Common Ground Coalition Kicks Off Regional Meeting Series in Reno

The Common Ground Coalition is taking its message on the road, launching a series of regional meetings this week in Reno, Nevada, as it builds on momentum from a historic gathering held one year ago in Denver, Colorado.

The goal of these meetings is simple: bring livestock producers together from across the country to focus on shared challenges and work toward practical, producer-driven solutions.

California cattle producer and auction market owner Jake Parnell, who helped moderate the Reno meeting, says expanding into regional discussions is a natural next step for the growing grassroots movement.

“It seemed like the most common sense next step was to get out even further within this grassroots,” Parnell said. “Over 11,000 people have signed on to the Common Ground Coalition… all at the idea of promoting and protecting livestock producers nationwide.”

One of the biggest issues emerging from discussions so far is the challenge facing new and beginning producers—particularly when it comes to getting started in the industry.

“Access to capital, access to land to get started… those are issues that are a common theme from our first meeting, and they continue to be a common theme today,” Parnell explained.

While some concerns are shared nationwide, others vary depending on geography. In the West, producers are dealing with predation challenges, while other regions face different environmental and land-use pressures.

“In the western part of this country it’s wolves and grizzly bears and in the center part it’s buzzards and crows,” he said. “All kind of stuff that ranges around environmental issues—but the common theme is access to land, capital, and opportunity.”

Organizers say that’s exactly why these regional meetings matter—giving producers a chance to highlight the unique challenges they face while still working toward common ground.

Looking ahead, the coalition plans to continue the series with meetings in Omaha, Nebraska in May, followed by stops in Nashville, Tennessee, and Fort Worth, Texas in August.

Parnell says the focus remains on unity and building solutions that benefit the broader livestock industry.

“Let’s look at all the things that we do agree on and look at other ways to make more opportunities available for folks that are either currently in the business or trying to get in,” he said.

Ultimately, organizers say the effort is about strengthening a unified, grassroots voice for livestock producers—and creating real wins that will help sustain the future of the industry.

Learn more at www.commongroundcoalition.net.

Source: Ag Information Network/Western Ag Network