Country music sensation Willie Nelson is set to be inducted in the Agriculture Hall of Fame. The induction will take place on August 13, shortly before the 26th annual Farm Aid concert. Nelson’s selection is a controversial one. Some individuals are uncomfortable with inducting celebrities into a Hall of Fame that includes Abraham Lincoln, Bob Dole, and John Deere.
It is Nelson’s work as the president of Farm Aid that guaranteed him a spot in the Ag Hall of Fame, sources say. The first Farm Aid concert was held on September 22, 1985; its initial goal was to raise money for struggling family farmers. The 1980s was a particularly bad period for farmers. The collapse of agricultural prices left many farmers in debt and at risk of losing their farms.
Farm Aid benefitted many of these struggling farmers and has become a yearly event featuring support from a wide variety of celebrities as well as politicians. Since its creation, the Farm Aid Corporation has raised over $39 million to promote family farming in the United States.
Nelson’s induction represents his unwavering commitment to the American farmer. For the past 26 years Nelson has dedicated his time to the Farm Aid Corporation and has headlined every Farm Aid concert.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer