and plants. Farm bill The "Conservation" title of the Farm Bill (Title II in the 2014 bill) provides the funding to agricultural producers, and a conservation plan must be included. All of these programs are voluntary. The main programs include: Environmental Quality Incentives Program The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides assistance to landowners to help them improve their soil, water and related natural resources, including grazing lands, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. Congress established the program in the 1996 farm bill to provide primarily cost-sharing assistance, but also technical and educational assistance, aimed at promoting production and environmental quality, and optimizing environmental benefits. Conservation Stewardship Program The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), established by the 2008 Farm Bill, is targeted to producers who maintain a higher level of environmental stewardship. Regional Conservation Partnership Program Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) consolidated four programs from the 2008 Farm Bill. It aims at more regional or watershed scale projects, rather than individual farms and ranches. Agricultural Conservation Easement Program The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) was another consolidation effort of the 2014 Farm Bill, which includes the former Grasslands Reserve Program, Farm, and Ranch Lands Protection Program, and Wetlands Reserve Program. ACEP includes technical and financial help to maintain or improve land for agriculture or environmental benefits. Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) Landowners volunteer to restore and protect forests in 30 or 10 year contracts. This program hands assisting funds to participants. The objectives of HFRP are to: Promote the recovery of endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Improve plant and animal biodiversity Enhance carbon sequestration NRCS National Ag Water Management Team (AGWAM) Serves 10 states in the Midwest United States in helping to reduce nitrate levels in soil due to runoff from fertilized farmland. The project began in 2010 and initially focused on the Mississippi Basin area. The main goal of the project is to implement better methods of managing water drainage from agricultural uses, in place of letting the water drain naturally as it had done in the past. In October 2011, The National "Managing Water, Harvesting Results" Summit was held to promote the drainage techniques used in hopes of people adopting them nationwide. Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Includes water supply forecasts, reservoirs, and the Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) for Alaska and other Western states. NRCS agents collect data from snowpack and mountain sites to