States with and without State Meat or Poultry Inspection Programs.  

• FSIS is removing these lists from its regulations and will now maintain them on the agency’s website at www.fsis.usda.gov  

• This is an administrative that is not expected to change FSIS’ criteria for approving state MPI programs.  

• The final rule took effect on June 26, 2025 

Posted: Week of June 30, 2025 

Title: Information Collection; Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program  

• USDA’s Forest Service is requesting comments from nonprofit organizations, and/or State, Local or Tribal Governments about the renewal of currently approved information collection without revisions.  

• The Community Forest Program aims to facilitate community development through grants to local governments, Tribal Governments, and qualified nonprofits.  

• The information collected will be used to determine program eligibility, rank proposals, and cost management.  

• Comments must be received in writing on or before August 25, 2025. 

Posted: Week of June 30, 2025 

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has submitted for OMB review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the final rule on SNAP work requirements and screening.
• The final rule was published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2024, and became effective on January 16, 2025.
• The final rule required for State agencies to screen for exemptions from general work requirements and ABAWD time limit.
• Comments submitted by July 17, 2025, will be considered.

Posted: Week of June 23, 2025

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has provided notice of a new system of records effective June 23, 2025 and July 23, 2025 for more routine uses.
• This new system is called USDA/FNS-15, National Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Information Database.
• The primary goal of this new system is to strengthen SNAP and government program integrity.
• FNS will use this new system to verify SNAP recipient eligibility in relation to information such as immigration status, duplicate enrollments, and identify theft.
• USDA will publish any changes, resulting from public comments.

Posted: Week of June 23, 2025

Title: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request about the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy Grant Program (RISE).

• USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service has submitted for review information collection requirements regarding RISE.
• This grant program looks to develop and support industry in low-income rural areas.
• Tribal governments are among the expected respondents for this notice.
• Comment deadline: July 16, 2025

Posted: Week of June 17, 2025

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has submitted for review and clearance information collection activities about the SNAP Multiple Payment Pilots (MPPs).
• FNS is authorized up to five MPPs that allow the use of personal mobile devices including cellular phones and tablets instead of SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to purchase SNAP benefits.
• These pilot projects will enable FNS to determine if they work in the best interests of the Program.
• Comment deadline: July 14, 2025

Posted: Week of June 17, 2025

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is seeking comments from the public about gathering information through a study of WIC Tribal Organizations and U.S. Territories that administer and operate WIC.
• This study involves all 32 Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), 5 U.S. territories, 5 Tribally operated local WIC agencies and about 15 geographic State agencies.
• The results of the study are expected to inform FNS about any differences in how WIC is operated and how the experiences of its participants vary across the country.
• Written comments must be received by August 12, 2025

Posted: Week of June 17, 2025

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is seeking comments about information collection activities related to WIC and FMNP.
• FNS is looking to gain a comprehensive understanding of program results from the $390 million ARPA investment in outreach, innovation, and program modernization.
• FNS will collect data from WIC State agencies, local agencies, clinics, WIC & FMNP vendors and outlets, and WIC participants.
• The study will also use surveys to learn about participant and operators’ experiences.
• Comments received by July 11, 2025, will be considered.

Posted: Week of June 17, 2025

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has issued a final rule rescinding obsolete regulatory provisions related to Summer EBT application flexibility for 2024. It also rescinded income verification flexibility 2024 only.
• These rescissions are authorized by Executive Order 14219 which implements the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) deregulatory initiative.
• This final rule took effect on June 11, 2025

Posted: Week of June 17, 2025