Verification Standards

Meeting the bare minimum isn’t good enough – the Earth deserves better.

ABOV is a non-profit organization that recognizes and certifies farms that use regenerative farming methods.

All farms certified as ABOV must already be certified organic, meeting the Canadian Organic Standards (CGSB 32.310-2020 and 311-2020) as well as Safe Food for Canadian Regulations – or similar organic certification requirements (USDA Organic certification) that are regionally applicable and enforced by local law.

ABOV-certified farms must have a documented plan highlighting how their methodology is implemented and meets ABOV requirements.

Practices undertaken on farms must occur under the 4 main pillars of regenerative agriculture:

  • Soil health restoration and optimization
  • Biodiversity protection for the health and resilience of plants, animals, and people
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Water and resource conservation and management

Specific regenerative practices utilized may include the following:

  • Biomass Reduction and Recycling: biomass, including spent extraction material, should be composted as much as possible to minimize off-farm waste
  • Cover Crops (vegetative cover): year-round cover of 95% of all cultivated land — for maintaining living roots, as well as soil replenishment, erosion prevention, enhanced soil fertility
  • Crop Rotation: annual crops rotated on a yearly basis, perennial crops every 4-5 years, to minimize disease and pest pressures while maintaining soil health and maximizing crop diversity
  • Composting: composting and manure ideally comes from local sources (or from the farm itself); only organic amendments are permissible.
  • Forage & Biomass Planting: crops planted to provide sustenance for livestock promote biomass production
  • Grassed Waterways: water conservation and reduced erosion can be facilitated with natural or wetland grassed waterways
  • Herbaceous Wind Barriers & Field Borders: utilization of native tree species to create wind barriers and shelterbelts to protect crops and mitigate the impact of strong winds
  • Invasive Species Control: pest management occurs through natural pest-inhibiting herbs, frogs, birds, bees, worms, ladybugs, etc. Synthetic pesticides are never used
  • Minimized Soil Disturbance: reduced tillage events over time (documented) as well as reduced intensity and depth; weed suppression by hand-weeding, tarp coverage, etc.
  • Perennial Planting: incorporation of herbs, grains, and grasses with long lifespans
  • Pollinator Habitats, Insectary Strips, or Wildlife Habitat: farms that establish habitats for pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife foster biodiversity; flower herbs, clover, buckwheat, and forests can provide much needed sanctuary and food
  • Riparian Restoration: healthy wetland ecosystems adjacent to rivers and streams provide buffering to prevent soil erosion, as well as habitat for insects, amphibians, and wildlife
  • Silvopasture: tree integration with grazing animals provides foraging and shelter for insects, pollinators, and wildlife
  • Water Conservation: irrigation timing, utilization of drip lines and drainage installations to optimize water usage
  • Water Quality Protection: design and engineering that minimizes nutrient runoff into water bodies and protects water quality

Maintaining a healthy soil microbiome is essential for sustainable agriculture practices. Soil tests are used to confirm the effectiveness of farming methodology on soil health and carbon sequestering. Participants must have soil lab testing and soil in-field testing done on their farms; lab test results should be recorded and archived for future reference.

A Three-Pronged Process

Monitoring

Looking at the soil and practices to establish the health of the soil.

Reporting

Providing feedback to help determine what can be refined.

Verification

The soil tests are conducted and verified for continuity.

Farms certified as ABOV are making a commitment to long-term improvement. Improvement in agriculture is an iterative process: feedback helps determine what you can adjust and refine in your methodology. Feedback is gleaned from routine visual inspections in-field and soil testing in a lab. In addition to your own regular
monitoring

, ABOV provides farmers guided worksheets to assess soil, plant, and farm health at pre-determined intervals.

These worksheets form the basis of a comprehensive report made to ABOV. Soil lab tests conducted at the start, year one, and year three provide added verification and a picture of your farm’s improvements over time. Independent lab tests are shared with ABOV and are an important component of certification and regenerative improvement: you can only manage what you measure.

To find out how to become ABOV-certified, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. Still have questions or comments? Contact us.

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