Can rating system change mainstream farming?

Organic agriculture may avoid synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, but there are a growing number of voices concerned about the environmental impact of large-scale, monoculture organics too. Similarly, while mainstream industrial agriculture has caused countless environmental problems, there are some conventional growers taking significant steps to improve their impact, without necessarily going all the way organic.

Whole Foods' new Responsibly Grown certification program, which has been appearing next to produce and flowers over the past few months, aims to move the needle toward better farming overall—pushing conventional farmers to reduce their chemical use and protect their soils, and pushing organics to do more with issues like energy conservation/renewables and farm worker welfare.

Much like the company's existing rating systems on animal husbandry and cleaning products, the system is based on a continuum—setting a baseline for minimum compliance to earn a "Good" (no Whole Foods banned pesticides, no irradiation, no biosolids, GMO transparency etc), and then a raft of extra measures to earn "Better" (all of the above, plus advanced soil health; water and energy conservation; protecting rivers, lakes and oceans; farm worker health and safety) and "Best" (also includes extra measures to protect bees and butterflies, as well as industry leading pest management and environmental protection.)

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