The Rodale Institute has a new Regenerative Organic certification program with four requirements that include but go beyond those for USDA Certified Organic:
- Increase soil organic matter over time, and potentially sequester carbon in the soil
- Improve animal welfare
- Provide economic stability and fairness for farmers, ranchers, and workers
- Create resilient regional ecosystems and communities
An Infographic illustrates how it works. It’s based on three pillars:
This program seems to address most of the major criticisms of USDA’s National Organic Program. I will be interested to see whether farmers sign on for it.
