August 7, 2026 - Senate Agriculture Committee considers Farm Bill without key Tribal amendments

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FDPIR 638, Prime Act and other key Tribal priorities are missing

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On August 6, the Senate Agriculture Committee considered the Agricultural Act of 2026. During markup, senators raised two Tribal-specific amendments important to the Native Farm Bill Coalition (NFBC)  — the FDPIR 638 amendment and the PRIME Act — but neither were adopted. The NFBC calls on the full Senate to take up these measures as the bill moves forward and to ensure additional Tribal priorities are addressed on a bipartisan basis before final passage.

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What was left out

 

FDPIR 638. This provision would extend Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (P.L. 93-638) contracting and compacting authority to the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), giving Tribes greater control over food distribution to their own communities. Its omission from the Committee's bill leaves Tribes without a tool they have sought to better serve Tribal members who rely on the program.

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The PRIME Act. The Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act would allow state- or Tribally inspected custom slaughter facilities to sell meat locally, expanding processing capacity and market access for small and Tribal producers. Its exclusion continues to limit options for Tribal and rural meat producers facing a shortage of accessible processing facilities.

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Additional Tribal priorities. In Indian Country, at least 44 million of the more than 56 million acres of land under Tribal jurisdiction are agricultural lands. While the Senate Agriculture Act of 2026 includes multiple Tribal provisions, it is missing Tribal priorities that would bring greater parity between Tribes and states in USDA programming, such as the ability for Tribes to identify Priority Resource Concerns within USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Services and the inclusion of Tribes among the governments prioritized in the Office of Seafood.

 

Further, the legislation is missing meaningful support for the Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP), which has fewer than 40 extension agents that support the development and delivery of informal education and outreach activities. These activities aim to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of individuals and families on Tribal lands, such as 4-H for Tribal youth; farm and ranch productivity and management; management of natural resources; economic and workforce development; and human health and well-being.

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Call to Action!

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Please contact your senators to urge them to:

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• Include the FDPIR 638 amendment, establishing full Tribal self-determination authority over food distribution.

• Adopt the PRIME Act, expanding local meat-processing options for Tribal and small producers.

• Incorporate additional Tribal priorities into the Farm Bill before it advances to a full Senate vote, including, but not limited to:

  • Tribal parity with states in identifying priority resource concerns in USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs

  • Tribal parity with governments prioritized in the Office of Seafood

  • Additional mandatory funding for the Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program

  • Opportunities for certified Tribal lenders in USDA lending programs