May 05, 2026 | Source: Friends of the Earth

Not All “Regenerative” Labels Are Created Equal

A growing number of food labels claim to verify that foods are regeneratively grown. But with no widely accepted definition of regenerative agriculture, and each label offering its own interpretation of what qualifies, what do these labels really mean?

To help consumers navigate this crowded landscape, we evaluated how ten labeling programs stack up in terms of phasing out harmful pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, building soil health, verifying farmer practices, and tracking products from farm to shelf.

We found that regenerative labeling programs vary dramatically in what they require — and some of the most rigorous standards meeting regenerative principles don’t use the term at all.

Importantly, while many consumers reasonably assume that “regenerative” food is grown without toxic pesticides, that’s not always the case.