Regenified Label: Can It Save or Sink Regenerative Agriculture?
Is the Regenified label protecting regenerative agriculture or risking greenwashing?
A New Badge for Regeneration—or Just Greenwashing?
Rebels, a new label is spreading across food shelves, bourbon bottles, and even wine cellars: Regenified. It promises to certify farms as truly regenerative. But with its rise, a fierce debate has broken out.
Does Regenified represent a trustworthy path to scaling regenerative agriculture, or is it another marketing trick that risks credibility for the entire movement?
The Promise: Science, Standards, and USDA Approval
Regenified isn’t a vague claim. It publishes a 16-page standard grounded in soil health principles and ecosystem processes. Farmers are measured on 65+ data points—from soil carbon to biodiversity—and verified annually by trained inspectors.
It’s also the first regenerative certifier approved under the USDA’s Process Verified Program. That means USDA auditors have reviewed its system, and farms can even use the Regenified seal on federally inspected meat products. On paper, this gives Regenified teeth and transparency.
Supporters say this level of rigor could finally give regenerative agriculture the credibility it needs to compete with industrial food labels.
The Doubts: Who Guards the Guardians?
Critics see a different story. Food policy voices warn that credibility requires independent governance—and Regenified was founded by industry insiders. Gabe Brown, Allen Williams, and other regen pioneers created it to “protect the narrative.” Admirable, yes. But can the same people who champion regenerative practices also be the ones certifying them without conflicts of interest?
Organic advocates go further. Regenified doesn’t require farms to be organic. That means pesticides and herbicides are not outright banned. As Gary Hirshberg of Organic Voices put it, calling such programs regenerative without eliminating chemicals is “scientifically and ethically disingenuous.” To him, it’s greenwashing conventional ag.
How the Certification Works
Getting certified isn’t a one-off inspection. It’s a journey:
Baseline testing: Soil samples, biodiversity checks, and field observations.
Tiered progression: Farms earn a level from 1 to 5. Only Tier 2 and above can use the Regenified seal.
Annual verification: Inspectors return each year to test outcomes.
Data accountability: Farmers must maintain or improve results to stay certified.
Costs vary. For some, certification fees are a barrier—so companies like Maker’s Mark have stepped in to pay fees for their grain farmers.
Regenified’s CEO puts it plainly: “It’s not a switch you can turn on and off. It’s a journey.”
Farmers Divided
On the ground, farmers are split.
The supporters: Producers like Union Grove Farm say the certification proves their investment. Some bourbon grain growers saw yield boosts after planting cover crops for the first time—turning skepticism into belief. Wineries in California are proudly touting Regenified as proof that vineyards can be both profitable and regenerative.
The skeptics: Farmers like Greg Gunthorp warn that tiered labels will lead to greenwashing. He compares it to Whole Foods’ “5-Step” animal welfare program—most companies settled at the lowest step while marketing the claim. He fears Regenified could do the same, with Level 1 farms slapping on the seal after minimal changes.
This tension—between progress and purity—defines the Regenified debate.
The Movement at a Crossroads
Here’s what’s at stake:
Visibility: Only 1 in 5 Americans know the term “regenerative agriculture.” A clear label could change that.
Market access: Whole Foods and major brands are beginning to recognize Regenified, opening new markets for farmers.
Risk of dilution: If consumers discover that Regenified-certified farms still use chemicals, trust in the entire regenerative movement could collapse.
Farmer livelihoods: Done right, Regenified could connect farmers to premium contracts and stabilize their transition. Done poorly, it could leave them paying fees without returns.
The Path Forward
Whether Regenified becomes the gold standard or just another diluted claim will depend on three things:
Transparency: Publishing standards and data openly.
Independence: Ensuring governance isn’t just insiders marking their own homework.
Farmer-first focus: Making sure certification improves livelihoods, not just marketing budgets.
As Gabe Brown reminds us, regenerative agriculture is a promise to our children. That promise won’t be fulfilled with slogans. It will be fulfilled when every farm under a regenerative seal is truly healing soil, water, and communities.