Farm Aid Announces 2013 Lineup: Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews

Outlaw country icon Willie Nelson has announced plans to bring his Farm Aid concert to upstate New York, the Associated Press reports.

The 28th edition of the annual benefit concert will take place Sept. 21 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with headliners (and Farm Aid board members) Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews scheduled to perform. Additional artists will be announced soon.

A ticket presale will kick off at FarmAid.org on Tuesday at 10 a.m. EDT. Tickets will be available to the general public on June 28 at 10 a.m. EDT via Live Nation, Ticketmaster and Ticketmaster outlets.

The forthcoming concert marks the first time since 2007 that Farm Aid will take place in New York. According to Willie Nelson, the Empire State is emblematic of everything Farm Aid represents: commitment to family farming and local, organically grown food.

"In New York and across the Northeast, family farmers are pioneering change in our farm and food system. This region has strong agricultural roots and offers fertile ground for new farmers and sustainable agriculture," Nelson said in a statement. "On the Farm Aid stage in September, we'll celebrate the hard work of family farmers and support their efforts to grow strong and healthy communities for all of us."

"New York is pleased to host Farm Aid's annual benefit concert this September in Saratoga Springs," Gov. Andrew Cuomo added. "This star-studded event will support Farm Aid's mission to promote family farmers and healthy eating, as well as raise awareness about the important role farms play in our economy and culture. Here in New York, we are continuing to grow our state's vibrant agricultural industry through initiatives such as the FreshConnect program, which provides more avenues like farmers markets to connect New Yorkers with fresh, affordable and locally grown food products. We are also making important investments in regional food distribution hubs and marketing efforts like Taste NY to promote New York-made agricultural products and niche industries such as yogurt and wine, beer and spirits. New York is committed to its farmers, and so I commend Farm Aid for their work in helping farmers all across the nation flourish."