Farm Aid

Farm Aid is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 1985 by musicians Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp, inspired by the farm crisis of the 1980s that drove thousands of American family farmers off their land. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Farm Aid works to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America by providing direct support to farmers, advocating for fair farm policies, and promoting good food from family farms. The organization runs a farmer hotline that connects farmers in crisis with legal, financial, and agricultural assistance, and provides grants to organizations working to support family farming and sustainable agriculture. Farm Aid’s annual benefit concert has raised tens of millions of dollars since 1985, making it one of the most enduring and successful fundraising campaigns in the history of the American food and farming movement. The organization advocates at the federal level for agricultural policies that support small and mid-sized family farms, fair prices, and ecologically sound practices. Farm Aid also operates the Good Food in Every Community initiative, which works to expand access to fresh, sustainably produced food in underserved communities. Its work has helped thousands of farmers navigate financial challenges, access resources, and transition to more sustainable production systems. Farm Aid remains a culturally significant voice in American agriculture, linking music, culture, and food systems advocacy in a uniquely powerful way.