Mayor Bloomberg Welcomes Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Farm Aid to Big Apple

Mayor Bloomberg Welcomes Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Farm Aid to Big Apple

First Farm Aid HOMEGROWN Festival Sept. 9 to feature Nelson, Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews

NEW YORK, June 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Alongside farmers and food buyers at Union Square's Greenmarket, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg welcomed Farm Aid co-founders Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp to New York as the pair announced Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival that will feature an all-star, day-long concert event at Randall's Island Sunday, September 9.

"The City strongly supports sustainable family farming through our Greenmarket program -- which has nearly doubled its locations over the past five years -- and it's an honor to be hosting Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Farm Aid for their 2007 concert," said Mayor Bloomberg.

Farm Aid's benefit concert will feature headliners Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, plus other top artists to be announced.

"Farm Aid is coming to New York because your enthusiasm for family farm food is keeping family farmers on the land. We are thankful to Mayor Bloomberg, the City Council and the many activists here who are leading efforts so that every New Yorker has access to more food from family farms," said Farm Aid president Willie Nelson.

"Things change when we all take personal responsibility for our food and where it comes from," said Farm Aid board member John Mellencamp. "Farm Aid is a force for change that works hard to keep farmers on the land so that we'll have good food on our tables."

Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival will celebrate music, good food, and hands-on activities with family farmers and urban growers. For the first time, concert concessions will feature all fresh, local, organic and family farmed food. The Economic Development Corporation projects that Farm Aid will have an economic impact on the City of $12.7 million.

"Farm Aid presents this homegrown festival to welcome everyone to a day of music for family farmers and to promote fresh healthy food for all," said Farm Aid executive director Carolyn Mugar. "Every Farm Aid artist comes to the show and donates their performance because they know that family farmers are America's best source for our food and renewable energy and the best protectors of our soil and water."

Since its beginning, Farm Aid has traveled the country, staging annual concerts and supporting local organizations working to strengthen family farms. Farm Aid builds the Good Food Movement by connecting people with family farmers who are increasing the supply of local, humanely raised, sustainable and organic food.

Tickets for Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival are on sale June 16 at 10 a.m. EDT and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or by calling (212) 307-7171, (631) 888-9000 or (203) 624-0033. For more information about Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival, visit http://www.farmaid.org/.

Farm Aid will offer special advance sale tickets to its FarmYard members. To become a member of Farm Aid's FarmYard, visit http://www.farmaid.org/.

Sponsors for Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival include Silk Soymilk, Pet Promise, Horizon Organic, Organic Valley Family of Farms, and the Fields Family Foundation.

Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant family farm centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farmed food. Since 1985, Farm Aid has raised over $30 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the current system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.

Source: Farm Aid 2007

CONTACT: Brandi Dobbins, June 11 & 12: +1-703-307-8891, After June 11:
+1-202-331-4323 x 1038, bdobbins@vancomm.com, for Farm Aid 2007

Web site:

http://www.farmaid.org/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Advance credentials are required for all media to attend Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival. Please visit www.farmaid.org/media by Aug. 10, 2007 to apply.

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