Happy we have some positive news to share as this is us here @ Fernhill Farm - An Arcadian Place to Stay
Working to become Certified Regenerative as we all plan, plot, plod and count the cow pats day in day out, doing what we do best ... livestock on our land, wool fibre harvesting in the shearing shed, producing meat for our plates, all the while leaving more behind than we take away, providing precious life ingredients as we used to know it.
Super exciting to offer certification for our meat and fibres soon - plodding along daily we are delighted to become a pilot farm with @agreenerworldorg for their new label #certifiedregenerativebyagw for both @fernhillfarm1 @fernhillfibre
The science behind our animal management is the ‘weight of hooves in our flock and herd determines the length of time these hooves interacts with land based on its seasonal forage availability and biological demands for breeding’ - feeling this annual hoof interaction we feed life back into land to enable everything else to join in with its rich diversity that is our natural world - to give, we all have to receive and soil needs protection as the skin of the earth, forage acts as it’s protective cloth.
Following the recent announcement of its newest label, Certified Regenerative by A Greener World (AGW), the non-profit farm certifier has selected over 50 farms to join the programme’s pilot phase. Building on AGW’s successful family of leading labels, the new certification will provide a whole-farm assurance of sustainability, measuring benefits for soil, water, air, biodiversity, infrastructure, animal welfare and social responsibility.
Key features of the programme include transparent, rigorous standards; high animal welfare; a holistic, farmer-led approach; early and broad access to regenerative markets; and a pragmatic, science-based approach. The certification also streamlines auditing and certification of a wide range of practices, helping farms to make multiple meaningful claims through a single audit. With one visit farmers can demonstrate grass-fed, non-GMO, humane, just, water-friendly, environmentally sustainable practices—free of routine antibiotics and toxic chemicals.
The core feature of Certified Regenerative by AGW is a five-year Regenerative Plan developed in partnership with the farmer, whereby farmers and experts assess risk, set goals and track progress toward meaningful milestones. Experienced agricultural advisors at the UK’s Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) will also be providing training and support in the development of Regenerative Plans. The role of A Greener World is to assess farms’ compliance with their own plan. Currently most regenerative claims are not verified at all, and the few verified labels are either limited in scope or require Organic certification as a prerequisite, excluding the vast majority of farmland and hardwiring practices which are inherently not regenerative.
Pilot farms were selected based on a variety of factors including agricultural experience, regenerative principles, market or educational impact and geographical diversity. Farms span four continents and over ten species, with products ranging from grass-fed lamb to herbs and vegetables. Pilot farms in Australia, Namibia, South Africa, the UK, Canada and the U.S. will partner with A Greener World over the coming year to evaluate standards, plans and auditing procedures. This allows the programme to be trailed and assessed in a range of environments, climates and socioeconomic parameters to ensure meaningful outcomes are achieved, with refinements made as needed. A Greener World expects to announce its first fully Certified Regenerative by AGW farms and products in 2021.
A Greener World UK/Europe Executive Director Wayne Copp says,
“The term ‘regenerative’ is already being thrown around like ‘sustainable’ was a decade ago, and is being used to ‘greenwash’ products or make them seem more environmentally sustainable than they are. Our new Certified Regenerative by AGW programme seeks to protect farmers and consumers by establishing clear standards and a label that farmers and consumers can trust to deliver a genuinely positive outcome: on the farm, at the table, and for the planet.
The interest in our Certified Regenerative by AGW programme has been overwhelming—and the excellent applications made for a difficult selection process, but we are thrilled with the results. The innovative farms participating in this pilot are helping to deliver a certification that both farmers and consumers can trust to deliver a genuinely positive outcome: on the farm, at the table, and for the planet. We know that truly regenerative farming requires accountability to each other and to all of the communities to which we belong—whether they be plant, animal, human, or the environment we all share. We have been humbled by the groundswell of interest from farmers and eaters alike and look forward to sharing our collective journey.”