Agriculture Certification
About the certification
Friend of the Earth agriculture certification assesses crop production against the environmental and social requirements of the FOE Agriculture standard. Audits examine cultivation practices, production sites and the records that support compliance.
Certification covers the products or species identified in the approved scope. It does not automatically cover every product sold by the certificate holder. Processing and other supply-chain activities must meet the applicable requirements for the proposed product.
What can be certified
Applications can cover agricultural crops and their products, including fruit, vegetables, cereals and other cultivated plants. The proposed scope identifies the species, production sites, cultivation methods and final products, such as fresh, frozen or canned products.
Growers, agricultural cooperatives and businesses handling or marketing agricultural products can apply. The assessment identifies the production and traceability requirements relevant to each activity. Livestock and poultry follow their respective standards.
What the standard covers
The 12 areas below summarise FOE Agriculture revision 3. The full standard sets out the criteria, evidence, requirement levels and applicability conditions.
Requirements cover a documented management system, a person accountable for compliance, record retention, staff training, emergency procedures and equipment maintenance. A life-cycle assessment is a recommendation, rather than a compulsory condition for certification.
Applicants must provide evidence that production and agricultural operations meet applicable environmental laws and regulations. The checklist also addresses the organisation’s identification and authorisation details.
Requirements address natural ecosystem conversion, protected areas, habitat connections and protection of aquatic ecosystems from erosion and agrochemical runoff. The standard examines land-use history from 1 January 1950 and sets out documentation and mitigation provisions for historical ecosystem destruction.
Requirements cover measures for species classified as Vulnerable or at higher risk on the IUCN Red List, habitat protection and restoration, and controls on hunting, capture and wildlife trade, subject to the stated legal conditions. Deforestation to extend cultivation areas is prohibited. An annual species inventory is a recommendation.
Chemicals, fuels, oils and other potentially hazardous substances must be handled to prevent food contamination, environmental pollution and harm to human health. Purchase, storage, transport, use and disposal must follow applicable legislation.
Requirements cover crop rotation, cultivation records, monitoring of production efficiency and pest-management planning. They address biological control and the rational use of crop-protection methods. Where pesticides are necessary, the standard specifies selection conditions and prohibits inputs classified as highly toxic under applicable legislation. Rotation requirements include crop-specific conditions and provisions for equivalent agronomic techniques where alternative crops are not feasible.
Applicants must record soil characteristics, including soil type, cover, organic matter and nutrients, and establish soil-management objectives and conservation strategies. Results are evaluated annually so strategies can be adjusted. The checklist distinguishes mandatory soil parameters from recommendations on erosion and degradation records.
Requirements cover water-source permissions, analysis of agricultural water at least annually, well protection and controls on wastewater discharge. Where legal discharge limits are absent, the standard specifies minimum water-quality criteria. Rainwater collection and closed collection tanks are recommendations.
Applicants must identify sources of greenhouse-gas emissions and dust or fine particles, and define reduction objectives and strategies. Requirements also address measures to reduce pesticide drift and prohibit ozone-depleting substances.
Requirements cover waste storage, separation of organic and inorganic materials, reuse and recycling in accordance with local legislation, and documented disposal. Contaminated crop residues and organic waste must not be composted, used as mulch or reused in other ways. External sludge used for fertilisation requires evidence of its non-polluting properties.
The standard includes annual energy-consumption calculations, reduction objectives and evaluation methods. It also includes commitments concerning renewable energy and procurement provisions where renewable sources do not meet all energy needs. These criteria are classified as Important requirements.
Essential requirements address international and ILO guidance on child labour, payment of at least the legal minimum wage, access to healthcare and legally required workplace safety measures. SA8000 certification is a recommendation, rather than a compulsory condition.
Traceability and processed products
For processed and packaged products, the certified agricultural source must remain identifiable through the relevant supply chain. The applicable traceability requirements address product identification, separation from non-certified products, traceability-system checks, staff training and recall or withdrawal procedures.
Using an ingredient from a certified supplier does not automatically establish certification of the finished product or authorise the brand to use the logo. The proposed product, relevant supply-chain activities and logo use must be reviewed within the applicable scope.
Independent certification
An independent certification body assesses conformity with the applicable requirements. The audit reviews the relevant production sites, practices and supporting records. Certification depends on the assessment outcome and the resolution of findings under the applicable rules.
How certification works
1 Apply. Submit the preliminary information form, identifying the crops, products, sites and activities you want assessed.
2 Confirm scope and costs. Review the proposed scope, licence and audit arrangements, and the applicable royalties and audit quotation.
3 Independent audit. Agree the audit arrangements with the certification body. The auditor assesses the relevant requirements and evidence.
4 Address findings. Provide the corrections, evidence and corrective-action plans required by the standard.
5 Certification decision. The certification body reviews the assessment results and determines whether the proposed scope meets the certification requirements.
6 Maintain certification. Continue meeting the applicable requirements and complete the required follow-up assessments. Keep product and scope information up to date.
Logo use is subject to authorisation and the applicable usage rules.
Certification fees
The published Friend of the Earth price list sets out annual royalties for new contracts. Fees depend on the applicant category, the relevant revenue band and the number of products or species covered. Retailer fees are shown separately, by country of sale.
Audit costs are not included in the royalties price list and are quoted separately. VAT is additional where applicable. Request a quotation for the proposed scope before proceeding.
Standards and supporting documents
Logo use and certification guidance
Check certification status
Search the verification directory using the FOE ID, product name or certificate-holder name. Check the relevant product or species, certification standard, scope, status and validity dates. A certificate-holder name in the directory does not mean that every product it sells is certified.
Frequently asked questions
Certification applies to the products or species listed in the approved scope. Audits assess the production activities and evidence relevant to that scope; other products are not automatically covered.
Friend of the Earth assesses compliance with its own agriculture standard. This certification does not replace a separate organic certification or authorise an organic claim.
The standard regulates pesticide selection and use, requires pest-management planning and prohibits inputs classified as highly toxic under applicable legislation. Certification does not mean that a product is pesticide-free.
Rainwater collection is a recommendation in the agriculture checklist. Mandatory water requirements include annual water analysis, permissions for water use and controls on wastewater discharge.
Yes. The checklist provides for cooperative assessments using a verified homogeneous sample, with annual checks and a minimum sample equal to the square root of the number of participating farms.
Only when the finished product is covered by the approved scope and logo use is authorised. The applicable production and traceability requirements must be assessed; supplier certification alone is insufficient.
Check the issue and expiry dates on the certificate and the current status in the verification directory. The certification body will explain the applicable certification cycle and follow-up assessments for your scope.
Apply for certification
Tell us which crops and products you want certified, where they are grown, how they are cultivated, and which processing or supply-chain activities are involved.
The preliminary information form is confidential and does not commit you to proceeding with the audit.
