The goal of regenerative organic agriculture is to offer practical solutions to the world’s biggest social and ecological challenges. We’re beyond the point of sustainability and we need to regenerate the soil and land that supports us, the animals that nourish us, and the farmers and workers that feed us. There is a path forward and you can be part of the solution.
Increase soil organic matter over time, and sequester carbon in the soil
Improve animal welfare
Provide economic stability and fairness for farmers, ranchers, and workers
“Soil is the common thread that unites us all. We’re so closely tied to this earth, that the word human stems from “humus,” meaning soil. And we’re treating soil like dirt. Regenerative organic agriculture has the ability to restore the health of our soils while growing food that is healthier for us and the planet.”
Jeff Moyer
“We have been born of the soil and are supported by the products of the soil, and there is something within each of us which cannot forget the great meaning that plants give to life.”
Robert Rodale
“Regenerative organic agriculture is the number one thing humans can do to combat global warming.”
Yvon Chouinard
“As eaters, we are all farmers deciding what kind of farming system exists in the world that feeds us: our fork is our pitchfork, our plate is our farm.”
David Bronner
”The early USDA organic standard was just a starting point. We can and must do better. The Regenerative Organic Certification standard gives us a guide and an incentive to raise the bar.”
David Vetter
“Green America’s long-term goal is agriculture production that is regenerative and meets the USDA organic standard, the best way to achieve this is through the Regenerative Organic Certification."
Green America
“With 7.5 billion humans on the planet (and rapidly growing), it’s critically important we build a regenerative organic food economy that changes the way we produce, distribute and consume food."
Gunnar Lovelace
"Can we practice a way of farming and eating that doesn’t just support our landscape, but also acts as its engine for improvement? That challenge — a regenerative approach from seed to soil to table — is going to define the future of good food."
Dan Barber
Regenerative Organic Certification builds upon the near 100-year legacy of organic movement visionaries like J. I. Rodale and Dr. Rudolf Steiner and provides stepwise guidance for farming and ranching operations, transportation, slaughter, and processing facilities that produce food, cosmetics, and fiber. It is essential to farm in a way that enriches rather than degrades the soil, and values animals and workers. Regenerative Organic Certification leverages existing highbar organic, animal welfare, and social fairness certifications, and includes additional regenerative requirements.
Photo credit: Keri Oberly
Regenerative Organic Certification builds upon the near 100-year legacy of organic movement visionaries like J. I. Rodale and Dr. Rudolf Steiner and provides stepwise guidance for farming and ranching operations, transportation, slaughter, and processing facilities that produce food, cosmetics, and fiber. It is essential to farm in a way that enriches rather than degrades the soil, and values animals and workers. Regenerative Organic Certification leverages existing highbar organic, animal welfare, and social fairness certifications, and includes additional regenerative requirements.
Photo credit: Keri Oberly
Regenerative Organic Certification was created by a coalition of like-minded farmers, ranchers, brands, non-profits, and other organizations who believed in the need for an all-encompassing regenerative certification. Led by the Rodale Institute, the Regenerative Organic Alliance will oversee Regenerative Organic Certification. Made up of experts in farming, ranching, soil health, animal welfare, and farmer and worker fairness, the Regenerative Organic Alliance will regularly reevaluate certification requirements and update the certification, as necessary. A list of the Regenerative Organic Alliance board members can be found here.
Photo credit: Keri Oberly
After publishing the first draft of the Regenerative Organic Certification framework in September 2017, the Regenerative Organic Alliance has received hundreds of comments from farmers, ranchers, certifiers, and other stakeholders in our agriculture and food system. We are now reviewing all of the feedback to update and refine the certification. In the coming months, we will share an updated version of Regenerative Organic Certification and begin launching pilot programs with producers, brands, and certifying bodies. Additionally, the Regenerative Organic Alliance is working with various outside parties to build educational and other tools to help producers incorporate regenerative organic practices into their operations, and to recruit other brands who are interested in committing to creating Regenerative Organic Certified™ products.
Photo credit: Keri Oberly
Regenerative Organic Certification was created to leverage and bring together existing high-bar certifications in order to avoid duplicative audits or burdensome paperwork. With USDA Organic certification as a baseline, Regenerative Organic Certification recognizes the strong work already conducted by existing animal welfare and social fairness standard bodies, and therefore, leverages this work as part of the journey to Regenerative Organic Certification.
As an Ally our company supports the values and goals of Regenerative Organic Certification: to improve soil health and organic matter over time and sequester more carbon, to improve animal welfare, and to provide economic stability and fairness to farmers, ranchers and workers.
Learn more about Regenerative Organic Certification
Looking back on the USDA meeting in Jacksonville, I am left with anger, grief and a sense of urgency that we keep moving forward.
Working closely with Rodale Institute, Dr. Bronner’s and other key allies, we created Regenerative Organic Certification to establish a new, high bar for regenerative organic agriculture.
