Data Tools for Native Farmers
While the NLIS hosts a variety of resources related to agriculture on Native lands, this page highlights those that are specifically relevant to Native farmers. Native farmers are major contributors to their reservation economies, food systems, and land stewardship. The Native Lands Advocacy Project is committed to producing data tools and educational resources to support farmers’ informed decision-making regarding land stewardship, access to capital, and involvement in the broader agricultural economy.
The sections below highlight our Dashboards, Maps, Storymaps, and Blog Posts. This is a live page that will continue to be updated as we create new resources. Have any feedback about how we can make this page more useful? Contact us here!
Would you like assistance learning about these data tools and how to use them?
Data Dashboards for Native Farmers
Maps for Native Farmers
Storymaps for Native Farmers

Data Tools for Native Farmers
This storymap walks through each resource introduced on our “Data for Native Farmers” topic page.

Building Up Native Youth in Agriculture
How well-represented are Native youth in the overall population of Native agriculture producers? What difficulties do Native youth face when entering agriculture, and what resources exist to support and empower them?

The Legacy of Allotment on Contemporary Native Agriculture
In this storymap, we explore recent data from the USDA Census of Agriculture for American Indian Reservations to illustrate the devastating and intergenerational impacts of the Dawes Act. Although we trace current disparities back to their roots in oppressive agricultural policies, Native communities across the country have been leading efforts to change the narrative.

Sustainable Food Systems for US Native Lands: A Story Untold
The myth of an “empty land” where Natives lived idly without making good use of their natural resources is persistent and served as the primary base to justify taking lands away from tribes. Contrary to stereotypes, Native Agriculture was diverse and flourishing prior to settler colonialism.
Blog Posts for Native Farmers

Announcing New Updates to Our National Land Cover Database Dashboard!
By Raven McMullin // April 18, 2022 NLAP remains committed to making available to Tribes, Native organizations, and land caretakers the most relevant and current data

Completing the Narrative: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s Policy Change Promotes Expansion of Native Agriculture Producers
By Raven McMullin Since the inception of the Native Lands Advocacy Project (NLAP), we have been committed to compiling publicly available datasets for the purpose

Use of Chemicals for Croplands on Native Lands by Non-Natives Considerably More Than Use by Natives
By Evelyn Red Lodge Sicangu Lakota (Rosebud Sioux Tribe Member) Given history, it is not surprising that non-Natives collect 87% of the agricultural revenue from federally

How Much Discriminatory Lending Practices Impact Agricultural Revenue on US Native Land
By Aude K. Chesnais Introduction: Lending and Debt on US Native Land In 2018, the Keepseagle settlement shed light on widespread lending discrimination across the

Non-Natives Control Majority of Harvested Cropland on Native American Reservations
According to the most recent 2017 data from the USDA Census of Agriculture for American Indian Reservations 86.33% of harvested cropland on American Indian Reservations

The General Allotment Act of 1887 Crippled Native Agriculture for Generations
Today, the US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) holds 66 million acres of lands in trust for various Indian tribes and individuals. Approximately 46 million acres



















