Willie Nelson will bring Farm Aid to Minneapolis on Sept. 20

Willie Nelson is finally bringing Farm Aid to the Land of 10,000 Lakes and 65,000 farms.

Farm Aid — the nonprofit that fights on behalf of U.S. family-owned farms — will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an all-star concert Sept. 20 at Huntington Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota, it was announced Tuesday morning.

The 11-hour festival will feature the music of Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price — all of whom sit on the Farm Aid board of directors — as well as Billy Strings, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Waxahatchee and Minnesota’s own Trampled by Turtles, among others.

“For 40 years, Farm Aid and our partners have stood with farmers, supporting them to stay on their land even when corporate power, bad policies and broken promises make it harder to keep going,” Nelson said in a statement. “This year, we’re proud to bring Farm Aid to Minnesota to celebrate the farmers who sustain us and to fight for a food system that works for all of us. Family farmers aren’t backing down, and neither are we.”

Jennifer Fahy, co-executive director of Farm Aid, said Minneapolis has long been on the organization’s radar.

“We were waiting for the right fit for a venue,” she said in an interview. “The university has been a great partner. It feels right in our 40th to come to a state that has been such a leader in the farm movement over these 40 years.”

The person who sparked Farm Aid is from Minnesota. Bob Dylan made a plea onstage in July 1985 at the massive Live Aid benefit concert, which raised money to fight famine in Ethiopia, about the need to help American family farmers with mortgage debt. Nelson took up the call two months later with a huge fundraiser show at the University of Illinois featuring more than 50 big names including Billy Joel, John Denver, George Jones, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, B.B. King, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Bon Jovi, the Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, Bonnie Raitt and, of course, Nelson and Dylan.

The planned one-off concert evolved into an annual event, usually held in September. In 39 years, Farm Aid has raised more than $85 million to help family farmers by staging annual benefit concerts.

Farm Aid has given more than $25 million in grants to 300 organizations and runs a hotline for farmers, provides relief in emergencies, conducts educational programs and works on farm policies with local, regional and national groups, Fahy said.

“I’m excited to bring it from the coast where it’s been the past few years and get it back to the heart of America,” said alt-country singer Price, whose 2016 debut album was “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter.” “So many farmers there are really struggling and can use our help.”

Three of the last four Farm Aids have been held in North Carolina, Connecticut and New York. Price has been a Farm Aid regular since 2016 and a board member since 2021. Her family was forced to sell its Illinois farm in 1985; her dad became a prison guard, and her uncles turned to construction work.

Fahy said Farm Aid planned to present the Twin Cities event at the new 19,000-capacity amphitheater in Shakopee, but promoter Live Nation, a producing partner, determined that the venue would not be ready in time.

Huntington Bank Stadium, which accommodates 50,000 and has hosted concerts by Beyoncé, U2 and the Rolling Stones, was the next logical outdoor venue because the Twins are playing at Target Field on Sept. 20. U.S. Bank Stadium was not under consideration because Farm Aid, like farmers, must be outside, Fahy said.

When Jesse Ventura was governor of Minnesota in 1999, he lobbied Nelson to bring Farm Aid to the Gopher State for its 15th anniversary. Instead, Farm Aid went to Bristow, Va., the next year in 2000.

Fahy said there has been internal lobbying on the Farm Aid staff for Minnesota. She is well aware that Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith sit on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee and Minnesota Reps. Angie Craig and Brad Finstad are members of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee.

Fahy, who was named co-executive director in December, has worked on Farm Aid for 22 years.

“To think, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp have been doing it for 40 years, and they’re still completely committed and they’re excited to mark the 40th and re-energize the movement,” Fahy said. “It’s a tough moment to celebrate the wins we’ve had so far because farmers are once again in a place of feeling like they need the support. Farm Aid has been a place where farmers get that.”

In addition to a parade of musicians, Farm Aid also presents panel discussions featuring farmers and musicians. Past topics have addressed climate change, Indigenous agriculture and farmer stress.

“Since 2018, it came to forefront that farmers are among the occupations that have the highest rate of suicide,” Fahy said. “Rural America faces an incredible deficit of mental health providers.”

Price said her 10-year involvement with Farm Aid has inspired her not only to write songs — “Heart of America,” “All American Made,” “Do Right by Me” — but to change her lifestyle.

“When you’re a musician, you’re a slave to convenience, unfortunately. You’re on the road, you’re living fast and eating fast food. It takes a lot of dedication going to farmers markets and becoming part of a [community-supported agriculture group]; I’ve been working in my small, humble garden all day. Farm Aid’s really enriched my life in many ways.”

Price, 42, still can’t believe she’s on regular Zoom calls with her musical heroes for Farm Aid board meetings.

“It’s exceeded my wildest expectations and fulfilled a hole I had inside of me,” she said from her Nashville home, “and given me direction how I can use the platform to help people in communities that are like the places I came from.”

Fahy said Nelson is very involved in Farm Aid. He calls the office at least once a month, attends board meetings via Zoom and helps recruit performers, as do Price and others.

Nelson, 92, will wrap his annual Outlaw Music Festival with Dylan on Sept. 19 at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wis., and then get on the road again to Minneapolis.

“Willie Nelson is like an oracle,” Price said. “He’s got so much compassion, not only for other people but compassion for himself. He keeps himself calm and grounded among decades of success. He always pours himself into his art, and the way that he gives back to people is just really inspiring.”

Added Fahy: “He doesn’t worry about things. That is 100 percent how he lives. He wants to see people happy, he wants to see people smile, he loves music. He lives life on his terms. He’s magical, and he’s such a generous, wonderful person. Sometimes I pinch myself that Willie Nelson is my boss.”

Tickets for Farm Aid 40, priced $101-$390 (plus sales tax), will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at farmaid40.org. A limited number of presale tickets will be available beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday. For more information, go to farmaid.org/festival.