Agreed! We need actual rules to state who is allowed to market as regenerative. When whoever can slap that label on everybody loses except the big corporations!
Thanks for the comment Ella. I wasn’t an advocate of organic because the certification was so expensive but I can see the merits to certification and regenerative definitely needs a bit more regulation so it’s not hijacked!
I wouldn't quote anything from the Friends of the Earth as being "hazardous" and expect to be taken seriously. I am quite sure that some of the things they list are truly hazardous and shouldn't be anywhere near a regenerative system, but these organisations have a habit of listing things as a problem which when looked at dispassionately are complete hokum.
Thanks for sharing your perspective I get where you’re coming from. There’s definitely a lot of debate around what different organisations label as “hazardous,” and I agree, it’s important to look at everything with a critical eye. For me, though, I take a pretty strong stance against chemical use of any kind fertilisers, pesticides, all of it especially in regenerative systems. Even if some lists can seem over the top, I’d rather err on the side of caution when it comes to soil health and long-term sustainability.
I appreciate the push for nuance in these conversations. Out of curiosity, are there any resources or organisations you do trust for balanced information on these topics?
I get worried by the many billions invested in ' regenerative' farming globally by the megacorps - they don't care about climate change / environment/ biodiversity - it's jumping on the latest trend to make more money and in doing so they ruin it for the genuine regen farmers
Sally, I completely relate to your concerns this was exactly how I felt while researching for this article.
The deeper I looked into what I’d call “corporate regenerative ag,” the more it felt like the true spirit of regenerative farming was getting lost. It’s frustrating (and honestly, a little heartbreaking) to see big companies jumping on the trend, not out of genuine care for the environment or food systems, but just to tick boxes and boost their image.
My own experience as a farmer who couldn’t justify the cost of organic certification makes this even more personal. It’s tough to watch the movement get hijacked by those with the deepest pockets, while small, genuine regen farmers get pushed aside or overshadowed.
I didn’t want to keep circling back to this topic, but the more I dug into reports like As You Sow’s, the clearer it became that what’s presented on the surface is only part of the story and often not the most honest part. Do you think there’s any way for real regenerative farmers to reclaim the narrative?
There is a regenerative certification now called ROC (regenerative organic certification) . You have to obtain organic cert first and then the ROC is agreeing to a series of principles on top of that. What a label doesn't tell you about is the journey. If a conv farmer is reducing his chemical fert or IPM by 10%/year with a goal to have none at all, this is in the regenerative context. The issue about labels has to do with consumer education and confidence. There are plenty of large scale organic growers with a substandard product because they still don't understand the natural processes and run their extractive business like a strip mine. A single word on a label does not tell the story. When a group like the Biofood Nutrient Association get their nutrient density devices rolled out, all the labels in the world will no longer be the veil to hide behind for any growers, conventional, organic or regenerative.
This is such an insightful comment thank you for sharing it. Certifications like ROC are a step in the right direction, but they’re still just one part of a much bigger picture.
I completely agree that labels alone can never capture the complexity or integrity of a farm’s practices. As you said, even large-scale organic operations can miss the mark if they treat organic as just another box to tick, rather than truly understanding and working with natural systems. That’s why consumer education and transparency are so important people need to know how to look beyond the buzzwords and ask better questions.
The idea of using nutrient density devices is really exciting. If we can actually measure and communicate the quality of food in a meaningful way, it could be a game changer for accountability and consumer trust.
Until then, I think it’s up to all of us to keep pushing for deeper understanding and not settle for a single word on a label. Have you seen any farms or producers doing a particularly good job of telling their story beyond the certification?
Yes there are lots of small farms that have great stories, but none will be heard in any supermarket. Perhaps the consumer in our mega grocery system is the first place to address this. Conglomerates have pushed out small independent grocers and the stories of the growers left with them. This isn't a government or legislative issue, this is valuation by the consumer saying "I'd rather pay less" and companies observe economies of scale by increasing in size and consolidating at the source. People shop at Walmart because of price and then complain about international outsourcing of industry, including food. Walmart is the most aggressive intermediary on planet earth in terms of pressuring suppliers. This is what economy of scale looks like, we must educate and make smarter purchasing choices.
