The government responded to the cries of the farming community by instating the Interstate Commerce Act in order to avoid unionization and retain federal control of land.

The statement is FALSE.

The Interstate Commerce Act was a US federal law enacted in 1887 to limit the monopolistic practices that had emerged within the railroad industry. It was the first law that was issued in the US to regulate a private industry. The act stated that the rates charged should be "reasonable and just" but the goverment avoided to establish a specific fare. Shipping rates had to be published as well.

The last provision of the act directly affected the farming community, specially those who owned small exploitations. The act banned discrimination in prices between short haul and long haul tranports. Such pricing practice directly discriminated smaller producers, particularly farmers from the West or South.