Our partners at Canadian Organic Growers (COG) have developed the Organically Canadian Resource Hub to help Canadians learn more about the environmental, economic, health and social benefits of supporting sustainable and local agriculture.
As a consumer, have you ever wondered what regenerative farming is and how it differs from organic farming? What about regenerative organic farming? And what does it really mean when food is labeled as “natural” or “hormone free”? Check out the excerpts below from COG's informative 'Telling Organic from Regenerative' blog post, and then click through to the full article over on the Organically Canadian Resource Hub to get a deeper look!
Organic Farming
An organic farmer works day-to-day to grow healthy crops and raise healthy livestock in holistic ways that sustain and work in harmony with the environment.
Organic farmers incorporate practices that help them eliminate substances you may not want to find in your food, such as pesticides, synthetic hormones and artificial colours.
For example, instead of using synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, which are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, organic farmers use green manures, cover crops and compost to return nitrogen to the soil for healthy crops.
Regenerative Farming
On a regenerative farm, the farmer is focused on growing crops and raising livestock in ways that regenerate and improve the soil and surrounding environment.
There are no restrictions on what inputs can be used in regenerative farming. This means a regenerative farmer can still use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. However the focus of regenerative farming is around a generally accepted set of principles which aim to improve soil.
These practices can include minimizing disturbances to the soil (like tilling), having diverse plants and animals in the growing space, and protecting the soil with things like mulch.
... Learn more about the differences between organic farming and regenerative farming, as well as how regenerative organic farming is weaving these practices together, by reading the full 'Telling Organic from Regenerative' blog post on COG's Organically Canadian Resource Hub