Editing Agricultural policy (section)

=== Environmental programs ===
The U.S. Conservation Reserve Program leases land from producers that take marginal land out of production and convert it back to a near-natural state by planting native grasses and other plants.<ref>{{Cite report |author=Patrick Sullivan |author2=Daniel Hellerstein |author3=Leroy Hansen |author4=Robert Johansson |author5=Steven Koenig |author6=Ruben Lubowski |author7=William McBride |author8=David McGranahan |author9=Michael Roberts |author10=Stephen Vogel |author11=Shawn Bucholtz |url=http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer834/ |title=The Conservation Reserve Program: Economic Implications for Rural America |website=Economic Research Service |publisher=US Department of Agriculture |access-date=2005-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050914011908/http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/aer834/ |archive-date=2005-09-14 |id=AER834}}</ref> The U.S. Environmental Quality Incentives Program subsidizes improvements which promote [[water conservation]] and other measures. This program is conducted under a bidding process using a formula where farmers request a certain percentage of cost share for improvement such as drip irrigation. Producers that offer the most environmental improvement based on a point system for the least cost are funded first. The process continues until that year's allocated funds are expended.<ref>[https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/ Financial Assistance], NRCS</ref>