The soil conservation measure that provides government subsidies to farmers for not planting in environmentally sensitive areas is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The CRP is a federal program in the United States that provides financial incentives to farmers and landowners for taking environmentally sensitive land out of agricultural production and instead planting species that will improve environmental quality and reduce soil erosion. The program was established in 1985 as part of the Food Security Act and is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Endangered Species Act is a separate law that protects endangered and threatened species and their habitats, while the Dust Bowl Act was a law passed in response to the severe dust storms that occurred in the Great Plains during the 1930s.