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Agricultural Adjustment Administration (view source)
Revision as of 17:46, September 1, 2009
, 17:46, September 1, 2009→100 Days: cattle
The conservative [[American Liberty League]] referred to the economic planning of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration as "a trend toward fascist control of agriculture."
The conservative [[American Liberty League]] referred to the economic planning of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration as "a trend toward fascist control of agriculture."
==Cattle==
At first cattlemen refused with pride the early efforts of New Deal government supervision in 1933. As drought and depression swept the range, however, there was a reluctant reversal of their earlier position, especially in Texas. The AAA launched a massive emergency beef purchasing to reduce the number of cattle on the drought-blighted ranges. After some two million head of cattle were slaughtered from the Texas herds alone, the emergency program was halted, over the protests of the cattlemen. The AAA urged them to join the New Deal controls program, but they refused. Eventually, as cattle prices began to climb again, Texas cattlemen felt vindicated in their independent stance and untainted by participation in a government-controlled economy. The ranchers remained outside the government programs.<ref> C. Roger Lambert, "Texas Cattlemen and the AAA, 1933-1935." ''Arizona & the West'' 1972 14(2): 137-154 </ref>
==Prosperity returns==
By 1936 conditions had dramatically improved in agriculture. Although the holy grail of 100% parity was not reached until 1943, incomes were much higher rising from $4.7 billion in 1932 to $8.7 billion in 1936. The heavy burden of debt that had soured the 1920s was mostly paid off or refinanced. The chimerical vision of escaping to the rich cities no longer enthralled the farm youth.
By 1936 conditions had dramatically improved in agriculture. Although the holy grail of 100% parity was not reached until 1943, incomes were much higher rising from $4.7 billion in 1932 to $8.7 billion in 1936. The heavy burden of debt that had soured the 1920s was mostly paid off or refinanced. The chimerical vision of escaping to the rich cities no longer enthralled the farm youth.