CNN is returning for a second consecutive year to broadcast Farm Aid 2026 live on September 26th, airing a four-hour programme from 7pm to 11pm ET across its platforms. The event originates from the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach and will be anchored by CNN journalists John Berman and Laura Coates, with climate correspondent Bill Weir providing field reporting. The musical lineup includes founding board members Willie Nelson and Neil Young, alongside John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff.

Farm Aid, established in 1985, has accumulated over $85 million in donations to support family farmers and promote food systems centred on smaller-scale agriculture as an alternative to industrial farming models. CNN's previous broadcast in 2025 demonstrated the partnership's reach, with the network's coverage attracting 3.88 million viewers worldwide and generating $615,000 in contributions from CNN audiences, significantly amplifying the festival's fundraising efforts.