kids encyclopedia robot

Farmers' Holiday Association facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Farmers' Holiday Association was a group of farmers in the Midwestern United States during the Great Depression. They decided to stop selling their farm products to try and get better prices. It was like they were taking a "holiday" from farming. Milo Reno started the group in May 1932. Their main idea was "Stay at Home-Buy Nothing-Sell Nothing." They also had a catchy slogan: "Lets call a Farmer's Holiday, a Holiday let's hold. We'll eat our wheat and ham and eggs, And let them eat their gold."

Why Did Farmers Go on Strike?

During the Great Depression, many people lost their jobs and money. This meant they couldn't buy as much food. Because of this, the prices farmers could get for their crops and livestock dropped very low. Farmers were struggling to make enough money to live and keep their farms. They hoped that by stopping sales, the prices would go back up.

What Happened During the "Holiday"?

Farmers took strong actions to make their point. They blocked roads leading into cities like Sioux City and Council Bluffs, Iowa. They would sometimes dump farm products on the side of the road to show they weren't selling them. There were serious clashes, and sadly, one person lost their life during these protests.

At Le Mars, Iowa, some farmers were very upset about farms being taken away (called foreclosures). They took a judge from his courtroom and threatened him, demanding he stop approving these foreclosures. Law enforcement, like sheriffs and the National Guard, along with other groups, worked to stop the farmers' protests.

How Did Things Change?

The government eventually stepped in to help farmers. In 1933, the New Deal introduced the Agricultural Adjustment Act. This law paid farmers to grow less food. The idea was that if there was less food available, prices would go up, which would help farmers earn more money.

By 1934, the Farmers' Holiday Association's activities had mostly stopped. The new government programs helped to calm some of the anger and struggles farmers were facing.

See also

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Farmers' Holiday Association Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.