This 30-minute webinar explores the evolving relationship between regenerative agriculture, organic standards and shopper trust.
Regenerative agriculture is getting plenty of attention. But what does it actually mean to be regenerative? And when that word appears on a food label, what should shoppers be able to trust?
Those questions were at the heart of a recent webinar hosted by Organic Produce Network, featuring Charlotte Vallaeys, sustainability and food labeling expert, and Mike Dill, Director of Advocacy & Sustainability at Organically Grown Company.
The 30-minute conversation offered a preview of a deeper workshop coming to Organicology 2027, February 16–18 in Portland, Oregon.
And as Charlotte's research makes clear, there's plenty to unpack.
One Word. Four Different Interpretations.
Charlotte has spent years studying how farmers and food industry professionals understand regenerative agriculture and its relationship to organic. Her research identifies four broad perspectives:
Organic Plus: Organic certification is the foundation, with additional requirements for soil health, animal welfare and fairness for farmers and workers.
Organic Is Regenerative: The principles now associated with regenerative agriculture, soil health, biodiversity and working with natural systems, have long been central to organic.
Regenerative as a Big Tent: A flexible approach that encourages more farmers to adopt practices that improve soil health, whether or not they pursue organic certification.
Organic & Regenerative Are Different: A perspective that positions regenerative agriculture as focused on outcomes and holistic practices, while often viewing organic primarily through its restrictions on synthetic inputs.
While these perspectives share an interest in soil health, they can lead to very different standards and expectations.
And that creates an important challenge when regenerative moves from a farming philosophy to a shopper-facing claim.
What Does "Certified Regenerative" Actually Tell Shoppers?
Unlike USDA Organic, regenerative agriculture doesn't have a single, federally defined standard.
Charlotte discussed findings from a Friends of the Earth report that analyzed regenerative food labels and the requirements behind them. The study found significant differences in how certification programs address synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, soil health practices, verification and supply chain traceability.
Some regenerative certifications build on the USDA organic standard. Others permit practices and inputs prohibited in organic production.
For retailers, distributors and shoppers, those distinctions matter.
Mike shared observations from OGC's work with organic growers and produce buyers, noting that regenerative claims have yet to gain significant traction in the fresh produce marketplace. The USDA Organic seal, backed by established standards and verification, remains a familiar and trusted way to communicate how food is grown.
What Can Organic Learn from Regenerative?
The conversation wasn't simply about the differences between organic and regenerative agriculture. It also explored where the two can learn from each other.
One important area is the growing interest in measuring outcomes. What's actually happening to soil health, biodiversity and other environmental indicators?
Charlotte challenged the idea that organic is exclusively practice-based while regenerative is outcomes-based. Organic standards require farming practices designed to produce positive environmental outcomes. But she also sees value in strengthening how those outcomes are measured and communicated.
It’s a conversation worth continuing as organic celebrates 25 years of the USDA national standard and looks toward its future.
Watch the free 30-minute webinar. It’s just a preview of what's ahead at Organicology, where Charlotte will join Kelly Damewood, CEO of CCOF, and Alan Lewis of Natural Grocers, for an interactive, two-hour workshop: What Should Regenerative Mean? Standards, Claims, and the Role of Organic.
There's much more to explore, including the role of tillage, shopper perceptions of food labels, and how to establish credible guardrails around regenerative claims.
The workshop will go deeper into the questions surrounding agricultural practices, measurable outcomes, certification and the future of regenerative claims.
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