Music Legend Willie Nelson Writes Letter on Behalf of Young Farmers

For decades, music megastar Willie Nelson has focused attention on the struggles of America’s farmers. It is young farmers that have his attention now. “The growing number of young farmers has been a bright spot in the agricultural landscape recently. The commitment you’re making to your families, your communities and our water, soil and climate is not an easy one—and it never has been,” Nelson, 91, wrote in a letter to America’s young farmers.

Nelson, the founder and president of Farm Aid, joined David Senter, president of the American Agriculture Movement, in penning the letter. The authors noted the additional burdens facing young farmers: higher input costs, the potential harm of a trade war, and USDA program funding freezes that could benefit farmers.

The letter criticized federal leaders for not following through with disaster funding following extreme weather’s hardship on farmers in 2024. The letter stated, “Disaster programs that were authorized by Congress at the end of 2024 have not been implemented and are desperately needed.”

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Farm Aid Continues to Raise Money for America’s Farmers

Nelson and his non-profit organization have raised money to help farmers for the past 40 years ever since he joined fellow musicians Neil Young and John Mellencamp for the first Farm Aid concert in 1985. The Farm Crisis had bankrupted farmers across the country. Farm Aid raised awareness that families were losing their farms.

The $80 million that the organization said that it has received over the years has helped to keep families on their farms. But Nelson and Senter in their letter to young farmers offered a warning to D.C. leaders that troubling times could again be ahead, especially due to USDA cuts and funding uncertainty.

“Frozen USDA contracts mean you’re owed money for investments you’ve made in your farm that should have already been reimbursed by USDA, and there’s no clear information about when or if those reimbursements might be received,” stated the letter.

“This makes it even more challenging to make your business plans and secure the funding you need for a successful season in 2025. USDA programs that support the creation and nurturing of crucial local markets, including food banks and schools, have been canceled, shutting down valuable markets for your products.”

Willie Nelson Writes that USDA Cuts Will Hurt Young Farmers

Concerns are long, Nelson and Senter reminded federal decisionmakers. “Staffing cuts and USDA office closures cause us to worry that essential services from the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Services will be delayed or cease to exist at all. We’re concerned about our access to critical agriculture research and reports, which are important tools that help our farm operations succeed. The list of farmer worries goes on and on.”

The letter closed with this message, “We want you to know you are not alone. We stand with you and are here to support you because you are the future of family farm agriculture.”

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