Farm Aid Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Farm Aid

Location(s)	United States
Years active	1985–present
Founded by	Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young

Farm Aid is a special yearly concert in the United States. It helps support farmers across the country. Famous musicians John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, and Neil Young started it in 1985.

How Farm Aid Started
How Farm Aid Helps Farmers
Farm Aid Concerts Over the Years
List of Concerts
Board of Directors
See also

How Farm Aid Started

On July 13, 1985, during a big concert called Live Aid, musician Bob Dylan talked about American farmers. He mentioned that many were losing their farms because they couldn't pay their loans. He hoped some of the concert money could help these farmers.

His idea inspired Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young. They decided to organize their own concert, called Farm Aid, to raise money and help farming families. The very first Farm Aid concert happened on September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois. About 80,000 people came to watch! Many famous artists performed, like Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, B.B. King, and Tom Petty. This first concert raised over $9 million to help farmers.

The founders thought one concert would solve the problem. But they soon realized that farmers faced many big challenges. So, Farm Aid became a yearly event. It continues to raise awareness about how important family farms are. Each year, they hold a concert with country, blues, and rock music from many different artists.

How Farm Aid Helps Farmers

Farm Aid does more than just put on concerts. The organization has a special phone line that farmers can call for help. They get advice and resources for problems they are facing.

Early on, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp even brought farmers to speak to the United States Congress. They wanted Congress to understand the difficulties farmers were having. Because of this, a law called the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 was passed. This law helped save many family farms from being lost due to unpaid loans.

Farm Aid also has a special fund to help farmers after natural disasters. For example, they helped farmers who lost their homes and crops during Hurricane Katrina and big floods in 2019. The money helps pay for farmer's needs, provides food, and offers legal and financial advice. It even helps with emotional support.

Farm Aid Concerts Over the Years

Farm Aid concerts have been held in many different cities across the U.S. They always feature a mix of famous musicians and new artists. For example, the 20th-anniversary concert in 2005 was held in Tinley Park, Illinois. The 2007 concert was the first one in New York City. In 2019, country music star Luke Combs performed at Farm Aid for the first time.

In 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic, Farm Aid held a special "At Home" concert. Musicians performed from their own homes! Farm Aid also encourages people to buy beef from American farms to support local farmers.

List of Concerts

Farm Aid events
Event	Date	Location	Venue	Lineup	Notes
Farm Aid	September 22, 1985	Champaign, Illinois	Memorial Stadium	Alabama, The Beach Boys, Bon Jovi, Jimmy Buffett, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels Band, John Denver, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Billy Joel, B.B. King, Loretta Lynn, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Neil Young and many more.	The very first Farm Aid concert.
Farm Aid II	July 4, 1986	Manor, Texas	Manor Downs Racetrack	Alabama, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Waylon Jennings, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Neil Young and others.	Some artists joined by satellite.
Farm Aid III	September 19, 1987	Lincoln, Nebraska	Memorial Stadium	Emmylou Harris, John Denver, Lou Reed, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Joe Walsh, Willie Nelson and others.	The Grateful Dead joined by satellite.
Farm Aid IV	April 7, 1990	Indianapolis, Indiana	Hoosier Dome	Bonnie Raitt, John Mellencamp, Garth Brooks, John Denver, Elton John, Don Henley, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Guns N' Roses and more.
Farm Aid '95: 10th Anniversary	October 1, 1995	Louisville, Kentucky	Cardinal Stadium	Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews Band, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and others.	Celebrating 10 years of Farm Aid.
Farm Aid 2000	September 17, 2000	Bristow, Virginia	Nissan Pavilion	Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Barenaked Ladies, Willie Nelson and more.	The 15th Anniversary of Farm Aid.
Farm Aid 2005: 20th Anniversary	September 18, 2005	Tinley Park, Illinois	First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre	Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Kenny Chesney, Los Lonely Boys, Wilco, Barack Obama and many more.	The 20th Anniversary of Farm Aid.
Farm Aid 2010: 25th Anniversary	October 2, 2010	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Miller Park	Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Neil Young, Kenny Chesney, Norah Jones, Band of Horses and others.	The 25th Anniversary of Farm Aid.
Farm Aid 2015	September 19, 2015	Chicago	FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island	Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Imagine Dragons, Jack Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Mavis Staples and more.	The 30th Anniversary of Farm Aid.
Farm Aid 2022	September 24, 2022	Raleigh, North Carolina	Walnut Creek Amphitheatre	Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, Chris Stapleton, Sheryl Crow, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and others.
Farm Aid 2023	September 23, 2023	Noblesville, Indiana	Ruoff Music Center	Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Margo Price, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Allison Russell and many more.