Regenerative Organic Alliance

We are excited to announce the launch of the Regenerative Organic Learning Centers (ROLC), led by Benjamin Fahrer, as an ROA pilot program this year with five farms from distinct regions across the U.S. These farms represent a spectrum of how regenerative organic practices, outlined in the ROC ™ Framework, are implemented by our certified operations. Each one of these farms demonstrates its own unique and brilliant approach to being Regenerative Organic Certified ®. The ROLC participating farms have been selected in hopes of inspiring other farmers in their regions to adopt and adapt more regenerative organic methods, for the greater good of our soils, people, planet, and animals. Our goal is to continue strengthening and expanding our alliances within each subregion. These are dynamic field days in which we will be building networks of resources, sharing ideas, understanding technical applications of ROC™ practices and how to become certified. We will also be developing and exploring opportunities that exist between buyers, partners, farmers and organizations within each bioregion. Check out below which farms will be participating in the ROLC program and when their field day is happening- please note, while we would love to invite all our friends and advocates of regenerative organic agriculture, space is limited to farmers and buyers within the region. But there are still ways you can participate; we will be hosting a webinar prior to each field day that anyone can attend, and we will also be sharing highlights to our page from each farms field day!     🌾Northeast: Breathe Deep Farm 8/30 🌾Midwest: A-Frame Farm 9/24 🌾West Coast: The Ecology Center 10/28 🌾Southeast: Heal The Planet Farm 11/12 🌾Southwest: Oatman Flats Ranch 11/20   Stay tuned for virtual ROLC highlights to come!

Every inch of a regenerative organic farming operation is bursting with life, movement, and vitality. From the microscopic bacteria moving through the soil to the ruminant’s grazing above; each organism has a crucial role in creating a healthy and robust environment. The more life that the soil supports, and the more life that supports the soil, makes for a system full of abundance.  The majority of the organisms found in a regenerative organic operation are below the soil; with some million of different species and billions of organisms that make up one complex web of microscopic and macroscopic life that ultimately helps bring nutrient dense food to our plates.  This is why soil health is one of the key components of the Regenerative Organic Certified® framework, because if we feed the soils well, they feed us even better.

What a tremendous milestone for EILEEN FISHER, INC.! Sustainable fibre cultivation is thier top priority in creating thier product line and by brining Regenerative Organic Certified® cotton products to the market, they are one of the few brands who are bridging the gap between hotlsitic agriculture and fashion.

Check out this article where Mariano Serratore of ICEA Istituto Certificazioni Etiche e Ambientali, talks on regenerative organic practices making momentum in European agriculture! https://lnkd.in/gQ9fHuBs

What exactly does it look like to #FarmLikeTheWorlDependsOnIt? Shahnnen of Estelbrook Farms & Vineyard in Washington State tells us how they manage their 86 acre Regenerative Organic Certified® Farm and Vineyard. By placing a key focus on feeding their soils which feed the plants that feed us, they have created a thriving vineyard filled with robust and native fauna and flora. Join in on our notes from the field with a visit to Regenerative Organic Certified® Estelbrook Farms and Vineyard!

I am honored to join Theresa Sanchez - Regenerating the World, Alison Crowe, MBA and Christian Miller, to again participate in the highly regarded University of California, Davis, Wine Marketing Program. I will address brand development, logo creation and package design for wine on Tuesday, July 23rd at 4:00 PM (PDST). This course was the first of its kind created in partnership with the OIV MSC in Montpellier. It has become the premier, week long, in depth certification course demonstrating all aspects of effective wine marketing management in the complex U.S. market. The robust range of topics covered are sure to be of particular interest and value in today's challenging environment. Please review the agenda and join me and my impressive roster of colleagues by registering at: https://lnkd.in/g4vXM_H8 . And if you want to see me keep a straight face for 30 seconds, check out the video below. (Hard for me, but I did it.) Cheers!

It’s national cow appreciation day; to celebrate we want to spotlight the many ways cows benefit a regenerative organic farming system! 🐄 From a regenerative lens grazing cattle can be seen as an ecologically conscious input for the land. In grassy fields where cattle graze, they harvest the grass as food and through natural movement they push biomass into thatch, covering, protecting, and feeding organisms in the soil. The nutrients in the cow's manure works itself back into the land replenishing it and making it viable to grow more vigorous vegetation that starts the cycle again. 🐄As cows pull at grass while foraging, they stress the grass plants, signaling them to root deeper into the soil for stability. As the grass roots deeper it improves the tilth of the soil and improves carbon sequestration. 🐄 Through focused grazing cattle can help eliminate growth of invasive species and allow native grasses to become dominate. This welcomes a host of beneficial insects and improves the entire farm habitat. Through a holistic approach in livestock grazing, cows can make an incredible addition in a regenerative organic system and greatly boost soil health… so long as we #FarmLikeTheWorlDependsOnIt! We highly recommend you read Will Harris’s book 'A Bold Return To Giving A Damn'; covering his life story as a leader in regenerative cattle ranching focusing on good land stewardship, animal welfare, and building up his local community. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gWncBmw9

As the term "Regenerative Agriculture" gains more traction each day, it's important to understand what it truly means. Its implementation places soil, farms, farmers, and products at the forefront of the fight against climate change and the push for social fairness. 💡 Learn more about how you can help drive change with Regenerative Organic Certified products: https://hubs.ly/Q02FdtYb0 #regenerativeagriculture #sustainablefarming #agriculture

As a consumer, reading packaged food labels can be very confusing- and all too often disappointing. For decades, the industry has been covering packaged goods with greenwashed terms in order to increase profits. Eco-words such as “natural”, “sustainable”, “pure”, have all been run through the industry's marketing washing machine, leaving these terms depleted of any value behind their true definition. ‘Regenerative’ faces this same threat-  As many product and label claims on the current market are being made with no real connection in planetary health. The most crucial component missing from many of these regenerative product claims is organic certification status; a baseline that regenerative simply can not go without. The Regenerative Organic Certified® label is the only regenerative seal on the market that takes organic into consideration for its framework, that then builds on soil health, animal welfare, and farmworker fairness standards. Organic certification, the highest legal status for ecological farming that was set by the government in 1972, has set standards that eliminate all chemical killers and synthetic inputs, both of which preserve the soil microbiome. Regenerative can not go without organic. By first glance, a consumer should have the right to know the impact of that product, from farm to fork, without fear of falling into a marketing scheme. The Regenerative Organic Certified® seal is here to pave the path of integrity in labeling, for the soil, the animals, the people, and the planet.

Today, June 26th, we honor the one year passing of a very dear friend and leader in the regenerative organic movement. Paul Dolan made a lasting impact not only on the land he tended but on the hearts of each and every person that had the pleasure of knowing him. As a lifelong student of the land, Paul sought to continuously enhance his understanding of the restorative capacity of the soil and the farm, as well as its relationship to the regeneration of Earth’s healthy ecosystems. A note from our Executive Director, Elizabeth Whitlow: “Paul exuded humility and inquisitive leadership, and was always brimming with possibility, and generosity. He generously shared his wisdom with me and countless others among you. If you knew him, you know that integrity and authenticity were paramount to everything. You also knew that you mattered, that his care extended to each and every one of us. As a wise friend reminded me - grief waits for no one. And I remind you - we don't have to do it alone. We grieve together.” Paul, may you continue to rest in peace 6/26/2023.