2016 Farm Aid Concert Releases Impressive Lineup
“Folks are educating themselves about where and how food is grown — they’re hungry for the truth. Family farmers bring us good food, protect our soil and water and strengthen our country. The Farm Aid concert is a day for us to honor that truth and keep working for family farmers.” — Willie Nelson
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Willie Nelson, along with Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews are the board members for the Farm Aid organization first launched in 1985, and all four will be performing at this year’s event being held in Bristow, Virginia at Jiffy Lube Live on September 17th.
Along with the four headliners, this year’s Farm Aid features an impressive list of country music talent, including Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson, Margo Price, Carlene Carter, and Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats. Other performers include The Alabama Shakes, Lukas Nelson and The Promise of the Real, Tim Reynolds, and Insects vs. Robots. Dave Matthews will perform an acoustic set with Tim Reynolds, and Neil Young will be backed up by Willie Nelson’s two songs Lukas and Micah, and The Promise of the Real.
Farm Aid has been held annually since it started in 1985, and this will be the third time the event will be held at the Bristow, Virginia venue. Picking Bristow was purposeful for organizers. Farming is Virginia’s largest economic sector, and contributes more than $52 billion to the state’s economy. However, just like many parts of the country, farming is in decline in the state. Virginia has lost 4% of their farms in the last 10 years.
“Citizens are told that their long-held values are getting in the way of progress, or that the family farm is obsolete,” says Willie Nelson. “But the truth is just the opposite: Corporate farming is destroying our present; the family farm is our future.”
“We’ve been fighting for family farmers for a long time, and that fight isn’t over,” John Mellencamp adds. “At Farm Aid 2016, we’ll come together to stand up to the handful of corporations that control our food system. If you want a better world, it starts with you.”
Since 1985, Farm Aid has offered immediate and effective support services to farm families in crisis. Farm Aid works with local, regional and national organizations to promote fair farm policies and grassroots organizing campaigns designed to defend and bolster family farm-centered agriculture.
Tickets for Farm Aid 2016 will go on sale July 27th at 10 a.m. Eastern.
June 21, 2016 @ 9:29 am
I went last year in Chicago and had a great time. Not sure if I’ll go this year because I’m spending a fortune to go to Willie’s 4th of July picnic in Austin.
June 21, 2016 @ 9:37 am
I went to the one in 2003. Sitting through Dave Matthews was pure Hell, but otherwise, it was cool. On a macro level, though, hasn’t Farm Aid failed?
June 21, 2016 @ 11:02 am
well there are fewer family farmers than ever but we spend more money on them than ever…. I’d say you have a great point.
June 21, 2016 @ 2:10 pm
Not much you can do when land prices rise beyond reason and equipment prices don’t fall when land prices and commodity prices fall. It’s harder than ever to get into farming unless you were born into a huge family farm or luck upon some serious money. Many young farmers are trapped into high land rent and crossing their fingers that they keep their landlords happy so they’ll sign new contracts.
That, and if you’ve paid attention to corn and spring wheat prices over these past few years, you see that farmers essentially have their product stolen from them when they sell.
June 22, 2016 @ 9:42 am
Just to add to BwareDWare- beacuse he hit the nail on the head- seed and fertilizer costs go up with crop prices are high, but rarely come down when crop prices slide.
The thing that worries me though, is give it a couple years of bad crop prices, these big boys that trade tractors and combines and King Ranch pickups every other year will be hurting, and when they go to sell out, the family farms won’t be able to afford the ground, and the other corporate farms may or may not want to expand at that time either. So who will swoop in? I’m afraid it will be big money city folks, and we’ll lose rural America for good. God bless Willie for doing what he can to raise awareness.
“Corporate farming is destroying our present; the family farm is our future.” I love that quote.
June 21, 2016 @ 9:42 am
Jiffy Lube Live is the worst venue on the planet.
June 21, 2016 @ 12:09 pm
Completely agree. Getting in and out that place is pure hell. I don’t even bother going up there anymore…. might have to make an exception for this show though.
June 21, 2016 @ 12:30 pm
What does Sturgill play with a short set?
June 21, 2016 @ 1:15 pm
“has been held every year annually…” Nope, skipped 1988 and 1989.
June 22, 2016 @ 7:18 am
Already bought my dad tickets to see Hank Jr. the night before in Simpsonville, SC or there would be a road trip coming on. Great Lineup.
June 22, 2016 @ 12:32 pm
Back-to-back shows in a certain area of Virginia for Sturgill Simpson fans. On Friday 09/16 he plays Sprint Pavilion in Charlottesville. Then on Saturday 09/17 he hits the Farm Aid stage in Bristow, only 85 miles away.