Fort Belknap Tribal Land Department

Staff:

OVER SIGHT CHAIRMAN - Selena Ditmar
Director - Peggy Doney
Adm. Assistant - Verna First Chief
Compliance Officer - Francis Cutt Adams
Range Rider - Ivan Wing
Tribal Conservationist - Terri Buck
Staff Support Specialist - Benny Rider

FARM PASTURE CODE - governs the Farm Pasture leases. The latest code was approved on May 15th 1995. It was amended by Resolution 20-2000 where it increased the Right-to-do Business fee from $1.00 to $2.00.

GRAZING ORDINANCE - governs the Range Units and grazing leases. The latest Ordinance was approved by resolution 1-99. Every five years a new ordiance is approved and enacted.

LAND ACQUISITION PLAN OF OPERATION - governs all of the land Sales and Land Exchanges. This document also has a bearing on how leases are administered. It has been amended several times over the last few years.

LAW AND ORDER CODE - Title IV - Criminal Offenses part III - subsection 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 2.16 apply to the Land Department.

We must also comply with 25 CFR Sub Chapter H - Land and Water. Part 150-151, deals with land Acquisition and Parts 162 - 166 Deal with leasing and Permitting.

Our Range Units consist of 50 units which run in five year increments. There are 265,108 acres in the Range Units. They expire in December 31, 2003. Every five years we rewrite our grazing ordinance to coincide with the permit period. The allocation process allows the Indian Operators to receive an allocated permit at a reduced rate. The tribal allocated rate at present is $8.50 per Animal Unit per Month (AUM). The Tribe conducted a grazing rate appraisal in 1999. The appraised rate was $10.57. This is the minimum on allotted land. Most of the Range Units are leased by Indian Operators. The income generated from the Range Units is approximately $135,000.00. The income from the Tribally owned land in the range units generates approximately $182,000; the Tribal Original generates $29,353 and the State lands generate $18,130.50. The income generated from the Range Units goes into the general fund and for land purchase.

There are approximately 75 Farm Pasture leases totaling 9,225 acres. The tribal purchase and tribal reserve land in the farm pasture leases generate approximately $145,000.00. The undivided interest tracts generate approximately $166,500.00 this is in the Range Units and Farm Pasture leases both.

There are 19,117.42 acres of State land in the Range Units Permits. There are a total of 3,548 AUM's on the State lands. Most of these State sections are in the Range Units. The Fort Belknap land Dept. has a 10 year lease agreement with the State of Montana to administer the State Sections. The rental that we pay them varies each year due to the fact that the rental rate is determined in accordance with Section 77-6-507, Montana Code Annotated (MCA) by August 1st of each year - which allows for the state to bill on a sliding scale basis. This figure is derived by taking the average beef price (.768) per pound x 6. the average beef price changes according to market value and the year and the rent is adjusted accordingly. We pay them approximately $12,000.00 to $18,000.00 per year. This averages out to $4.09 to $4.61 per AUM. Our current agreement with them expires in 2003. We will renegotiate prior to expiration for and additional 10 years..

The land dept. administers the homsites on tribal land in accordance with the land aquisition plan of operation. The clustered housing sites are charged $25.00 per year and the temporary trailer lots are charged $25.00 per month.

FARM AND RANCH was abolished per se in 1999. The herd and all machinery have been liquidated and the land is still in Tribal Ownership. A lease was negotiated with a non-Indian rancher. The income he pays annually is approximately $72,000.00.

SUB-MARGINAL Lands. On October 17, 1975 Congress passed the Sub-marginal Land Act PL94-114. This act restored 25,531 acres to the Fort Belknap Reservation. These tracts ar interspersed throughout the Farm and Ranch land as well as deeded land.

For more information please write or call the following: