Summary

• Today is the last day of applications for IFAI’s 2025 Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit. Apply Now!  

• The FDPIR Tribal Leader Consultation Work Group is having an April 7 consultation at the Tribal Self-Governance Conference at Gila River Tribe’s Wild Horse Pass. Registration is required and should be completed using the hyperlink above. IFAI will host a pre-Consultation briefing on April 3 at 1 p.m. central and is closed to only Tribal leaders, their staff and FDPIR program operators. Register here for the April 3 Tribal briefing by IFAI. 

• IFAI Executive Director Carly Griffith Hotvedt held an update on executive orders impacting Tribal food and nutrition programs last week, the slide deck and webinar recording are on our website here. 

• The House Committee on Natural Resources is holding a hearing on April 4, 2025 to examine 50 years of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act in Indian Country.  

• The Food and Nutrition Service is requesting comments about the  2027 Farm to School Census by April 25, 2025.  

Looking ahead:

Hearing: Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry –  April 1, 2025 at 10 a.m. eastern 

Topic: Legislative hearing to review S.222, The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, and Improving Children’s Health.  

Hearing: House Committee on Natural Resources – April 4, 2025, at 9 a.m. central 

Topic: Examining 50 years of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act in Indian Country  

Title: Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA); Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) 

• USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced the availability of funding for ECAP to provide 1-time financial assistance to eligible producers of eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year.  

• This is a new USDA program authorized by the 2025 American Relief Act intended to help farmers with losses from natural disasters and a difficult farm economy. 

• Indian Tribe or Tribal organization are included in the description of “eligible producers.” 

• Applications will be accepted between March 19, 2025 until Aug. 15, 2025. 

Posted: Week of March 24, 2025 

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will push back the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months, with a proposed rule in the Federal Register to be published later. 

• The extension does not amend the requirements of the final rule. 

• The final rule establishes additional traceability recordkeeping requirements (beyond what is already required in existing regulations) for persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the Food Traceability List. 

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announces the Income Eligibility Guidelines for free and reduced-price meals and free milk and Summer-EBT benefits from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. 

• States and Indian Tribal Organizations that administer Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program use these guidelines.  

• FNS uses the annual Federal poverty guidelines issued by the Department of Health and Human Services.  

• These guidelines take effect on July 1, 2025. 

Posted: Week of March 17, 2025 

• USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announces the Income Eligibility Guidelines for WIC to be used in conjunction with WIC regulations for the period of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. 

• A state cannot set WIC guidelines that exceed the guidelines for reduced- price school meals.  

• These guidelines take effect on July 1, 2025. 

Posted: Week of March 17, 2025