You’ve summed up the challenge so well it really does come down to what we, as consumers, choose to value. Our purchases are a vote for the system we want to support. The stories, care, and real quality behind small farms get lost in the noise of big retail, and it’s tough for independent producers to compete when price is the only thing that seems to matter at scale.
The mega-grocery model isn’t just about supply chains or policy, but about the choices we all make every day. If more people asked where their food comes from, or were willing to spend a bit more to support local growers, it could start to shift the system at least in small steps.
It’s not always easy, especially with budgets being tight, but even small changes in how and where we shop can add up over time. And they always been the world to the farmer or grower!
Hear, hear, I commend your statements. Back to nutrient density, the consumer cannot see the carrot in the weeds without a usable metric.
Farmers use the only poor measurements they currently have, size, uniformity, how green or red. Corn is not supposed to have super dark green foliage, but it will when overly ferted with Inorganic nitrogen, which btw, causes gastric distress in any animal that eats it including humans who ate the cow who ate the corn. Right there in one crop is an industry decision for quantity over quality and the smoking gun is at the bottom of the ocean.
The good news is we can trust our senses more. How many people know the finicky kiddie carrot test? If small kids devour it, it's good. If they won't touch it, you shouldn't either. When the top tier of food is supplied to Michelin starred restaurants, we reduce our potential to get back to the basics.
So many problems which I feel can be solved with farm to table models in communities that will rediscover the art of growing, cooking and eating for themselves. This itself is a challenge. How many farmers do you know who are excellent cooks on the level of a restaurant?
You’ve captured so much of what’s broken in the current system there’s this constant push for appearance and yield over real quality, and it’s true that the metrics we use doesn’t tell the whole story. I love your point about trusting our senses (and the “kiddie carrot test” so true!).
You’re absolutely right about the disconnect between farmers and restaurant-style cooking, too. Most farmers I know cook hearty, practical meals that fuel them for the day, not restaurant fare. But I do think there’s huge potential in building stronger links between local farms and local restaurants if chefs and communities valued provenance and seasonality over glossy consistency, we’d all benefit.
It’s frustrating how even the best intentions (“buy local!”) can get watered down by business pressures. Every time you look closer, you see just how many layers there are to fix! I still believe farm-to-table models and community food cultures are the way forward, but it’s going to take a lot of honest conversations and creative thinking to get there.
I think a lot about one big supermarket in South Africa that has captured the hearts and minds of urban consumers, mainly women who swear by it.
They charge premiums for claims which their in store personnel can’t confirm because clearly they don’t know.
For example they put a black round sticker on their pork written “kinder to sows.” They promised to sue me when I pointed out that the sticker means nothing because the sows are still in a confining crates. So extending the length of the crate by 19 cm means no relief for the mother pig.
The best is to educate consumers to ask the right questions.
This is such an important point, and I really appreciate you sharing your experience. It’s so frustrating when companies use vague or feel-good labels to justify higher prices, especially when those claims don’t stand up to scrutiny or, as you said, can’t even be explained by their own staff.
The “kinder to sows” example is a perfect case of greenwashing making things sound better than they really are, while little actually changes for animal welfare. It’s disappointing that their response was to threaten legal action rather than address the real issue.
You’re absolutely right though the best thing we can do is help consumers get curious, ask specific questions, and not just take marketing at face value. The more people push for transparency and real answers, the harder it is for companies to hide behind empty claims. Have you found any resources or strategies that help people see through this kind of greenwashing?
Agreed! We need actual rules to state who is allowed to market as regenerative. When whoever can slap that label on everybody loses except the big corporations!
Thanks for the comment Ella. I wasn’t an advocate of organic because the certification was so expensive but I can see the merits to certification and regenerative definitely needs a bit more regulation so it’s not hijacked!
