USDA Appoints Tribal Advisory Members, Seeks Nominations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has appointed four members to its Tribal Advisory Committee and opened nominations for eight additional appointments. The nomination period runs through December 8, 2026.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins appointed three members to three-year terms, representing the Great Plains, Southwest, and Eastern Oklahoma regions.

Rollins’ appointments:

• Mark Fox: chairman, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation, Great Plains Region
• Enjady Godfrey: general manager, Mescalero Apache Telecom, Inc., Southwest Region
• Evan Whitley: director of agriculture, Choctaw Nation, Eastern Oklahoma Region

“Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is putting America’s farmers and ranchers first, including agricultural producers across Indian Country,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “Tribal Nations have a proud agricultural heritage and play an important role in strengthening American agriculture and rural economies. These appointments reinforce our commitment to respecting Tribal sovereignty, expanding economic opportunities, and ensuring Tribal perspectives help inform USDA’s work. We look forward to working with congressional leaders as they make the remaining appointments to the Committee.”

Representative Angie Craig, ranking member of the House Committee on Agriculture, appointed Dr. Bradford Hall, president of Blackfeet Community College, to fill a vacant term ending in December 2026.

USDA Opens Nominations for Eight Positions

USDA is seeking nominations for eight additional committee appointments to be made by the chair and ranking member of the House Committee on Agriculture, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. These appointments will be for three-year terms.

USDA encourages nominations from:

• Federally recognized Tribes
• Alaska Native Corporations
• Tribal organizations
• National or regional organizations with expertise in Tribal food, forestry, and agriculture issues

Nominations must follow the procedures outlined in the Federal Register notice.

Nomination deadline: December 8, 2026.

The notice provides specific nomination instructions and submission requirements.

What the Tribal Advisory Committee Does

Authorized under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the USDA Tribal Advisory Committee advises the Secretary of Agriculture on matters involving Tribal and Indian affairs.

Its responsibilities include identifying emerging issues affecting Indian Tribes, developing recommendations and proposed solutions, reviewing USDA policies and procedures that affect Tribes, and advising on Tribal consultation.

The committee facilitates government-to-government consultation between USDA and Indian Tribes but does not replace that process.

The committee must meet in person at least twice annually. USDA’s Office of Tribal Relations administers the committee. At least one representative from the office and the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior, or a designee, participate in meetings as nonvoting representatives.

In May 2025, Rollins issued Secretarial Memorandum 1078-010, reaffirming USDA’s relationship with federally recognized Tribes and clarifying that USDA activities, services, and programs are distinct from DEI, gender ideology, or non-merit-based programming.

More information about the committee and its work is available on the USDA Tribal Advisory Committee webpage.