About Preferred by Nature’s Regenerative Agriculture Tool 

Regenerative agriculture is gaining global attention as a way to restore ecosystems while securing the future of farming. By improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity, protecting water, and reducing dependence on chemicals and fossil fuels, regenerative practices deliver benefits that extend from the farm to the planet. 

Yet one challenge persists: there is no single, agreed definition of what “regenerative agriculture” really means. Farmers, companies, and policymakers often face a patchwork of standards and claims that are hard to compare and even harder to verify. 

The Regenerative Agriculture Tool developed by Preferred by Nature provides a clear, science-based solution. Built on 30 years of sustainability expertise, the tool measures real outcomes across farms and supply chains. It offers farmers, companies, and donors a way to track progress, verify claims, and demonstrate genuine impact — from carbon sequestration and water management to biodiversity restoration and energy efficiency. 

Modular certification with PBN+ 

The Regenerative Agriculture Tool can be used as a PBN+ module to certify regenerative agriculture claims. PBN+ lets organisations combine Preferred by Nature Certification with other Preferred by Nature standards like Regenerative Agriculture, Closer to Nature Forestry, or Carbon Footprint Certification. Each added module has clear requirements and a specific claim, allowing flexible, step-by-step adoption by sector, product, or site. This supports clear, credible labels such as “PBN+ Regenerative Agriculture Certified.” 

 

Process 

Our assessment process is designed to be practical, credible, and scalable: 

1. Baseline assessment – We begin by reviewing current farming practices against seven common regenerative principles. This creates a clear snapshot of where you are today.
2. Planning – Our Sustainability Advisory team can help on setting the goals, plan together and identify the steps toward regenerative principles. This creates a roadmap for farmers.
3. Measurement – Using specific, measurable criteria, we track improvements in soil health, biodiversity, nutrient use, water efficiency, and more.
4. Verification – All data and outcomes are independently verified, giving your regenerative claims credibility in the marketplace and among stakeholders.
5. Continuous improvement – The tool is not a one-off exercise. By tracking progress over time, it helps identify practical next steps and supports long-term transformation. 
    

This step-by-step process ensures transparency, comparability, and credibility — helping you move from intent to measurable results. 


 

Your options 

The Regenerative Agriculture Tool can be applied flexibly, depending on your role in the value chain: 

For Farmers 

• Identify regenerative practices that bring the strongest results on your land.
• Track soil health improvements, biodiversity gains, and reduced input use over time.
• Strengthen your market position by adding regenerative validation to existing certifications. 
   

For Companies 

• Access credible data to meet mandatory disclosure requirements, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
• Demonstrate your engagement in the production landscape with measurable action on climate, biodiversity, and water use.
• Turn compliance into a competitive advantage by showing verified impact to customers, investors, and regulators. 
   

For Donors and policymakers 

• Ensure your investments in regenerative agriculture deliver verifiable outcomes.
• Align projects with national and international goals on climate, food security, and rural livelihoods.
• Demonstrate progress with confidence through consistent, evidence-based reporting. 
  
  
   

Principles 

The Regenerative Agriculture Tool is grounded in seven common principles that apply across crops, geographies, and production systems: 

1. Soil management – crop rotation, cover crops, and reduced to eliminate tillage to maintain and build soil carbon.
2. Nutrient management – balanced fertiliser use, with a focus on organic sources and precision application.
3. Weeds and diseases – integrated and sustainable approaches that reduce reliance on synthetic chemicals.
4. Plant protection management – biological and cultural methods to minimise pesticide dependency.
5. Biodiversity restoration – habitat conservation, pollinator support, and ecosystem enhancement.
6. Water management – efficient irrigation, watershed protection, and adaptive practices.
7. Energy saving – reducing fossil fuel use and increasing renewable energy adoption. 

Each principle is broken down into measurable criteria that can be scored, tracked, and independently verified. This makes the tool both rigorous and practical, ensuring consistent results across diverse contexts. 

 

Alignment 

The tool has been carefully aligned with key EU and global initiatives, including: 

• The EU Soil Strategy and Soil Health Law
• The Farm to Fork Strategy
• The Common Agricultural Policy (2023–2027)
• The Nature Restoration Law
• The Carbon Farming Initiative
• National initiatives such as France’s 4 per 1000 

This alignment ensures that regenerative efforts measured through the tool not only benefit farms and supply chains, but also contribute to broader climate and biodiversity goals.