< PREVIOUS
Agricultural Hardships
While many industries prospered during the Roaring Twenties, the farming industry declined. During World War I, American farmers prospered due to European countries focusing on warfare rather than agriculture. After the Great War, American farmers faced competition with European farmers.
During the Great War, the production of agricultural products in the United States increased to meet the demands from Europe. They continued this high production throughout the 1920s, lowering food prices and overproduction.
“Encouraged by the US government to increase production, farmers took out loans to buy more land and invest in new equipment. As war-torn countries recovered, the demand for US exports fell, and land values and prices for commodities dropped.”
- Robert Heinlein, 2018
With less revenue, the income for the average American farmer dropped, which eventually lead to farmers pushing for agricultural policies.
“Thanks to their overrepresentation in the U.S. Congress, farmers were able to press for much stronger action than would have been warranted by a rational analysis of the situation.”
- Saint-Etienne, 1984
Sang Hyun Chun, Senior Division, Individual Website