AgriPurpose Foundation
Standard setter and scheme owner.
Sets and maintains the standard and approves every revision through its Board of Trustees.
Approved Regenerating
The world’s first dynamic validation for regenerative agriculture.
A system that measures progress every year, makes improvements visible and unlocks access to carbon, water and biodiversity markets.
- 4outcome domains measured every year
- 1year certificate validity, renewed on annual results
- 16scheme documents in the register, published openly
- √nfarms audited at least each year, plus every farm with issues
Clear roles. Independent decisions.
Who sets the standard, who runs the programme, who delivers the services and who audits.
AgriPurpose AG
Operational entity under licence.
Runs the programme and the data platform, performs the calculations, validates every farm each year and coordinates consultants, soil samplers, soil labs and Certification Bodies at arm’s length. Does not audit or certify.
Certification Bodies
Audits and certification.
Independent and accredited to ISO/IEC 17065. They perform the audits – the programme and at least √n farms each year – and decide on certification.
Implementation partners
Consultants, soil samplers, soil labs.
Listed by AgriPurpose AG. Independent, and working at arm’s length from AgriPurpose AG and the Certification Bodies.
How it works
From the field to the certificate – every year.
- 1
Data and soil samples
The farm records its data on the AgriPurpose platform. Listed soil samplers and labs take and analyse soil samples according to Annex B and Annex B1.
- 2
Validation
AgriPurpose AG performs the calculations (Annex C) and validates every farm across the four outcome domains each year.
- 3
Audit
For a certified programme, the Certification Body audits the programme and at least √n farms each year – always including farms with open issues or in a second down year, and every farm within its first five years.
- 4
Certification and status
The Certification Body decides on certification. Farms in a certified programme may use the badges and can choose to be listed in the register below.
Scheme documents
Every rule of the scheme, open to everyone. Select a document to read it online, or download the PDF.
Core standard
- Certification Regulations (ISO/IEC 17065)
The core rules of the scheme: eligibility, soil sampling, outcome domains, validation, √n audit sampling, certification and the down-year process.
Normative annexes
- Audit Checkpoints for Certifiers
The checklist Certification Bodies and auditors use to link scheme requirements to auditable evidence.
- SOC Sampling Protocol
How advisors, samplers and laboratories take, handle and analyse soil samples for soil organic carbon and nutrients.
- Soil Sampling Coverage Rule (Cap & Coverage)
Minimum field coverage and the sampling-intensity cap for each operation's annual sampling plan.
- Calculation Model (Approved Regenerating)
How trends in photosynthesis, soil cover, soil vitality, yield and inputs are calculated and assessed.
- Application Form
The information an operator submits when applying for certification.
- Certification Agreement Template (CB ↔ Operator)
The template agreement between an independent Certification Body and the certified operator.
- Certificate Template
The content and layout of an Approved Regenerating certificate.
- Logo Use Guideline
Rules for using the mark and status badges, including the line that distinguishes validated from certified farms.
- Impartiality Policy
How the scheme safeguards impartiality and manages conflicts of interest.
- Farmer Services & Reporting Agreement
The agreement covering a farmer's platform services, annual reporting and support in the programme.
Supporting documents
- Platform Participation & Data Services Agreement
Template terms for participating in the AgriPurpose platform and its data services.
- RegenerationDialogue (online reference)
The data-driven, recorded discussion of a farm's results and practices. The online version is the authoritative reference.
- Report Deck (EN)
The annual farm report format in English.
- Report Deck (BRA)
The annual farm report format for Brazil.
- Trademark Filing (US)
The US trademark filing for the AgriPurpose and Approved Regenerating marks.
Where a downloaded or printed copy differs from the version published here, the online version is the authoritative reference for certification decisions.
Certified farms
The official register of certified Approved Regenerating farms: validated each year by AgriPurpose AG and certified by an independent, ISO/IEC 17065 accredited Certification Body. Farms in a certified programme decide themselves whether they are listed here.
Approved Regenerating
Positive trends in all four outcome domains.
First down year
One outcome domain showed a negative trend. Corrective measures are documented through the RegenerationDialogue.
Second down year
Second consecutive down year. The operator has consulted a listed consultant, is following an action plan and is audited this year.
Suspended or expired
Validation or certification is suspended, or its validity has lapsed. The mark may not be used.
Only farms in a certified programme may use the badges, always with the line “Certified by [Certification Body] – Certificate no. AR-…”; a farm that leaves the programme must stop using them immediately. See the Logo Use Guideline and how down years are handled.
Auditors and implementation partners
Independent auditors, consultants, soil samplers and soil labs – listed by AgriPurpose AG and working at arm’s length.
Approved Auditors
Auditors on the Auditor approval list maintained by AgriPurpose AG, working for independent Certification Bodies accredited to ISO/IEC 17065. The Certification Bodies perform the audits of the programme and its farms.
Every listed auditor is a qualified agronomist or soil expert with a sound understanding of regenerative agriculture or at least five years of practical on-farm experience with it. Auditors are trained by AgriPurpose AG or an entity it nominates, and retrained on every scheme update. Each year they audit the validation process of AgriPurpose AG and at least √n farms: every farm in its second consecutive down year or with open issues, every farm due for its first audit within five years of joining, and further farms chosen on a risk basis and at random. They audit against the Audit Checkpoints for Certifiers (Annex A). Audits are arranged through the Certification Body, and consulting is kept strictly separate from auditing, as the Impartiality Policy (Annex H) requires.
Audits are performed by the Certification Body; AgriPurpose AG coordinates their implementation at arm’s length. Certification Bodies can nominate auditors for training and listing at regeneration@agripurpose.farm.
Approved Consultants
Independent agronomists listed by AgriPurpose AG and trained in the Approved Regenerating scheme. They work at arm’s length from AgriPurpose AG and the Certification Bodies.
After a second consecutive down year, a farm books a consultation with a listed consultant and agrees an action plan for the following year. Farms can also invite a listed consultant to their RegenerationDialogue.
Want to be listed? Organisations can apply to AgriPurpose AG at regeneration@agripurpose.farm. Listing requires training in the current version of the scheme. Listed partners work at arm’s length from AgriPurpose AG and the Certification Bodies.
Approved Soil Samplers
Independent sampling teams, listed by AgriPurpose AG, that take soil samples for Approved Regenerating farms exactly as the scheme requires.
Listed samplers work to the SOC Sampling Protocol (Annex B) and the Soil Sampling Coverage Rule (Annex B1), using GPS-guided precision sampling locations. Once a farm has chosen its sampler and laboratory, it keeps them for later sampling rounds so that results stay comparable.
Want to be listed? Organisations can apply to AgriPurpose AG at regeneration@agripurpose.farm. Listing requires training in the current version of the scheme. Listed partners work at arm’s length from AgriPurpose AG and the Certification Bodies.
Approved Soil Labs
Independent laboratories, listed by AgriPurpose AG, that analyse Approved Regenerating soil samples using the methods defined by the scheme.
Listed labs measure soil organic carbon by dry combustion (ideally ISO 10694) and analyse texture, pH and nutrients as set out in the SOC Sampling Protocol (Annex B). Results are delivered to the AgriPurpose platform directly or via API.
Want to be listed? Organisations can apply to AgriPurpose AG at regeneration@agripurpose.farm. Listing requires training in the current version of the scheme. Listed partners work at arm’s length from AgriPurpose AG and the Certification Bodies.