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Abstract
Current farm programs have their origins in the ineffective demands of the early 1920’s. By 1933 the demands for adequate farm relief had become so strong and unified that they necessitated action. Gross agricultural income had declined from nearly 12 billion dollars in 1929 to less than 5 ½ billion dollars in 1932. Income available for operators’ labor, capital, and management fell from over 5 ½ billion dollars to less than 1 ½ billion dollars. The gross farm income from cotton and cottonseed had been nearly 1 ½ billion dollars in 1928, while in 1931 it amounted to less than ½ billion dollars. This loss in agricultural purchasing power had serious results for industry. Therefore, when programs for national recovery were being considered, there was general agreement upon the need for extensive relief to agriculture.