Farm Aid News for August 2012

Farm Aid News for August 2012 Farm Aid 2012 is less than seven weeks away from rocking Hershey, Pennsylvania! Tickets are still available; click here for information on getting yours. We're also excited about the relaunch of our Farmer Resource Network, which you can read more about in the Ask Farm Aid column below. In much sadder news, the record-breaking drought, which is the worst in decades, continues to devastate farmland across the country. Our hotline is busy with calls from family farmers trying to cope with drought and we have put up a Disaster Assistance for Farmers page with some resources for farmers dealing with the drought and other natural disasters. We've also activated our Family Farm Disaster Fund. As Willie Nelson says, "Our farmers and the soil they depend on are crucial for the future of agriculture. Farm Aid works to keep every family farmer on the land, no matter what extreme conditions they face."

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ASK FARM AID:

Is there any type of assistance for people looking to get into farming? I am a chef and I’m raising my own chickens for eggs. I feed leftover scraps from the restaurant to some very happy (and tasty!) pigs. But, I would love to leave the kitchen for good to get closer to my food. How does someone who has no experience except butchering meat in a kitchen or growing a home garden get into farming?
— Courtney L.

Well Courtney, you’re not alone in your interest to start farming, and your timing couldn’t be more perfect. With the average American farmer clocking in at 57-years-old, the future of American agriculture hinges on people like you who are inspired to start careers on the land.

But to do it successfully, you need to be equipped with a broad swath of resources to ensure your farm is savvy, sustainable and successful.

We know it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. Our answer is the Farmer Resource Network, Farm Aid’s online searchable database built just for you and others like you…

Farm Aid’s response to the drought devastating farmland across the U.S.