Between 1934 and 1943, as part of a conservation program conceived and vigorously promoted by Franklin D. Roosevelt, about 19,000 miles of windbreaks were planted on 33,000 farms and ranches for soil and water conservation. Windbreaks provide benefits to downwind agricultural areas and dwellings and are present in some form on large numbers of farms and ranches today. A windbreak can be as simple as an overgrown fencerow or a few rows of trees left in place after a land clearing effort or forestry harvest. Many farmers and ranchers use natural boundaries of forest blocks and strips or patches of trees as windbreaks without planning or planting and still appreciate increased yields they provide to crops and livestock. Many agricultural enterprises can profit from the addition of a strategically placed windbreak.
Windbreaks are effective wherever wind or sun is reducing yields of crops or livestock.
In winter, windbreaks assist livestock by reducing the stress of windchill. They also collect snowdrift which later melts and provides additional moisture for early spring pasture growth. Without windbreaks to provide shelter from blizzards, animals can lose weight or even die from the chilling and drying effects of wind. During summer, windbreaks provide shade to cool soil, air, and water for livestock and crops. Some windbreak trees, like persimmon, mulberry, and honey locust, provide forage or concentrated foods, such as fruits or seeds.