Archive for the ‘Farm Aid’ Category

Ask Congress to Pass a Farm Bill that helps family farmer agriculture

Thursday, May 23rd, 2013

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www.FarmAid.org

Well fair readers, we told you we’d alert you when a good opportunity to engage in the 2013 Farm Bill arrives. Farm Aid fans and family farmer supporters: your time has come!

The Farm Bill is a big deal: it has the power to level the playing field for family farmers, deliver good food to eaters, support healthy local food systems, protect the environment, and much more. But in order to accomplish those things, Congress needs to make a lot of fixes.

It’s time to tell your Senators to fix the Farm Bill.

This week, the entire Senate is voting on key amendments to the Farm Bill. We checked in with our partners in Washington D.C., and we’re excited to see some critical amendments proposed by Senators that will make farm policy work better for family farmer agriculture and all of us eaters.

But we need YOU to raise your voices in support of these amendments. We need a Farm Bill that supports family farmers and a fair food system. One that kicks corporate giants to the curb. One that delivers good food and safeguards the public from wasteful spending and short-sighted policies.

Call your Senators NOW and tell them to support a fixed Farm Bill:
You can find the contact information for your Senators here or call the U.S. Senate switchboard (202) 224-3121 to be connected to your Senators’ offices.
Ask for the staffer that works on agriculture issues.
Tell them to vote for the following amendments that support family farmers and a fair food system. Below, we’ve outlined a suggested message for when you call your Senators:

Farm Aid helps answer What goes on with chickens to bring that nugget to your plate

Monday, May 20th, 2013

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www.FarmAid.org

Since the 1950s, the number of chickens raised in the U.S. has increased by an incredible 1,400 percent. But during that time, the number of farmers raising all that poultry has plummeted by 98 percent. How can that be possible?

Over the past few years, Farm Aid has brought attention to the problem of “corporate concentration” in agriculture. It can seem like an abstract and complex topic, but when you talk to the family farmers trying to compete in markets where just a few corporations dominate, the story of corporate power and its effects on us all becomes clear.

So today, we’re bringing a couple stories that explain these issues from different sides. First, we answer a reader question: “I finally got around to watching Food, Inc. I was floored to see what poultry producers actually go through. Is this really what’s behind the chicken on my plate?

Our answer includes a clip from the film Food, Inc. (along with an updated video on how the poultry farmer featured in it has turned her farm around) and features graphics to help explain the changes that have taken place in the poultry industry in recent years.

Click here to read Ask Farm Aid >> 

Monday, May 20th, 2013

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Sunday, May 19th, 2013

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Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Mickey Raphael, Farm Aid 1997, “Long May You Run”

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013

www.FarmAid.org

Willie Nelson, Farm Aid 1997, “Will the Circle be Unbroken”

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Support Family Farmers
Support Farm Aid
Learn how you can help, and get on their mailing list to get updates on this year’s Farm Aid Concert.
www.FarmAid.org

Willie Nelson & Family, Farm Aid 1997 (“Still is Still Movin’ to Me”

Sunday, May 12th, 2013

Willie Nelson and Nora Jones, Farm Aid 25

Friday, May 10th, 2013

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photo: Mary Francis Andrews

George Jones, Farm Aid 1985, “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes”

Saturday, May 4th, 2013

Happy 80th birthday, and thank you, Willie Nelson, from your friend, Ralph Paige

Sunday, April 28th, 2013

Ralph Paige, Executive Director, Federation of Southern Cooperatives. “His voice sounds great singing, and it sounds even better, when it’s founding the family farmers.”

