Summary:

• FDPIR Tribal leader Caucus. IFAI and NAFDPIR will be hosting a Virtual Tribal Leader Caucus on June 16 at 1-2pm CT on the upcoming FDPIR consultation. IFAI will provide policy updates and background on consultation topics announced by USDA. Register for the FDPIR Tribal Leader Caucus here. 

• Agriculture funding. Last week, the House passed the FY27 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The legislation cuts USDA funding by 3% but largely preserves funding for Tribal specific programs, including funding for the Office of Tribal Relations, grants for Tribal Colleges and Universities and Native students, and Tribal extension. Funding for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) is increased by 15%, reflecting expected increased participation.  

• Interior funding. Last week, the House Appropriations Committee advanced the FY27 Interior Appropriations bill. The legislation would increase funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs by 29%, including a 7.5% increase to Natural Resources Management programs and a 6% increase to Real Estate Services. Stay tuned for a full analysis from IFAI later this week! 

Upcoming Tribal Meetings:

Title of Event: FDPIR Tribal Leader Consultation Working Group.
About: This is the first meeting of the Consultation Working Group for 2026, covering ongoing topics including program administration and policy updates, food package availability, procurement challenges, and funding levels. The meeting will be held in person with an option for virtual attendance. The agenda will be posted when it is available.

Date(s), Time, and Location:
Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST
NAFDPIR Annual Conference
Sheraton Niagara Falls
300 Third Street
Niagara Falls, NY, USA, 14303
Room TBD

All participants must register by June 22, 2026, HERE

Written comments must be submitted by July 23, 2026, to sm.fn.tribalaffairs@usda.gov

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

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:

• June 2026 (alongside the NAFDPIR Annual Conference in Niagara Falls, NY): REGISTER.

Congressional Updates: 

Looking Back:

• Votes: House of Representatives Floor Votes on Tues. June 2 at 12 p.m. EST 
  Read more HERE.

• Hearing: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee on Tues. June 2 at 10 a.m. EST 
  Topic: U.S. Forest Service Oversight 
  Read more HERE.
  

• Hearing: House Agriculture Committee on Thurs. June 4 at 10 a.m. EST 
  Topic: For the Purpose of Receiving Testimony from the Honorable Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture 
  Read more HERE.

• Hearing: House Natural Resources Committee on Thurs. June 4 at 10:15 a.m. EST 
  Topic: Federal Forests/ Wildfire Year Outlook 
  Read more HERE.

Looking Ahead:

• Hearing: House Committee on Natural Resources on Tues. June 9 at 2 p.m. EST 
  Topic: H.R. 8954 (Rep. Hurd), “Tribal Regulatory Reform Implementation Act of 2026” 

• Hearing: Senate Agriculture Committee on Wed., June 10 at 10 a.m. EST 
  Topic: Oversight of the USDA 

Nominations:

APHIS seeks nominations for the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) General Conference Committee 

Description: The National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) General Conference Committee is accepting nominations for members and alternates from three regions: South Atlantic, West North Central, and South Central. The Committee advises the Secretary of Agriculture on poultry health and plans the NPIP’s conference, which occurs every two years. Members are selected by a majority vote of NPIP delegates from each region.  

Deadline: Nominations must be received by June 30, 2026. 

Regulatory Updates:

AMS Delays Implementation of Poultry Growers Payment Systems Rule, 

• Type of action: Final rule with delayed implementation. 

• Summary: USDA is delaying the implementation of a rule proposed in early 2025 that would address the payment of poultry growers by live poultry dealers (LPDs). Among other things, the rule will require that LPDs act fairly in designing a poultry grower ranking system. The original final rule text noted that these and other rule changes were designed to reduce unfair competition for poultry growers, who must essentially compete against one another in a tournament for fair compensation under existing practices, and set the rule’s effective date as July 1, 2026. In this final rule published June 1, 2026, USDA is now delaying implementation of the final rule to December 31, 2027.

Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program 

• Type of action: Final rule 
• Summary: USDA has authorized a one-time bridge payment program for specialty crop producers, who have been struggling to find market opportunities in the current disrupted trade market. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) will run the program. To be eligible, producers must have planted eligible specialty crops in crop year 2025 and must have filed a crop acreage report for those crops with FSA by April 24, 2026. Payment rates per acre will depend on the crop. USDA has published a table of the eligible crops by payment rate on the FSA ASCF website, where farmers can also apply for the program: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/assistance-specialty-crop-farmers-ascf-program.    
• Eligibility: Native producers of eligible crops with crop acreage reports filed by April 24, 2024 are eligible for this program. If you have questions or need technical assistance, IFAI recommends reaching out to your IAC TA representative, FRTEP agent or extension agent if available, or contacting FSA directly. 
• Deadline: Applications are due August 7, 2026 

Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility 

• Type of action: Final rule 

• Program(s) implicated: Various payments made from CCC, FSA, NRCS programs 

• Summary: This final rule implements changes that Congress made last year to payment limitations and eligibility for certain USDA programs through the Commodity Credit Corporation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Farm Service Agency, that make payments to farmers and ranchers. In the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress expanded the types of entities that are eligible to receive the maximum payment. Previously it was limited to joint ventures and general partnerships, but now that eligibility is also open to “qualified pass-through entities, which includes a broader definition of partnerships, S-corporations, limited liability corporations that have not elected to be taxed as corporations for federal tax purposes, and joint ventures/general partnerships.”  

• Practically, this is good news for farmers and ranchers, who can elect a broader range of business organizations and see more financial benefit under existing structures as well. This regulation implements that language from the act, along with additional changes made by Congress, including payment exceptions allowing payments under certain relief programs, like ELAP, even when their adjusted gross income has exceeded $900,000.  

NRCS Revises Conservation Practice Standards 

• Type of action: Notice of revision, public comment 

• Summary: NRCS is revising its national technical standards for several conservation practices, including prescribed burns. The national Conservation Practice Standards (CPS) are a technical resource and starting point only for conservation practice development; individual practices are determined by NRCS Field Offices. The Field Offices do not have to adopt any updates made here to the CPS.   

• Deadline: Public comment is due July 6, 2026