Every five years Congress goes through a massive legislative exercise, crafting a wide-ranging farm bill that now includes about a half-trillion dollars in spending. And every five years, American Indian leaders say they have largely been left on the sidelines.

“Indian tribes have been either ignored or overlooked or been the victim of policy changes since we can remember, that’s just a fact of life,” said Keith Anderson, vice chair of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, which is leading an effort to exert more influence by tribes in negotiations that are getting underway for a new farm bill.

Anderson said as his wealthy tribe provided grants to other Indian nations for infrastructure and healthy food initiatives, leaders realized there was no focused lobbying effort across Indian Country.

“We just recognize that the needs that might not be getting heard and the leverage that we can produce with that economic success by attaining our friends in Congress is just something we need to do, we need to do what we can do for who aren’t there,” said Anderson.

More than 30 tribes across the country are part of the new Native Farm Bill Coalition. Partners include the National Congress of American Indians, the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative and the Intertribal Agriculture Council.

“The effort of the Native Farm Bill Coalition represents the very first time such a concerted effort has been made on behalf of all of Indian country and only Indian country,” explained Zach Ducheneaux who lives in South Dakota, works for the Intertribal Agriculture Council and has been involved in farm policy for years.

The most recent USDA census counted more than 56,000 American Indian operated farms and ranches across the country.

Ducheneaux said the farm bill can help develop a stronger tribal agriculture economy by funding projects that add value to livestock or crops produced by Indian farmers and ranchers.

But the legislation is so broad it can help tribes in many areas only loosely linked to farming.