Knowing that consumers now demand proof that farmers are putting land regeneration at the heart of their operations; the group has created a program of farmer support and environmental monitoring to do just that.

Backed by the Federal Government’s Farming Together program, the national group ranges from NSW, South East QLD and northern Victoria, managing 47,000 hectares between them.

The new initiative, called Land to Market Australia™ will use scientific rigour to show improvements to biodiversity, soil health, and ecosystem function.

This in turn is designed to help consumers choose which food or fibre to spend their money on.

To join the scheme, farmers will be supported through scientific monitoring towards an Ecological Outcome Verified™ seal (or EOV™). 

“A key feature of the idea is that it avoids prescribing a set of farm management practices,” said project lead, Braidwood beef producer Tony Hill. 

“This process will capture trends in soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem function over time and importantly for time-pressed farmers, the approach is designed to be robust but simple, inexpensive and rapid.”

“It’s an idea whose time has come,” said governing committee member, Ian Chapman. Mr Chapman is a cattle and pastured pig producer of Stuart Town, NSW.

“Consumers want to be proud of the impact of their purchases and farmers want their environments improving while they’re producing a great quality product. This verification program will help both achieve that outcome,” he said.

The group hopes that this move will be welcomed by the broader farming and scientific communities.

“We are all, consumers and farmers alike, seeking answers to some of the most pressing challenges of our times,” Mr Hill said.