Willie Nelson hosting virtual Farm Aid with Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews

In response to COVID-19, Farm Aid plans to create emergency grants, advocate for recovery funds and connect farmers to legal, financial and mental health resources

SHARE Willie Nelson hosting virtual Farm Aid with Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews
Willie Nelson performs “The Rainbow Connection” at the 53rd annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn.

Willie Nelson performs “The Rainbow Connection” at the 53rd annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in 2019, in Nashville, Tennessee.

AP

Farm Aid, the annual concert that’s raised money and awareness for family farms since 1985, is airing on a TV screen near you this weekend.

Willie Nelson, Farm Aid president and co-founder, announced earlier this week plans to broadcast “At Home With Farm Aid,” a virtual concert benefiting farms impacted by COVID-19.

He’ll be joined by Farm Aid board members Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, as well as Nelson’s sons, Lukas and Micah.

The program airs at 7 p.m. Saturday on AXS TV. SiriusXM will broadcast the hour-long show on Dave Matthews Band Radio (Ch. 176) and Willie’s Roadhouse (Ch. 59). Viewers can also tune in via farmaid.org or AXS TV social media channels.

In response to COVID-19, Farm Aid plans to create emergency grants, advocate for recovery funds and connect farmers to legal, financial and mental health resources, according to a release.

The coronavirus has “disrupted our entire country and is a grave threat to all of us,” Nelson said in the release.

“One of its many impacts is that it has helped us to better see the value of essential people like health care workers, grocery store clerks, delivery truck drivers, and farmers and ranchers,” Nelson said. ”Farm Aid has worked for 35 years to build a family farm centered agricultural system, and we are here now to support farmers and ranchers in this crisis, without whom we could not eat.”

AXS TV follows the broadcast with a “Best of Farm Aid 2019” show at 7 p.m. Sunday. The highlight package features performances from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Margo Price, Tanya Tucker and more.

Those interested in donating can visit farmaid.org/donate.

Read more at usatoday.com

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