Policy Brief- April 28

Apr 28, 2026 | Congressional Notes, Featured Article, News, Policy Briefing

Summary:

It’s a busy week for agriculture in the House, with an expected vote on the 2026 House Farm Bill (R.7567 – Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026) and a Committee markup on the FY2027 Agriculture Appropriations bill. See General Ag Policy Updates below for more information.

The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs is holding a two-day in-person Tribal Consultation about the Tribal Interior Budget Council (TIBC) and the FY28 budget on May 19 and 20.

In addition to the full committee markup of the FY2027 Agriculture budget in the House Appropriations Committee this week, IFAI will also focus on several Congressional hearings, including a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing to examine the President’s proposed FY2027 budget for the Department of the Interior.

General Ag Policy Updates:

The House is expected to vote on the 2026 House Farm Bill (R.7567 – Farm, Food, and National Security Act) this week. This long-overdue Farm Bill includes provisions advancing Tribal sovereignty and parity, supporting Tribal and local food systems, and supporting Tribal-led conservation efforts. The final vote will likely be close: most Democrats are expected to oppose the legislation due to cuts to nutrition programs in last summer’s reconciliation bill, while some Republicans may oppose due to costs. Members from both parties have also expressed concerns with changes to pesticide regulations in the bill. Read IFAI’s key takeaways on the House Farm Bill draft here, IFAI’s section-by-section analysis here, and IFAI’s amendment tracker here.

The House Appropriations Committee will mark up the FY27 Agriculture Appropriations bill on Wednesday, April 29 at 10 a.m. ET. The proposed legislation would cut USDA funding by 3%. The bill does not follow President Trump’s proposal to cut USDA funding by 19%. It continues funding for several key programs that the White House proposed eliminating, including conservation technical assistance at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and Community Facilities Grants. Funding for the Office of Tribal Relations is maintained at $5.19 million. Read IFAI’s initial analysis of the legislation.

Last week, USDA announced plans for reorganizing USDA’s research agencies. Under the plan, the Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will be returning to Kansas City, Mo. ERS and NIFA were previously relocated to Kansas City during the first Trump Administration. According to a 2022 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, ERS and NIFA lost over 50% of their staff following relocation. While staffing levels eventually recovered, the majority of remaining staff were new, a significant loss of expertise and institutional knowledge.

USDA also announced plans to reorganize the Food Safety and Inspection Service by establishing a new National Food Safety Center in Urbandale, Iowa and a new Science Center in Athens, Ga. USDA also plans to reorganize FSIS’s Office of Field Operations into nine regional districts. USDA does not plan any reductions in force and says that frontline activities will continue uninterrupted.

Outreach Calendar:

GO TO CALENDAR

General Policy Update:

Tribal Consultation/Listening Sessions/Advisory Committee Meetings:

Title of Event: Tribal Interior Budget Council (TIBC) Tribal Consultations

About: Indian Affairs is holding a two-day in-person consultation with Tribal Nations about budget, strategy, and planning for the FY2028 budget, as well as the future of TIBC.

Date(s), Time, and Location:

Day 1 Tribal Consultation Session on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET
- 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC, Yates Auditorium
- REGISTER no later than May 1, 2026

Day 2 TIBC Session on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET
- 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC, Yates Auditorium
- REGISTER no later than May 1, 2026
The meeting will be livestreamed HERE for those who wish to listen in.
Feedback about strengthening the TIBC can be provided HERE

You may provide written input in an email, no later than May 20, 2026: TIBCimprovement@bia.gov

Dear Tribal Leader Letter – dated Mar. 16, 2026
Addendum to Dear Tribal Leader Letter – dated Apr. 21, 2026

Title of Event: FDPIR Produce Safety Training

About: This is a 2-day in-person training designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities for FDPIR program operators and staff who are receiving, handling, and storing fresh produce. The training helps Tribes and State agencies properly assess and safely distribute fresh produce to program participants.

