THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 46 | APRIL 2024 Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff. bills generally pass in a bipartisan fashion,36 a divided Congress with a Democratic-led Senate and a Republican-led House with thin majority margins has encountered difficulty in coalescing around farm bill renewal due to a focus on other priority matters and broader legislative dysfunction.37 Congress was able to pass a one-year extension (through September 2024) with continued authorization for 2018 Farm Bill programs prior to expiration, which was signed into law by President Biden in November 2023.38 However, funding support for farm bill programs has only continued on shorter-term bases, requiring Congress to repeatedly revisit appropriations in early 2024.39 In order to avoid a government shutdown impacting farm bill program operations generally, Congress will need to pass additional appropriations on or before those short-term funding expiration dates. In anticipation of the expiration of the 2018 Farm Bill, the NFBC renewed its efforts in 2022, again hosting a series of roundtables across Indian Country. The IFAI sourced the information shared by Native producers and tribal governments at these roundtables to draft an updated report on Indian Country’s farm bill priorities, titled “Gaining Ground.”40 “Gaining Ground” reflects new and renewed priorities set by Indian Country for the next farm bill across all 12 titles.41 Many of those priorities – including issues related to conservation, rural development, economic development, self-governance, access to credit and nutrition – are already gaining traction in Congress as evidenced by sponsored marker bills.42 Marker bills are not intended to pass as stand-alone legislation. Instead, popular marker bills, in sum or part, are collected for inclusion in broader omnibus legislation, like the farm bill. Highlights of marker bills aligning with NFBC priorities are reflected below.43 For the most up-to-date information about farm bill marker bills related to Indian Country, please see the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative’s Marker Bill Tracker at https://bit.ly/3TcaZXU. S.1780, Promoting Regulatory Independence, Mastery, and Expansion (PRIME) for Meat Processing Act Recognizes the shortage of USDA-certified food inspectors throughout the country and seeks to amend the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 (ISDEAA), allowing tribes to enter into self- governance contracts with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service for meat processing inspection. S. 697/H.R. 1450, Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act Revises the Good Neighbor Authority (management or co-management authority on federal forest lands) program to allow tribes to retain revenue from timber sales pursuant to a Good Neighbor Agreement with the USDA or the Department of the Interior and use those funds for authorized restoration projects on non-federal lands. S. 2489, FDPIR Tribal Food Sovereignty Act of 2023 Amends the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 (ISDEAA), For the most up-to-date information about farm bill marker bills related to Indian Country, please see the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative’s Marker Bill Tracker at https://bit.ly/3TcaZXU.
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