Farm Aid's 2012 Grants Focus On Growing Family Farm Agriculture And A New Generation Of Farmers

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Farm Aid today announced that 67 family farm and rural service organizations received $532,300 from its grant program during 2012. These organizations work to strengthen family farm agriculture nationwide.

"These grants empower grassroots organizations to put new farmers on the land and amplify the voices of family farmers," said Farm Aid President Willie Nelson. "Farm Aid funds create opportunities for all of us who seek good, healthful food, and stronger economies and communities across America."

Farm Aid funds were invested in programs that:

• Help farm families stay on the land;
• Build new market opportunities for farmers and increase consumer access to good food;
• Confront corporate concentration in agriculture;
• Advocate for fair farm policies on behalf of all family farmers;
• Inform and organize farmers and eaters around issues such as factory farms, GE (genetically engineered) food, food safety and climate change;
• Recruit and train new and beginning farmers and increase their access to farmland; and
• Support farmer-to-farmer programs for more sustainable agricultural practices.

"Farm Aid enthusiastically supports the groundbreaking work in communities across the country to grow a better farm and food system," said Farm Aid Executive Director Carolyn Mugar. "We're honored to call these hard-working organizations our partners in the Good Food Movement."

In Pennsylvania, where Farm Aid held its annual benefit concert in September of this year, $49,000 was granted to support sustainable farm transition, regional and local food systems development, hands-on organic farming workshops, and beginning farmer apprenticeship and training programs. The total amount distributed in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia, was $126,050.

"The support we get from Farm Aid is critical. Farm Aid really gets it done by partnering with grassroots, family-farm-centered organizations that know how to make the best use of the precious resources available," said Brian Snyder, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), a Farm Aid grantee and long-term partner. "Because of the ongoing strength and conviction of Farm Aid, there are more and more farmers out there doing the right thing by their families, the land and animals they care for, and the communities in which they live."

For a complete listing of Farm Aid's 2012 grants, visit www.farmaid.org/grants.

Farm Aid's grant-making is one aspect of its work to keep family farmers on the land, growing good food for all. In addition, Farm Aid inspires an increased demand for family farm food, advocates for policies that serve farmers and consumers alike, and calls on everyone to be part of building a thriving family farm system of agriculture.

Farm Aid's annual concert is a major effort of the organization, featuring performances donated by top artists, HOMEGROWN Concessions® made with family farm food, and the HOMEGROWN Village of hands-on exhibits that showcase family farmers, soil, water and ways we all connect to the roots of our food. Additional work of the organization in 2012 included advocating for the passage of the 2012 Farm Bill; pressing for GE labeling; increasing the capacity of Farm Aid's Farmer Resource Network (www.farmaid.org/ideas) and the Farm Advocate Link, a network of farm advocates working on behalf of family farmers; and assisting farmers during the worst drought in more than 50 years.

Farm Aid welcomes donations at www.farmaid.org.

About Farm Aid
Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $40 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms. Join the Farm Aid conversation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FarmAid. For more information about Farm Aid, visit www.farmaid.org.

SOURCE Farm Aid