***Tribal Government Relations***

***Fact Sheet***

October 2007

**Overview**

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers
conservation programs and technical assistance to American Indians and
Alaska Natives (AIAN) and adheres to all Executive Orders concerning
government-to-government relations fulfilling the agency' trust
responsibility to tribes and tribal individuals. NRCS has made a
concerted effort to improve the USDA conservation program delivery and
technical assistance to American Indians and Alaskan Natives provided by
NRCS offices nationwide.

NRCS enters into cooperative and contribution agreements with tribal
organizations that can help NRCS improve working relationships with
Indian tribes and works closely with other USDA agencies to promote a
seamless delivery system to conservation programs.

**Indian Country**

NRCS has been working with Indian Country for a quarter century. In
1980, NRCS opened their doors to tribal lands, providing programs and
technical services to AIAN and tribal governments. Currently NRCS has 45
full-time and 30 part-time field offices on Indian lands. There are
approximately 150 NRCS tribal liaisons serving 561 Federally-recognized
tribes. Currently the agency has over 300 AIAN employees. To-date, the
Secretary of Agriculture has entered into mutual agreements with 29
Tribal Conservation Districts, including one in Alaska.

**Purpose and Policy**

In furtherance of the unique status of Indian Tribes, their members, and
the government-

to-government relationship between the United States and Indian Tribes,
the NRCS has developed policy to provide guidance for interactions with
Indian Tribes and their members.

*Policy*

-   NRCS, as a federal agency, acknowledges the trust responsibility
    relationship between the federal government and Indian Tribes as
    established by specific statutes, treaties, court decisions,
    executive orders, regulations and policies.

-   NRCS will consult and work with Indian Tribes before making
    decisions or implementing policy, rules or programs that may affect
    an Indian Tribe to ensure that tribal rights and concerns are
    addressed

-   NRCS will identify and take appropriate steps to remove impediments
    to working directly and effectively with Indian Tribes.

-   NRCS will work with other federal agencies and other governmental or
    non-governmental entities to further the goals of this policy.

-   NRCS will work with Indian Tribes to achieve their goal of
    self-sufficiency.

**Partnerships**

As tribes move into more active roles of land management and use the
authorities available to them, NRCS will work to increase the
opportunities for them to benefit from NRCS programs and also, to help
NRCS benefit from the tribal interactions. The AIAN has always been
involved in the stewardship of their ancestral lands. NRCS shares these
values and knows that a mutual respect is the key ingredient for further
government-to-government relations. The tribes have a rich heritage in
the knowledge of land, water, wildlife, air and soils and NRCS works to
partner this knowledge with its own.

NRCS also established agreements with Indian Nations Conservation
Alliance (INCA) and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
to further our presence in Indian Country.