Putting Tribal Sovereignty
Summary:
- Deadline Extension! IFAI is extending the submission deadline for the 2026 Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit. Applications are now due TODAY Mar. 31, 2026.
- Congress is in recess for the next two weeks (Mar. 30 – Apr. 10, 2026).
- USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking revising establishment size definitions for meat and poultry establishments and egg products plants.
- Read up on IFAI’s analysis of the PRIME Meat Processing in Indian Country Act (S.399), which authorizes USDA to enter self-determination contracts with federally recognized Tribes to hire and train meat inspectors and to conduct meat inspections at Tribally owned meat processing facilities.
- USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has recently published the Notes from the Tribal Leaders Consultation Work Group held during the Intertribal Agriculture Council Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV on Dec. 10, 2026.
Outreach Calendar
General Policy Update:
- Last Friday, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a new “Grocery Guarantee” for small food and agriculture businesses. Beginning May 1, the program would provide an enhanced loan guarantee of 90% through SBA’s International Trade Loan Program. Small businesses involved in a range of food production, processing, and distribution activities would be eligible, though further details are not yet available.
- President Trump announced that he will be requesting more farm aid from Congress in the coming weeks. Farmers have been hit with increased costs for diesel and fertilizer due to the war in Iran, as well as the ongoing impacts of tariffs.
Recent IFAI policy analyses
- On Mar. 18, 2026, IFAI held a webinar on the 2026 Farm Bill. A recording of the presentation is available here, and the webinar slides can be viewed here. Thank you all who joined!
- Check out IFAI’s recent analysis of S.3994 – the PRIME Meat Processing in Indian Country Act! Introduced by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), this bill would authorize 638 agreements for Tribes to train meat inspectors and to conduct meat inspections at Tribally owned meat processing plant.
Governance Guide Roundtables
- In November 2025, IFAI released the Tribal Governance Guide to Food and Agriculture to help Tribal Nations navigate the complex frameworks and policy considerations towards food sovereignty.
- IFAI is now offering Tribal Food Policy Roundtables in relation to the Governance Guide. Each roundtable will be tailored to the unique priorities and interests of the hosting Tribe/Tribal organization. Discussions will vary but may include (1) an overview of the Governance Guide; (2) in-depth discussions on tools and resources within the Guide; and (3) open dialogue with Tribal leadership, Tribal staff, and Tribal producers.
- All roundtables are offered at no cost to the Tribe.
Tribal Consultation/Listening Sessions/Advisory Committee Meetings:
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:
Congressional Updates:
Looking Back:
Hearing: House Committee on Natural Resources – Subcommittee on Federal Lands on Thursday, Mar. 26, 2026.
Topic: Legislative hearing on four public lands bills, including the Long-Term Good Neighbor Authority Act (H.R.7951).
Highlights: This event was a legislative hearing on four bills, including H.R. 7951, the Long-Term Good Neighbor Authority Act, sponsored by Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta, (D-CA). The bill would strengthen the Good Neighbor Authority Act by extending agreements from 10 to 20 years. GNA allows USDA’s Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to partner with state, Tribal, and local governments.
Read More HERE.
Looking Ahead:
Congress is in recess for two weeks – the week of March 30 and the week of April 6, 2026.
Nominations:
USDA Tribal Advisory Committee; Notice of Solicitation for Nominations
Description: The USDA Tribal Advisory Committee is a Congress-mandated body that provides advice and guidance to the Secretary on matters relating to Tribal and Indian Affairs. The Department is reopening its call for nominations for three Secretarial appointments to serve a three-year term. Tribal Advisory Committee members are eligible to receive compensation for each day participating in full Committee meetings and related travel to in-person meetings.
Deadline: TODAY, March 31, 2026
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: Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems; Delay of Effective Date
- USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is delaying the effective date of the Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems final rule.
- One of the actions in the final rule “prohibits livestock poultry dealers from reducing a grower’s compensation based on the grower’s ranking under a poultry grower ranking system.”
- The delay allows time for further consideration of possible actions about the final rule implementation.
- The new proposed effective date will be changed from July 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2027.
Read More HERE.
Title: Rate Adjustments for Indian Irrigation Projects
- DOI’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) published a notice about rate adjustments for Indian irrigation projects.
- BIA establishes irrigation assessment rates to recover project administration, operation, and maintenance costs.
- Regions like the Northwest Region and the Western Region will see an increase in their proposed 2027 rates.
- Comments must be received by May 22, 2026
Read More HERE.
Title: National Organic Program: National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances per October 2021, October 2022, and October 2024 Recommendations (Crops and Livestock)
- USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has published a proposed rule regarding organic regulations related to organic crop and livestock production.
- Proposed changes include allowing carbon dioxide in organic crop production and meloxicam for pain treatment in organic livestock production.
- Entities that may be affected by this proposed rule include organic crop and/or livestock producers as well as individuals or business entities considering organic certification for crop and/or livestock production.
- Comments must be received by May 22, 2026
Read More HERE.
Title: Amendment of Notice of Funds Availability for Native American CDFI Assistance Program; Revised Application Submission Deadline
- CDFI Fund is extending the deadline for a NOFA inviting Applications for Financial or Technical Assistance awards under the Native American CDFI Assistance Program Fiscal Year 2025 Funding Round due to lapses in government appropriations.
- CDFI Fund is issuing this notice to revise the submission deadline from 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 27, 2025, to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 10, 2026.
Read More HERE.
Title: Alaska; Hunting and Trapping in National Preserves
- The Department of Interior’s National Park Service is amending its regulations for hunting, fishing, trapping, and other natural resource harvests in national preserves in Alaska.
- Proposed changes would remove changes such as those that insulated managers from public involvement, removed required consultation with the State, and allowed for discretionary closures.
- The proposed changes would also rescind changes previously made to “frustrate effective management of fish and wildlife resources in Alaska park units, including for subsistence.”
Read More HERE.
Title: Notice of Deadline for Submitting Completed Requests to Begin Participation in the Tribal Self-Governance Program in Fiscal Year 2027 or Calendar Year 2027
- The BIA Office of Self-Governance (OSG) has issued the deadline for Tribal Nations/Tribal consortia requesting to participate in the 2027 Tribal Self-Governance Program.
- Participation requests must be received by April 4, 2026 (for fiscal year requests) or by July 5, 2026 (for calendar year requests).
Read More HERE.