Farm Aid 40’s Farmer Forum took place at the University of Minnesota’s Saint Paul campus. Even before the event began, the mood within the Farm Aid community was one of celebration and excitement.
Just a week before, the future of Farm Aid 40 was up in the air; Teamsters service workers at the University of Minnesota (where the festival was being held) were in the middle of a five day walkout. In solidarity with the strikers, Farm Aid’s artists, production team and partners announced they would not cross the picket line. Farm Aid publicly called for the University to come back to the bargaining table and shortly afterwards, the institution came to an agreement with the Teamsters, meeting all of the Union’s demands.
The forum took place on the heels of this momentous win for labor organizers, but also in the shadow of growing challenges for farmers who are struggling with the uncertainty of the Trump administration’s tariff policies, cuts in federal funding impacting local and regional markets, and the reduction in USDA staffing, limiting access to important federal programs and resources.
Opening Performance
Eric Pillatzke and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate kicked off the day with a drum and song performance.
Sean Sherman, of NATIFS, speaks on the “Power and Presence of Native Foodways” panel at the 2025 Farmer Forum. Photo © Sabine Carey
Power and Presence of Native Foodways
The day’s first panel, “Power and Presence of Native Foodways,” was a group of Native leaders and advocates. Shelley Buck (Owámniyomni Okhódayapi), Sean Sherman (The Sioux Chef, NATIFS) and Luke Black Elk (Tetowan Lakota, Itazipco Band), spoke. The panel was moderated by Kari Jo Lawrence (Intertribal Agriculture Council).
Panelists talked about how democracy is an Indigenous value and way of being. They also stressed the importance of food sovereignty for Native communities.
“Without food sovereignty, we [Native nations] can’t really be sovereign” – Luke Black Elk
“Change your view on the land that you harvest as a relative. If you change your view, it will change you.” – Shelley Buck
Zoe Hollomon speaks at 2025 Farmer Forum on a panel of Minnesotan activists. Photo © Sabine Carey
This is What Democracy Looks Like: Minnesota Activism
Next up, “This is What Democracy Looks Like: Minnesota Activism,” was a panel of Minnesota-based farmers and advocates. Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin (Regenerative Agriculture Alliance), Zoe Hollomon (Midwest Farmers of Color Collective) and Paul Sobocinski (MFU Bottleneck Project) spoke about activism and solutions specific to Minnesota’s food and farming system. The panel was moderated by Gary Wertish (Minnesota Farmers Union). Panelists stressed the value of organizing and the need to bridge divides in order to find power.
“Hope comes out of us; it comes out of organizing.” – Paul Sobocinski
“If we only worked on what we agreed on, we would be nowhere.” – Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin
“Separation is a lie. We are not separate, but we have been conditioned to think that way.” – Zoe Hollomon
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, was scheduled to speak at the event but was called away for a vote in Washington D.C. In lieu of attending in person, she sent video remarks for the forum. She spoke to the challenges farmers face in this moment and the need for a new, bipartisan farm bill that will address the many needs of small and mid-sized farmers.
“The farm bill must stand up for people who keep this industry going: farmers and farmworkers.” – Senator Amy Klobuchar
Breakout Sessions
Participants attended various breakout sessions over a delicious lunch provided by Eat Your Heart Out Catering. These breakouts were “Uplifting Rural Priorities in Policy,” in partnership with State Innovation Exchange; “Activism for food and farming,” “Climate Action and Environmental Justice,” in partnership with Land Stewardship Project, and “Land Reclamation and Increasing Market Access,” featuring the MFU Bottleneck Project.
A number of calls to action came out of these breakout sessions and panels, including asking attendees to make connections and develop relationships with local and state lawmakers. Attendees also identified the important role that public institutions can play in leading movements and calling for change.
Keith Ellison
Keith Ellison, Attorney General of Minnesota and Co-Chair of the Democratic Attorneys General Association and a fierce antitrust advocate, delivered the day’s keynote address, where he called attention to the unique role that states’ Attorneys General can play in fighting corporate consolidation in agriculture.
“The Attorney General of each state really should be the fiercest advocate against corporate monopolization and oligopoly, really should be standing tall for small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers and dairy producers.” – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Rally and Closing
Hugh Espy rallies the crowd at the 2025 Farmer Forum. Photo © Sabine Carey
The day was capped with a rally led by Hugh Espy and Lisa Whelan (Iowa CCI) and an exciting surprise performance by the Pride of Minnesota, the University’s marching band, who got attendees on their feet and moving in the spirit of the day’s calls for hands-on advocacy and organizing.
The University of Minnesota’s marching provided a celebratory closeout for the 2025 Farmer Forum. Photo © Sabine Carey
Thank you to our sponsors
The 2025 Farmer Forum was made possible by Farm Aid’s sponsors:
