What transformation did the Agricultural Adjustment Act initiate in Georgia?

The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA), implemented in 1933 as part of the New Deal, aimed to address the severe agricultural depression facing American farmers during the Great Depression. In Georgia, this act significantly transformed the agricultural economy by instituting policies designed to stabilize prices and reduce overproduction.

By encouraging farmers to limit crop production, the AAA sought to raise market prices for agricultural products, which had plummeted due to overproduction in previous years. This led to a shift in farming practices across Georgia, as farmers began to adopt techniques that emphasized controlled production rather than maximizing output. Consequently, the act not only affected the economic stability of Georgia's farming sector but also created lasting changes in the types of crops grown and farming methodologies employed in the region.

While the act did not directly increase the number of sharecroppers and instead aimed to alleviate their struggles by raising crop prices, the focus was on transforming the agricultural landscape into one where government regulations would play a more significant role in agricultural practices, marking a significant shift in how agriculture operated in Georgia.