Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman will Screen at Commodity Classic

Conference attendees can catch a sneak peek before the film airs on Discovery

February 22, 2017
Julie Benson, 415-293-6069, jbenson@edf.org
Mark Lambert, 636-733-9004, lambert@ncga.com

(ST. LOUIS – February 22, 2017) Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman, fresh from its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival, will preview at Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas before it airs worldwide on Discovery Channel in August. The Discovery Impact film weaves together the stories of a Montana rancher, two Kansas farmers and a handful of Gulf fishermen who feed the world while stewarding the land and water they work. Based on a book by the same name, the documentary is a tribute to the unsung conservation heroes of America’s heartland.

“The men and women profiled in the book and film work tirelessly to protect America’s natural resources, make their operations more productive and resilient and leave a legacy for their children. They don’t receive much credit for their conservation achievements, and we’re trying to change that,” said Miriam Horn of Environmental Defense Fund. 

Horn authored Rancher, Farmer Fisherman: Conservation Heroes of the American Heartlandon which the film is based. NCGA and EDF will host an audience Q&A with Horn after the screening.

“Most farmers I know have spent a lifetime trying to do a better job of protecting the soil and water resources on their farms. This love of the land and how to grow crops more sustainably is passed down in many cases for four generations or more,” said Brent Hostetler, National Corn Growers Association’s Sustainability Action Team chairman and a farmer from Plain City, Ohio. “This project opens public dialogue to challenge traditional notions and shows how modern farming and environmentalism can go hand in hand.”

The screening and audience discussion will be held in the Lila Cockrell Theatre during Commodity Classic’s Closing Learning Center Session on Saturday, March 4, 2017 from 1:30–3:30 pm CDT. Anyone with a Commodity Classic badge may attend. 

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Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading international nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Connect with us on TwitterFacebook and our Growing Returns blog.

Founded in 1957, the National Corn Growers Association represents more than 40,000 dues-paying corn farmers nationwide and the interests of more than 300,000 growers who contribute through corn checkoff programs in their states. NCGA and its 49 affiliated state organizations work together to create and increase opportunities for corn growers. For more information, visit www.ncga.com.