Yes, you can order some Geographic Information Systems (GIS) maps for your farm or ranch. Most of the layers available to map your farm or ranch will be provided in the form of GIS data, which you can then use in a GIS program to compose a map of your lands. In some cases, you will be able to make a map of your lands online and print it without having to worry about data layers or a GIS program (for a list of free GIS programs, see the related FAQ links at the bottom of the page).
Described below are many ways to find GIS data that will be useful to have on your map.
An excellent place to start is the Geospatial Data Gateway, NRCS's clearinghouse for spatial natural resources or environmental data. The gateway allows you to choose your area of interest, browse and select data from a catalog, customize the format, and have it downloaded or shipped on CD or DVD. The Geospatial Data Gateway has a wide range of thematic data, including soils. NRSC has other online soils data tools, including the Soil Data Mart and the Soil Data Viewer.
Next, we recommend you check your state, local, and regional governments for GIS data in your area. Many regional and local governments have GIS data available free or at low cost. If you are having trouble tracking down the right person, you may what to contact your state's GIS coordinator. This information can be accessed through the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) Web site.
National Agricultural Imagery can be ordered for any agricultural county in the United States from USDA's Farm Service Agency through their Aerial Photography Field Office (APFO). These images were acquired through the National Agricultural Inventory Progrram (NAIP). These data can be streamed to your GIS application through an ArcIMS data service called the NAIP Data Viewer. The NAIP imagery can also be ordered online. Most of this imagery is available for rural areas (sometimes urban areas are not available).
In addition, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Map provides access to a wide variety of GIS data and imagery.
For those with public land considerations, the USDA Forest Service also has what is called the FSGeodata Clearninghouse. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for the National Integrated Land System (NILS). It has created a tool called GeoCommunicator, which provides a central site for the distribution of geospatial data in three separate applications: Land and Mineral Use Records, Federal Land Stewardship, and Land Survey Information System.
