Team Behind Upcoming Documentary, “Common Ground,” Announces Commitment at Clinton Global Initiative
Major Brands like Maker’s Mark and Conservation Resources are Among the Founding Partners that have Pledged to Move their Supply Chains to Regenerative Farming and Forestry Practices
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, September 18, 2023 – Big Picture Ranch, the film studio behind ‘Common Ground,’ a new documentary demanding change from current American farming practices, announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative a new $10 million commitment to move 100 million acres of U.S. farmland to regenerative farming by 2025 (more info at www.100MillionAcres.org). As part of the initial launch, major brands including bourbon distillery Maker’s Mark and leaders like impact investment group Conservation Resources have pledged 100% of their supply chain to regenerative practices.
“Regenerative agriculture is about reviving our soil, encouraging biodiversity, and ultimately creating a thriving farming economy,” said Josh and Rebecca Tickell, documentarians behind “Common Ground” and “Kiss the Ground” (Netflix). “We’re honored and thrilled to be making this commitment at the Clinton Global Initiative alongside changemakers from around the world who are building a better, more equitable society. By moving 100 million acres to regenerative practices, we can fundamentally change how we grow food in this country – and at the same time heal our soil, mitigate climate change, help farmers be more profitable, and create happier and healthier communities.”
The new commitment, “100 Million Acres Initiative,” will build a coalition of farmers, ranchers, non-governmental organizations, and for-profit companies that have pledged to transform at least 10% of their crops, ranches, and supply chains to certified regenerative farming. Progress will be measured using at least three verified certification partners, including Land to Market, Regenerative Organic Certified, and Regenified. By establishing a shared understanding of the definition of “regenerative,” the 100 Million Acres Initiative brings transparency and credibility to the marketplace. After making the pledge, new coalition partners will gain access to the infrastructure, resources, and facilitators they need to transition their supply chain. New Company Pledges can be made online at www.100MillionAcres.org.
“Maker’s Mark is honored to be a founding partner of the 100 Million Acres initiative,” said Rob Samuels, 8th generation whisky maker and grandson of the founders at Maker's Mark. “Protecting, preserving and realizing the potential of our land has been a cornerstone of our vision for the past 70 years. I am proud that we can lead by example and contribute to a greater understanding of regenerative agriculture, as well as use these practices ourselves to create a more sustainable and flavorful whisky.”
“Conservation Resources was founded 20 years ago with a strategy of investing in timber and farmlands with a vision that environmental and financial value are complementary,” said Conservation Resources President Paul Young, a founding pledge maker. “Managing regeneratively is integral to both restoring and protecting the lands we manage, while providing returns to our investors.”
Filmmaker Josh Tickell, North Dakota farmer Gabe Brown, and Good Neighbor Garden Founder Mia Vaughnes made the commitment on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative in a discussion moderated by Dr. Sally Uren, the CEO of Forum for the Future, a leading international sustainability non-profit. Tickell, Brown, and Vaughnes outlined the health and societal benefits of regenerative agriculture, noting that by transitioning 100 million acres of agricultural land (or just over 10% of US agricultural land), we could reach a “tipping point” in favor of certified regenerative practices that could remove as much as 5% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions annually from the atmosphere and help farmers lead healthier lives.
“We’re facing a modern day dust bowl because of farming practices that put short-term gain over the health of our soil, food, and people,” said North Dakota farmer Gabe Brown, a pioneer of the soil-health movement and the subject of “Common Ground.” “Regenerative agriculture is about working within the context of nature to create a profit while enhancing the ecosystem for future generations. I’ve lived it firsthand, building a family farm that through healthy soil and no-till farming helped us increase production and gave me and my family a higher quality of life. By transitioning 100 million acres into regenerative farmland, I hope others will follow in our footsteps and that together we will create healthy soils that will give us clean air and water and healthy plants, animals, and people.”
The new commitment stems from Big Picture Ranch’s upcoming documentary, “Common Ground,” winner of the Tribeca Film Festival Human/Nature award. A follow-up to the hit documentary “Kiss the Ground” (Netflix), the film features Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Woody Harrelson, Ian Somerhalder, Donald Glover, and Rosario Dawson, and explores how regenerative agriculture can help heal the soil, our health, and the planet. It will premiere in select theaters starting September 29.
About Common Ground
Common Ground is Josh and Rebecca Tickell’s highly anticipated follow-up to the juggernaut success documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health. By fusing journalistic expose’ with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, Common Ground reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us. The new film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of white, black, and indigenous farmers who are using alternative “regenerative” models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America’s economy - before it’s too late.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global and emerging leaders to create and implement solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI works with partners to drive action through its unique model. Rather than directly implementing projects, CGI facilitates action by helping members connect, collaborate, and develop Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable plans that address global challenges. Through CGI, the community has made more than 3,900 Commitments to Action that have made a difference in the lives of more than 435 million people in more than 180 countries.
About Maker’s Mark
In 1953, in Loretto, Ky., Bill Samuels, Sr., fulfilled his dream to create a handmade and delicious bourbon. He decided to make his whisky in small batches, using soft red winter wheat to enhance the softness and sweetness. He then rotated each barrel by hand for consistency and, finally, aged each barrel to taste. Bill Samuels, Sr., transformed bourbon from a "commodity" into a premium handmade spirit, and today Maker's Mark continues to make its bourbon the same way. In recent years, Maker's Mark has introduced thoughtful, super-premium innovations to its portfolio, including Maker's Mark 46, Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, Maker's Mark Cask Strength and Maker's Mark Private Selection, the brand's first-ever custom barrel program. Today, Maker's Mark is the largest bourbon distillery in the world to achieve B Corp Certification and the first distillery to achieve Regenified certification, a reflection of the brand's dedication towards building a more inclusive and sustainable economy. For more information, visit www.makersmark.com. We make our bourbon carefully. Please enjoy it that way.
About Conservation Resources
Conservation Resources was founded with the strategy of investing in real assets, primarily timber and farmlands, with a vision that environmental and financial value are not only complementary, but mutually accretive. Over the past 20 years Conservation Resources has been recognizing trends related to environmental changes that shape economics. This has allowed us to frame our impact land management strategies to create more resilient ecosystems through a focus on soil health, while also improving economic performance. Through its history and today, Conservation Resources is leading the way in protecting and restoring the environment while generating impact and financial returns for its investors.
