The National Resource Inventory collects data at a sample size that is
nationally reliable. The grazing lands discipline within NRCS with
assistance from Agriculture Research Service (ARS) has evaluated new
field data collection procedures for pasturelands that are comparable to
the NRI rangeland methodology. This new field collected data will
give NRCS the ability to monitor the overall vegetative and soil conditions
of our Nation’s pastures. If fully implemented, this data collection will
provide information on plant species composition, noxious weed and invasive
plant extent, forage yield, conservation treatment needs, practices
applied, and soil fertility status. This is more comprehensive information
than what the NRI has produced in the past. Compilation of
this detailed data would be very useful to NRCS and the forage and livestock

industry. It will also be relevant to many other ecological studies, and will be a primary data source for pastureland modeling for soil, water, and nutrients.

 The NRI will show the pasture acreage occupied, and their relationship to climate, soils, and grazing management.  This new pastureland protocol for the NRI is being tested in five pilot states (KY, PA, CO, FL, MO), and after analysis, should be rolled out to additional pastureland states.