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RegeNErate Nebraska: Building Nebraska’s Communities From The Soil Up

Speaker: Graham Christensen, President & Founder, GC Resolve, LLC

Profile | GRAHAM@GCRESOLVE.COM | @gcresolve | gcresolve.com

Abstract

The presentation will highlight the issues arising from extreme vertical integration in the food production system, how extreme vertical integration is impacting our communities, and how we are redirecting our approaches in agriculture to protect the environment, as well as the farmers and the farmworkers that are producing our food. The solution lies in the soil!

Related Video:

A Climate Reckoning in the Heartland – CBSN Originals Documentary

Speaker Bio

Graham P. Christensen was born in Omaha and grew up nearby on his family’s farm. Graham first opened his eyes to activism during the 1980’s Farm Crisis in which many family farmers were losing their farms. Graham and his brother would often tag along with their parents to Washington DC and across the country during those years in order to better the lives of struggling farmers. This would have a heavy influence on Graham’s life direction.

Graham graduated from Midland Lutheran College in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism, and shortly after graduation, he started doing political organizing.

Then in 2007, Graham joined the Nebraska Farmers Union. While at the Nebraska Farmers Union Graham helped enroll 1.2 million acres into a carbon sequestration program designed to incent farmers and ranchers for storing carbon through scientifically proven agricultural practices. Christensen also worked on agricultural and energy policy at both the State and Federal level while at the Nebraska Farmers Union.

Currently, Christensen is the Founder and President of GC Resolve, a Nebraska business that focuses on grassroots community development, mobilization, and education with an emphasis on the environment and the creation of resilient communities. Current projects under GC Resolve include raising awareness about Nebraska’s rising water quality issues, and educating and advocating for a change in the food production system to “regenerative” farming and ranching principles. Just recently Christensen joined the Regenerative Ag Alliance as the Ecosystems Manager, which is helping develop the industry side and marketplace for regenerative products.

Christensen owns and operates a second business GC ReVOLT, a solar and alternative energy development company, and is now the State Secretary and a Director for the Nebraska Farmers Union. Graham is still actively involved in operating Christensen Farms, Inc. with his family.