Farm Aid turned 40 this weekend, rocking Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis with a milestone celebration that doubled as a rallying cry for America’s family farmers. What began as a “one-time” concert in 1985 has grown into a movement that’s raised more than $85 million to support programs helping farmers survive against impossible odds.
This year’s festival hit during one of the toughest eras for farmers in decades, with low prices, climate disruption, and corporate consolidation echoing the crisis that first inspired Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young to take action.
“John, Neil, and I could never have imagined the movement that grew from that first show,” says Farm Aid Founder and President Willie Nelson. “We’ve stood with our partners all these years to give farmers — the hardest working people in America — the support they need to survive against impossible odds. Their willingness to keep going is why we have to keep going. Farmers need us, and we will always need them.”
The anniversary lineup packed a punch: Nelson & Family, Neil Young with the Chrome Hearts, Mellencamp, Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, Bob Dylan, Kenny Chesney, Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Wynonna Judd, Trampled by Turtles, and more.
For the first time, CNN broadcast the festival nationwide, while SiriusXM and nugs.net streamed every note. With a sold-out crowd, a HOMEGROWN Village full of hands-on experiences, and food sourced directly from family farms, Farm Aid 40 proved once again that this movement is built to last.
Those wishing to support the cause can bid on rare, unique items signed by artists at Farm Aid 40. The auction, hosted at farmaid.org/auction, closes Friday, Oct. 3.
