HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Farm Aid 2021
marked the organization's return to a live festival today,
highlighting farmers who have withstood economic, operational and
policy challenges and stand determined to create a better farm and
food system — one that embraces diversity, sustains our natural
resources and nourishes generations to come.
"So much has changed since we last gathered at Farm Aid in
2019," said Farm Aid President and Founder Willie Nelson. "We've all seen the pain brought
about by the COVID-19 pandemic, but our family farmers endured,
growing the food we needed and offering solutions that are so
essential to our country."
At a virtual town hall gathering Friday, U.S. Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack, Senators
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and
Tina Smith (D-MN), the Agriculture
Commissioners of Connecticut,
Massachusetts and New York, along with farmers, partners and
other policymakers kicked off the festival weekend with a robust
discussion about core issues, including corporate concentration and
consolidation, racial equity, debt relief and climate change.
Nelson was joined Saturday on the Farm Aid stage by fellow board
members John Mellencamp,
Dave Matthews and Margo Price, along with Tyler Childers, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats,
Bettye LaVette, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real,
Jamey Johnson, Allison Russell, Particle Kid, Ian Mellencamp, the Wisdom Indian Dancers, and
the Horse Hill Singers, who donated their time and talents for the
nearly 10-hour show. On the video screens, festivalgoers were
introduced to farmers from the Northeast and beyond who represent
the diverse people and practices that make up a healthy,
sustainable agricultural system. Featured farmers include
immigrants who are finding innovative ways to access land and farm
in community with each other; producers using regenerative
practices to build soil and teach new generations to find joy in
working the land; and entrepreneurs creating new paths to build
local and regional food systems.
Throughout the day, artists and farmers joined together on the
FarmYard stage to discuss challenges and opportunities in
agriculture, including Black land loss, climate change and the
solutions that family farmers bring to the table, and the
day-to-day realities of being a farmer in an
increasingly-consolidated farm and food system. Farm Aid reaffirmed
its solidarity with BIPOC farmers who are advocating for fairness
across the system and highlighted the innovative progress in
agriculture in the Northeast, including local and regional food
systems, organic production and regenerative agricultural methods
that mitigate climate change and build soil.
Farm Aid's HOMEGROWN Village featured hands-on activities to
celebrate the culture of agriculture and give festivalgoers a
chance to meet farmers in person and learn how they enrich our
soil, protect our water, grow our economy and bring us good food
for good health. Local and national organizations participated, and
attendees learned about gleaning and re-localizing food systems in
the United States to prevent
avoidable food waste; discovered Connecticut local farms, markets and farm
products; and tested their food and farm knowledge in a game, while
learning about the dangers of corporate consolidation.
Farm Aid's trademarked HOMEGROWN Concessions® offered food with
ingredients produced by family farmers who utilize ecological
practices and are paid a fair price for their products. Legends
Hospitality, local community vendors and Farm Aid's perennial food
suppliers served menu items showcasing Connecticut and the region's outstanding
farms. Food choices included local fish and chips, crispy oyster
tostadas, hot dogs and sausages from Meatworks of southern New
England, roasted brussels sprouts, beet sandwiches, portobello
burgers, grass-fed beef burgers, stuffed sweet potatoes with local
smoked beef brisket, pretzels made with organic flour, grains,
beans and greens bowls, plank fries and chicken tenders with
homemade sauces, and much more. Vendors brought local flavors,
including Soul de Cuba Café, Whey Station, Villa of Lebanon, DORO Restaurant Group, Maple Valley
Creamery and Ben & Jerry's. Farm Aid's perennial vendors
include Corndog, Inc., Patchwork Family Farms and Lone Cedar
Café.
Sponsors of Farm Aid 2021 included DISH Network, ButcherBox,
Porter-Cable, Tractor Supply Foundation, Spindrift, WhistlePig
Whiskey, McManis Family Vineyards, Lundberg Family Farms and
Maestro.
Farm Aid 2021 will air on FarmAid.org and Circle Network, as
well on SiriusXM's Willie's Roadhouse (channel 59) and Dave
Matthews Band Radio (channel 30) via SiriusXM radios and on the SXM
App.
Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered
system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board
members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John
Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and
Margo Price host an annual festival
to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and
to inspire people to choose family farm food. For more than 35
years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute
their performances each year, has raised more than $60 million to support programs that help farmers
thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to
change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote
food from family farms.
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SOURCE Farm Aid