Green Farm Collective announces regenerative wheat standards and premium markets
This week, the Green Farm Collective (GFC) announced new standards for regeneratively farmed wheat and the availability of premium markets for farmers who meet the standards.
The standards were developed in partnership with Food Integrity Assurance (FIA), an independent certification body. Farmers must follow practices like strip-till, limited synthetic inputs, crop rotation requirements, and nitrogen application rates of no more than 180kg per hectare. Certification will provide transparency and authenticity to buyers.
Michael Kavanagh, co-founder and director of The Green Farm Collective, said: “By developing standards with FIA and engaging with millers and end users, we aim to shift farming towards methods that rely less on synthetic inputs and more on enhancing soil health and biodiversity. Our approach supports the environment and offers a premium to farmers who adopt these practices, ensuring a sustainable and profitable future for the farming community.”
Research has found the nutritional value of food can vary depending on the soil quality it was grown in. Michael emphasised: "Everything comes from our soil, and the goal of the Green Farm Collective standards and auditing process is to encourage farmers and the market to keep on along this journey of improving our soils."
“By improving soil health through regenerative practices, the food grown in our soils will be more nutritious for people.”
The criteria for farmers to meet the Green Farm Collective regenerative wheat standards are:
- Use of strip-till or zero-till practices
- Maximum of 180 kg nitrogen per hectare
- Maximum of 45 kg nitrogen per hectare per dose
- Crop rotation with a minimum of 6 crops in the rotation, including cover crops/catch crops
- No pre-harvest glyphosate use
- Limited and justified use of synthetic inputs
- Maximum of two fungicide applications, no insecticides, one plant growth regulator
- 11.5% minimum protein content, with flexibility to accept down to 11%
- Certification through Food Integrity Assurance involving self-submission and potential auditing.
Farmers meeting the standards will receive a minimum £20 per tonne premium. GFC is also working to develop standards and markets for other crops like oats and feed wheat to support regenerative agriculture.
The collective aims to provide farmers additional revenue streams through trading carbon credits and biodiversity impacts generated on their land. Members receive discounts on Sandy by Trinity AgTech to track their sustainability performance over time.
Stephen Sanderson from FIA presented the certification body's mission. "FIA is very much there to support and work alongside you to try and maximise premium opportunities in the marketplace. On auditing the Green Farm Collective standards, we would take a cautious approach that wouldn't be onerous for members to engage in start to drive a premium." Audits will have “a meaningful conversation”, according to Stephen, focusing on continuous improvement rather than fault-finding.
GFC encourages interested farmers to contact them about supplying wheat grown to the new standards, as demand is expected to increase significantly.
To watch the full recording of the meeting, click here.
To find out more email: [email protected].