Photo supplied by Donovan Kitt.

By Curtis Galbraith

Agriculture

Goodfare farm earns four certifications from sustainable agriculture organization

Sep 27, 2024 | 2:31 PM

A Goodfare farm has earned several certifications from a non-profit group called A Greener World.

After a long process, The Homestead has had its cattle and laying hens deemed Certified Animal Welfare Approved and Certified Regenerative. The cattle have also been designated Certified Grassfed and Certified non-GMO.

Co-owner Donovan Kitt says it has taken 18 months to two years to earn these certifications.

“We raise 100 per cent grass-fed, grass-finished cattle. We have pastured pork. We have pastured chicken. We do have an egg operation. We also do vegetables, microgreens. All of those different enterprises needed their own, separate form and each form was close to 50 pages. Just to fill that out took a long time.”

Kitt says they did a lot of this work on road trips to make deliveries or pick up equipment. After that, forms have to be reviewed, questions are asked, and then an inspector comes out to look over everything.

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Kitt says he and his wife have always tried to farm in a way that is environmentally sustainable while also maintaining high standards for animal welfare and treating the staff at the farm well.

He adds not only the farm need the animal welfare certification, so did any processors it dealt with

Kitt says The Homestead is the only meat producer in Western Canada with the Certified Regenerative designation.

“It’s pretty new and it’s a way to show our customers that we’re doing what we say we’re doing and have the results to prove it.”

Kitt thinks it is important for agriculture to show it is trying to do things that are good for the environment.

“I think agriculture would be the primary way to enhance or protect the environment through farming practices.”

“Agricultural land takes up so much of our land base and so even incremental changes can make a massive, massive difference on farms.”

Kitt says how employees are treated is “an important piece” of this process.

“Treat your employees with respect. All of our employees live on the farm, so (we) give them a nice place to live and you’re paying them fairly. That’s part of the certification process is interviewing employees and not just employees that we hire but also the employees of our processors.”

Kitt says the farm has four full-time employees during the growing season and two during the winter.

He adds another important component. is the social piece, which includes being “a positive member of the community.”

A Greener World is a US-based non-profit that it says on its website works to promote agriculture that is good for the environment while also educating consumers about the food they buy.