#398 Soil Microbiomes, Plant Genetics, and Groundswell with Nikki Reed and Rebecca Tickell
DNA Today: A Genetics PodcastShow Notes
What if the future of human health doesn’t just begin in the clinic, but in the soil? In this episode of DNA Today, we explore the new documentary Groundswell, the final chapter in the regenerative agriculture documentary trilogy that began with Kiss the Ground and continued with Common Ground. Narrated by Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson, Groundswell follows regenerative agriculture solutions across five continents, showing how restoring soil health can support biodiversity, food systems, local economies, climate resilience, and human health. This episode takes DNA Today into a different but deeply relevant corner of genetics and genomics. While we often focus on human genetics, Groundswell broadens the lens to show how genetics is embedded in entire ecosystems. Soil is alive with microbial diversity. Plants depend on complex relationships with bacteria, fungi, insects, and the environment around them. Crop diversity and seed diversity can influence resilience to drought, pests, disease, and changing climate conditions. Human health is also shaped not only by our DNA, but by the environments we live in, the food we eat, the water we drink, the chemicals we are exposed to, and the microbes we encounter. Joining us are Nikki Reed, co-producer of Groundswell, and Rebecca Harrell Tickell, co-director of the film. About Nikki Reed Many listeners will know Nikki from her role as Rosalie Hale in The Twilight Saga, as well as her work in Thirteen, which she co-wrote and starred in, and her role in The O.C. Beyond acting, Nikki is also a filmmaker, farmer, entrepreneur, and environmental advocate. About Rebecca Harrell Tickell Rebecca Harrell Tickell is an award-winning filmmaker, producer, and environmental activist whose work includes Kiss the Ground, Common Ground, and now Groundswell. Through this trilogy, Rebecca and her collaborators have helped bring regenerative agriculture into mainstream conversations about climate, food, health, and the future of farming. In This Episode, We Discuss
How Nikki Reed’s experience in Twilight shaped the way she thinks about storytelling, cultural influence, and using her platform for impact Why Nikki became involved in regenerative agriculture and how her connection to food, farming, and environmental advocacy became personal What regenerative agriculture means and how it differs from conventional agriculture Why healthy soil is not just “dirt,” but a living ecosystem filled with microbes, fungi, roots, insects, and organic matter How soil health connects to plant health, nutrient cycling, water retention, and ecosystem resilience Why biodiversity matters above and below ground, from soil microbial communities to crops, pollinators, insects, animals, and humans How regenerative agriculture reframes food systems as regionally specific, community-based, and connected to local ecosystems The connection between food, chemical exposures, the environment, and gene-environment interactions Why the guests see regenerative agriculture as both a practical solution and a hopeful movement How storytelling can help make complex topics like soil science, microbes, farming systems, and climate resilience more accessible
Fact Check & Context This episode includes a passionate discussion about regenerative agriculture, pesticides, cancer, fertility, carbon, and soil health. As with many topics at the intersection of environment and health, the science is complex. Here are a few important clarifications and sources for our audience members who want to dig deeper. Cancer Rates The episode references concern about rising cancer rates, including pediatric cancer and cancers in younger adults. The most accurate summary is nuanced. For childhood and adolescent cancers in the U.S., a 2025 analysis found that age-standardized cancer incidence increased from 2001 to 2016, then decreased from 2016 to 2022. Cancer death rates among U.S. youth ages 0–19 also declined 24% from 2001 to 2021, according to CDC
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