Why were farmers hit hard at the onset of the Great Depression?

Farmers were hit hard at the onset of the Great Depression due to several reasons:

1. Overproduction: In the 1920s, farmers were producing more food than the population was consuming. This led to a surplus of crops, which in turn led to falling prices as supply outstripped demand.

2. Debt: Many farmers had taken out loans to buy land and modern machinery, hoping that the prosperous times of the 1920s would continue. When the Depression hit, crop prices fell and many farmers were unable to make their loan payments.

3. Dust Bowl: In the mid-1930s, the Great Plains experienced a severe drought. This, combined with poor farming practices, led to widespread soil erosion and dust storms, which further damaged crops and made farming even more difficult.

4. Lack of government support: The government did not initially provide adequate support to struggling farmers. It wasn't until the New Deal programs of the mid-1930s that significant aid was provided to the agricultural sector.

5. Global market: The global market also played a role. As other countries were also hit by the Depression, they imported fewer American agricultural products, further reducing the demand for American crops.

These factors combined to create a perfect storm of economic hardship for farmers at the onset of the Great Depression.