Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp to Headline 40th Annual Farm Aid in Minneapolis
Farm Aid, the nation’s longest-running benefit concert, will celebrate its 40th anniversary on September 20 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Willie Nelson, who co-founded Farm Aid in 1985, will headline the event alongside fellow board members Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, performing with Tim Reynolds, and Margo Price.
Also scheduled to perform are Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, Waxahatchee, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Jesse Welles, and Madeline Edwards. Additional artists will be announced at a later date.
Since its first concert in Champaign, Illinois, Farm Aid has raised nearly $80 million in support of family farmers. The organization’s mission is to promote a strong, resilient family farm system while also addressing broader issues such as climate change and social equity in agriculture.
| RELATED: Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson Among Acts on Outlaw Music Festival’s 10th Anniversary Tour |
“Family farmers are the heart of this country, and we depend on each other for good food and strong communities,” Nelson said in a statement.
“For 40 years, Farm Aid and our partners have stood with farmers, supporting them to stay on their land even when corporate power, bad policies and broken promises make it harder to keep going.”
Minnesota will host the festival for the first time in its four-decade history. According to Farm Aid, the state has played a key role in the farm movement since the 1980s, advocating for rural communities, sustainable agriculture, and progressive food policy reform.
| RELATED: Neil Young to Headline BST Hyde Park with Chrome Hearts |
The event will also feature Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions, a food program that prioritizes ingredients sourced from farmers who use ecological practices and are paid fair prices. Additionally, the HOMEGROWN Village will return with interactive exhibits focused on soil, water, energy, and food systems.
“Our anniversary marks a critical time for the nation to come together in support of the family farmers we all depend on. Our work isn’t done,” said Farm Aid co-executive director Jennifer Fahy.
“There are significant threats to the future of family farm agriculture and our food system. Farm Aid 40 is an opportunity to call those out and work for the food system that farmers, eaters and our planet all deserve.”
Farm Aid co-executive director Shorlette Ammons emphasized the vital role of rural communities in America’s agricultural landscape. “Rural communities represent the heartbeat of this country. Farmers and rural and immigrant labor sustain our food system, care for the land, and strengthen our foodways and cultural connections,” Ammons shared.
“When we invest in rural communities, we uplift the well-being of our entire country, celebrating the vibrant and needful contributions of all.”
For more information and additional details, visit the official Farm Aid website.
