‘Common Ground’: Tribeca Film Connects Regenerative Farming, Politics And Public Health

Healthy soil makes healthy food which makes healthy people. That’s one of the key premises behind the documentary, Common Ground, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival. The documentary explores the connection between farming, public policy and disease, and aims to spark a cultural and political movement rooted in the practice of regenerative agriculture. The film hopes to rally for the transition of 100 million more acres of U.S. land to regenerative by tripling the reach and impact of the filmmakers’ 2020 film, Kiss the Ground.

Common Ground’s core message about soil, climate and human health is endorsed by star-studded narration from actor-activists Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Rosario Dawson and Ian Somerhalder as well as New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. Oscar-winner Dern, a lifelong environmentalist, shared her passion for this work during an after-party Q&A: “I am here humbly with the experts. I was raised by a fierce activist mother,” referring to Golden Globe-winning actress Diane Ladd who just co-wrote a book with her daughter titled, Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding).

Co-director Rebecca Tickell understands the power of films and celebrities in changing narratives. “Movies have the power to change the world,” noted Tickell during a post-screening interview. The wife and mother of two added: “We have a short window of time to change the future. It’s obviously going to take more than just this movie but I hope the film will be a powerful tool and catalyst for change.”

Historical Perspective

Reminding us that we all “come from nature,” the film traces back to pre-colonial agricultural customs pioneered by Indigenous and Black farmers to restore soil and leave a legacy for future generations. The movie describes how colonists saw land as wealth, and that ecological extraction is tied to social extraction, that is, the slavery of Indigenous and Black people who, today, make up only 2% of all farmers in the U.S. compared to 14% in 1910.

Common Ground also tells the story of George Washington Carver and his instrumental research. Born into slavery, Carver persistently advocated for crop rotation and the restoration of nitrogen in soil. Despite increases in the yield of sweet potatoes without the use of commercial fertilizers and other successes, the Tuskegee University professor’s positive impact on farming came to a halt. After Carver’s death, heavy tillage, toxic chemicals and fossil fuel-driven machines would dominate the American agricultural landscape. Why?

“Corruption of government and lobbyists,” explains Ray Archuleta, a soil scientist with over 30 years of experience with the USDA. “Corporate America is controlling the narrative, telling our elected officials how to do science.” More on the science and biology later…

What Is Regenerative Agriculture?

It’s a philosophy and approach to land management that nourishes people and the earth. The holistic principles of regenerative farming aim to restore soil and ecosystem health, address inequity and leave our land, waters and climate in better shape for future generations.

According to North Dakota farmer and the heart-and-soul of the film, Gabe Brown, “Regenerative agriculture is a renewal of a food and farming system that focuses on the whole chain, from soil to plant health to animal and human health. The nutrient density of the foods we produce is directly related to the health of the soil.” However, the existing production model, Brown underscores, is about commodities, yield, grain, pounds and livestock; producing more and more without paying attention to the nutrient density of those products. The current model doesn’t pay farmers who make nutrient-dense products. Regenerative agriculture is changing that.

Executive producer, Eric Dillon, agrees: “Our goal was to educate and inspire people to join the movement at the production, food distribution and research levels.” Dillon has witnessed first-hand through farmers like Brown and Rick Clark that regenerative agriculture can be profitable.

Charles Massy, an Australian regenerative farmer, scientist and TEDx speaker asserts: “Industrial agricultural practices have played a major role in destabilizing most of Earth’s systems. It’s directly connected to our modern health crises, mental and biophysical.” In contrast, regenerative agriculture can heal and save the planet.

Health Consequences

Common Ground draws strong correlations between deficient soil and disease in three categories. First, the filmmakers describe the many harmful effects glyphosate, the active ingredient in the world’s most widely used herbicide, Roundup. Introduced in 1974, glyphosate disrupts the endocrine system, interferes with gut bacteria and damages DNA. It drives mutations that lead to cancer, and has been implicated in over 22 chronic illnesses including obesity, hypertension, dementia and several types of malignancies. The film describes how Roundup creator, Monsanto, knew of and hid glyphosate’s carcinogenic effects from the public. Studies also reveal how the agrochemical giant tried to destroy the credibility and reputation of scientists who published adverse health effects of Roundup. In the documentary, we learn about Dewayne Johnson, a school groundskeeper who was exposed to Roundup at work and was later diagnosed with a debilitating form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Johnson became the first plaintiff to win a legal victory against Monsanto to the tune of $289 million in punitive damages.

The second category is nutrition. Common Ground asserts that over 60% of our calories come from corn, soy and wheat – “commodity crops” subsidized by the government – which are mostly found in processed foods. While these crops are grown in a way to feed humans in the cheapest way possible, they’re also creating a diet that’s nutrient-deficient and bad for our health. Corn, soy and wheat have been associated with a rise in allergies and gluten intolerance. They’re also genetically modified and sprayed with pesticides – both of which keep prices low and make the crops desirable for food manufacturers. Diets high in processed foods have been linked to the leading causes of death in the U.S. including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke and mental illness. In contrast, grass-fed meats tend to have lower total fat content, more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and more antioxidants which can lower your risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Food can, indeed, be medicine.

The third and possibly most heartbreaking category is mental health. The film follows a South Dakota farming family saddled with $298 million in debt. The 35-year-old farmer, husband and father of two young children tragically dies by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He is not alone. “The state of mental health among farmers is in crisis,” says Gabe Brown, author of Dirt to Soil. The financial stessors and pressures of managing hundreds of acres of land in order to put food on the table can lead to severe anxiety and depression. From 2000 to 2020, the CDC reported that suicide rates increased 46% in rural America versus 27% in urban areas. Farmers and ranchers were among the occupations with the highest suicide rates, per CDC data.

“Our human and land ecology problems are connected,” explains conservation agronomist, Archuleta. “This documentary shows how life has been cheapened and commoditized. This consuming cancer has permeated our government, educational and human health systems. This is why we are sick.”

Advocacy and Action

The film ends with a message of hope and a call to action for ALL of us. Kiss the Ground – a core inspiration for Common Ground – is a nonprofit and leading voice in raising awareness for regeneration through storytelling, education and advocacy. Co-founder, Finian Makepeace, states that Kiss the Ground’s advocacy campaign, “Regenerate America,” is helping to re-write the farm bill, together with over 120 NGOs, businesses and farm groups, including the farmers in Common Ground.

The film’s end credits list five key actions for the public: support regenerative farmers and ranchers; look for certified regenerative labels in your grocery stores or online; grow food in your backyard, rooftop or in a planter box on your windowsill; sign the petition to call on Congress to support regenerative agriculture in the next farm bill which will shape the next 5-7 years of American agriculture policy; and ask your local elected officials to make regenerative agriculture a priority.

Common Ground also points out that this is a bipartisan – in fact, global – problem that requires a global solution. Soil health impacts climate (including droughts and flooding) which impacts human health. The celebrity narrators conveyed a sense of urgency for all of us to work together. The filmmakers acknowledged the farmers and ranchers who are leading this work, as well as scientists and coalition partners who are advocating to build a regenerative, healthier future for the next generation.

As a physician, I firmly believe that food is medicine and that climate directly affects our health, from respiratory illnesses and waterborne diarrheal diseases to mental health and stress-related disorders. I agree with co-director, Josh Tickell: “We’re at the tip of a movement. Let’s find common ground for common good.”