These standards represent an evolution beyond organic by embracing the concept of regeneration. For crop production, this means building soil quality through mulching, crop rotation, and reduced tillage. The cannabis farm envisioned through these standards might use mulch to reduce weed pressure, conserve soil moisture, enhance habitat for beneficial soil flora and fauna, increase organic matter while also interplanting potatoes, lettuce, and marigolds within rows of cannabis. The farmer would be boosting soil fertility on the farm through the strategic use of cover crops, compost, compost teas, and homemade plant ferments derived from local resources.
In addition to regenerative farming practices, these standards also attempt to address the rights of farm workers, who as a social group within agriculture have long been exploited and marginalized. Current organic standards don’t deal with worker rights, but if a farmer wants to describe their farm as regenerative, shouldn’t farm workers also be treated fairly? Regenerative farming is intended to renew the ecosystem and people—this means caring for farm workers.
Finally, the standards include language that requires the farm to engage their local community with greater focus and intention. This community piece is far outside the realm of existing organic certifications and represents fertile ground worthy of exploration. Building soil has been seen as a vital activity of an organic farm yet a truly regenerative farm also realizes building community is just as essential.
We’d like to thank our allies. We appreciate their support of our mission to keep cannabis good for all people, farmers, and planet earth.