This day in Willie Nelson history: Farm Aid VI (Ames, IA) (April 24, 1993)

Wednesday, April 24th, 2013

Farm Aid VI April 24, 1993 Ames, Iowa

All of America watched as the Flood of ’93 left thousands of Midwest families homeless. Heavy rains caused the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to rise up and overflow their banks, swallowing entire towns along the way. Eight million acres of crops were destroyed and 20 million acres were damaged. With their backs already against the wall due to heavy debt and low farm prices, Midwest family farmers had few resources left to deal with the effects of the flooding. In response to the flood, Farm Aid created the Family Farm Disaster Fund to support organizations that worked directly with farm families stricken by the flood. When farmers needed help to avoid foreclosure due to losses from the flood, Farm Aid-funded groups were there to help them save their farms.

Farm Aid VI, held in Ames, Iowa on April 24, featured performances by Bruce Hornsby, Sawyer Brown, Bryan Adams, Ringo Starr, Marty Stuart, Martina McBride, the Highwaymen, and Dwight Yoakam.  Over 40,000 people attended.

Join Farm Aid in Wishing Willie Nelson Happy Birthday, and thanks

Sunday, April 21st, 2013

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www.HappyBirthdayWillie.org

 

“When people really need to get together, they do.”
– Willie Nelson

Farm Aid President Willie Nelson started Farm Aid back in 1985 to keep family farmers on the land. Since then, millions of people have joined Willie to celebrate family farmers with music and good food.

This April 30th, Willie Nelson will turn 80 years old. We do not want to let the day go by without acknowledging Willie’s extraordinary leadership in championing family farmers. Willie has said he realized early on that playing the guitar was a heck of a lot easier than being a farmer! For decades now, he’s worked vigorously to stand up for them and the good food we all want. We’re gathering up good wishes for Willie from America’s family farmers, artists and from all of us who eat.

Visit www.HappyBirthdayWillie.org   to see our video tribute and then share your own message for Willie.

We’ll round up your most heartwarming and funny testimonials to make a video from all of us for Willie on his big day. Check out HappyBirthdayWillie.org to see some of the submissions we’ve already received! Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Kenny Chesney, Stephen Colbert and our friends who have been directly impacted by Willie’s great work, like National Family Farm Coalition, have sent in heart-warming greetings already.

Visit the site for new submissions each day until Willie’s big day and see if your message made the cut to be featured in our second video we’re releasing on April 30th.

Thanks for joining us in telling our hero Happy Birthday and thanking him for all he’s done for family farmers and good food!

Billy Joe Shaver, Farm Aid 1990, “Georgia on a Fast Train”

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

Support Family Farmers! Save America! Support Farm Aid!
www.FarmAid.org

Willie Nelson, Farm Aid 1995, “Amazing Grace”

Sunday, April 7th, 2013

This day in Willie Nelson history: Farm Aid IV, Indianapolis, IN (4/7/1990)

Sunday, April 7th, 2013

On April 7, 1990, Willie Nelson hosted Farm Aid IV in Indianapolis. Elton John dedicates “Candle In The Wind” to AIDS patient Ryan White, who dies that night. Also on hand: Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Dwight Yoakam, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Kris Kristofferson, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp and Neil Young.

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Selling out in 90 minutes, Farm Aid’s fourth concert in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 7 brought 70 artists together with farmers, environmental and consumer advocates. A new message emerged from that effort: the well-being of our land, food and water supply depends on a network of family farmers who care about how our food is grown.

The concert was televised live on The Nashville Network, and a two-hour highlight was re-broadcast to ten million viewers on CBS. In additional to Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, the musical line-up included Bonnie Raitt, Kris Kristofferson, Jakcson Brown, Elton John, Don Henley, Dwight Yoakam, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Crosby Stills & Nash, and Garth Brooks. Elton John dedicates “Candle In The Wind” to AIDS patient Ryan White, who dies that night.

Willie Nelson and Kimmie Rhodes perform “Just One Love” live at the Farm Aid concert in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 7th, 1990. Farm Aid was started by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp in 1985 to keep family farmers on the land and has worked since then to make sure everyone has access to good food from family farmers. Dave Matthews joined Farm Aid’s board of directors in 2001.

For more information about Farm Aid, visit: http://farmaid.org/youtube