Tribes Turn to Ancient Food Ways as Government Aid Freezes

When the Trump administration froze SNAP benefits on November 1 due to a government shutdown, Native American communities faced an immediate crisis. With 25% of Indigenous households experiencing food insecurity and many relying on federal nutrition programs, tribal nations were forced to activate emergency protocols—some declaring states of emergency for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

But this crisis has illuminated a powerful response decades in the making. Across the country, tribes are mobilizing traditional food sovereignty initiatives built over the past 40 years. The Shoshone-Paiute tribe is teaching members to process wild game through elk hunting, while Blackfeet tribal members are culling bison to feed families. From Pacific salmon restoration to Plains bison reintroduction, Indigenous communities are proving that ancient food systems can provide modern solutions.

However, these traditional practices face their own challenges. Climate change is disrupting harvests and making traditional farming techniques less reliable. Michael Kotutwa Johnson, a Hopi farmer, notes that increased droughts are preventing successful crop cultivation using ancestral dry farming methods. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has eliminated $100 million in funding that helped tribes purchase traditional foods from local producers.

Despite these obstacles, tribal food sovereignty represents both immediate necessity and long-term vision. As Earl Heavyrunner of the Blackfeet Nation, who has managed food distribution for 24 years, observes: this unprecedented situation is pushing communities toward greater self-reliance. The crisis may ultimately strengthen Indigenous food systems that have sustained communities for millennia, offering a path toward reduced dependence on federal programs.