Farm Aid announced today that Grammy-nominated artist Margo Price and lifelong humanitarian and advocate for family farmers Annie Nelson have joined its Board of Directors.
Via unanimous vote, Price and Nelson will work alongside founders Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, artist board member Dave Matthews, and six industry professionals and family farm supporters.
Price and Nelson join a committed board that has steered Farm Aid for 35 years, hosting a unique annual festival to galvanize support for family farmers, organizing against corporate consolidation, deploying funds and resources to strengthen farm families facing ongoing challenges, and nurturing a cultural movement that values the people who bring good food to our tables. Farm Aid stays true to its founding values and traditions; for example, Farm Aid President Willie Nelson signs every grant check distributed by the organization to its nonprofit partners, and the organization keeps its ear to the ground, listening to a group of farmers from diverse backgrounds who care for the soil and water.
Price grew up in Illinois on her family farm before she witnessed its loss in the Farm Crisis that inspired the first Farm Aid concert. Price has been a staunch advocate for Farm Aid’s mission long before her first performance at Farm Aid 2016 in Bristow, Virginia. She has not missed a Farm Aid festival since, and this past year, she joined Dave Matthews to announce Farm Aid 2020 on Good Morning America. Price is the second artist to be added to Farm Aid’s Board of Directors after its original founding, following Dave Matthews’ appointment in 2001.
“It is always a thrill to perform alongside my heroes on the Farm Aid stage, and it is one of the greatest honors of my life to become a member of the Farm Aid board,” said Price. “It’s been a dream of mine to help family farmers and communities across America ever since my family lost their farm in the fall of 1984 — a year before the first Farm Aid concert. I hope to use my voice to shine light on the issues of climate change, our health and the health of our soil and water, and most importantly, food justice.”
Annie Nelson — who met husband Willie Nelson shortly after the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 — has served an integral role in the annual Farm Aid music and food festival. She has worked for decades to stand up for family farm agriculture and create opportunities for local, independent farmers, and she is an activist on many issues that positively impact America’s family farmers.
“I am honored to join Willie and the other members on Farm Aid’s Board of Directors,” said Nelson. “I’ve witnessed the incredible strength and resilience of America’s family farmers through my involvement in Farm Aid, and I am eager to continue to help our family farm system thrive through this new role.”
For more information on Farm Aid’s Board of Directors, visit: farmaid.org/about-us/board-and-staff/.
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 festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. For more than 35 years, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $60 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.
