Governing The Dust Bowl
In order to combat the tragedies of the Dust Bowl the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act was passed to address the startling depression in the 1930's. The act was passed by the Supreme Court in 1936 while F.D. Roosevelt was president, to alleviate those affected and struggling with the Great Depression and specifically, the Dust Bowl.
The Act was a federal law that enabled the government to be able to pay farmers to reduce production of crops. This was to conserve soil health and prevent erosion.
It included directives to conserve the soil that was being raised by the hot winds to create the huge dust storms. The era of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression hit farmers the hardest. The act attempted to correct the former government policies which encouraged farmers to use their land without any regard for the consequences of bad farming practices.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “In signing the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, I feel that I am approving a measure which helps to safeguard vital public interests not only for today, but for generations to come.”
This Act was an attempt to develop a long-time program for U.S. agriculture.
The new law had three major objectives: conserve the soil, reestablishment and maintenance of farm income at fair levels, protection of consumers by assuring adequate supplies of food and fiber now and in the future.
This Act educated farmers on how to use their lands by practicing responsible farming, as well as took immediate action to control the dust bowl's horrible consequences; methods of this included planting trees and native grasses on the land.
Roosevelt also stated, “There will be no contracts with farmers. The program does not control individual production of individual farm commodities.”
After three years from when the Act was adopted, soil erosion (raised by winds) had dropped 21.7%.
The Act was a federal law that enabled the government to be able to pay farmers to reduce production of crops. This was to conserve soil health and prevent erosion.
It included directives to conserve the soil that was being raised by the hot winds to create the huge dust storms. The era of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression hit farmers the hardest. The act attempted to correct the former government policies which encouraged farmers to use their land without any regard for the consequences of bad farming practices.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “In signing the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, I feel that I am approving a measure which helps to safeguard vital public interests not only for today, but for generations to come.”
This Act was an attempt to develop a long-time program for U.S. agriculture.
The new law had three major objectives: conserve the soil, reestablishment and maintenance of farm income at fair levels, protection of consumers by assuring adequate supplies of food and fiber now and in the future.
This Act educated farmers on how to use their lands by practicing responsible farming, as well as took immediate action to control the dust bowl's horrible consequences; methods of this included planting trees and native grasses on the land.
Roosevelt also stated, “There will be no contracts with farmers. The program does not control individual production of individual farm commodities.”
After three years from when the Act was adopted, soil erosion (raised by winds) had dropped 21.7%.
References:
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Statement on Signing the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act. - March 1, 1936. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2018, from http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=15254
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