Farm Endorsement Ecological Development (FEED) is a Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS), which as defined by IFOAM, is a "locally focused quality assurance systems.

They certify producers based on active participation of stakeholders and are built on a foundation of trust, social networks and knowledge exchange."
They represent an alternative to third party certification and are especially adapted to local markets and short supply chains. They can also complement third party certification with a private label that brings additional guarantees and transparency.
PGS enable the direct participation of producers, consumers and other stakeholders in:
    the choice and definition of the standards
    the development and implementation of certification procedures
    the certification decisions
 
The primary motivations for seeing the development of an PGS in our local region are;
    To reward local farmers who are making exceptional efforts in their ecological practice,
    To deter the prevalence of generic claims and improve the integrity of ‘spray free’ / ‘chem free’ labeling which ensures additional      consumer confidence and transparency,
    To provide an exceptionally affordable option for farmer recognition,
    To provide an alternative to Organic Certification for those cases where it proves unviable/unaffordable/unnecessary
    To create a local collective and improve communications between local ‘Ecologically’ minded farmers, for knowledge and resource sharing.

View FEED documents and templates

    Expressions of interest for FEED Byron Region
    (Pilot program)

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Supporters :

"Santos Organics supports the implementation of of the FEED program in the Byron Shire. As a program it has the potential to strengthen farming networks within our local community, create transparency for consumers and ensures the growing methods used by farmers in our region are of the highest ecological standard now and for the future."

Links to additional documentation

Northern Rivers Soil Health Card
A soil management tool developed by farmers for farmers. This soil health card was developed as part of the Good Soil Project and the Good Worm Project, initiatives of Tuckombil Landcare Inc. in partnership with NSW DPI (then NSW Agriculture) and the Natural Heritage Trust.
The soil health card lists 10 straightforward visual soil tests that require simple equipment and can be carried out by one person in the field. It provides space for you to rate your own soils after carrying out the tests.
By testing regularly and keeping the cards, you can build up a record of your soil health, and understand the effect of management practices on soil health.