There’s a growing buzz in the farming world around ‘regenerative’ agriculture. This is a great sign of growing ecological awareness amongst farmers. At the same time, it’s important to be clear about what regenerative agriculture is and is not, and how it relates to organic.

There’s no universal definition of regenerative agriculture. In general, the regenerative movement seeks to build more resilient farm ecosystems from the soil upward. ‘Regenerative’ farmers tend to use soil-conserving and soil-building practices such as minimising tillage, cover cropping, keeping the soil covered and increasing biodiversity in pastures and crops. These practices can help to increase farm health, while drawing more carbon into soils – which is good for our climate, good for farm sustainability and good for the future of agricultural soils.

So when conventional farmers move to regenerative agriculture, we believe it is a good thing. However, there is also a potential for consumer confusion. Consumers should be aware that ‘regenerative’ is not the same as organic. Many regenerative farmers still use toxic pesticides and herbicides, and may use other synthetic chemicals as well. Because there is no set regulated definition of the term ‘regenerative’, there is no specific consumer guarantee around what it means to buy products from these farms. That also means that unlike certified organic products, regenerative farmers generally do not receive a specific price premium for their products.

The great news is that regenerative farming practices can be a stepping stone to organic farming. When conventional farmers switch to regenerative practices, their soil health and animal health can improve, making it easier to reduce reliance on synthetic inputs. The move to regenerative practices tends to inspire farmers about what is possible when we work with the power of nature. As time goes on, we hope to see more and more regenerative farmers pursuing organic certification so that they can be properly recognised and rewarded for their efforts.