Read the excerpt from Years of Dust. Bennett and his agronomists, experts in managing the soil and improving crop production, wanted to improve conditions during their own time while also acting to avert future Dust Bowls. Before going ahead with their plans, however, they first had to get public opinion on their side. That was no easy task, for their plans would cost taxpayers money when money was scarce. Moreover, plains people were set in their ways. They did not take to change easily, or think much of "experts" from Washington telling them how to farm. Hoping to overcome resistance, the Farm Security Administration hired moviemakers and photographers to gather evidence illustrating the need for change. These efforts brought two talented artists instant fame.

According to the excerpt, photographers in the 1930s often were hired

to provide an escape from the hard times people faced.
to show how government programs blocked real change.
to show why change was needed to improve people’s lives.
to explain the spread of lice and diseases.