National Resources Inventory (NRI)
 What is the National Resources Inventory?
In 1972, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement a
monitoring and land-inventory program on all the non-federally owned land in the
nation, and to issue a report on the natural resources at least every five
years. The NRI program was developed to meet these demands.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service, in cooperation with the
Iowa State Statistical Laboratory, conducts the inventories. From 1977 through
1997, complete inventories were conducted every five years. Several less
intensive, special-issue inventories were completed during the 1990s to
investigate topical matters of concern and to supplement recent NRIs. Since
2000, the NRI was designed to be conducted on a continuous basis, with a
specified number of NRI segments completed each year. For more information, go
to the NRCS National Resources
Inventory Web site.
What is NRI used for?
NRI data are used in a variety of ways. According to the NRCS Resources
Inventory Division, one of the most important uses is for the "NRCS Chief's
budget testimony to Congress…each year. NRI data documents the status,
conditions, and trends of our nation's natural resources and therefore the need
for conservation assistance and program budget-support. Other key internal uses
include strategic planning, performance measures, and accountability."
State and national level estimates for changes in land cover and use,
cropland use by irrigated and non-irrigated acres, broad land cover/use by land
capability class and subclass, prime farmland, erosion and erodibility, wildlife
habitat diversity, and wetlands and deepwater habitats are among the summary
statistics that are available. This information provides base-line natural
resource information to a variety of groups and individuals interested in
obtaining insight into the condition of our Nation's nonfederal rural lands.
The objectives of NRCS resource inventories have expanded over time, as the
focus of agricultural policy has moved toward a balance between short-term
production goals, long-term capabilities, and environmental quality. Statistical
techniques, data collection protocols, and data handling and dissemination
technologies have evolved as inventory goals have become broader and more
sophisticated.
Contact Information
If you encounter any problems with this page, have questions, suggestions, or find a broken link, please contact Gary Vandawalker
at 315-477-6546.
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