Getting Back To The Roots With Regenerative Cannabis: All You Need To Know About California's Award-Winning Certifications

You’ve likely heard of regenerative agriculture, but you might not know that cannabis is an ideal crop for this back to the roots practice. Regenerative cannabis not only yields high-quality buds but also offers better profits and greater consumer satisfaction.

Benzinga spoke with Andrew Black, executive director of Sun+Earth Certified and a leading expert in regenerative cannabis, to learn more about the essentials that every farmer and investor should know about this growing production method.

Proven Success With Regenerative Cannabis

Sun+Earth Certified has demonstrated that working with nature can produce remarkable results. Their certified farmers have become a dominant force in California’s cannabis industry. In 2024, six Sun+Earth Certified farms won 11 awards at the California State Fair, including six Gold Medals and the prestigious Golden Bear Award. These achievements highlight the effectiveness of regenerative organic farming practices, proving it’s not just about winning but about consistently producing top-tier cannabis.

What Is Sun+Earth Certified?

Founded on Earth Day in 2019, Sun+Earth Certified is a nonprofit organization that promotes regenerative organic cannabis farming. The certification is built on three core principles: Earth Care, Worker Rights, and Community Engagement. These standards encourage sustainable farming practices that protect both the environment and the communities involved in cannabis production.

Black, who transitioned from a USDA organic inspector to a regenerative cannabis advocate, has been instrumental in shaping Sun+Earth. His experience inspecting farms and food processors across the U.S. and Mexico gave him deep insights into organic farming. This knowledge led him to co-create Sun+Earth Certified with David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap, who sought a “beyond organic” certification for outdoor-grown cannabis.

Read Also: Cannabis Sustainability: Why It Matters and How to Achieve It With Practical Inexpensive Measures

What Is The Certification About?

Sun+Earth certification goes beyond typical organic standards. “Sun+Earth Certified is the country's leading nonprofit, third-party certification for regenerative organic cannabis,” Black explained. This certification is exclusively for farms that grow cannabis under the sun and in the soil, avoiding artificial lights and minimizing chemical use.

Achieving Sun+Earth certification requires farms to meet rigorous standards. “We inspect farms in person every year based on standards that prohibit artificial lights, synthetic fertilizers, and toxic pesticides,” Black told Benzinga.

This ensures that consumers can trust their cannabis products are grown in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible manner.

Regenerative Cannabis And Hemp

In addition to cannabis, Sun+Earth certifies medicinal hemp grown by Pilot Farm in Southern Oregon and East Fork Cultivars, another certified farm in the region. Hemp’s relevance has increased, especially in light of climate change, as it offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional crops, sequestering carbon and improving soil health. Regenerative hemp farming not only reduces carbon emissions but also enhances soil fertility.

“The regenerative organic standards enforced by Sun+Earth go beyond programs like USDA Organic and the OCal ‘comparable-to-organic’ certification in California by strengthening habitats and building living soil,” Black explained These practices help sequester carbon from the atmosphere, thereby reducing a farm's carbon footprint.

(Photo: Eel River Organics – Certified Field)

Why Farmers And Investors Should Care

For farmers, Sun+Earth certification offers benefits beyond ethical considerations. Black cites a survey showing that over 53% of U.S. consumers are willing to pay more for organic cannabis products. “By becoming Sun+Earth Certified, farms are better reaching consumers that care about their health and the environment,” Black said.

From an investment standpoint, Sun+Earth certification can be a game-changer. Certified farms, often small-scale and family-owned, produce craft cannabis with unique qualities tied to their specific terroir. “This should be of interest to investors for its niche market opportunities,” Black noted, especially as the U.S. moves closer to federal legalization and interstate cannabis sales.

Growing Demand And Market Impact

Sun+Earth is on track to certify more than 60 farms across five states: California, Michigan, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. This expansion reflects the growing demand for certified organic cannabis and hemp, driven by consumer preferences for healthier and more sustainable products.

“Sun+Earth Certified has recently partnered with Oregon dispensary chain Chalice to highlight organic cannabis products by establishing an ‘organic’ section in each of the dispensaries that Chalice operates, which is a testament to the growing demand for such products in the marketplace,” Black concluded.

As consumers and investors increasingly prioritize sustainability, the demand for products certified is set to rise, making growers well-positioned to capitalize on this growing trend.

• Read Next: California Senate Moves Forward With Bill To Allow Cannabis Sales And Consumption At Farmers Markets

Cover: Courtesy of Sun+Earth

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