Reno Summit Sparks Bold Plan to Strengthen Livestock Industry
April 25, 2026
The Common Ground Coalition kicked off the first of four regional summits in Reno this week, gathering Western livestock perspectives to bolster the industry’s future. This event launches a nationwide effort to strengthen rural communities and secure the U.S. food supply.
Fueled by shared conviction, enthusiasm and commitment to the industry, attendees arrived ready to engage in the hard work of identifying positive solutions for the industry.
While new to the Common Ground effort, Nevada rancher Sam Mori quickly recognized the potential it presents.
“This is an opportunity to make a real difference,” Mori said. “Success and survival depend on our willingness to work together and take shared responsibility for the future of our industry.”
Building on momentum from the coalition’s inaugural event in April 2025, attendees engaged in candid, solution‑oriented discussions rooted in shared experiences and a commitment to action.
Participants explored a growing set of challenges, including constrained access to land, capital, labor and effective risk management tools, particularly for young and emerging producers. In the West, these challenges are intensified by rising predation pressures, overzealous implementation of the Endangered Species Act and historic public lands policies that have limited access to grazing allotments. Left unaddressed, these pressures threaten the long-term viability of family operations and rural economies.
The 33 attendees advanced a set of recommendations to help guide the next phase of the Common Ground Coalition’s work. Through respectful discussion, participants offered ideas on issues they believed the group could ultimately agree on. While differing viewpoints were represented — both at the table and in small-group discussions — items without consensus did not move forward. This approach has been foundational to the Common Ground Coalition, and these outcomes will be aligned with findings from the coalition’s remaining regional summits.
Western Region Recommendations
- Improve access to land by simplifying bureaucracy and developing incentives that encourage sellers and landowners to keep land in production agriculture. Protecting and restoring grazing acres, including public and deeded land, is essential for young and emerging producers and for the long-term viability of all livestock operations.
- Advocate for capital access and financing reforms, with the goal of expanding and streamlining access to capital for livestock production.
- Develop mentorship, succession and ownership pathways by creating models that connect established operations with young and emerging producers.
- Add a focus on predation issues and Endangered Species Act reforms to the coalition’s foundational work, with the goal of defending producers’ right to protect private property. This includes addressing misuse of the act to restrict producers’ ability to protect livestock and homes, as well as seeking to improve transparency and collaboration from enforcing agencies.
- Advocate for reforms to the Equal Access to Justice Act to prevent its weaponization against the industry.
- Add a focus on reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act through policy initiatives, education, and efforts to correct misinformation in the public arena.
- Increase adoption of risk management programs through improved education, expanded coverage and tools that support cow-calf revenue streams.
- Continue pursuing labor program reforms and workforce development, including access to healthcare and other rural community needs, with the goals of increasing access to labor and improving long-term stability in rural communities.
These recommendations reinforce existing coalition priorities while encouraging expanded focus on issues impacting western producers.
Moderator and founding coalition member Jake Parnell said the event focused on results rather than just dialogue.
“This summit wasn’t about talk for talk’s sake,” he said. “It was about coming together, recognizing the work already happening across the industry and carrying that momentum beyond this room. By aligning these discussions with broader efforts and the outcomes of future Common Ground Coalition summits, we can turn shared priorities into action.”
Western Region Summit Attendees
Those participating in the summit included:
California: Erin Borror, Joe Fischer, Pat Kirby, Bert Lefty, Deirdre Lefty, Duane Martin Jr., Jake Parnell, Rick Roberti, Debbie Wise, Geordy Wise
Colorado: Christie Gabel, Jim Gies, Jordan Levi
Idaho: John Dickinson, Tom Houret, Broden Matthews, Jared Patterson
Montana: Joe Goggins, J.M. Peck, Greg Putnam, Darrell Stevenson
Nevada: John Hays, Sam Mori, Colton Oney, Cara Small, Wade Small, Chad Turner
Oregon: Bob Harrell, Paul Houret, Blake Knowles
Wyoming: Jack Berger, Brad Boner, Brett Crosby
Oregon rancher and founding member Paul Houret said the coalition’s strength lies in its ability to unite diverse perspectives under a single mission.
“We all come at this from different angles,” he said. “But if this group can come together and be an example of collaboration for the industry — and I think we’ve already seen some success — we can start fixing some of the issues that frustrate so many people. We just have to get started.”
To learn more or to sign on to the Common Ground Coalition, visit commongroundcoalition.net.
Source: Common Ground Coalition
