Putting Tribal SovereigntyPolicy
What we do
The IFAI Policy team assists Tribal Nations in strengthening their food systems and agricultural initiatives by delivering timely and accurate analyses of federal laws and policies that affect Tribal agriculture.
Policy RESOURCES
IFAI Analysis – Forest Service Announces Reorganization Details
Key takeaways for Indian Country Last week, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced plans to relocate its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah. They will close regional forestry offices, replacing them with state-based offices and a network of operational service...
Policy Brief- April 8
Summary: Congress continues to be in recess until April 10, 2026. There are several Federal Register notices to highlight this week, including two final rules: one about the National Environmental Policy Act and another about the Farm Credit Administration's...
Policy Brief- March 31
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...
Policy Brief- March 25
Summary: Deadline Extension! IFAI is extending the submission deadline for the 2026 Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit. Applications are now due on Mar. 31, 2026. This week, IFAI will look at a congressional hearing in the House Natural Resources...
IFAI Analysis – PRIME Meat Processing in Indian Country Act
IFAI Bill Analysis: S.3994 - PRIME Meat Processing in Indian Country Act Bill Text Sponsors: Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) Current status: Introduced – 3/4/26 Summary This bill amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act to authorize USDA to enter...
IFAI Hosts Webinar on 2026 House Farm Bill
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. - On March 18, IFAI held a webinar on the 2026 House Farm Bill, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567), highlighting key provisions impacting Indian Country. The Policy Team also discussed agricultural provisions in the One Big...
Policy Brief- March 17
Summary: Register now to join IFAI’s Farm Bill Update webinar on Wednesday, Mar. 18 at 1 p.m. CT. As part of our discussion of recent Farm Bill news, we will also talk through some of the Congressional amendments offered on the House Agriculture Committee version of...
Policy Brief- March 10
Summary: IFAI completed an analysis on the amendments offered during the markup session for the House Committee version of the 2026 Farm Bill (H.R.7567) For more information on our analysis, key takeaways for Indian Country, and registration for IFAI’s upcoming Farm...
House Agriculture Committee Advances Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Agriculture Committee held a markup of their proposed Farm Bill, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R.7567) on March 3 and 4, passing the bill out of committee 34 – 17. Seven Democrats joined Republicans to pass the...
Policy Brief- March 3
Summary: The markup session for the House Committee version of the 2026 Farm Bill (H.R.7567) is scheduled for March 3, 2026. See the General Policy Updates section below for more info on the expected multi-day markup and Fiscal Year 2027 funding process. IFAI has...