Exploring opportunities and constraints of a certification scheme for regenerative agricultural practice

Industrial farming contributes significantly to feeding and clothing the world’s population of nearly eight billion people. While the use of mechanized, chemical and scaled-up farming practices have enabled increased food and fiber production, the practices associated with industrial agriculture also have the potential to adversely impact soils, environment and climate. Organic agriculture began as a movement to counter industrial farming, and organic certification has played a significant role in expanding organic agriculture worldwide. Regenerative agriculture is a fast-developing industry that also offers an alternative to industrial farming. It has been dubbed as going ‘beyond organic’ to take a more holistic view of agricultural production and practices. Based on 15 key-informant interviews with experts in the Australian organic and regenerative agricultural industries, this case study presents insight into the challenges that the organic industry has faced in its relationship with certification, thus offering a guide to the regenerative agricultural industry in developing its own approaches to labeling or certification.