Intertribal Agriculture Council Submits Comments to Sen. Murkowski, on Children's Bill

Click here to read the full comment

Earlier this month, IAC submitted written comment to Senator Murkowski on the Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act. IAC's comments underscores the importance of aligning Sen. Murkowski’s Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act with the realities of food production, data access, and youth programming in Indian Country. It emphasizes stronger Tribal data sovereignty, better integration of Traditional Ecological Practices, and improved access to fresh, culturally relevant foods sourced by Tribal producers. The letter also calls for increased support and stable funding for youth education and extension programs to ensure long-term benefits for Tribal children, youth, and families.

The IAC's recommendations focused on the these key areas:

• Data + Research Access

  • Establish consistent government-wide criteria for federal agencies to share program data with the National Clearinghouse on Native Children.

  • Ensure liaisons from all relevant federal departments (including USDA) to improve program inclusion for Tribal youth and families.

• Tribal Data Sovereignty

  • Separate Tribal data sovereignty from Traditional Ecological Practices into distinct committees/advisory groups.

  • Clearly define “Indigenous” to mean federally recognized Tribes to ensure accurate, sovereignty-based data.

  • Facilitate sharing of agricultural and land management data with Tribes and protect Tribal control over data and intellectual property.

  • Develop and implement data standards for Native Americans and Tribes across federal agencies.

• Traditional Ecological Practices

  • Establish a separate committee to integrate Traditional Ecological Practices into federal programs.

  • Protect Tribal intellectual property for these practices.

  • Require committee consultation with Tribes on integration of Traditional Ecological Practices into agriculture and land management.

  • Ensure at least one advisory committee member has agriculture management expertise.

• Nutrition + Food Access

  • Support expanded self-determination in FDPIR, SNAP, and Tribal pilot programs.

  • Include or amend legislation to fund local Tribal food purchase/distribution programs (e.g., Strengthening Local Food Security Act, Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act).

  • Create a Tribal set-aside or separate program under GusNIP (“Food is Medicine”) to improve access to fresh, traditional, and culturally relevant foods.

  • Invest in Tribal farmers, producers, ranchers, fishers, and agribusinesses to combat food deserts and increase local food production.

• Youth + Education Programs

  • Enhance youth development through the Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP).

  • Convert FRTEP from a competitive grant to a capacity-funded program with formula allocations, waiving matching requirements for Tribes.

  • Require a USDA study on FRTEP’s economic impact to support future funding increases.