Native Farm Bill Coalition
The Farm Bill is a large piece of legislation that passes every five years, and it determines funding for USDA programs. It typically includes 12 separate titles focused on everything from nutrition to crop insurance, and has a profound impact on Indian Country.
The Native Farm Bill Coalition (NFBC) brings together the voices of Tribes, intertribal organizations, other Native organizations and non-Native allies around the country to advocate with a strong, unified voice in Washington, D.C., to advance investments in Native agricultural production, rural infrastructure, economic development, conservation, and forestry.
The Native Farm Bill Coalition was formed in 2017 ahead of the 2018 the largest-ever coordinated effort in Indian County around federal food, agriculture, and nutrition policy. The NFBC was co-founded by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC), the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), and the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) as the Coalition’s official research partner. Learn more about the Native Farm Bill Coalition at www.nativefarmbill.com.
2023 Farm Bill Executive Summaries
Tribal Provisions in 2018 Farm Bill One-Pager
The 2018 Farm Bill Side-by-Side
Native Farm Bill Coalition COVID-19 Crisis Response:
Food & Ag Policy Solutions for Tribes and Tribal Producers
2022 NFBC GAINING GROUND REPORT
The Native Farm Bill Coalition has released Gaining Ground: A Report on the 2018 Farm Bill Successes for Indian Country and Opportunities for 2023. The report argues for significant progress to be made in strengthening Tribal sovereignty, food security and rural infrastructure.
Indian Country is a leading force in American agriculture, with more than 80,000 individual Native producers contributing $3.5 billion to the U.S. economy. Additionally, many Native communities are partially reliant on the feeding programs that make up almost 80% of Farm Bill funding. Yet, the unique needs of Tribal Nations and Native producers have been historically overlooked. In the 2018 Farm Bill, Indian Country achieved many breakthrough policy goals, with a historical, unprecedented 63 separate Native-related provisions. These provisions range from strengthening Tribal self-governance and the management of nutrition programs to investing in economic development opportunities. Gaining Ground identifies potential opportunities to build on the progress made in 2018 to ensure Indian Country’s unique needs are met in each of the Farm Bill’s titles.
