Bicameral legislation has been introduced in Congress to protect Native American seeds and traditional food products, and to assist tribes in ensuring that cultural practices and traditional ways of life are preserved.
Sponsors of the Native American Seeds Protection Act of 2019 include Representatives Don Young, R-Alaska; Betty McCollum, D-Minn; Tom Cole, R-Okla; and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M.; along with Senators Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Martha McSally, R-Ariz., was introduced on July 23.
The legislation would direct the Government Accountability Office to study applicable trademark and intellectual property laws, the long-term viability of Native American seeds, and provide recommendations on how to ensure Native American seeds and traditional food may be protected for future generations. The measure would also assess the impact of food and seeds fraudulently marketed as traditional to or produced by Native Americans.
