USDA Tribal Soils Initiative

Authors: Ashworth, Amanda; Owens, Phillip

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2024
Publication Date: 6/15/2024
Citation: Ashworth, A.J., Owens, P.R. 2024. USDA Tribal Soils Initiative. Abstract. NIFA Grant Development and Grant Management Training, June 12-13, 2024.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Knowledge, data, and understanding of soils is vital for advancing agriculture and society, but until recently Native American farmers were lacking foundational soil property information needed for closing yield gaps to promote food security and sustainable intensification. ARS researchers in Fayetteville and Booneville created first ever spatially precise (5 m resolution) soil property maps and land-use interpretations (crop suitability and soil health) on 1.86 million acres (spanning 6 nations) for sustainable soil-water-nutrient management. Mapping products are being used to expand over 1,163 acres of new land for enhanced tribal food security, sustainable soil-water-nutrient management, and to ultimately close yield gaps for First Nations. A webtool was created via USDA-ARS Partnerships for Data Innovations (PDI) entitled “Tribal Soils Tool”, which allows Tribal producers to pull up spatially explicit soil and crop information for improved decision-making at the field, farm, and Nation level. Access to more detailed and current soil information is providing greater food security for those residing on tribal lands – which are considered autonomous nations – and give them the ability to grow more culturally important foods and combat climate change.