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USDA Assists Kickapoo Indian Tribe
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FEATURE – USDA ASSISTS KICKAPOO INDIAN TRIBE
INTRO: A U-S-D-A program is helping an American Indian tribe in Texas get more water for agriculture production and to grow organic crops. The USDA’s Bob Ellison has more. (1:55)
WATER IS A PRECIOUS COMMODITY TO FARMERS, ESPECIALLY IN DROUGHT-STRICKEN TEXAS. THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE IS WORKING WITH THE KICKAPOO TRADITIONAL TRIBE OF TEXAS TO GET MORE WATER ONTO THEIR FARM AND RANCH OPERATION ON THE U-S AND MEXICAN BORDER.
Don Spaulding, Tribal Administrator, Kickapoo Tribe of Nations: The ranch, it’s pretty barren and dry and not a lot of rain. We’re working on a project right now about putting in some concrete tanks and they’ve helped us with putting in some wells.
Serafin Aguirre, USDA NRCS District Conservationist: They would run the water off of the canal through an earthen ditch, which you lost a lot of water to evaporation and also through absorption of the soil. NRCS was able to work with them to install an underground pipe that provided much more efficient use of the irrigation on these pastures.
IN ADDITION TO GETTING MORE WATER, N-R-C-S IS WORKING TO MAKE THE TRIBE’S PECAN OPERATION MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
Aguirre: Because of the fact that the orchards are very close to the residential areas, they’re looking to get organic. And to avoid having to spray chemical because of the health issues with the residents and the local tribal members. So we’ll probably start working on that and try to identify avenues with the organic incentives and get them to start raising their pecans organically.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE PAID FOR THROUGH COST-SHARE BETWEEN N-R-C-S AND THE KICKAPOO.
Spaulding: The financial assistance that NRCS has provided to the tribe is very significant. It allows the tribe to get the work done that needs to be done. Even though it is a cost share the cost share portion is really small compared to the amount of money that the NRCS provides to the tribe.
THE PROJECTS ARE PARTIALLY FUNDED THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING CONSERVATION PRACTICES TO PROTECT THE NATURAL RESOURCE BASE. FOR THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE I’M BOB ELLISON.
