The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative’s (IFAI) Senior Staff Attorney, Kelli Case (Chickasaw Nation) J.D., recently highlighted the Farm Bill process and Tribal priorities in an informational question and answer session.
Check out Case’s respones below to learn more about the 2018 Farm Bill expiration, Tribal priorities, and what options Congress has to continue providing key federal food and agricultural programs.
What is the status of the Farm Bill?
The 2018 Farm Bill expired last year. Congress enacted a yearlong extension in fall 2023, and the extension expired on Sept. 30, 2024.
Work on the next Farm Bill is still underway.
On the Senate side, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry has not released bill text for a farm bill, but the committee has released an overview; however, it is not conclusive of what will be included in the final draft.
The House is a bit further in the process. The House majority released their proposed language earlier in 2024, but the bill has not gone to the entire House of Representatives for a floor vote.
The recent elections could impact the Farm Bill as well. The Senate majority has switched from Democratic to Republican, which means a change in leadership for the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
The Native Farm Bill Coalition is a great resource for staying on top of the latest news and information regarding Indian Country priorities and Farm Bill progress.
What are the direct implications to Indian Country due to the expiration?
As of right now, the expiration on Sept. 30, 2024, also means the expiration of certain program authority. Among them are the programs for socially disadvantaged, veteran, and young or beginning farmers. While Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) authority remains, certain programs are no longer able to draw funding. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) can also continue, as long as funds are available or the program receives more through appropriations. The CCC and TEFAP have all been vital for the recent crisis with the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR).
If there is not a new Farm Bill or extension by the end of the year, the implications for Indian Country would be:
- USDA would pay excessive prices under these old programs for certain commodities harvested in 2025 through purchases and nonrecourse loans.
- The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farms and Ranchers Program and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Grant Program would lose their authority to operate.
What options does Congress have regarding the Farm Bill?
Congress has three options, including:
- First option: allow the Farm Bill to expire, beginning Jan. 1, 2025, which could result in:
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- Commodity prices rising at high rates.
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- Programs without permanent authorization could lose funding.
- Second option: extend the 2018 Farm Bill. Congress has discussed ad hoc program updates if the 2018 is extended, which would allow the Farm Bill to continue but with updates to provide more adequate support.
- Third option: Pass a new Farm Bill with existing and updated provisions.
How could a Farm Bill extension impact Tribal food and agriculture?
The proposed extension plan is essentially a band-aid. It would allow authorized programs to continue.
What are some of Tribal priorities in the next Farm Bill?
The Native Farm Bill Coalition serves as the united voice for Tribal Farm Bill priorities, and IFAI has the pleasure of serving as the NFBC’s research partner. Some of the top priorities highlighted in the NFBC’s publication, Gaining Ground, include:
- Credit Access
- Multi-Agency Approvals
- USDA Tribal trust land programs
- 638 Authority for FDPIR and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program ( CSFP)
What Tribal/Native Farm Bill Coalition priorities have received traction?
Marker bills are a way to look at what Tribal priorities may appear in the final legislation. There are currently many bills on both sides of the chamber (House and Senate) that include Tribal priorities.
Gaining Ground breaks down the priorities by title, and IFAI has developed a Farm Bill tracker based on some of the top topics included in Gaining Ground, such as conservation and land stewardship, rural and economic development, Tribal self-determination, and more.
Farm Bill passage requires action from both the House and Senate. Identifying marker bills that have bicameral support, which is support in both the House and Senate, can provide an additional look at what NFBC priorities may appear in the final draft legislation.
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