www.jsonline.com
by Don Walker
Farm Aid, the nonprofit group that promotes family-centered farming around the country, spent $1.3 million in 2009 to support groups and other organizations, according to an audit.
The audit, released at the request of the Journal Sentinel, shows that Farm Aid, which is bringing its annual concert on Oct. 2 to Miller Park, gave more than $525,000 in grants to groups around the country and reported direct program costs of a little more than $801,000.
According to the audit, direct program costs consist of activities and programs “promoting food from family farms, growing the good food movement, helping farmers thrive, and taking action to change the system.”
The 2009 grants went to groups under four different program areas: Growing the Good Food Movement ($72,000), Helping Farmers Thrive ($184,600), Taking Action to Change the System ($247,569) and Younkers/Farm Aid scholarship funds totaling $21,172.
Jennifer Fahy, a Farm Aid spokeswoman, said money raised from this year’s Farm Aid concert, featuring Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and other artists, will be used for grants and programs. Those decisions will be made shortly after the concert, she said.
Fahy said all artists play for free and pay for their own travel expenses.
Because this year’s concert is in the Midwest, the chances are good that family farm groups centered in the Midwest, and especially dairy interests, would be in line to benefit from the concert’s proceeds, Fahy