A Devon farm is the first in the world to be certified as regenerative by a non-profit certifier.

Challacombe Farm in Dartmoor National Park is now Certified Regenerative by A Greener World (AGW).

This reflects the farm's sustainability, measuring benefits for soil, water, air, biodiversity, infrastructure, animal welfare and social responsibility.

Challacombe Farm is part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate on moorland that has been inhabited and cultivated for thousands of years.

Naomi Oakley and Mark Owen raise a herd of Welsh Black and North Devon beef cattle and a flock of around 200 Icelandic and Shetland sheep.

Mark said: "“Our goal is to raise our beef cattle and sheep outdoors on pasture, whilst conserving and enhancing the wildlife, landscape and archaeology that makes our farm such a special place.

"Taking part in the accreditation trial proved to be a good way of consolidating our plans to farm in harmony with nature, and get external, independent feedback to help us achieve our aims.”

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The farm was part of AGW’s inaugural Certified Regenerative pilot cohort, a group of 50 farms across the globe that spent the last 18 months evaluating farm standards, plans and auditing procedures for this certification.

Tom Stratton, the estate manager for the Duchy on Dartmoor, said: “The Duchy is delighted that the hard work undertaken by Mark and Naomi has been recognised through this new process of certification and indeed that the process itself recognises the extensive management benefits that upland farming delivers.

"The whole farm approach to management, which minimises reliance on purchased inputs clearly makes sense, as does the imperative to farm with nature.”

The term ‘regenerative agriculture’ is often used to refer to a range of sustainable stewardship practices, many of which have been used by indigenous and traditional agricultural communities for thousands of years, but rising interest has led to wide and growing variation in how ‘regenerative’ is defined and practiced.

A Greener World’s third-party certification verifies meaningful regenerative claims and provides transparency that benefits producers and consumers.

Wayne Copp, executive director of A Greener World UK/Europe, said: "At A Greener World, we know the collection of practices described as regenerative could have huge potential to put the brakes on — and even reverse — many of the negative impacts of intensive agriculture.

"AGW’s Regenerative certification is accessible, affordable and open to all farmers and growers.

"Our approach recognises that each farm is a unique part of an ecosystem, and that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all solution’ that can be applied consistently to every farm.”