Friday, May 30, 2025 — The Menu: The future of SNAP, logging’s effects on food, and Native culinary arts grads

President Donald Trump’s proposed spending plan, dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” would cut about $300 billion from the program that provides food to low-income residents. If it survives Congress intact, thousands of Native people will lose eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Tribes and conservation groups worry the Trump administration’s push for expanded logging of federal land poses a threat to Indigenous foods, like salmon. Nicole Livingston is one of a handful of students who graduated this semester from the only tribal college culinary arts program at Navajo Technical University. She’s off to an internship at the country’s most renown Indigenous restaurant: Owamni by the Sioux Chef. We’ll talk about these topics on The Menu, our regular feature on Indigenous food sovereignty hosted by Andi Murphy. GUESTS Kelli Case (Chickasaw), staff attorney at the Indigenous Food & Agriculture Initiative Brian Tatsukawa, culinary arts instructor at Navajo Technical University Nicole Livingston (Diné), culinary arts program graduate at Navajo Technical University Erik Holt (Nez Perce), chairman of the Nez Perce Tribe Fish and Wildlife Commission   Break 1 Music: BALDH3AD! (song) Theia (artist) Break 2 Music: Medicine Man (song) Blue Moon Marquee (artist) Scream, Holler, and Howl (album)