New guidance seeks to pin down the meaning of “regenerative farming”
Regenerative farming has become the next big thing in farming and claims to produce food using regenerative farming have started making their way into advertising. So much so that the CAP has been consulting on what the term means and importantly how it can be used in a way which is distinct from “organic” and does not mislead.
The guidance recognises that regenerative farming can take different forms but nonetheless sets out expectations about what farming practices can be called regenerative and the substantiation and disclaimer it will be clear is required.
Broadly the expectation is that to describe farming as “regenerative” it must involve at least two of the following:
- Limiting soil disturbance
- Maintaining year-round soil cover
- Promoting biodiversity and crop rotations
- Keeping living roots in the soil
- Integrating livestock and arable systems
There is an expectation that it will be made clear in the ad itself which of these activities are being used to regenerate.
Further if you are going to make the claim that the farming has been regenerative it will be necessary to have data to demonstrate some meaningful success in terms of restoration of nutrients, biodiversity and water quality.
The guidance is also clear on what is not regenerative farming. Buying biodiversity credits or similar does not entitle you to make an unqualified regenerative farming claim. Nor should regenerative farming be conflated with organic.
Comment
The new guidance makes it clear that “regenerative farming” is to be considered a form of green claim and subject to advertising guidance on green claims and also the green claims code. This guidance sets the bar very high for so-called absolute claims with a heavy burden on substantiation including robust data across the entire life-cycle of a product or service. “Regenerative farming” is expressly called out in the new guidance as being a form of absolute claim. So these rules apply in full and the standard of substantiation required is robust data to demonstrate that there has been actual regeneration of the soil.
Where this is not available it may be easier for advertisers to make other claims such as so-called mission claims that they have a goal to move towards regenerative farming or comparisons with alternative types of traditional farming. That said care should be taken in relation to comparison between regeneration and organic due to the risk of inadvertently implying that all regenerative farming is organic.