In the early 1900s, farmers in the United States, especially those in the Great Plains region, faced a difficult period. The aftermath of World War I resulted in an oversupply of crops and subsequently lower prices for farmers. To combat this, Midwest farmers focused on cultivating wheat as it was highly demanded and profitable. They dedicated around thirty-two million acres out of a total of ninety-seven to growing wheat. Regrettably, their pursuit of profit caused them to neglect sustainable practices. They continuously plowed unsuitable grasslands without considering minimal rainfall and constant plowing’s negative effects on soil fertility. As a result, the wheat crop withered and was carried away by wind. The combination of unsustainable farming methods and an extended drought made life extremely challenging during the Dust Bowl era.
In the 1930’s, a drought occurred in the Great Plains region. It started with heavy rain and flooding in parts of Oklahoma Panhandle in 1930, along with severe winter blizzards and a long-lasting drought that lasted until late summer. Consequently, numerous farms in the Great Plains suffered considerable crop damage and became susceptible to subsequent droughts for the following decade.
During July and August, there was a significant decrease of approximately 40% in precipitation compared to previous years. The southwestern region experienced an unparalleled drought from 1934 to 1936, with the year 1934 being exceptionally hot and resulting in numerous heat-related deaths. In 1935, there was an extreme scarcity of rainfall. The summer of 1936 witnessed soaring temperatures, with many days surpassing 120 degrees. This drought, combined with dust storms, had a profound impact on farming in the Great Plains during the early to mid-1930s.
The Great Plains, also known as the Dust Bowl, experienced a severe lack of moisture due to drought. This resulted in excessively dry ground and devastating dust storms throughout the 1930s. These storms worsened challenges faced by farmers during the drought by hindering crop growth and causing loose topsoil to blow away easily in the wind. In 1932, dust caused severe damage to numerous fields, particularly in the Oklahoma Panhandle where dust storms persisted for twenty-two consecutive days and caused widespread drifts. The airborne dirt proved fatal to a significant portion of crops.
In a span of one year, a total of 139 days were marked as having experienced dust storms. Despite being less frequent, 1934 was the year when the region gained national attention due to the intense heat. Moreover, it was during this year that a single storm resulted in the loss of approximately 350 million tons of soil. The subsequent year witnessed the occurrence of large and powerful dust storms. In May 1935, a storm named Black Sunday wreaked havoc on numerous farms, leaving them in ruins with winds exceeding sixty miles per hour. By 1935, dust storms had become the norm and extreme weather events were a regular feature.
The number of storms increased again in 1936, accompanied by scorching temperatures. However, rain eventually returned by the end of that year. Nonetheless, the droughts persisted and compelled numerous farmers to abandon their fields and migrate westward. By 1938, a combination of snow and dirt reached blizzard-like proportions, referred to as snusters. These storms inflicted significant damage on the farms and caused immense distress to the farmers. As a result of the devastating conditions, farming became an incredibly challenging endeavor for farmers in the Dust Bowl.
President Roosevelt and his New Deal implemented the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) with the aim of alleviating the struggles faced by farmers. The AAA provided financial assistance to farmers by paying them not to cultivate certain portions of their land in order to stabilize prices. However, in 1936, the Supreme Court declared the AAA unconstitutional. In response, Congress passed the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936, which compensated farmers for planting crops that conserved soil, such as soybeans, or for leaving their land fallow. Although the AAA helped many farmers during the difficult times of the 1930s, almost all farmers suffered greatly due to the drought, their farming practices, and dust storms.
