Ranch It Up Radio Show & Podcast

Episode: Common Ground Coalition – Uniting Livestock Producers

Hosts: Jeff “Tigger” Erhardt & Rebecca “BEC” Wanner
Guest: Jake Parnell (Common Ground Coalition Co-founder)
Date: November 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode offers an in-depth look at the formation, goals, and future of the Common Ground Coalition—a grassroots initiative aimed at uniting the voices of livestock producers nationwide around shared challenges like profitability, generational continuity, and policy advocacy. Host Tigger, with co-host BEC, welcomes Jake Parnell to share firsthand how the coalition emerged, what it represents, its five core policy points, and why it matters for the future of rural America and ranching.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of the Common Ground Coalition

• Need for Unity: The coalition traces its beginning to informal conversations among sale barn operators witnessing a wave of retirements and herd dispersals. There was widespread concern over a lack of profitability and generational succession.
• Initial Outreach: The founders traveled to multiple states (Kansas, Missouri, Montana, California) to gather insights through meetings with diverse producers and industry segments.
• Grassroots Approach: The group intentionally included voices from all levels—packers, feeders, cow/calf operators, yearling operators—to ensure real representation beyond traditional organizational lines.

Jake Parnell:
"We had to ask, how do we keep these producers wanting to be in the cow business... It started as a conversation there. And it evolved into, you know, we need to fly around the country and we need to gather groups of people and listen to what they have to say."
(02:00)

2. The Common Ground Summit & Coalition Formation

• Key Summit Event: In Denver, 41 carefully selected industry representatives came together as individuals, not on behalf of organizations, to hash out unifying issues.
• Consensus-Driven: The group wouldn’t move on to new points until each issue had unanimous support, focusing on what “makes it better for ranchers and rural America.”
• Grassroots Energy: Aimed to break through divisiveness that's often magnified online and in media, emphasizing achievable, broad-based change.

Jake Parnell:
"You've got to be there as yourself... with no hidden agendas, nothing else behind it except what makes it better for ranchers for rural America in this country. And we came out of there with five points that we all agreed on unanimously."
(04:52)

3. Difficulty of Building Coalition & the Power of Shared Goals

• Division vs. Unity: Recognizes that while 95–97% of issues are agreed upon, the 2–5% of disagreement tends to dominate and fragment industry voices.
• Membership Momentum: Grassroots focus led to nearly 10,000 signatures, showing wide support from across the ranching and livestock spectrum.

Jake Parnell:
"Unfortunately, those that wish to be divisive, those that are looking for clicks and are looking to grandstand, get the most attention when there are so many good things that can be done."
(06:44)

4. The Five Common Ground Coalition Policy Points

Outlined and discussed in detail:

1. Achieve and Maintain Ag-Friendly Tax Policy

   • Importance of exemptions to allow generational transfers (e.g., proposed Heritage Act raising the special use exemption from $1.5M to $15M).

2. Make Risk Management Tools More Effective

   • Existing insurance programs (like LRP) lag behind crop insurance—need for equal access to risk mitigation allows easier financing and stability.

3. Improve Access to Labor

   • Address barriers for seasonal and foreign labor; importance of advocating for reform in H2A-type arrangements to suit ranch seasonality.

4. Increase Flexibility for Livestock Haulers

   • Regulations often impede the practical realities of livestock transport; greater flexibility is necessary for viability.

5. Create Support for Young and Emerging Livestock Producers

   • Core to the coalition’s ethos is sustainability and access—ensuring young people can join or return to the livestock business, even if not family members.

Tigger (Host):
"I find a common theme in these five key points is towards the next generation... sustainability for the next generation."
(10:15)

Jake Parnell:
"If you look at each one of those policies individually, it gears towards that... keeping land in ag production, keeping these generational family operations from selling off to recreation or development..."
(12:15)

5. Emphasis on Generational Sustainability

• Broad Definition of Sustainability: Beyond buzzwords, sustainability in this context means supporting legacy producers as well as new entrants—anyone willing to keep land in agricultural production.
• Land Use, Tax, and Opportunity: Support for young and non-family-based operators to keep rural communities alive and viable.

6. The Coalition’s Path Forward

• Not Another Association: The coalition sees itself as a movement, not a new dues-based group; it's about amplifying a unified message and spurring grassroots advocacy.
• Activating Producers: Encouraging involvement online and in-person, providing resources for direct advocacy on the five agreed points.
• Legislative Impact: The goal is to present a clear, consistent message to lawmakers—so they don’t face mixed signals from disparate ag groups.

Jake Parnell:
"This is about creating a Common Ground following... We're going to be very careful to keep it to those [five points] right now."
(15:05)

Jake Parnell:
"It's those of you that live way out at the end of dirt roads that work 365, seven days a week, that feed this country a wholesome, healthy, good product..."
(17:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Generational Change:
  "We collected all of these results and then got together... and said, okay, what are our next steps?... What do you think needs to happen to keep production agriculture... relevant and profitable, or make it more profitable so that this cow herd can ultimately rebuild..."
  (02:45, Jake Parnell)

• On Political Impact:
  "We want to walk into Washington, D.C. with a common message from the industry... so that these folks making our laws and our regulations... don't know where they need to go."
  (07:20, Jake Parnell)

• On Involving Young Producers:
  "There's a lot of kids, young people that want to get back involved in ag or want to get involved in ag, giving them a pathway..."
  (13:55, Jake Parnell)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 – Episode intro, context for discussing the Common Ground Coalition
• 01:48 – Jake Parnell on coalition origins and needs
• 04:00 – Building consensus and forming the coalition
• 06:07 – Addressing division in the industry
• 08:51 – Five core points of the coalition outlined
• 11:08 – In-depth explanation of each policy point
• 14:26 – The coalition’s future & distinguishing from associations
• 17:42 – Closing thoughts: Focus on producers and the future
• 18:04 – Where to connect and learn more about the movement

Resource Links

• Common Ground Coalition: commongroundcoalition.net
• Ranch It Up show (contact, participation): ranchituphowmail.com | 707-RANCH20

Conclusion

This episode is critical listening for anyone involved in or concerned about the future of livestock production in rural America. The Common Ground Coalition’s approach—gathering all segments, focusing on universally agreed-upon policies, and amplifying a clear, grassroots message—has sparked momentum far beyond organizational lines. Sustainability, opportunity for the next generation, and practical policy fixes are at the heart of this community-driven movement.

"It's about those of us that live at the end of dirt roads 100%." (17:42, Tigger)

For more information or to lend your support, visit commongroundcoalition.net or reach out via social or direct contact as per above.