Edacious partners with the Regenerative Organic Alliance to Bring Hard Data to the ROC Label

(Image courtesy of Lundberg Family Farms)

How Organic Insider operates: We accept no advertising, we have no paywalls and we make our newsletters free to everyone because vital information about our industry needs to get out to as many people as possible. Please consider becoming an Organic Insider+ subscriber, whether you are an individual or a company. Thank you so much.

Last month, SPINS reported that the Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) label experienced 22% year-over-year growth — an impressive figure by any standard.

Yet, a new collaboration could push this number even higher.

The Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA), which oversees ROC, has partnered with Edacious — a lab analysis, software and data tools platform company focused on nutrient density and pesticide testing. The goal is to quantify what has long been assumed but rarely measured: how regenerative organic farming impacts the true quality of food.

For decades, the organic movement has relied on documentation and audits. Farmers follow process-based standards, and certifiers verify compliance through paperwork.

ROC joining forces with Edacious adds a new dimension to this dynamic — moving from paperwork to proof.

“This partnership brings us one step closer to proving what farmers have long understood: that how we grow our food matters,” said Christopher Gergen, CEO of the Regenerative Organic Alliance. “By generating measurable data around nutrient density and toxicity, we can better demonstrate the true value of Regenerative Organic Certified® farming and products for human and planetary health.”

“We’re bringing transparency to the surface of the food system,” said Eric Smith, CEO of Edacious, which counts Patagonia’s Tin Shed Ventures as an investor. “It’s no longer enough to say we grow food differently. Now, we can show what that difference means for people’s health.”

Over the next four years, Edacious and ROA will analyze more than 200 ROC-labeled products, establishing benchmarks across conventional, organic, regenerative non-organic, and regenerative organic systems. The resulting insights — which focus on metrics such as macronutrients, micronutrients, phytochemicals and contaminants — will help participating brands communicate nutritional advantages and give consumers greater confidence that ROC products meet a higher bar for quality.

The effort also extends beyond consumer trust.

By comparing nutrient outcomes across farming methods, producers will gain valuable feedback to refine soil management, biodiversity and input strategies — turning regenerative principles into measurable improvement on the ground.

A TURNING POINT FOR ORGANIC’S EVOLUTION

As skepticism of the organic seal grows — fueled by social media influencers who question its value — this initiative offers a strong counterpoint. By linking farming practices to tangible results, the Regenerative Organic Certified® program aims to show that integrity in agriculture can be both principled and verified.

From the outset, Dr. Bronner’s, Patagonia and Rodale Institute — the three founders of the Regenerative Organic Alliance — envisioned ROC as the new gold standard in organic.

The partnership with Edacious not only advances that vision but also marks a pivotal step in demonstrating that the future of food belongs to those who can prove their impact, not just claim it.

With gratitude, Max Goldberg, Founder