Farm Aid goes Hollywood

It was twenty years ago - a benefit concert to help cash-strapped farmers called "Farm-Aid" featuring some of the biggest music stars around.

The assembled star-power of the music industry today is gathering to do the same... but while it's often said, "The more things change, the more they stay the same," I'm not sure that can be said this time.

The same stars - John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Willy Nelson - are gathering September 18 in Illinois for another benefit "Farm-Aid" concert. But will this "Farm-Aid" benefit average farmers?

Not even a little bit.

"A growing demand for organic products is giving a boost to their efforts to raise millions of dollars to help the people who work the land. "A lot more people are interested in finding out where their food comes from now than they were 20 years ago. And as they find out more and more about it, they agree with us that it is important to keep the family farmer on the land growing organic food," said Nelson."

"Growing organic food." Hmmm.... I had no idea that the average family farmer was growing organic. In fact, they're not. The organic industry rakes in far less than 5% of the average crop growth each year.

But don't let Nelson be your guide - John Mellencamp said Farm Aid helps "level the playing field for small farmers who are waging a battle against corporate interests.

"Farm Aid has always been about a dream of equality for the little guy," Mellencamp said.

Wow... not only had I no idea that John Mellencam was an expert in corporate governance for family farms, I also had no idea that agriculture was being dominated by corporate interests.

These guys are afraid of reality. Unfortunately, when they spend their collective time and effort to promote a stereotype that doesn't exist, they ultimately do a disservice to the cause they represent.