Regenerative farming’s star is rising. Not only is consumer awareness of regenerative farming growing, but people are willing to pay more for it.
One question we hear from curious customers all the time, “Is regenerative farming organic?”
Whether you’re already running a regenerative farm or starting to adopt regenerative farming practices, it’s important to know the answer.
In this blog, we’ll lay out the important differences between organic and regenerative farming, then give you some practical tips to boost regenerative farming sales.
Let’s get started.
Organic farming and regenerative farming are often used interchangeably, especially as part of food marketing— but they’re not the same. Both organic and regenerative farming share the philosophy that agriculture and ranching should be done in a way that promotes a better planet and better health.
However, organic farming is focused on practices and prescriptive (legally defined) standards, whereas regenerative farming is a more general approach that seeks to improve land management and move away from unsustainable farming practices.
So, is regenerative farming organic? Technically, no. But that’s not to say that regenerative and organic farming don’t have some overlap — and it can be in a regenerative farm’s best interest to adopt organic food standards where it makes sense. But raising something organically doesn’t necessarily mean it’s raised in a way that’s best for soil health.
Regenerative farming is a sustainable farming practice that seeks to improve or restore degrading soil health by adopting better land management practices, such as:
Put simply, regenerative farming aims to be more harmonious with nature — and with soil health being a major concern among farmers, regenerative farming is gaining traction, especially with independent and family-run farms.
Unlike regenerative farming, selling something organic doesn’t mean simply growing crops or raising livestock with sustainable farming practices — it means you adhere to strict legal standards as defined by the USDA.
For your products to be considered organic, you must meet certain conditions as set by the USDA. For crops, this typically means not using certain synthetic inputs, fertilizers, or genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). For animals, it means giving livestock adequate roaming space and avoiding growth hormones and antibiotics.
Source: USDA
For many customers, the green and white organic seal on food is synonymous with higher quality, and some are willing to pay more for organic products. Studies also show that consumers generally find organic food producers to be more trustworthy.
If you run a regenerative farm and want to boost profits, the answer isn’t necessarily to go organic. While adhering to organic standards might be a good idea for certain products, it’s not always cost effective or practical for smaller farms.
Beyond that, blindly chasing the green and white organic label ignores why customers seek out those products in the first place.
Here are a few tips to boost profits at your regenerative farm.
The popularity of organic food in certain markets shows that customers are willing to pay more for sustainably-farmed food. But unlike USDA organic, there’s no formal definition of regenerative farming practices (or a recognizable label to go with it).
Here’s the good news: As consumers demand more transparency from food producers, there’s also growing interest in regenerative agriculture and ranching. Paired with a rise in direct-to-consumer (DTC) meat and produce sales, small regenerative farms now have exciting opportunities to find long-term success.
One 2022 study from Penn State Extension showed that while only 6% of U.S. farms participated in direct-to-consumer sales, it contributed to more than $4.5 billion in revenue. In other words, with the right mindset and tools, regenerative farming can be a big money maker and help small farms outlast cuts in federal funding and tariffs.
Online sales make it easier than ever for farms to find local (and national) customers and offer a modern shopping experience. If you plan to sell your meat or produce online, look for an e-commerce platform with:
For more tips on picking the right e-commerce platform for your business, download our free buyers’ guide to farm e-commerce platforms.
A growing number of people are interested in eating food from sustainable and ethical sources. Since regenerative farming is more of a mindset than an official designation, many farms downplay it in their marketing and branding.
This is a mistake. If you run a regenerative farm, the way you operate can be a major selling point.
Regenerative farms are following those practices for a reason, and you should share that unique reason with the world.
Include the words “regeneratively farmed”, “regenerative ranching”, and other variations on your website and product packaging to let customers know what you’re all about. That includes putting your values and what you hope to achieve through your farming practices front and center on your homepage.
Education is also important since the average consumer may not be familiar with the term “regenerative farming.” Highlight the benefits of regenerative practices, both for the environment and how it affects the quality of your products.
Telling your story will go a long way to establishing your brand, but there’s a reason so many products want that coveted USDA organic label — foods with certifications tend to be more trusted by consumers.
There may not be a single, official government body to define regenerative farming, but there are ways to show off your bona fides through third parties.
Here are a few of the organizations that can provide regenerative farming certification:
Having third-party certification can be particularly helpful to build trust in your brand if you plan to sell your products via a third party, like a local grocery store or farm store.
People who are interested in buying food from more sustainable and ethical sources aren’t just interested in the food itself, but the people making it. And people don’t want to just read about it — they want to see it.
This is one area where small farms have an advantage over commercial farms.
Highlight the people who make your farm great, and educate them on the benefits of regenerative farming practices through your website and social media.
Social media for farmers is an effective way to build a customer base while putting a human face to your business. Social media can establish authenticity and trust in ways that even formal certification can’t.
To get the most out of your social media account:
Remember: Don’t try to imitate your larger competitors. You’re not a corporate marketing machine, and that’s not what people want from your business. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and show off what makes you unique.
You don’t need us to tell you that the food raised on a regenerative farm is of better quality than what you can find in the typical grocery store.
Yet, you’d be surprised how many farms undervalue their products. You’re offering premium, high-quality products — you should price them appropriately.
That said, we understand that pricing products is difficult. You walk a fine line between staying profitable and being fair to customers. Here are some starting points on setting the right price point for your business:
That last point in particular is worth spending some extra time on. For example, if you sell grass-fed beef, you’ll likely sell a mix of high-end cuts like T-bones and filet mignon along with staples like ground beef.
In all likelihood, people won’t go online just to buy ground beef (unless they’re buying in bulk), so it might make more sense to lower the price to encourage people to add it onto their purchases of higher cost items.
Related Read: How To Price Your Farm Products: A Quick Guide for Farm Stores
Direct-to-consumer sales are creating exciting opportunities for small, regenerative, and organic farms to drive sales and find long-term success.
Unfortunately, running and operating a top-quality farm doesn’t necessarily give you the business and marketing skills you need to sell your products. That’s why finding the right partners is essential.
GrazeCart was founded by farmers to simplify online food sales. With a no-code website builder, sophisticated inventory management tools, sell-by-weight, and other useful features, GrazeCart gives farmers a straightforward and cost-effective way to sell their products in a modern shopping experience.
Speak with one of our experts today to see how GrazeCart can enable convenient DTC sales for your regenerative farm at a price point that’s friendly to small business.