## The Standard That Requires More Regenerative Organic Certified™ (ROC) is not a simple extension of the USDA Organic or EU Organic label. It is a comprehensive framework built on three pillars: **Soil Health & Land Management**, **Animal Welfare**, and **Farmer & Worker Fairness**. ## What Sets ROC Apart from EU Organic EU Organic certification focuses primarily on input restriction — what you cannot use. ROC certification asks a more demanding question: what are you actively building? Under ROC, farms must document measurable improvements in: - Soil organic carbon (SOC) levels and trajectories - Biodiversity indicators and habitat provision - Water infiltration and retention metrics - Reduced tillage or regenerative tillage practices ## The Three Certification Tiers ROC operates on a Bronze, Silver, Gold tier structure. Most first-time EU applicants achieve **Silver tier** certification, with Gold reserved for operations demonstrating exceptional performance across all three pillars. ## Timeline Expectations for EU Farms The realistic timeline from first inquiry to receiving a ROC certificate runs between **18 and 30 months** for most EU farms already holding EU Organic status. ## The Bottom Line ROC certification is achievable for well-managed EU farms — but it requires preparation, patience, and a clear documentation system from day one.