Agriculture on Indian Lands (15.034)

 

Program

15.034 Agriculture on Indian Lands

 

Federal Agency

BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

 

Authorization

Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, Public Law 93-638, as amended, 25 U.S.C. 450; American Indian Agriculture Resource Management Act, Public Law 103-177, 107 Stat. 2011, 25 U.S.C. 3701.

 

Program Number

15.034

 

Last Known Status

Active

 

Objectives

To protect and restore the agronomic and rangeland resources on trust lands and facilitate the development of renewable agricultural resources.

 

Types of Assistance

Direct Payments for Specified Use; Advisory Services and Counseling; Provision of Specialized Services.

 

Uses and Use Restrictions

To facilitate improvements on Indian trust or restricted fee lands. Awards for Noxious Weed Eradication are for the use of chemical, mechanical, cultural, and biological control methods, predominantly on range land, and are awarded competitively.

 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments and Native American Organizations authorized by Indian tribal governments.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments and their members; Native American Organizations; and individual American Indian land owners.

Credentials/Documentation

Initial application for financial assistance must be accompanied by a resolution of the governing body of the Indian tribe.

 

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Informal preapplication conference is recommended. Technical assistance in preparing the application is available upon request. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

Initial applications must contain the information specified in 25 CFR, Part 900, Subpart C, "Contract Proposal Contents." Completed applications should be submitted to the local BIA agency office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Award Procedure

In most cases, the award can be approved at the agency level. In some instances, the application will be forwarded to the Regional Director for approval. The dollar value of Agriculture awards depends upon the amount that has been prioritized by the individual tribe through tribal participation in the BIA's budget formulation process (TPA).

Deadlines

None.

 

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Appeals

An unsuccessful applicant may request an informal conference with the deciding official, or may appeal the denial of the application to the Interior Board of Indian Appeals, or may bring suit in U.S. District Court. Full appeal procedures are found in 25 CFR, Part 900.

Renewals

Agriculture awards may be renewed indefinitely upon satisfactory performance by the contractor/grantee. A notice of intent to renew should be submitted at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the current award. Noxious Weed Eradication assistance is awarded for projects on a year-by-year basis and is not intended to provide perennial support for tribal programs.

 

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Noxious Weed Eradication requires a minimum 50 percent cost-share agreement for the control projects.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Awards are made on an annual basis and the funds remain available until expended by the contractor/grantee. Payments may be made in advance or by way of reimbursement. The timing of payments will be negotiated with the grantee.

 

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Financial status reports, SF 269A, are required. The timing and nature of program accomplishment data will be negotiated with the contractor/grantee.

Audits

For awards made under this program, grantees and subgrantees are responsible for obtaining audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501 et. seq.).

Records

Financial records must be retained for 3 years from the date of submission of the single audit report. Procurement records must be retained for 3 years from the date of final payment. Property records must be retained for 3 years from the date of disposition, replacement, or transfer. Records pertaining to any litigation, audit exceptions, or claims must be retained until the dispute has been resolved.

 

Program Accomplishments

Annually, program funds, through the TPA process, assist nearly 30,000 farmers, ranchers, and landowners in the management and development of over 45 million acres of Indian land used for farming and grazing. Fifty tribes/tribal organizations receive competitive Noxious Weed Eradication awards, treating approximately 80,000 acres of trust lands.

 

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-2100-0-1-302.

Obligations

(Total Amount of Awards) Agriculture: FY 02 $3,064,000; FY 03 est $3,361,000; and FY 04 est $3,385,000. Noxious Weed Eradication: FY 02 $723,000; FY 03 est $720,000; and FY 04 est $759,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Agriculture: $200 to $575,000; $50,000. Noxious Weed Eradication: $500 to $300,000; $20,000.

 

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

25 CFR, Parts 166, 168, and 900.

 

Related Programs

15.033, Road Maintenance_Indian Roads; 15.035, Forestry on Indian Lands; 15.040, Real Estate Programs_Indian Lands; 15.049, Irrigation Operations and Maintenance on Indian Lands.

 

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Applications may be filed with the local Bureau of Indian Affairs agency office as listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office

Office of Trust Responsibilities, Division of Water and Land Resources, Branch of Agriculture and Range, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 C Street NW, MS 4513 MIB, Washington, DC 20240. Telephone: (202) 208-3598. Contact: Mark Bradford.

Web Site Address

http://www.doi.gov/bia/otrhome.htm

 

Examples of Funded Projects

Farmland improvements such as designing land leveling, farm drainage, cropping patterns, crop varieties, stock water engineering; range inventories and inventories to identify vegetative cover, range condition, precipitation zones and current forage utilization; rangeland pest control, livestock control, and maintenance of readiness conditions for fire suppression; and leasing and permitting support, enforcement, performance evaluation, etc.

 

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Agriculture: All applicants for assistance meeting the criteria in 25 CFR part 900 will be funded. Noxious Weed Eradication: Competitive proposals are ranked according to cost/benefit analysis; potential benefit; capability of the applicant to successfully conduct the project; and budget and its effective use.