Organic vs regenerative: what's the difference?
"Regenerative" is everywhere at the moment: on beef, grain, coffee, chocolate and even clothing. Some shoppers see it as the next step beyond organic. Others aren't sure what it means at all. This guide explains how the two compare, what each label can and can't tell you, and how to check a claim.
The short answer
- Certified organic is about audited rules for inputs and practices. It has detailed standards, independent certifiers and a public register you can check.
- Regenerative is mainly about outcomes: improving soil, water, biodiversity and the farm's resilience over time. In Australia it has no legal definition and no single standard. Some certification schemes exist, but most "regenerative" claims aren't certified.
The two aren't opposites. Many organic farms use regenerative practices, and some regenerative farms are also certified organic. They're different ways of describing a farm.
What certified organic means
Certified organic farms and businesses are audited, usually every year, against a standard based on the National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce. In broad terms:
- No synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers, and only inputs on the allowed list.
- No genetically modified organisms.
- Animal welfare and feed rules for livestock, including access to the outdoors and organic feed.
- A conversion period of at least three years before land is certified organic.
- Records and traceability from the paddock to the pack.
You can check a certificate on the certifier's register. That's the key strength of organic: the claim is defined, audited and checkable. Our guide What certified organic means in Australia explains the details.
What regenerative usually means
There's no single definition, but regenerative farming usually focuses on practices like:
- Keeping the soil covered, with crops, cover crops or pasture, for as much of the year as possible.
- Minimising soil disturbance, for example less or no tillage.
- Keeping living roots in the soil year-round.
- Diversity: crop rotations, mixed species and integrating livestock.
- Planned or rotational grazing that moves animals often and rests pasture.
- Measuring outcomes, such as soil carbon, ground cover, water infiltration and biodiversity.
A regenerative farm may still use some synthetic inputs, such as a herbicide in a no-till system or synthetic fertiliser, depending on the farmer's approach. That's one of the biggest practical differences from organic.
Are there regenerative certifications?
Yes, a few. They work quite differently from each other.
- Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC). Run by the US-based Regenerative Organic Alliance. ROC is built on top of organic certification, adding requirements for soil health, animal welfare and farmworker fairness. A ROC product is organic as well as regenerative.
- Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV). Run by Land to Market, part of the Savory network. It measures outcomes on the land, such as soil and biodiversity, rather than auditing inputs. It isn't an organic certification.
- ASP Certified Sustainable. An Australian scheme for "regenerative and sustainable" farmers, with annual independent audits and residue testing. Its logo is registered as a certification trade mark with the ACCC. It isn't organic certification either.
Other brands use their own "regenerative" programs or partner with consultants. These can be genuine and rigorous, but there's no common standard, so read what each one actually measures.
What the law says
Because "regenerative" isn't defined, it's covered by general consumer law. The ACCC's guidance on environmental claims says businesses must be able to back up claims like "regenerative", "sustainable" or "carbon positive" with evidence, and must not create a misleading overall impression. A vague claim with no details behind it is a warning sign.
Organic claims are also covered by consumer law. Organic has the extra backing of detailed standards and certifier registers, although certification still isn't legally required for food sold within Australia. In April 2026, the Australian Government committed to work with industry on a mandatory domestic organic standard.
Comparing the two
| Certified organic | Regenerative | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal definition in Australia | No mandatory domestic standard yet, but detailed national and certifier standards | None |
| Independent audit | Yes, if certified | Only if certified under a scheme |
| Synthetic pesticides and fertilisers | Not allowed | Allowed in some approaches |
| Focus | Inputs and practices | Outcomes over time |
| Public register | Yes, from each certifier | Depends on the scheme |
| What a label tells you | A defined, checkable standard | Depends entirely on who's making the claim |
How to check a regenerative claim
- Is there a certification? If so, which scheme? Look it up and see what it measures.
- What does the farm actually do? Good regenerative producers can describe their grazing plan, cover crops or soil testing in detail.
- Are there measurements? Soil tests, ground-cover monitoring or biodiversity surveys over several years are much stronger than a single photo.
- Is it also certified organic? If organic matters to you, check for a certifier logo and number.
- Is the claim specific? "Rotationally grazed on our property since 2015, with yearly soil tests" says more than "regenerative goodness".
Which should you choose?
That's up to you. If you want food produced to a defined, audited standard with no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, certified organic is the clearer choice. If you care most about a farm's land management and outcomes, regenerative claims can be worth exploring, as long as you check what sits behind them. Some producers, especially in Queensland beef, are both.
Where Blueberry Bear Organics stands
We list certified organic products only, because that's a claim we can verify on a public register. If a certified organic seller also farms regeneratively, they're welcome to describe their practices on their shop page, as long as the description is specific and accurate. We won't display "regenerative" as a badge, because there's no single standard to check it against.
Checked 16 October 2026 against ACCC guidance, the National Standard and the published descriptions of each scheme. General information only.
— the Blueberry Bear Team