We are now open to UK wide applications. 

Please note that if we cannot find a nearby grower-to-grower inspector we will try our best to find a suitable volunteer. It will take a few years before market gardening becomes the norm and the local networks of growers are large enough so please bear with us.

Who is eligible.... A grower who

  • is a primary producer of vegetables, fruit, nuts or wholefoods for direct human consumption.

  • trades

  • keeps annual accounts for tax purposes

  • observes agroecological growing practices

  • is prepared to make low-carbon commitments

  • is prepared to show another grower around their holding, be inspected by them, and show a pre-arranged selection of receipts and invoices

Participatory certification

The key feature of CFF's participatory certification is farmer-to-farmer inspection which is recognised by the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM). As an inspector you are also a learner at the same time. The best way to learn is to visit other growing enterprises. This has worked really well overseas. You will not inspect the same grower as inspected you. This will help maintain independence and integrity.

Participatory certification relies on goodwill and this is what makes it affordable and transparent. As a farmer-to-farmer inspector is a grower themselves they are likely to spot a misrepresented practice instantly. Please do not put your farmer-to-farmer inspector in an awkward position and treat them as you, yourself, would like to be treated.

Certified to agroecological growing standards

You need to follow agroecological growing practices but our certification mark is outside EU “organic” labelling regulations. Therefore agroecological practices are evidenced either by (1) being third party organic certified OR (2) completing the IFOAM Norms (download the Norms from IFOAM) inspection form and being inspected to that.

We can also add optional inspections at your request e.g. Stockfree Certified.

Is agroecological and organic the same thing?

Yes in terms of growing techniques, although we have wider social aims than the traditional organic certifiers which support the trading of food as global commodities. We do not believe that this is compatible with tackling climate change. CFF also uses the term "agroecological" because our certification is outside EU organic labelling regulations. CFF certifies small-scale growers and community projects that are often not recognised through certification. The starting costs for organic certification may be 1400% greater than our agroecological / low-carbon standards.

I am already third party organic certified - can I still join?

Yes and your paperwork will be significantly less. Observing agroecological growing practices is only part of the participatory certification. We also want you to go on a low-carbon journey. 

Certified to low-carbon standards

These are evidenced by working through the Bronze, Silver and Gold Climate Friendly Food Awards. We certify low-carbon growing practices and behaviours per se and not carbon footprints. We recommend you do a carbon footprint of your enterprise - free carbon toolkits available here  - but it is not a prerequiste for participatory certification.

Administration

CFF's administration system is user-friendly, open and transparent. You will email climatefriendlyfood@gmail.com with the relevant forms who will check and upload them onto the online directory (please include publicity photos and flyers). You agree to abide by agroecological growing practices and you will agree to abide by low-carbon practices. Farmer-to-farmer inspection occurs in the growing season. We display your scanned key inspection documents online with hand written signatures. Until inspection an independent reference is displayed online.

What if only part of my holding is eligible?

You need to observe agroecological production practices for eligible produce. Eligible growing areas must be mapped in relation to the whole holding. We expect this to be common practice e.g. with city farms and CSAs that they will have a dedicated growing area. 

What if I am growing on an urban or brownfield site?

Urban sites or brownfield sites are eligible but must undertake a soil contamination test if full land use history cannot be shown. Please contact us before importing any growing media.

Independent monitoring committee

The Participatory Certification Scheme is overseen by an independent monitoring committee which has an independent chair, Robert Mackay. Jenny Hall, director of CFF, is the admininstrator of the scheme and is accountable to the monitoring committee. Keith Griggs, director of CFF, is a member of the monitoring committee. Other members of the independent monitoring committee are growers, supporters and likeminded charities / social enterprises.

What safeguards are in place to prevent growers from malpractice?

CFF is answerable to an independent monitoring committee. In the event of malpractice the matter is referred, in the first instance, to the administrator. Depending on severity she may refer to the monitoring committee and this may trigger a second inspection.

Payment terms

Certification fees are invoiced at receipt of a complete application. Your profile will appear in our online directory (with a google maps search function) once payment has reached CFF's bank account.

• 1 - 3 full time equivalent FTE paid staff. Total cost £35.

• 4 - 7 FTE staff. Total cost £70.

• 8 - 10 FTE staff. Total cost £105.

• 11+ FTE staff. Total cost £140.

We are currently not VAT registered.

DEFRA's Green Claims Code 

CFF's participatory certification was set up by those inspired by Richard Heinberg's transition vision of food. We expect to see increasing small-scale food production in the next few decades with a possible seven million of us involved in the UK. We want to establish integrity and maintain quality assurance within the sector. In keeping with DEFRA's Green Claims Code, we certify low-carbon food categories that in academic literature have low carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) emissions per kg of food. We may move towards other parameters e.g. nutritional density per CO2e, once academic data is available and following stakeholder consultation. We regret that we cannot certify multi ingredient products, fossil fuel heated protected crops (although general plant raising is permissible) or livestock products. We are not saying that these foods cannot be part of a low-carbon diet, as an occasional addition, but it is generally accepted in academic literature that their consumption needs to be reduced. Please see our explanation as to why we don't think tackling climate change and carbon offsetting are compatible.