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Diestel is first turkey producer to snag Regenifed certification

In the US, Diestel Family Ranch, a family-owned turkey farming venture, has become the first producer to gain Regenified certification for its whole turkey and processed turkey product ranges.

The Regenified seal is the first third-party regenerative farming programme to be recognised by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Services. The certification programme aims to champion regenerative farming practices across the United States and Canada.

Regenerative farming has gained significant impetus across the global agricultural industry over the past decade, mainly because it employs simple and natural techniques to enhance soil, crop, and animal health, with the ultimate aim of making farms more productive in the long-term.

Diestel is a fourth-generation ranch turkey farming venture and in 1999 it became one of the first poultry farmers in the Nation to adopt organic practices. Building on its sustainable reputation, the business took on the challenge of fulfilling the Regenified 6-3-4 Standard, which began with the sourcing of 650 tonnes of Regenified certified corn, in the spring of this year.

Diestel started to introduce regenerative measures in spring of 2024

Beyond this, the certification has to meet standards based on six principles, three rules and four processes, which include getting soil health right, adaptive stewardship to ensure the right practices are implemented and specific ecosystem processes that must be applied to 40 – 60% of the agricultural farm land.

“The Regenified certification is an important recognition of what has always differentiated Diestel: holistic farming practices that prioritise the turkeys on our farm and the land where they are raised.

“We’re proud to receive this certification, which we believe marks another important milestone to lead the poultry industry forward,” said Heidi Diestel, fourth-generation farmer at Diestel Family Ranch.

Heidi Diestel added that the seal will be used on the future packaging of certified bird products and that the information about the certification process is being disseminated both on the company’s website and through social media.

“To achieve certification, we had to meet Regenified’s rigorous 6-3-4 Standards which include soil health, adaptive stewardship, and ecosystem processes. With their support, Regenified will help us track our progress in advancing regenerative principles to improve biodiversity, soil health, water quality, and nutrient density. We plan to continue and expand these practices over time,” Heidi Diestel explained

Compost, planting trees, and probiotics all play a part

As well as using regeneratively sourced corn feed, the company has also taken measures to ensure a natural habitat for the birds, which includes the ability for them to roam and seek shade from nearby trees. With this in mind, the company has planted over two miles of evergreen perennial shrubs, to both provide enhanced protection for the birds and improve the ranch’s ecosystem.

To improve the quality of the soil—an integral part of regenerative farming—, the company has chosen to turn its organic waste into nutrient-intense compost, redirecting over 2,000 tonnes of waste that otherwise would have gone to landfill, which instead ends up providing around 6,350 tonnes of compost that helps enrich the soil’s microbiology.

Avoiding unnecessary chemicals is another important element in gaining the certification, and one that has led Diestel to use probiotics in the birds’ feed to eliminate the need for traditional chemicals such as chlorine. This helps to enhance the health of the flock naturally, without negatively impacting the ecosystem.

"Diestel is leading the industry into the future," said Salar Shemirani, CEO of Regenified. "Their commitment to regenerative agriculture extends beyond the farm and the environment, positively impacting the entire supply chain through off-farm purchases of regenerative feed."