Paid farmers to reduce crop production to raise farm prices.

• A. National Industrial Recovery Act
• B. Dust Bowl
• C. Agricultural Adjustment Act
• D. Social Security Act

Answer: (C)

Government intervention to stabilize farm prices by reducing production. In the 1930s, farm prices had collapsed, harming farmers’ livelihoods. The Agricultural Adjustment Act addressed this by paying farmers to cut back on crop production, with subsidies given in exchange for limiting acreage and output. By lowering the supply of crops like cotton, wheat, and corn, the policy aimed to raise prices and provide relief to farmers. It was part of the New Deal’s broader effort to use federal programs to stabilize the economy and support struggling sectors. While it did raise prices in some cases, it also sparked controversy, including displacement of tenant farmers who depended on those lands. The other options don’t fit because they address different issues: the National Industrial Recovery Act targeted industry codes, the Dust Bowl was an environmental disaster, and the Social Security Act created welfare programs rather than agricultural price supports.