What the Shutdown Means for Native Buffalo Ranchers
Relatives and Supporters,
The federal government shutdown is already disrupting critical services. For Native producers and Buffalo ranchers, this pause in support comes at a moment when consistency and reliability are most needed to sustain herds and livelihoods.
The USDA Lapse of Funding Plan (Sept. 30, 2025) confirms that key activities are halted, including:
Farm Service Agency loans – a critical source of credit for many producers.
Contract payments from programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
Disaster assistance programs such as the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC/PLC).
For Tanka Fund, this means delays are likely for several federal grants that directly support our work, including the USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant, Rural Business Development Grant, Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE), and the America the Beautiful program. These grants help us provide technical assistance, infrastructure support, and herd development for Native Buffalo producers.
While private and philanthropic partners remain steady, the lapse in federal funding forces Native-led organizations like Tanka Fund to plan around delays and uncertainty.
What does not change is our mission: to return Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies.
How You Can Help
Even during a government shutdown, you can make a difference:
Donate: Your contributions sustain Buffalo restoration when federal support is paused. Stand with Native Buffalo Ranchers.
Share: Forward this newsletter and amplify our updates on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Tell Your Story: If you are a rancher or producer experiencing disruptions, let us know. Sharing these impacts helps us elevate the voices of Native communities during this shutdown. Reach out to us at marketing@tankafund.org
Tanka Fund will continue supporting our Buffalo ranchers and partners without interruption. Federal systems may pause, but our commitment does not. The Buffalo have always stood with our people, and with your support, they always will.
