Farm Aid no longer in jeopardy after labor issue resolved

Teamsters members at the University of Minnesota had been on strike

Farmers with tickets to Farm Aid in Minnesota can breathe a sigh of relief after a labor dispute jeopardizing the concert came to a successful conclusion.

About 1,400 maintenance, food service and other university staff represented by Teamsters Local 320, and the University of Minnesota, reached an agreement on Sept. 12 after a one-week strike.

The union and the university “put their differences aside and come to a resolution in order to support the greater good of our university students, faculty and staff, farmers and Minnesota residents,” the two sides said in a Sept. 13 joint statement.

Farm Aid is scheduled for Sept. 20 at the University of Minnesota’s Huntington Bank Stadium.

And crews were scheduled to start assembling the festival infrastructure on Sept. 12.

But the labor dispute at the university put the 2025 concert, and the entire Farm Aid organization, in jeopardy.

“It is critical to understand that if Farm Aid 40 is forced to move or cancel, the financial impact could be devastating,” a Farm Aid statement said. “The expenses already incurred to bring this historic event to Minnesota may well threaten the survival of our organization after four decades of service to family farmers.”

The situation became serious enough that Farm Aid founder and performer Willie Nelson contacted Minn. Gov. Tim Walz to underscore “what’s at stake for farmers and Farm Aid,” Nelson said on a Sept. 12 post on X.

The governor responded, saying Minnesota would resolve the situation.

People who can’t attend the show don’t have to miss out completely.

CNN will live broadcast the concert from 7pm to midnight CDT.