Introduction 
PURPOSE AND SCOPE 
The American Indian Reservations publication 
provides data that supplement the 2012 Census of 
Agriculture, Volume 1, Geographic Area Series 
publications. This publication presents selected 
operation and operator summary data for 76 
American Indian reservations. This is the third report 
NASS has published that focuses on agricultural 
activity on American Indian reservations based on 
individual farm and ranch reports. 
The census of agriculture provides a detailed picture 
of U.S. farms and ranches every five years. It is the 
only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural 
data for every State and county or county equivalent. 
HISTORY 
NASS received a recommendation from the 
Secretary of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee on 
Agriculture Statistics to collect more complete 
reservation-level data on the 2002 census. In 
response to this recommendation and to honor a 
commitment to publish improved demographic data 
on American Indian operators, NASS conducted the 
2002 Census of Agriculture pilot project in Montana, 
North Dakota, and South Dakota. NASS expanded 
this effort during the 2007 Census of Agriculture to 
include all reservations in all states and continued it 
for the 2012 census. 
USES OF CENSUS DATA 
Census of agriculture data are routinely used by farm 
organizations, businesses, state departments of 
agriculture, elected representatives and legislative 
bodies at all levels of government, public and private 
sector analysts, the news media, and colleges and 
universities. The data are frequently used to: 
• Show the importance and value of agriculture on 
2012 Census of Agriculture 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
the reservations and provide the public and tribal 
officials with crop and livestock information; 
• Provide agricultural news media and agricultural 
associations’ benchmark statistics for stories and 
articles on U.S. agriculture and the foods we 
produce; 
• Compare the income and costs of production; 
• Provide important data about the demographics 
and financial well being of producers; 
• Evaluate historical agricultural trends to 
formulate farm and rural policies and develop 
programs that help agricultural producers; 
• Allocate local and national funds for farm 
programs, e.g. extension service projects, 
agricultural research, soil conservation programs, 
and land- grant colleges and universities; 
• Identify the assets needed to support agricultural 
production such as land, buildings, machinery, 
and other equipment; 
• Create an extensive database of information on 
uncommon crops and livestock and the value of 
those commodities for assessing the need to 
develop policies and programs to support those 
commodities; 
• Provide geographic data on production so 
agribusinesses will locate near major production 
areas for efficiencies for both producers and 
agribusinesses; 
• Measure the use of modern technologies such as 
conservation practices, organic production, 
renewable energy systems, internet access, and 
specialized marketing strategies; 
INTRODUCTION V 
