Certifications

There are a number of certifications of interest to the regenerative meat community in California. Several of these are listed below, with more extensive guides available from Kiss The Ground and the Regenerative Farmers of America.

• The American Grassfed Association provides a certification verifying that animals are fed a 100% grass diet from pastures and rangelands without using antibiotics or growth hormones.

• The organization A Greener World has developed a number of relevant certifications, including:

  • The Animal Welfare Approved certification to guarantee that animals are raised outdoors on pasture or rangeland their entire lives using high-welfare farming practices.

  • The Certified Grassfed certification to guarantee food products come from animals fed a 100 percent grass and forage diet, raised on pasture or rangeland with the highest welfare and environmental standards.

• The Audubon Conservation Ranching certification is built around developing a habitat management plan for grassland birds as well as meeting protocols related to forage and feeding, animal health and welfare, and environmental sustainability.

• The Land to Market program from the Savory Institute connects brands with raw materials coming from verified regenerating landbases. It uses the Ecological Outcome Verification protocol to track both above- and below-ground indicators measuring the state of biodiversity, water, soil health, and ecosystem function.

• The Regenerative Organic Certified certification from the Regenerative Organic Alliance builds upon existing organic certifications and adds components for soil health and land management, animal welfare, and farmer and worker fairness.