Farm Aid on the Mound

Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp are among the icons playing Farm Aid's 25th anniversary concert on Oct. 2 at Miller Park.


Tickets for "Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America" will go on sale at 9 a.m. Aug. 14, at the Brewers box office, by calling (414) 902-4000 or online at www.tickets.com. Ticket prices range from $39.50 to $97.50.

This is the first time Farm Aid, which supports family farms nationwide, will be held in Wisconsin, said Carolyn Mugar, the group's executive director.

"We feel extremely welcome there, especially by the Brewers," Mugar said, noting city and state officials have voiced warm support.

Farm Aid officials said they selected the Dairy State as the venue because it's an excellent example of the past and present of American agriculture, noting Wisconsin represents "the greatest successes of the good food movement."

The group defines that movement as the growing public interest in organic, humanely raised and family farm-identified food. One of Farm Aid's goals - in addition to throwing a rocking concert to raise funds for its efforts - is to educate the public about the issues challenging the country's food system.

"People are much more interested in local, fresh, family farmed foods," Mugar said. "The message is extremely important to get people recognizing how important family farms are, that they can demand food from family farms and get more transparency as far as where their food is coming from."

One driving force behind that good food movement - he prefers to call it the good food revolution - is Will Allen, the founder of Growing Power in Milwaukee. Growing Power, an urban farm, community food center and international training effort, was singled out by Farm Aid as an important reason why Milwaukee will host the concert.

"What he does is extraordinary," Mugar said. "He is such a shining example of genius in the field. We really feel lucky to be in a city where he is and talk about his efforts and successes."

Allen, who was recently named by Time magazine one of the world's 100 most influential people, said he is honored and elated Farm Aid's concert is coming to town.

"When they called and said they were going to have it in Milwaukee, I was completely taken off guard," Allen said. "To have Farm Aid come is just another example of how Milwaukee has taken a leadership role in making Wisconsin the small farm capital of the world because of what's going on here and the training we do."

Allen said Wisconsin is a leader in sustainable farming, noting the many thriving small farms around Madison that make the Dane County Farmer's Market the largest in the United States.

"To grow food where people live, . . . it's a way to be proactive," Allen said. "People can grow their food in their backyard, community garden, and we are giving them concrete examples it can be done."

Farm Aid began as a benefit concert in 1985 in Champaign, Ill., to raise money for family farmers. The concert was organized by Nelson, Mellencamp and Young, who were inspired by Bob Dylan's comments at Live Aid earlier in that year. Nelson and Mellencamp brought family farmers before Congress to testify about the state of family farming in America, eventually leading to the passing of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 to help save family farms from foreclosure. Farm Aid has raised more than $37 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.

"This is a really big thing for us as a state and as an organization," Allen said.

By Stanley A. Miller II of the Journal Sentinel
Updated: Aug. 2, 2010 9:18 a.m.