USDA Announces Annual Consultation and Listening Session on Tribal Barriers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces the Annual Consultation and Listening Session on Tribal Barriers: Annual Progress Report and Feedback for Next Steps, to be held April 22-26, 2024. These meetings with Tribal Nation officials will highlight historic Biden-Harris Administration investments made in response to Tribal Nation requests and discuss more ways to improve USDA service to Indian Country.

“In just three years, USDA has fundamentally changed the way we do business with Indian Country,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We have more partnerships between Tribes and National Forests, more marketing support for Native producers, and we are including more Native foods in our nutrition assistance programs. These are just a sampling of the many ways that we are reshaping our programs to include Tribal and Indigenous perspectives, remove barriers, and encourage Tribal self-determination.”

Learn more about USDA accomplishments in Indian Country.

Consultations are formal, Nation-to-Nation meetings between USDA (representing the federal government) and officials from among the 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations. There are many agricultural producers in Indian Country, and USDA plays a significant role in upholding Tribal treaty rights and the Nation-to-Nation trust relationship. USDA agencies and offices host consultations throughout the year to hear from Tribal Nations about how USDA policies and programs can better support Indian Country.

The April consultations will focus on key priority areas for the Biden-Harris Administration. Senior USDA consulting officials from each agency will listen to concerns from official representatives from among the 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations. Before each consultation, Tribal organizations will facilitate caucuses to support Tribal leaders in discussing these issues. After the formal consultation with elected Tribal leaders concludes, there will be an informal listening session that is open to all Indian Country attendees.

Education and Research
Date: Monday April 22, 2024
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET - Tribal Caucus
3:00-5:30 p.m. ET - Tribal Consultation and Listening Session
Register today

Forests and Public Lands Management
Date: Tuesday April 23, 2024
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET - Tribal Caucus
3:00-5:30 p.m. ET - Tribal Consultation and Listening Session
Register today

Farming, Ranching, and Conservation
Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET - Tribal Caucus
3:00-5:30 p.m. ET - Tribal Consultation and Listening Session
Register today

Economic Development
Date: Thursday, April 25, 2024
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET - Tribal Caucus
3:00-5:30 p.m. ET - Tribal Consultation and Listening Session
Register today

Food, Food Safety, and Trade
Date: Friday, April 26, 2024
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET - Tribal Caucus
3:00-5:30 p.m. ET - Tribal Consultation and Listening Session
Register today

For the latest list of consultations across the Department, visit www.usda.gov/tribalrelations/tribal-consultations.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

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