This paper discusses various aspects of the National Resources Inventory program, which is conducted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Iowa State University Statistical Laboratory. The Natural Resources Conservation Service, formerly the Soil Conservation Service, has been collecting natural resources data since the 1930s. The current inventory is a longitudinal survey of soil, water and related resources designed to access conditions and trends every five years on the non-federal lands of the United States. An historical overview of multi-resource inventory is provided. Sample design and data collection are described. Data analysis techniques and modeling are discussed in relation to agri-environmental issues and policy. The National Resources Inventory has evolved over the decades as resource issues have changed; it will continue to evolve as part of an ongoing effort to better access soil conservation, natural resources health, and other environmental issues.