Why the ‘Regenerative Organic’ Certification Exists—and Why the Food System Needs It

Thousands of grocery items in the US now bear the “Regenerative Organic Certified” label. But as momentum around this concept accelerates, so too does the confusion about what “regenerative organic” farming actually entails.

Definitions of regenerative agriculture vary widely and the lack of consistent standards leaves plenty of room for loose interpretations—and outright greenwashing.

This isn’t terribly different from the early days of organic farming, says Jeff Tkach, CEO of nonprofit Rodale Institute.

“There was a lot of confusion in the marketplace around certification and standards,” he says of that time.

Rodale pioneered organic farming in the late-twentieth century to bring clarity and integrity to the space. Seven years ago, it founded the Regenerative Organic Alliance (along with Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia) to do much the same thing for regenerative agriculture.

AgFunderNews recently discussed these parallels with Tkach, who also explained why certification is critical to the future food system. ROA’s brand engagement manager David Green joined the conversation to discuss the biggest roadblocks for regenerative organic right now and how to push through.