VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Farmers from across the country are gathering in Virginia Beach for Farm Aid, an annual music festival that raises money to support family farmers. But before the music begins, farmers are meeting to discuss challenges facing the agriculture industry and share ideas for solutions.
The festival’s annual Farmer Forum took place Friday morning in a Virginia Beach ballroom, while crews prepared the stage at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater.
The forum gives farmers an opportunity to discuss issues affecting their operations, including land acquisition, data centers, corporate consolidation, tariffs and climate change.
“From land grabs, data centers, corporate greed and consolidation, to the impact of tariffs, to climate,” said Shorlette Ammons, co-executive director of Farm Aid.
Ammons said the forum is designed to help farmers learn from one another and identify solutions that can be applied in different parts of the country.
Christie Harrell, a farmer from outside the Richmond area, traveled to Virginia Beach to participate in the forum and discuss challenges facing small family farms.
“Being able to gather with all these people from all over the country and talk about things we're all dealing with, those small family farms, the fact that you have another person that understands it makes all the difference,” Harrell said.
While farmers participate in the forum, preparations continue at the amphitheater for Saturday’s festival.
Crews are preparing a menu featuring locally sourced ingredients, and the Homegrown Village is being assembled. The area will offer attendees an opportunity to learn about farming and agricultural culture before Willie Nelson and others take the main stage.
Ammons said the event also provides direct financial support to farmers in the region.
“Once we raise these funds on Saturday, we try to flip those as fast as possible and grant those funds to farm organizations, and we try to prioritize our festival region,” Ammons said. “In this case, it will be Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas.”
Tickets for Farm Aid are still available. For more information, click here.
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