Farm Aid

Farm Aid

@farmaid.org

Farm Aid works year-round to build a system of agriculture that values family farmers, good food, soil and water, and strong communities. Our annual music and food festival celebrates farmers, eaters and music coming together for change. farmaid.org

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It’s been a month since Farm Aid 2026, but the spirit of the festival carries on. From the performances on stage to the conversations that happened across the venue and beyond, the Farm Aid festival is a reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together in support of family farmers.

farmaid.orgFarm Aid 2026 By the Numbers – Farm AidFrom the performances on stage to the conversations that happened across the venue and throughout the entire week, the Farm Aid festival is a reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together i...

Derek and Brittany Eason raise hogs for local markets at Cartwright Family Farms in Virginia. As young farmers raising a family and working off-farm (like most farmers do), they face frequent and many challenges.

Farm Aid reposted

Corporate consolidation that hollows out local economies, puts family farms out of business, and degrades the land and water isn't progress. At FarmSTAND, we're fighting to build a better food system that feeds people, not corporate profits.

This weekend at the Power To The People Festival, we talked about how to use your vote to help shape a better future for our farm and food system. Check out our guide to making your vote count at farmaid.org/vote

The Farm Aid 2026 Memorabilia Auction is OPEN 🎸✨ Don’t miss out on signed guitars, vinyl LPs, posters and more from our Farm Aid 2026 artists! Bidding is open through Friday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. EST at farmaid.org/auction. Photo © Sabine Carey

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We had such an incredible Farm Aid! Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table and helped us knock down some Big Ag clowns! 🤡 And a special thanks to our ally NSAC, who tabled with us, and to Farm Aid for organizing a wonderful few days of movement building. Can’t wait for next year!

The sky is black and the crowd is roaring as we close out Farm Aid 2026! 🔥 After unforgettable sets from Farm Aid Board Members John Mellencamp and Neil Young, Farm Aid President Willie Nelson is up next to take us home. ❤️ 📷: © Brian Bruner / Bruner Photo

Check out a few of our favorite on-stage moments so far at #FarmAid2026! If you can't join us in Virginia Beach this year, catch the livestream at www.farmaid.org. All Photos © Brian Bruner / Bruner Photo

This morning's press event made on thing crystal clear: Farmers need our help now more than ever. 🗳 Use your vote to help shape a better future for our farm and food system: farmaid.org/take… #FarmAid2026

And we're off! Our livestream is now available to watch at farmaid.org and on YouTube. Who are you most excited to see today? Reminder: The live broadcast on CNN begins at 7 PM!

Farm Aid 2026 is HERE! 🎶🌱 Whether you’re joining us in person, watching from your couch, or following the fun right here, welcome! We’re so glad you’re spending the day with us. Get all the festival info on our website: www.farmaid.org/festival/. #FarmAid2026 #Road2FarmAid

Family farmers are facing increasing threats — from rising costs and climate impacts like extreme weather and sea level rise to land use pressures and policy uncertainty — that threaten their livelihoods, as well as the stability of the food system and the communities that depend on them.

pbs.orgWhat's making it harder for American family farms to surviveFor generations, the family farm has been central to the American story. But these days, farmers are struggling with sharply higher costs and crushing debt on top of the same economic pressures the re...

Meet Farmer Hero Silvia Cruz 🌱 Silvia is not only our Farmer Hero, but also leading an agua fresca, salsa and fresh tortilla-making demonstration in the Farm Aid 2026 HOMEGROWN Skills Tent this Saturday.

farmaid.orgFarmer Hero, Silvia Cruz on food and community – Farm AidRead our Q+A with Silvia Cruz owner of El Gallo Cafe and farm stand in Cheriton, VA. Silvia is not only our Farmer Hero, but also leading an agua fresca, salsa and fresh tortilla-making demonstration ...

On September 22, 1985, 80,000 people gathered in Champaign, Illinois, for the first Farm Aid. The show was put together in six weeks and raised over $7 million for America's family farmers.

Farmers and gardeners – don’t forget your seeds! Share some of your own seeds and go home with new varieties to try! If you’re bringing seeds, please keep them domestic, in a sealed envelope and labeled. Our annual seed swap will be in the HOMEGROWN Skills tent. #Road2FarmAid Photo © Lise Metzger

The #FarmAid2026 app has been updated with the schedule of performances — download it now to plan your day, preview the artists and learn about all that’s waiting for you on Saturday! farmaid.org/app #Road2FarmAid

Farm Aid reposted

Forty (!) years ago this week, our friends at @farmaid.org organized the first United Farmer & Rancher Congress, bringing together nearly 2000 delegates from across the country to solve the farm crisis, since the government wasn't interested in supporting the workaday people that feed this country.

September 19, 1987 – Farm Aid III Farm Aid III was held in Lincoln, Nebraska, on September 19, 1987. Performers included Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Steppenwolf, Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, John Denver and others. The Grateful Dead performed live via satellite feed.

And that may help to explain why President Trump signed a proclamation last week that will allow the duty-free importation of about 660 million pounds of inexpensive beef. If American consumers knew where that beef was coming from, they might not want to eat it."

LAST CHANCE to win a trip to Farm Aid 2026! Meet Nathaniel Rateliff backstage, watch Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Margo Price & More from the photo pit PLUS take home a Turnpike Troubadours-signed Fender guitar!

With your support, we've raised over $40,000 to keep farmers on the land. Help us make an even bigger impact. Donate now to receive 2X entries and DOUBLE your chance to win before the sweeps ends on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Enter to win and support Farm Aid:

fandiem.comWin a Trip to Farm Aid 2026 in Virginia Beach with Upfront Photo Pit PassesJoin Nathaniel Rateliff in Virginia Beach for an unforgettable Farm Aid 2026 experience. One lucky winner and a guest will receive round-tri...

The death of Wendell Berry leaves a tear in the fabric of American agriculture and rural culture. We’ll miss his voice as a passionate and creative advocate for family farms and the importance of life in rural communities across America.

Pioneers of the Red Dirt music scene, the Turnpike Troubadours are one of America’s most beloved bands. We are excited to see them make their debut on the Farm Aid stage this year! farmaid.org/lineup

Meet Farmer Hero Jo Pendergraph. From growing good food for chefs, hosting educational tours and bringing growers together to expand the local food supply, Jo and her husband Rob are helping grow the good food movement in Central Virginia.

farmaid.orgJo and Rob Pendergraph Farming with a "Small is Beautiful" Philosophy – Farm AidThe year 1985 was a terrible one for farmers in the Midwest and across the country. It was the height of the Farm Crisis, which forced hundreds of thousands of farm families into foreclosure. It was also the year that Jo Pendergraph and her husband Rob founded Manakintowne Farm in Powhatan County, Virginia. Jo explains, “We did not know what we were getting into when we began gardening in 1985!” Jo and Rob were inspired to be more self-sufficient by the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the Foxfire books, Alice Waters, Organic Gardening magazine, Rob’s parents who were in the nursery business, excellent gardening neighbors, and the restaurant where Jo’s sister was the baker. Jo remembers, “We were starting from a different place than the small and medium sized farms of the mid-80s, who were so negatively impacted by high interest rates and having to compete with subsidized megafarms.” Jo recalls, “We approached farming from a ‘small is beautiful’ philosophy, rather than ‘bigger is better.’” She laughs, “We did not think of ourselves as conventional farmers, and certainly other farmers did not!” Even today Jo and Rob think of themselves more as gardeners than farmers. Jo says, “That’s because we […]