Farm Aid Eyes Big Apple

Mon., Jun. 11, 2007 2:26 PM PDT by Josh Grossberg

As any good planter can attest, crop rotation is essential for quality control and variety.

So it makes perfect sense that Farm Aid is eschewing its traditional prairie home and putting down stakes in New York City.

The annual music fest benefiting ailing family farms will, for the first time in its 22 years, be held in Big Apple. The 2007 edition will take place Sept. 9 at Randall's Island, a 480-acre island in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, organizers announced Monday.

Farm Aid will feature the usual headlining sets from cofounders Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, as well as fellow board member Dave Matthews.

The rest of the all-star lineup isn't expected to be finalized for a few weeks, but a typical Farm Aid features a cornucopia of performers specializing in roots, rock, reggae and country.

This year's Farm Aid will highlight the advantages of growing organic foods, developing more efficient energy sources and using more sustainable practices to reinvigorate America's farmers.

How did organizers settled on the most urban of settings for the latest barn dance? New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will field that one.

"The city strongly supports sustainable family farming through our Greemarket 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," he said at a press conference featuring the two Farm Aid masterminds.

"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 are leading efforts so that every New Yorker has access to more food from family farms," added Nelson.

This isn't the first time the music extravaganza has migrated from its Midwest roots.

Last year's benefit was held in Camden, New Jersey, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. Seattle played host 2004, the first show west of the Rockies, and Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, was the site in 2002, the first time the festival took place in the Northeast. The itinerant fest has also played such states as Illinois, Virginia and Texas. All told, Farm Aid has raised more than $30 million.

Tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster starting Saturday. However, some of the best seats will be available a day earlier for FarmYard members, an exclusive club offering fans special discounts and other goodies in return for a $40 tax-deductible donation to Farm Aid.