FINDING COMMON GROUND
ARTICLE & PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMONGROUND
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON THE FOOD WE CONSUME
F
amily farms in North Dakota, and across America, have helped build the safest and most affordable food supply in the world. Women from these rural farms play a vital role in running the farm and growing the nation’s food supply. That’s why North Dakota soybean and corn farmers continue to support the movement CommonGround in North Dakota.
CommonGround is a grass-roots movement to foster conversation among women — on farms and in cities — about where our food comes from. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), the United Soybean Board (USB) and their state affiliates developed CommonGround to give farm women the opportunity to engage with consumers through the use of a wide range of activities. USB and NCGA provide support and a platform for the volunteers to tell their stories. CommonGround is now in 17 states and growing. “The CommonGround program grew out of a new demand from consumers for food information,” says Karolyn Zurn, farmer and volunteer coordinator of CommonGround for the North Dakota Soybean Council and North Dakota Corn Utilization Council. “The goal of CommonGround is to be a resource to provide moms with facts and information that can help them make informed food