Regenerative rancher Gabe Brown has spent more than three decades studying the ground beneath his feet, and he believes the health of the world’s soil is inseparable from the health of people, communities and the planet.
Brown, one of the leading voices in the regenerative agriculture movement, is featured in “Groundswell,” the third installment of the regenerative farming documentary trilogy following “Kiss the Ground” (2020) and “Common Ground” (2023). Narrated by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson, the Prime Video documentary contends that rebuilding healthy soil can help address biodiversity loss and declining human health, among other issues facing God’s Earth.
In May, the doc won the Golden Globes Prize for Documentary, presented in partnership with Artemis Rising Foundation, at the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Brown shared how his belief that soil sits at the center of those challenges stemmed from a crisis on his own North Dakota farm.
During the mid-1990s, Brown and his wife endured four difficult years, including three years of devastating hailstorms followed by a drought. Financial hardship forced them to stop relying on expensive fertilizers and other agricultural inputs and instead rethink how they farmed.
“As I started observing, I noticed earthworms show up in our soil, which we had never had before,” Brown said. “Then I noticed all these other organisms in the soil. Then we had more birds coming because they were feeding on the insects, and I started noticing more plant species showing up.”
“That’s when it really occurred to me: all life depends on the soil.”
Although he held multiple degrees in agriculture, Brown said he realized he had never truly been taught how ecosystems function. He immersed himself in studying soil biology and ecology, a journey that has continued for more than 30 years.
“Everything was created in a way that is self-healing, self-organizing and self-regulating,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”
That philosophy now shapes Brown’s approach to farming: he shared how, rather than trying to control nature, farmers should work alongside it by embracing biodiversity instead of monocultures.
“If you walk into a forest or a prairie landscape, you see a tremendous amount of diversity,” he said. “Unfortunately, today, many of our farming practices are about monocultures.”
Based on his experience, Brown told CP he encourages producers to incorporate diverse cover crops that feed soil organisms and capture more solar energy rather than leaving fields bare between growing seasons. He also challenged conventional approaches to pest management, citing research from entomologist Jonathan Lundgren showing that beneficial insect species vastly outnumber harmful ones.
“For every insect species that’s a pest, there’s 1,700 that are beneficial,” Brown said. “Why do we focus on killing the pest? We should just allow the beneficials to come. Nature will balance out.”
Beyond improving soil health, Brown said regenerative agriculture strengthens farmers’ financial well-being, improves mental health and revitalizes rural communities, a point the documentary emphasizes.
“I really think of regenerative agriculture as common ground for common good,” he said. “No matter where your interest lies — if it’s climate change, clean air, clean water, farm profitability, rural communities or human health — all of us should want to encourage farmers and land managers to move down this path.”
Brown said public interest in regenerative agriculture has accelerated dramatically in recent years, particularly as interest surrounding health and wellness has surged.
“For years it felt like we were pushing the snowball uphill,” he said. “But the last six years in particular, it’s just skyrocketed.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, he said, prompted many consumers to think more carefully about nutrition and food production, while major food companies have begun exploring regenerative supply chains.
“I was on a Zoom with one of the major food companies in the world and they’re asking, ‘How do we source this from farmers? Who do we work with to make sure our supply chain is regenerative?’ That’s a good thing.”
“Groundswell” features several high-profile advocates, including Prince William, Moore and Harrelson, who use their platforms to promote regenerative farming. Brown said that while he welcomes their support, that lasting change depends on ordinary consumers.
“I’m glad those celebrities are helping us amplify the message,” he said. “But I think it’s imperative for all of us to do so.”
For viewers inspired by the documentary who don’t own farms or ranches, Brown offered practical advice: pay attention to where food comes from, support local farmers whenever possible and seek out producers using regenerative practices.
“Go to the farmers market, meet your local farmers,” he said. “Today you can have food shipped to your door. Just pay attention to where it’s sourced. Your body will appreciate it, but you’ll also be supporting those land managers who are taking care of larger landscapes.”
“I really hope the documentary brings awareness and gets people thinking that my health, my children’s health, the health of our community and the health of future generations, because of how we take care of our landscapes, is dependent on what I do today,” he said. “I hope it gets people thinking about that.”
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