PFLA, OF&G and BDA welcome Soil Association Certification as fellow auditor of the ‘Pasture for Life’ certification standard
The Pasture-Fed Livestock Association (PFLA), a diverse community of farmers, butchers, academics and consumers, which champions the regenerative role of ruminant grazing animals, is to have its Pasture for Life certification standard audited by Soil Association Certification (SA Cert) from January 2021.
SA Cert will join Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G) and the Biodynamic Association (BDA) in getting behind the PFLA and the growing interest in 100% pasture-fed practices across the food and farming community.
This news will be of particular interest to SA Cert licensees who manage cows, sheep and goats, many of whom will be at, or near 100% pasture-fed practices. Certification will allow them to differentiate their products still further to the wider public, who are becoming more aware of the environmental, animal welfare and human health benefits of 100% pasture-fed meat and milk.
“The PFLA is delighted to welcome SA Cert to the group of organisations championing our Pasture for Life standard,” explains the PFLA’s Executive Director, Jimmy Woodrow.
“We feel this reflects the strength of collaboration present in the regenerative movement and the fact that Pasture for Life is a natural fit with organic certification.”
More than half of current Pasture for Life certifications sit alongside pre-existing organic or biodynamic certifications, with those with OF&G and the BDA already benefitting from joint audits. As a result of this new agreement, those licensed with SA Cert will also be able to have a joint audit, saving time and cost.
“We are aware of producers who have held back from gaining Pasture for Life certification due to the burden of an additional audit, and this will help in those cases,” says Mr Woodrow. “We are committed to working collaboratively to deliver regenerative outcomes and see this as a significant step forward.”
“We are pleased to be able to offer our organic licensees the ability to now have a joint organic and PFLA audit, allowing for the further promotion and recognition of their hard work supporting pasture fed grazing, which is a key component of an organic system,” says Martin Sawyer, CEO, SA Certification.
