Farm Aid, Farmer Frustration In Virginia

W A S H I N G T O N, Sept. 17 -- Thousands of farmersstruggling with some of the lowest crop prices in two decades have gathered near the nation’s capital for the 15th annualFarm Aid concert, a now familiar event hosted by musicians WillieNelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp.

Today’s concert in the Virginia countryside is the highlightof a weekend of growers’ meetings with lawmakers and presidentialcampaigners such as Tipper Gore, Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan.

Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President and Democraticpresidential candidate Al Gore, plans to accompany Nelson onstage, playing the drums, event organizers said.

Professional acts will include Barenaked Ladies, Crosby,Stills, Nash and Young, Alan Jackson, Arlo Guthrie and Mellencampamong others in a marathon concert to be broadcast on the CountryMusic Television cable outlet. The concert, in Bristow, Va.,started at 2 p.m. and is expected to last until about 10 p.m.

Fundraiser for Farm Groups

Since its inception in 1985, Farm Aid has given over $15million to more than 100 farm organizations, churches and serviceagencies in 44 states.

Farmers from nearly every state are due to voice theirdispleasure at market conditions and federal policies they feelare ruining the nation’s traditional family farm, organizerssaid.

Many farmers plan protests against the landmark 1996 Farm Billthat phased out most federal crop subsidy programs and is blamedfor cutting government payments too sharply.

“Family farmers know what we need to fix federal farm policy,and we’ve put together a comprehensive agenda that outlines ourpolicy demands,” said Rhonda Perry, a livestock and grain farmerfrom Howard County, Missouri, and member of the Missouri RuralCrisis Center.

“We’ve got to get rid of Freedom-to-Farm, and replace thisdisastrous farm bill with an effective policy that gives farmers afair price from the marketplace and not the taxpayers,” she said.