For the first time in its 26-year history, Farm Aid is bringing its annual benefit concert to Kansas.

Farm Aid 2011 will be held at the future home of the Sporting KC soccer team on Saturday, Aug. 13. It will be the first concert at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.

At a press conference Wednesday announcing the concert, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback said that like Farm Aid, Kansas is moving toward preserving the legacy of agriculture in the state.

“I think it’s going to be a fabulous venue and it’s going to be a fabulous time,” Brownback said. “And it celebrates agriculture in an agricultural state.”

Farm Aid works to support family-farm agriculture, something Kansas Farmers Union president Donn Teske appreciates.

“Family-farm agriculture is the foundation that keeps our rural communities alive. It keeps our churches, our schools, our main-streets, our hospitals going,” Teske said at the press conference.

Musicians Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and others will team up for the all- day event.

“I’m looking forward to bringing my friends together in Kansas for the first time to honor family farmers,” Nelson, who is president of Farm Aid, said in a press release. “Farm Aid celebrates the independent family farmers and ranchers who make this country strong, and we know we can only fix the challenges our country faces with the know-how of family farmers.”

Homegrown concessions will feature locally grown and organic foods. In addition, a homegrown village will feature hands-on activities to give concertgoers a chance to connect with agriculture.

Since 1985, Farm Aid said, it has granted $78,000 to five agriculture organizations in Kansas,  Overall, Farm Aid has raised more than $39 million.

Tickets go on sale May 20.