USDA Office of Tribal Relations

Last week, we welcomed Patrick A. Penn as our new Director of USDA Office of Tribal Relations. Before stepping into this role, he served as the Acting Administrator for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Administration where he built a strong rapport with Tribes through numerous consultations, engagements, and visits to Indian Country. As Director of the Office of Tribal Relations, he will work to ensure that USDA continues to serve Indian Country with effective guidance and leadership.

Growing up in foster care, Director Penn later served as a State Representative in the Kansas Legislature from 2021 to 2025, where he championed reforms in the foster care system, social welfare programs, and the regulatory environment within Kansas. A decorated former Army Signal Officer with combat experience in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve, he is also recognized for his legislative efforts in the areas of national security and the modernization of government cyber systems. He holds a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University Pueblo and a master's degree in Applied Information Technology from the Volgenau School of Engineering at George Mason University.

Happy first day of summer! Across Indian Country, the solstice signals the start of long, hardworking days in the field, on the range, and in the forest. The USDA Office of Tribal Relations is honored to support Tribal producers who nourish their communities and steward the land throughout the year. Wishing everyone a safe, abundant, and productive summer season.

Photo credit: Lisa Yellow Luger

✨ USDA Office of Tribal Relations – Cooperator Spotlight ✨

Building on the success of their earlier video on agricultural weeds as secondary crops, OTR's cooperative partner, the North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFSorg), has released a new short video featuring the harvest, preparation, and traditional use of milkweed as food.

Explore this and many other engaging and educational resources on foraging and preparing Native foods:

https://youtube.com/shorts/V4ecxMJUplg?si=a74stcZr6knsplUG

Also check out their Milkweed Plant Card: https://natifs.org/blog/plant-card/milkweed/

USDA continues to take steps to advance Tribal prosperity through investments across USDA Rural Development programs. On the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota, State Director Po**ck and Deputy Director Kleinsasser discussed recent partnerships empowering rural housing availability, food sovereignty, and infrastructure development. These awards alone totaled over $186 million in loans and grants across both Reservations. Check out this story to learn more!

🐟Tribal Fish Hatcheries Webinar

🗓June 16th, 2026
🕜10:00am CT

Through a partnership between the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Natural Resources Team hosts this free webinar on how Tribal fish hatcheries have received technical and financial assistance to support conservation improvements. Brian Briski, NRCS Wisconsin State Tribal Liaison, and Tom Melnarik, retired NRCS technician and current WTCAC civil engineering technician will share insights on best management practices, project planning, and working with NRCS to achieve conservation goals.

Register here:

Tribal Fish Hatcheries and NRCS Technical & Financial Assistance Webinar | IAC Join the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Natural Resources Team for a free online webinar! Through a partnership between the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council and NRCS, Tribal fish hatcheries have received technical and financial assistance to support conservation improvements. Br...

🚨 $1.625 billion is available to specialty crop farmers through USDA's Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers program. These payments provide financial support to allow producers to pay for production and marketing inputs in the face of significant market disruptions and elevated input costs during the 2025 growing season. The deadline to apply is Aug. 7, 2026.

On June 1, producers with a http://Login.gov account can access and submit their pre-filled application at fsa.usda.gov/ascf, and beginning June 8, producers can request their pre-filled application from their USDA Farm Service Agency county office. Payments will be issued as applications are submitted and approved, beginning as early as the first week of signup.

🔗 https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2026/05/29/usda-announces-enrollment-period-and-payment-rates-specialty-crop-farmers

A few blocks away from our offices at the USDA headquarters in Washington D.C. is the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Surrounding the museum are four directional stones from across the Americans anchoring habitats of woodlands, wetlands, croplands, and meadows. These landscapes, carefully tended by the Smithsonian Gardens, highlight over 150 wild plants and cultivated crops that Native communities have used for food, medicine, fiber, dyes, and ceremony since time immemorial. Be sure to add NMAI to your itinerary next time you are in the nation's capital and don’t forget to have lunch at the Mitsitam Cafe.

Check out the full garden inventory:

Plants:https://gardens.si.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/NMAI-display-inv-2025_2.pdf

Trees:https://gardens.si.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/NMAI-tree-inv-2025.pdf

Calling all Tribal governments, Tribal government corporations, and rural nonprofits!

USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant is now open! This program operates by providing intermediaries with grant assistance to advance local, rural economies by serving small and emerging businesses. Awarded projects may support training and technical assistance, feasibility studies, business incubation, job training, transportation improvements and many more. Tribal government projects may include their arms and instrumentalities as eligible beneficiaries.

There are two deadlines in June 2026 depending on your project type. Check out the USDA Program webpage to learn more!

Rural Business Development Grants This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses.

Up to $500,000 available through cooperative agreements for Federally recognized Tribal governments. Proposals must be submitted by June 15th, 2026 and may include, but are not limited to, the development and implementation of wild chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance, testing, management, and response activities, including further development and evaluation of techniques and strategies to prevent or control CWD in wild cervids on lands owned or managed by Tribal entities.

APHIS is making approximately $12 million in funding available to support projects that advance the control and prevention of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in wild and farmed cervids.
We are now accepting project proposals from States, Tribal governments, universities, and research institutions through June 15th.

This funding opportunity supports efforts to:
• Strengthen CWD surveillance and diagnostic capacity
• Develop innovative research tools and management strategies
• Support State and Tribal CWD programs
• Advance on‑the‑ground prevention, response, and education efforts
• Provide indemnity payments to cervid owners with pending claims

CWD is a serious, fatal disease impacting deer, elk, and other cervids. APHIS’ targeted funding approach ensures resources go where they can make the greatest impact.
Learn more: https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2026/05/15/aphis-announces-funding-support-chronic-wasting-disease-control-and-prevention