IAC Facilitates Joint USDA/BIA Workshop
On July 28th and 30th, the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) facilitated a first-of-its-kind virtual workshop for USDA and BIA employees to promote interagency coordination and understanding around agriculture in Indian Country. With over 700 registered participants, IAC and the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) were able to support crucial steps in advancing the implementation of a 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (2019 MOU) between the USDA-FPAC (Farm Production and Conservation) and BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) aimed at improving both agencies’ service delivery in Indian Country.
The 2019 MOU was intended to address the differences in “how the agencies are organized, staffed, and funded” that have created barriers to effective service delivery in Indian Country. Specifically, the MOU is a vehicle for the agencies to accomplish their “common objectives of communication, collaboration, cooperation, and consultation with agricultural producers, Indian landowners, and Indian tribes for the development, conservation, and sustainable use of natural resources on Indian lands.” This MOU was extended in 2024 for five additional years.
The July “Streamlining Service Delivery for Tribal Lands: USDA–BIA Workshop” featured a dozen presentations covering topics ranging from introductory Trust Lands 101 sessions to in-depth discussions of cross-agency data sharing, environmental compliance, and more. During the 2-day workshop, agency leaders impressed upon participants the importance of this work.
FSA Administrator William “Bill” Beam emphasized, “This training … focused on building better connections between USDA agencies and the BIA is so essential, and it strengthens our ability to serve Tribal farmers and ranchers, and it helps FSA honor our trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations.” The joint training reflects the Intertribal Agriculture Council's commitment to turning Tribal priorities into meaningful action.
By bringing federal partners together, IAC is helping address key issues raised by member Tribes during caucus discussions, including improving interagency coordination, increasing access to USDA programs and services, and strengthening communication between Tribal Nations and federal agencies.
Kyle Allen, Chief of Staff for the NRCS, said, “We are always looking to better our relations … with Tribes to serve Tribal producers who need help, and I’m glad that’s what we’re looking to do here.”
Patrick Penn, Director of the Office of Tribal Relations, discussed OTR’s purpose to make USDA “better serve Tribal nations and their producers.” He stressed, “This workshop is one of the first tangible actions supporting the USDA/BIA MOU. We share a common goal: strengthening coordination between our agencies so we can better service Tribal
Nations.”
As Director Penn noted, “This workshop is just the start.” This collaborative training demonstrates how Tribal voices can drive practical solutions that enhance service delivery, build stronger partnerships, and better support Tribal agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities
IAC looks forward to future work on working with the USDA-FPAC & BIA to support their implementation of the MOU to better serve Tribal producers and Tribal Nations.
