Farm Aid 2007: A Homegrown Festival Showcases Link Between Farm and City

Farm Aid 2007: A Homegrown Festival Showcases Link Between Farm and City

Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews Headline Sept. 9 Festival

NEW YORK, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Artists performing at Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival called on concertgoers and urban Americans to seek out family farm food. Farm Aid hosted a music and good food festival on Randall's Island with a full day of music from over 20 artists and concessions featuring family-farm food. Farm Aid staged its annual benefit concert for the first time in New York City.

(Logo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070909/CLSU005LOGO )

"Some people thought that bringing Farm Aid to New York was a bold move. But there is good reason to invite urban Americans to appreciate the tastes of food grown close to home," said Farm Aid president and founder Willie Nelson. "People can keep family farmers on the land with their good food choices"

The festival event showcased the resources that family farmers provide for urban Americans. The concert concessions featured nearly 100 percent local, organic, humanely raised and family-farm foods. Concertgoers toured interactive agricultural exhibits of soil and water, met family farmers, and experienced urban agriculture and cooking demonstrations.

"Farm Aid works to increase the number of thriving family farmers," said Carolyn Mugar, executive director of Farm Aid. "The good food movement would not be possible without the family farmers who care for the soil and water, producing the quality food that everyone deserves."

Today, Nelson joined board members Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews on the Farm Aid stage, calling on concertgoers to choose food from family farms. Other performers included Gregg Allman, The Allman Brothers Band, Counting Crows, Tim Reynolds, Matisyahu, Guster, The Derek Trucks Band, Warren Haynes, Supersuckers, The Ditty Bops, Montgomery Gentry, Titty Bingo, Danielle Evin, Jesse Lenat, Jimmy Sturr, Pauline Reese, Billy Joe Shaver, Paula Nelson and 40 Points.

Farm Aid kicked off its annual benefit concert with a press event that featured architects of the Good Food Movement and those with the power and desire to create more opportunities to get family farm foods into cities. Governor Eliot Spitzer welcomed Farm Aid to New York and joined the discussion led by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn which included chef and good food pioneer Alice Waters; chef and sustainable food advocate, Michel Nischan; and family farmers and youth who are building the bridges that will bring more local, organic and humanely-raised foods into cities where its most needed. Governor Eliot Spitzer proclaimed September 9 Farm Aid Day in New York alongside New York City Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe who made a proclamation on behalf of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The Farm Aid concert was broadcast live on XM Radio on XMX (XM Ch. 2) and Deep Classic Rock Channel "Deep Tracks" (XM Ch. 40). Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival will be available as an on-demand Webcast at www.farmaid.org beginning at 3 p.m. EDT, September 13 and ending September 19. Viewers can watch the show by artist set.

HDNet filmed Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival for a future broadcast.

Farm Aid 2007: A HOMEGROWN Festival is sponsored by Silk Soymilk, Horizon Organic, Fields Family Foundation, Whole Foods Market, Chipotle, Chevrolet, Organic Trade Association, Delicious Living, Pet Promise, Clif Bar, Organic Valley Family of Farms, Chouinard, Toy Farmer, Peak Organic Brewing, Niman Ranch, Annie's Homegrown, Ben & Jerry's, ISITE and Sprint Recycling.

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.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070909/CLSU005LOGO
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Farm Aid

CONTACT: Brandi Dobbins, for Farm Aid, on September 9, +1-703-307-8891,
or after September 9, +1-202-331-4323, or bdobbins@vancomm.com

Web site:

http://www.farmaid.org/

-------
Profile: intent