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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Food | Agriculture
Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) and Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), along with Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), reintroduced the Native American Seeds Act on Thursday, legislation that would authorize the Department of the Interior to support tribal seed banks and traditional farming practices.
The bipartisan, bicameral bill would require the Interior to establish a program within one year to determine which seeds are culturally significant and support traditional agriculture systems. Tribes face mounting challenges preserving seeds due to wildfires, droughts, disease outbreaks and contamination.
Torres said the legislation addresses preservation needs beyond food security. “This bill recognizes the fundamental importance of preserving these seeds — not just for food security, but for the cultural, spiritual, and environmental legacy they carry,” she said in a statement.
The measure marks the latest attempt to address tribal seed preservation. Torres and LaMalfa introduced similar legislation in September 2024, while a 2019 version focused on GAO studies of trademark protections and fraudulent marketing of Native foods.
“Protecting native heritage starts with making sure seeds that hold traditional importance aren't lost to disaster or neglect,” LaMalfa said in a statement. “This legislation gives tribes the flexibility they need to preserve and grow these plants on their own terms.”
Donna Thompson, chairwoman of the Fort Hall Business Council for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, said the bill would help preserve seeds for plants including camas, bitterroot, wild onions, sage and chokecherry. The bill will help the federal government honor its obligations under the Fort Bridger Treaty of 1868, Thompson said in the statement.
The legislation addresses food sovereignty concerns as many tribes were forcibly relocated to reservations where grocery stores remain scarce. Research shows diets of locally produced foods reduce prevalence of diet-related chronic diseases including Type 2 diabetes in Native communities.
Original cosponsors include Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and James Risch (R-Idaho). The measure supports economic development and cultural preservation across Indian Country.
