SOMERVILLE, Mass., July 28 /EMWNews/ -- Farm Aid today

announced that country star Kenny Chesney will join board members Willie

Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews for its first-ever

New England music festival at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass. on

Sept. 20.



    "American family farmers are what this country is built on ... and they

have fed us and kept us strong and healthy for how many generations?" said

Chesney, who is from Luttrell, Tennessee. "Growing up in a small town

outside Knoxville, it was a big part of who we were -- and it's something

we as a country shouldn't lose. If I can help be part of that -- whether

it's raising money, or awareness, or just letting those family farmers know

someone knows and cares -- well, that's why I'm coming to New England."



    Singer/songwriter Kenny Chesney is a four-time Country Music

Association and three-time, as well as the current, Academy of Country

Music's Entertainer of the Year. He will bring his unique country sound to

Farm Aid's annual benefit concert just weeks after closing his sell-out

Poets & Pirates 2008 Tour.



    Tickets for Farm Aid 2008 Presented by Whole Foods Market and Horizon

Organic will go on sale July 28 at 10 a.m. EDT and are available at all

Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, livenation.com or by calling (866)

448-7849. Tickets are priced at $35 for lawn, $55 for uncovered seats, $95

for covered seats and $200 for VIP plus a $7 parking and facility fee for

all tickets.



    The day-long festival will celebrate music and good food, featuring

hands-on activities in the HOMEGROWN Village that will showcase the direct

connection between who is growing our food and what we eat every day. The

concert event will again feature family-farm identified, local and organic

foods at concessions, setting an example of the many ways that family farm

food can be integrated into the general marketplace. Other top artists will

be announced.



    "Farm Aid is a movement inspired not only by the passion of Farm Aid

board artists Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews

but also by the more than 300 artists who have donated their performances

at our shows year after year," said Carolyn Mugar, executive director of

Farm Aid. "We are proud to again welcome Kenny Chesney to the Farm Aid

stage for what will prove to be a remarkable day of music, food, awareness

and action."



    Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant family farm-centered system of

agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson,

Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to

raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire

people to choose family-farmed food. Since 1985, Farm Aid has raised more

than $30 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the

reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system

of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.