In our session on synthetic inputs, it was clear that the use of synthetic nitrogen and pesticides was not an allowable practice in regenerative systems. Both panelists and attendees concluded a properly designed system did not need to rely on these materials, and in fact would be damaged by their use.

This session on soil health builds on this approach by asking, where does fertility in a regenerative system come from? What materials can be used to increase fertility and soil function? How can a farm verify that its practices have been successful? What are the best practices for increasing and maintaining fertility? What is the range of uses on different farms? Is there such a thing as “transitional regenerative” when conventional practices have been terminated but soil health improvement is only a promise?

Summary: This meeting focused on developing consensus standards for regenerative agriculture claims to help shoppers trust regenerative labels while preventing misleading use of the term by brands that don’t meet minimum standards. The panel of experts, including Nicole Masters, Noah Wentz, and Zach Heyman, discussed soil health and fertility practices, with participants sharing experiences about transitioning from conventional to regenerative farming methods. The group explored challenges around transitioning farm practices, the importance of context-specific approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, and the complexity of measuring soil health outcomes. Key topics included the role of synthetic inputs during transitions, the value of systems thinking over reductionist approaches, and the need for meaningful verification methods that go beyond cherry-picked metrics. The discussion highlighted that regenerative agriculture should be viewed as a continuous process rather than a static certification, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a full toolkit of farming practices while focusing on ecosystem outcomes and farmer intent.

All session info at https://ifoamnorthamerica.org/regenerative-minimum-standards/ New podcasts released every three weeks.