Farm Aid 40 Faces Cancellation Amid University Of Minnesota Teamsters Strike

The 40th anniversary of Farm Aid, scheduled for September 20 at the University of Minnesota's Huntington Bank Stadium, faces potential cancellation or relocation due to an ongoing strike by the university's Teamsters Local 320 workers. The union, representing over 1,400 custodial, maintenance, food service, and sanitation workers, began striking over contract disputes, seeking a wage increase of at least 3.5%, which the university has not met despite offers to other employee groups. Farm Aid organizers, including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp, have expressed solidarity with the striking workers and affirmed that artists and production crews will not cross picket lines, jeopardizing event preparations. The university maintains it supports farmers and the festival's mission but states the decision to proceed rests with Farm Aid organizers. Organizers warn the disruption could have devastating financial consequences and are considering all options, emphasizing the intertwined nature of farm and labor movements and the importance of resolving the dispute fairly. The strike marks the first by this union at the university since its creation in the 1970s and has already led to safety concerns and arrests related to picketing activities.