Nice pic of the author and the next generation of regenerative warriors !
Thanks Jeremy, my little one was a regular appearance at the market stall! He’s 3.5 now, time flies!
Looking good . Has he got a job yet ?
Not yet but he always loved getting stuck in!
I wouldn't quote anything from the Friends of the Earth as being "hazardous" and expect to be taken seriously. I am quite sure that some of the things they list are truly hazardous and shouldn't be anywhere near a regenerative system, but these organisations have a habit of listing things as a problem which when looked at dispassionately are complete hokum.
Thanks for sharing your perspective I get where you’re coming from. There’s definitely a lot of debate around what different organisations label as “hazardous,” and I agree, it’s important to look at everything with a critical eye. For me, though, I take a pretty strong stance against chemical use of any kind fertilisers, pesticides, all of it especially in regenerative systems. Even if some lists can seem over the top, I’d rather err on the side of caution when it comes to soil health and long-term sustainability.
I appreciate the push for nuance in these conversations. Out of curiosity, are there any resources or organisations you do trust for balanced information on these topics?
I get worried by the many billions invested in ' regenerative' farming globally by the megacorps - they don't care about climate change / environment/ biodiversity - it's jumping on the latest trend to make more money and in doing so they ruin it for the genuine regen farmers
Sally, I completely relate to your concerns this was exactly how I felt while researching for this article.
The deeper I looked into what I’d call “corporate regenerative ag,” the more it felt like the true spirit of regenerative farming was getting lost. It’s frustrating (and honestly, a little heartbreaking) to see big companies jumping on the trend, not out of genuine care for the environment or food systems, but just to tick boxes and boost their image.
My own experience as a farmer who couldn’t justify the cost of organic certification makes this even more personal. It’s tough to watch the movement get hijacked by those with the deepest pockets, while small, genuine regen farmers get pushed aside or overshadowed.
I didn’t want to keep circling back to this topic, but the more I dug into reports like As You Sow’s, the clearer it became that what’s presented on the surface is only part of the story and often not the most honest part. Do you think there’s any way for real regenerative farmers to reclaim the narrative?
There is a regenerative certification now called ROC (regenerative organic certification) . You have to obtain organic cert first and then the ROC is agreeing to a series of principles on top of that. What a label doesn't tell you about is the journey. If a conv farmer is reducing his chemical fert or IPM by 10%/year with a goal to have none at all, this is in the regenerative context. The issue about labels has to do with consumer education and confidence. There are plenty of large scale organic growers with a substandard product because they still don't understand the natural processes and run their extractive business like a strip mine. A single word on a label does not tell the story. When a group like the Biofood Nutrient Association get their nutrient density devices rolled out, all the labels in the world will no longer be the veil to hide behind for any growers, conventional, organic or regenerative.
This is such an insightful comment thank you for sharing it. Certifications like ROC are a step in the right direction, but they’re still just one part of a much bigger picture.
I completely agree that labels alone can never capture the complexity or integrity of a farm’s practices. As you said, even large-scale organic operations can miss the mark if they treat organic as just another box to tick, rather than truly understanding and working with natural systems. That’s why consumer education and transparency are so important people need to know how to look beyond the buzzwords and ask better questions.
The idea of using nutrient density devices is really exciting. If we can actually measure and communicate the quality of food in a meaningful way, it could be a game changer for accountability and consumer trust.
Until then, I think it’s up to all of us to keep pushing for deeper understanding and not settle for a single word on a label. Have you seen any farms or producers doing a particularly good job of telling their story beyond the certification?
Yes there are lots of small farms that have great stories, but none will be heard in any supermarket. Perhaps the consumer in our mega grocery system is the first place to address this. Conglomerates have pushed out small independent grocers and the stories of the growers left with them. This isn't a government or legislative issue, this is valuation by the consumer saying "I'd rather pay less" and companies observe economies of scale by increasing in size and consolidating at the source. People shop at Walmart because of price and then complain about international outsourcing of industry, including food. Walmart is the most aggressive intermediary on planet earth in terms of pressuring suppliers. This is what economy of scale looks like, we must educate and make smarter purchasing choices.
