Indian Affairs leaders meet with USDA and tribal coalition on shared priorities

Senior officials from Indian Affairs met with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Coalition of Large Tribes to discuss shared priorities across Indian Country, according to an Indian Affairs announcement. The Dec. 8 meeting included Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs William Kirkland and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development Ken Bellmard.

Kirkland emphasized the federal trust responsibility and commitments to transparency and sustained engagement with federally recognized tribes. The discussion focused on addressing the probate backlog through expanded estate planning, modernization of legacy systems using secure AI-enabled tools and stronger coordination to collect vital records earlier. Public safety priorities included combating violent crime, illegal drug activity and missing and murdered Indigenous people, with an emphasis on strengthening tribal law enforcement. Officials also discussed bison restoration efforts, including the transfer of more than 10,000 bison from federal herds to tribal lands, and plans to expand tribal food processing capacity.