Could you briefly explain how regenerative organic is different from organic agriculture and conventional agriculture?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nConventional agriculture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Conventional agriculture is what the majority of our food system is comprised of\u2014often large-scale, industrial monoculture that uses pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth and control pests and weeds. Conventional agriculture may also incorporate Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), intensive tilling, and other practices that are detrimental to the soil microbiome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Certified organic agriculture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Certified organic agriculture removes synthetic inputs, like fossil-fuel intensive fertilizers and harsh pesticides from the equation, instead focusing on natural processes and strategies to grow food. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of GMOs and any inputs not approved by the National Organic Program. Organic farms must be free of all prohibited substances for three years before they can use the USDA Certified Organic label and must undergo frequent audits and inspections by regulators. Organic livestock cannot be treated with antibiotics and must have access to pasture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regenerative organic agriculture <\/h3>\n\n\n\n Regenerative organic agriculture goes beyond the stipulations of the USDA Certified Organic label, to integrate holistic practices like cover cropping, crop rotation, no-till, and other strategies that protect soil health. However, the regenerative organic certification also incorporates two other foundational pillars along with soil health: animal welfare and social fairness. This recognizes that the treatment of animals and the farmers and farm workers that grow regenerative organic food are also crucial to its success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Three pillars of the certification are soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Love that! Why were these chosen as the three pillars? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nSoil health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Soil health is the foundation of organic agriculture and is crucial for the production of healthy food. Any certification that is going to build on the Certified Organic label must have a strong foundation of soil health practices. Without soil health, our food is depleted of nutrients and laden with harmful chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Animal welfare<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Industrial livestock management and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are some of the most harmful practices in today\u2019s food system. These operations stress the animals, use antibiotics to curb disease in crowded conditions, and contribute significantly to climate change while producing environmental waste that contaminates our air and water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Certified Organic production has requirements for the welfare of animals, ROC goes beyond that standard to require that animals not only be free of antibiotics & growth hormones and have access to the outdoors, but that they have the \u201cfive freedoms\u201d: freedom from discomfort, fear, hunger, pain, and to express normal behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The importance of livestock<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Livestock play an integral part in regenerative agriculture, fertilizing soil, assisting with weed management, and building the soil structure to allow for greater water infiltration and less erosion. Livestock integration and rotational grazing also increase soil carbon sequestration by encouraging plants to send out deeper and stronger roots, boosting soil biomass and organic matter as they decompose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social fairness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n While soil and animal welfare have always been a top priority in organic production, often the rights of farmers and farm laborers have been left out of the conversation. That\u2019s why the ROC incorporates social fairness to ensure that the people undertaking regenerative organic agriculture are paid fairly, have healthy working conditions, and are encouraged and able to build community and capacity around their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhoto courtesy of the Rodale Institute<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe future of regenerative organic agriculture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The Rodale Institute is considered a pioneer in the organic movement. Do you hope regenerative organic certified will become as mainstream as organic is today? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nYes, absolutely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Certified Organic label was ground-breaking and has been a great standard for farmers and consumers to follow for the past 30 years. However, as Rodale Institute and other organizations have done more research into organic methods in the past decades, we\u2019ve realized that we can do more and must do more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With only 60 years of farmable topsoil remaining, we have to completely rethink the way we produce food and make use of every possible strategy we have to improve our agricultural systems for future generations. The Regenerative Organic Certification is the first step in moving the needle forward to overhaul our food system and heal both people and the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhoto courtesy of Rodale Insitute and Cynthia van Elk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nLand to Market certified products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n The Savory Institute has a similar regenerative certified products program called Land to Market. Are the two brands in collaboration? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nSavory Institute\u2019s Land to Market is currently centered around regeneratively sourced, livestock-derived products. This is a critical sphere for the advancement of regenerative organic agriculture, and we welcome all efforts to move the needle forward on improving our food and textile system. While the two certifications are not currently in collaboration, we are all jointly working towards the same goal of improving the health of our soils, animals, and people. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You probably already eat organic when you can, and if you’re like me and still eat meat and poultry, you buy grass-fed and pasture-raised whenever possible. Which is great! Local and organic is always a good choice. But if you’ve ever wondered if the food we eat can not only be more nutritious but also …<\/p>\n
The simple guide to Regenerative Organic Certified products<\/span> Read More \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"categories":[3660],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe future of organic: Regenerative Organic Certified • EarthyB<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n