Tribal Advisory Committee; Notice of Solicitation for Nominations

Issuing agencies

Abstract

Through this notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting nominations for eight (8) vacancies on the USDA Tribal Advisory Committee ("the Committee").

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 204 (Friday, October 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 204 (Friday, October 23, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66830-66831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21655]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Tribal Advisory Committee; Notice of Solicitation for Nominations

AGENCY: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice to solicit nominations for membership.

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SUMMARY: Through this notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
is soliciting nominations for eight (8) vacancies on the USDA Tribal 
Advisory Committee (``the Committee'').

DATES: Nominations must be submitted via email December 8, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations and resumes for recognition and 
appointment by the Chair or Ranking Member of the House Committee on 
Agriculture, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Senate 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (official Appointors) 
through Josiah Griffin, Designated Federal Officer, at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e2b6908b80838eccb0878e83968b8d8c91a297918683cc858d94"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5602243f34373a7804333a37223f393825162325323778313920">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inquiries may be sent to, Josiah 
Griffin, Designated Federal Officer, USDA, Office of Tribal Relations, 
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b3e7c1dad1d2df9de1d6dfd2c7dadcddc0f3c6c0d7d29dd4dcc5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9acee8f3f8fbf6b4c8fff6fbeef3f5f4e9daefe9fefbb4fdf5ec">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or by phone at (202) 205-2249.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Committee consists of eleven (11) members 
serving staggered terms. The balance of these appointments by the Chair 
and Ranking Members of the House Committee on Agriculture, the Senate 
Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry will be managed according to the

[[Page 66831]]

Committee's statutory authority (7 U.S. Code Sec.  6921(b)(3)(a)). 
Members may only serve on one USDA advisory committee at a time. 
Pursuant to the Committee's statutory authorization, only Indian tribes 
as defined by 25 U.S.C. 5304, Tribal organizations as defined by 25 
U.S.C. 5304, or national or regional organizations with expertise in 
issues relating to the Committee may nominate candidates for 
consideration.
    Candidates and alternates selected for potential appointments will 
undergo a USDA background check. Complete nomination packages will 
include a nomination letter signed by a representative authorized to 
make decisions on behalf of the nominating entity, the nominee's 
resume, and a USDA Advisory Committee Membership Background Information 
form completed by the nominee (available online at <a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755-advisory-committee-commodity-board-background-information.pdf">https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755-advisory-committee-commodity-board-background-information.pdf</a>). Resumes or curriculum 
vitae must be limited to five one-sided pages and should include a 
summary of the following information: current and past organization 
affiliations; areas of expertise; education; career positions held; any 
other notable positions held; and geographic locations and regions 
served. Additional letters of endorsement are optional.
    About the Committee: The Tribal Advisory Committee is established 
pursuant to section 12303 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 
(Pub. L. 115-334) to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on matters 
relating to Tribal and Indian Affairs. the TAC defines ``Indian 
affairs'' similarly to the SCIA jurisdiction (as defined in Section 25 
of S. Res. 71, 103rd Congress, 1st Session), which includes but is not 
limited to all matters pertaining to American Indian, Native Hawaiian, 
and Alaska Native peoples. The Committee Chairperson and Vice 
Chairperson shall be elected by the Committee from among its members.
    Eligible Nominators: Nominations may only be submitted by 
signatories authorized to represent an Indian tribe as defined by 25 
U.S.C. 5304, a Tribal organization as defined by 25 U.S.C. 5304, or a 
national or regional organization with expertise in issues relating to 
the above duties of the Committee. These organizations include but are 
not limited to intertribal consortia, national or regional tribal 
serving organizations, land-grant institutions, and credit institutions 
such as Native Community Development Financial Institutions. Nominees 
are not required to represent the nominating entity.
    Nomination Packages: Nominating entities must submit a complete 
nomination package for full consideration. Documents should be typed 
and must include the below elements. Additional letters of endorsement 
are optional.
    1. Nomination letters. Nomination letters must include a brief 
summary, no more than two pages, explaining the nominee's 
qualifications to serve on the Tribal Advisory Committee and addressing 
the membership composition and criteria described above. The signatory 
of these letters must be authorized to represent the nominating entity.
    2. Resume. A resume providing the nominee's background, experience, 
and educational qualifications.
    3. Background Information Form. A completed Advisory Committee or 
Research and Promotion Background Information form (AD-755) signed by 
the nominee available online at <a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf">https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-755.pdf</a>.
    Meeting Frequency: The Committee is required by law to meet at 
least twice in-person per year and is expected to convene quarterly, 
with meetings hosted virtually in between in-person meetings. All 
Committee meetings will be announced in the Federal Register.
    Appointment Terms and Process: All eligible nominating entities 
must submit a new nomination package to be considered for appointment. 
Official Appointors will each have access to this same Federal Register 
nomination process and pool of nominations. Pursuant to the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 10), notice is hereby given that the 
Chair and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture will 
each appoint two (2) members respectively; the Chair and Ranking Member 
of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will each appoint one (1) 
member respectively; and the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry will each appoint one 
(1) member respectively. These members will serve for three (3) years 
starting their date of appointment.
    Membership Balance: USDA encourages nominees reflect the broad 
slate of what makes American agriculture great including but not 
limited to farmers/ranchers, food businesses, subsistence foragers, 
foresters, agriculture educators and land-grant faculty/staff, 
extension and technical assistance specialists, agriculture financiers 
(banks and credit institutions), Tribal leaders and Tribal government 
officials, and agriculture/forestry law experts.
    Equal opportunity practices, in accordance with USDA policies, will 
be followed in all membership appointments to the Committee.
    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital 
status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA 
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing 
deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, 
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and 
TDD) or the State or local Agency that administers the program.

    Dated: October 16, 2026.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-21655 Filed 10-22-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3420-AG-P


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