Two recent stories describe starkly different motives for and means of aiding farmers: that of the the celebrity advocate and that of the seller.

John Mellencamp may have been the celeb du jour at a Farm Aid press conference yesterday at the Copley Farmers' Market, but that didn't stop folks from capping on his gravity-defying rock star hair. Margaret Williams, Food Project director, rubbed her tousled locks and quipped, "Little did I know I would have the same hairdresser as John Mellencamp!" To which the singer zinged back, "What's that, your pillow?" Mellencamp, who released a new album yesterday and played Boston this week, visited the market with his wife, former supermodel Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp, to promote the 23rd Farm Aid concert, planned for Sept. 20 at the Comcast Center in Mansfield.

By my estimation the Somerville, MA-based Farm Aid tries to and has done some good work in the last 23 years. The "About Us" pages states that they have raised over $ 30 Million "to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. Farm Aid is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to keep family farmers on their land." They accomplish this goal, they claim, by "Promoting Food from Family Farms... Growing the Good Food Movement...Helping Farmers Thrive... (and) Taking Action to Change the System." All of which sounds noble. But to be fair, announcing the concert date and location on the same day that your new album reaches record stores smacks of self-promotion.

Wal-Mart plans to help family farmers in a very different way- by buying and selling their produce:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s plans to spend about $400 million this year -- and possibly more in coming years -- stocking stores with locally grown fruits and vegetables may increase competition to pick local produce, though area retailers aren't sure to what extent. The July 1 announcement also could cultivate larger sales channels for Kansas and Missouri farmers interested in supplying the supermarket giant, which according to a statement already gets a fifth of its produce during summer months from providers in the state where a store is located. Wal-Mart expects the effort to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by cutting the distance food is shipped. ... Not every group jumps at the idea of supplying Wal-Mart stores.

Interestingly, the article's author speculates that Wal-Mart may encounter resistance to its plans:

Not every group jumps at the idea of supplying Wal-Mart stores. Several years ago, the chain approached Good Natured Family Farms, but the cooperative turned down the opportunity, farm-to-market coordinator Diana Endicott said. The co-op's clients include Balls Food Stores, based in Kansas City, Kan., with which it sells local produce and puts growers in stores to meet consumers. About 95 percent of the co-op's members are within 200 miles of the metro area. The group already was busy keeping pace with current demand and preferred to work with independent or locally owned businesses, she said.

My guess is that it is the intermediary, Good Natured Family Farms, that stands the most to lose by Wal-Mart's policy, not the local farmers. It economically-challenging times such as these family farmers have greater incentive to work with whoever is offering the most favorable terms, not necessarily those who mean well but have no dirt under their nails.