Willie Nelson Asks Presidential Hopefuls To Meet With Family Farmers At Farm Aid's 15th Anniversary Concert

Farm Aid
Monday, 21 August 2000

Candidates and 110 Key Lawmakers Invited to Meet with Family Farmers on Crucial Farming Issues During Sept. 17 Concert and Farmer Gathering

SOMERVILLE, Ma.-A crash in commodity prices caused by failed farm policy and increasing corporate concentration in agriculture have prompted Farm Aid President Willie Nelson to ask presidential candidates, Vice President Al Gore, Texas Governor George W. Bush, Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan, to meet at Farm Aid 2000 Presented by Best Buy to hear directly from farmers about solutions to the farm crisis.

The event will take place before Farm Aid's 15th anniversary concert, Sept. 17 at Nissan Pavilion in Prince William County, Va. In addition to the four presidential candidates, the members of the House and Senate Agricultural Committees, members of the House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committees and the House and Senate leadership have been invited to meet.

"It is so bad in farm country that the farmer's return on a bushel of corn won't even buy a gallon of gasoline," Nelson said. "This is why we need the members of Congress and the future president to hear from family farmers about how we can work together to ensure that our food continues to be produced in America by our family farmers."

Current failed farm policy has caused a chronic overproduction of grain, livestock and dairy products, and forced family farmers to sell their products at far less than it costs to produce them. The average farmer earns only $7,000 annually from on-farm income, and among all livelihoods in the country, family farmers are facing the greatest decline.

Hundreds of family farmers are expected at Farm Aid's 15th anniversary concert. The line-up for Farm Aid 2000 Presented by Best Buy includes founders Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp along with Barenaked Ladies, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Travis Tritt, Sawyer Brown, Arlo Guthrie, North Mississippi Allstars, Jimmy Sturr, Shannon Curfman and more artists to be announced.

Tickets for this all-day musical extravaganza are on sale now. Ticket buyers may call about a limited number of "Corn Belt" seats for $65. Pavilion tickets are priced at $42.50 and lawn tickets are $27.50. Parking and other applicable service fees will be added to the ticket price. Tickets are available at the Nissan Pavilion Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. To purchase tickets by phone call 703-573-SEAT, 202-432-SEAT, 410-481-SEAT or 1-800-551-SEAT. Also, tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Farm Aid was founded in 1985 by Nelson, Mellencamp and Young to raise the public awareness about the plight of American family farmers and to provide assistance to those families whose livelihood depends on agriculture. In the past 15 years, Farm Aid has granted more than $15 million to over 100 farm organizations, churches and service agencies in 44 states.

For more information, or to contact Farm Aid, see their website at: www.farmaid.org