Farm Aid 2025 - A Reflection

Farm Aid Reflection

By, Kristianna Gehant Siddens

If you’ve heard of Farm Aid and you’re like me, you know it as an annual, all-day concert started in the 1980s to raise money for farm families in crisis, featuring big names like Willie Nelson. It IS that, but also so much more! Farm Aid’s mission is to “build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America.” In doing so, they not only operate a hotline and provide resources for farmers in need, they also connect and support grassroots organizations across the nation who provide farmers with market access, legal aid, connection to conservation programs and other avenues of support. As a lucky

attendee at this year’s 40th anniversary festival in Minneapolis (thanks to South Dakota grassroots organization, Dakota Rural Action), I got in on some pre-festival events for a look at Farm Aid’s work today.

What an inspiring weekend it was! We were treated to speakers and panels highlighting the work of farmers and farm advocates throughout the Midwest. The opening panel featured indigenous farmers and ranchers implementing regenerative ranching and wild rice restoration, as well as a restauranteur serving indigenous fare to bring Native American food-ways into mainstream awareness. We heard farmers of color and immigrant farmers hailing from Minnesota to Puerto Rico. They shared farming challenges and successes, and discussed how relationship building and collaboration are critical supports as they gain acceptance in local communities. State legislators and row crop farmers conveyed strategies for cross-party collaboration through stories of political wins on agricultural issues important to family farmers. Panelists and audience members totaled a couple hundred people holding as many opinions. While some shared their views quite pointedly at times, I was reassured by their willingness to listen to each other, correct the record when necessary, and come together over shared goals.

Saturday’s events, broadcast nationally, showcased remarks by Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Margo Price and stories from a tapestry of individual farmers in Minnesota (you can watch it HERE). Young farmers engaged in regenerative ranching and specialty crop production discussed overcoming obstacles to produce food for their communities. Established farmers shared stories of moving from conventional farming to direct marketing and utilizing pastured livestock as a means to not only stay on the land, but to achieve profitability. We heard from farmers creating co-ops and collaborative entities to gain market share and leverage resources. And throughout the concert, regenerative and family farmers of all types (including me!) shared their stories over radio airwaves between acts while gorgeous photos of farmers, their families, and their farms splashed across the screens behind the performers.

The beauty of Farm Aid 40 for me was seeing the variability of agriculture that I’ve seen in my work with Ecdysis represented on one of the biggest stages in the country. Tens of thousands of people witnessed the true breadth of farming in the U.S., and the variety of farmers engaged in that work. As I saw myself and my specialty crop, regenerative farm reflected in stories and images alongside those of my row cropping neighbors, I felt a kinship with the wider agricultural community. My takeaway from FarmAid40 is that creating a diverse, regenerative, family-centered agriculture starts with listening to each other, finding common ground, and building relationships. We all eat, and we can start there.