Farm Aid: Activism Takes the Stage

Today's musical atmosphere is a far cry from the 1960s, when artists of all kinds were critical players in efforts to end the Vietnam War, promote civil rights, launch the environmental movement, and take women's rights to a new level. Britney Spears' recent response to a question about Iraq tells how far backwards we've gone: "Honestly, I think we should just trust our president in every decision that he makes and we should just support that."

Part of the problem has to do with well-funded conservative groups that launch an attack any time an entertainer speaks out. Groups such as the Media Research Center, Accuracy in Media, and RightNation immediately pounce on artists who dare take a progressive political stand. The Dixie Chicks, Susan Sarandon, Ani DiFranco, Martin Sheen, and many others have been on the receiving end of their venom. The uproar is usually furious and the ramifications often swift. Such attacks are intended to have an unmistakable chilling effect on other artists who may want to express their views. For many, the decision to not speak out comes down to preserving their career.

Fortunately this isn't always the case. For the past 18 years some of the world's finest musicians have come together annually to perform at Farm Aid, where they regularly espouse views that are controversial -- and refreshing. Since Farm Aid began they have raised nearly $25 million to support family farmers, and their concert series is the longest-running event of its kind.

This Thanksgiving Americans will have the opportunity to see for themselves what Farm Aid is all about. For the first time, "Soundstage" will air a two-hour Farm Aid special in a nationally broadcast PBS show. The show will include footage from the September 2003 concert, plus interviews with Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews.

"You couldn't ask for a better day to connect with Farm Aid, because so much of the organization's work centers on food," Farm Aid co-founder Willie Nelson said. "I'll be eating something organic on Thanksgiving and giving thanks for Farm Aid's opportunity to educate Americans about the benefits of buying safe food from local family farmers."

The show is produced by Chicago PBS affiliate WTTW-TV. At the press conference announcing the affiliation, WTTW Executive Vice-President Randy King said, "The marriage of public television and the mission of Farm Aid is a natural fit. Hopefully, this is the start of a long tradition of Farm Aid on Thanksgiving evening on PBS."

Celebration With a Mission

Farm Aid Director Carolyn Mugar has been with the organization since its inception. "It's an honor to work with such dedicated musicians who really give a tremendous amount to the organization," she says. "Besides their time, all the artists also donate the time of their band and their travel expenses. It's a major commitment." Over the course of its history the concerts have included performances by many legendary performers, including Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, BB King, Roy Orbison, Steppenwolf, Leon Russell, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Paul Simon, Beck, Bonnie Raitt, and even the Grateful Dead via satellite.

Farm Aid has always been designed to help keep family farmers on their land, a daunting challenge in a country where five million farmers have left the profession in the last century and an astonishing 330 farm operators leave their land every week.

The numbers reflect the impact of post World War II agricultural policies that have encouraged the growth of corporate factory farms at the expense of small family farmers.

"Farm policy is dominated by big corporations and all the federal laws in recent years have been structured to their benefit. The government hasn't done anything for small farmers except push them off their land," says Nelson. "As a result, we have had an ongoing farm crisis that has destroyed rural communities across the country. It's a domino effect -- when the farms go out of business so do the local businesses that were supporting them."