Date(s), Time, and Location:

- May 19 – 20, 2026 at Spirit Lake Tribe: REGISTER
- June 2026 (alongside the NAFDPIR Annual Conference in Niagara Falls, NY): REGISTER

Congressional Updates:

Looking Back:

Hearing: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on Mon. Apr. 20, 2026.

Topic: Rescheduled Budget Hearing.

Highlights: The FY27 Interior–Environment hearing raised bipartisan concerns that proposed budget cuts to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education could undermine federal trust and treaty obligations, harm Tribal education, public safety, and wildlife programs, and strain service delivery in Indian Country. Members also discussed agriculture- and rural‑related impacts tied to public land management, including grazing, wildfire suppression, and resource access affecting Tribal and agricultural communities.

Read more here.

Hearing: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Tues. Apr. 21, 2026.

Topic: Full Committee Hearing to Examine the President’s Budget Request for the Department of Energy for Fiscal Year 2027.

Highlights: The focus of this hearing was on the U.S. energy system’s preparation for rapid demand growth, strengthening reliability and security, and adjusting DOE programs to reflect those objectives. It also highlighted risks to Tribal energy progress, including reduced technical capacity, potential impacts on Tribal self‑determination in energy decisions, and slower advancement of electrification, affordability, and resilience, particularly if funding for the Office of Indian Energy declines. There was clear recognition that energy access in Indian Country remains unfinished business. Opportunities were identified to strengthen support through appropriations and policy engagement that reaffirm Tribes’ roles as decision‑makers in their own energy development.

Read more here.

Hearing: House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs on Wed. Apr. 22, 2026.

Topic: Tribal Natural Resources Development: Barriers and Successes

Highlights: The subcommittee examined how extensive federal permitting requirements—particularly NEPA review and multi‑agency approvals—delay or prevent Tribal nations from developing energy and natural resources on trust lands, undermining Tribal sovereignty and economic self‑determination. Witnesses from Tribal governments and organizations emphasized that streamlining these processes would allow Tribes to pursue energy development—both conventional and renewable—on their own terms while still protecting their lands and communities.

Read more here.

Hearing: Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies on Wed. Apr. 22, 2026.

Topic: A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Agriculture.

Highlights: The FY27 USDA budget hearing focused heavily on farm economics, input costs, disease response, and rural development, but largely omitted Tribal agriculture and food systems from the conversation. Many issues were discussed—fertilizer costs, disaster relief, staffing shortages, nutrition programs— but the Tribal impacts were not acknowledged.

Read more here.

Looking Ahead:

Hearing: House Committee on Rules on Mon., Apr. 27, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET

Topic: Floor consideration of H.R.7567 – Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026

Hearing: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on Mon., Apr. 27, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET

Topic: Budget Hearing – Environmental Protection Agency

Hearing: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Wed., Apr. 29, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. ET

Topic: Hearing to examine the President’s proposed budget for the fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Interior.

Markup: House Appropriations Committee on Wed., Apr. 29, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET

Topic: Full committee markup of Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill.

Nominations:

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Consultative Committee (NCC)

Description: This committee advises the Secretaries of Commerce and State on issues relevant to the work of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) convention. NAFO is an international fisheries management body focused on coordinating international scientific studies of key marine species in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. NCC seeks nominations from committee members with fishing and/or seafood processing industry experience, marine/fisheries conservation and management experience, and more.

Deadline: Nominations for the committee will be accepted at any time.

Regulatory/Rule Making Actions:

Title: Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program; 2026 Benefit Levels

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has published a notice informing the public about the annual adjustments to benefit levels in the Summer EBT for Children.
The adjusted EBT levels reflect the differences between the costs of providing meals and supplements to other geographic areas (e.g., Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam) and the 48 States, Washington, DC, and the ITOs that administer the Program.
Adjustments reflect changes in the Thrifty Food Plan.
The monthly benefit for the Summer of 2026 in the 48 States and DC is $120.
Benefit levels are in effect Jan. 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2026.

Posted: Week of Apr. 27, 2026