You’ve summed up the challenge so well it really does come down to what we, as consumers, choose to value. Our purchases are a vote for the system we want to support. The stories, care, and real quality behind small farms get lost in the noise of big retail, and it’s tough for independent producers to compete when price is the only thing that seems to matter at scale.
The mega-grocery model isn’t just about supply chains or policy, but about the choices we all make every day. If more people asked where their food comes from, or were willing to spend a bit more to support local growers, it could start to shift the system at least in small steps.
It’s not always easy, especially with budgets being tight, but even small changes in how and where we shop can add up over time. And they always been the world to the farmer or grower!
Hear, hear, I commend your statements. Back to nutrient density, the consumer cannot see the carrot in the weeds without a usable metric.
Farmers use the only poor measurements they currently have, size, uniformity, how green or red. Corn is not supposed to have super dark green foliage, but it will when overly ferted with Inorganic nitrogen, which btw, causes gastric distress in any animal that eats it including humans who ate the cow who ate the corn. Right there in one crop is an industry decision for quantity over quality and the smoking gun is at the bottom of the ocean.
The good news is we can trust our senses more. How many people know the finicky kiddie carrot test? If small kids devour it, it's good. If they won't touch it, you shouldn't either. When the top tier of food is supplied to Michelin starred restaurants, we reduce our potential to get back to the basics.
So many problems which I feel can be solved with farm to table models in communities that will rediscover the art of growing, cooking and eating for themselves. This itself is a challenge. How many farmers do you know who are excellent cooks on the level of a restaurant?
You’ve captured so much of what’s broken in the current system there’s this constant push for appearance and yield over real quality, and it’s true that the metrics we use doesn’t tell the whole story. I love your point about trusting our senses (and the “kiddie carrot test” so true!).
You’re absolutely right about the disconnect between farmers and restaurant-style cooking, too. Most farmers I know cook hearty, practical meals that fuel them for the day, not restaurant fare. But I do think there’s huge potential in building stronger links between local farms and local restaurants if chefs and communities valued provenance and seasonality over glossy consistency, we’d all benefit.
It’s frustrating how even the best intentions (“buy local!”) can get watered down by business pressures. Every time you look closer, you see just how many layers there are to fix! I still believe farm-to-table models and community food cultures are the way forward, but it’s going to take a lot of honest conversations and creative thinking to get there.
I think a lot about one big supermarket in South Africa that has captured the hearts and minds of urban consumers, mainly women who swear by it.
They charge premiums for claims which their in store personnel can’t confirm because clearly they don’t know.
For example they put a black round sticker on their pork written “kinder to sows.” They promised to sue me when I pointed out that the sticker means nothing because the sows are still in a confining crates. So extending the length of the crate by 19 cm means no relief for the mother pig.
The best is to educate consumers to ask the right questions.
This is such an important point, and I really appreciate you sharing your experience. It’s so frustrating when companies use vague or feel-good labels to justify higher prices, especially when those claims don’t stand up to scrutiny or, as you said, can’t even be explained by their own staff.
The “kinder to sows” example is a perfect case of greenwashing making things sound better than they really are, while little actually changes for animal welfare. It’s disappointing that their response was to threaten legal action rather than address the real issue.
You’re absolutely right though the best thing we can do is help consumers get curious, ask specific questions, and not just take marketing at face value. The more people push for transparency and real answers, the harder it is for companies to hide behind empty claims. Have you found any resources or strategies that help people see through this kind of greenwashing?
The chicory in the field with your pigs rooting; do they eat it? A good source for greens in diet and blue g flowers for bees.
Yes pigs will eat chicory. Herbal ley is fantastic grazing for pigs!