We’re often asked what the difference is between organic and regenerative farming. Both are rooted in caring for the environment, raising healthy animals, and producing food you can feel good about—but they approach that goal in different ways. We thought it might be helpful to share how we think about it, and how these methods show up in our work.
Organic Farming: A Solid Foundation
Organic farming focuses on avoiding synthetic inputs—no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or GMOs. The goal is to grow food in a way that supports ecological balance and reduces environmental harm. At Maple Wind, our pastures are certified organic. That means our animals are grazing on land that’s managed without synthetic chemicals, which supports biodiversity and protects water quality.
We’ve also chosen to feed our animals a non-GMO grain ration rather than organic grain. While this may sound like a small detail, it’s an intentional choice that allows us to maintain the pasture-based system we believe in, while supporting animal health and nutrition.
Regenerative Farming: Building Something Better
Regenerative agriculture goes a step further—it’s not just about minimizing harm, it’s about actively improving the land. Practices like rotational grazing, cover cropping, and reducing tillage help build healthier soil, increase the land’s ability to hold water, and even pull carbon out of the atmosphere.
We use rotational grazing every day. By moving our animals frequently to fresh pasture, we protect the soil, encourage strong root systems, and allow forage plants to regrow naturally. Over time, we’ve seen our pastures improve—more diversity in plant species, richer soil, and better animal health as a result.
What About Certification?
There’s a new certification called Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) that brings both approaches together. It builds on organic standards but adds additional requirements for soil health, animal welfare, and fairness for workers. It’s a rigorous certification, and one we admire as a model for how the food system can evolve in a more holistic direction. You can learn more at regenorganic.org.
Why It Matters
Whether you’re choosing food for your family, your business, or your own health, understanding how that food was produced makes a difference. And when you support farms using organic and regenerative methods, you’re helping create a more resilient, nutrient-rich, and sustainable food system.
Thanks for being part of that!
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