In the early 1930s, when farm foreclosures occurred every day and American agriculture was hit hard by drought and economic disaster, Congress enacted agricultural legislation to, among other things, protect farmers against the risks of low crop prices and bad weather. Since then, Congress has periodically passed farm bills to help farmers manage the risks that come with farming and has added programs through these bills that are to provide domestic and international food assistance, promote economic development in rural areas, and help advance alternatives to petroleum fuel, among other things.