Association of Barley Growers
Certification
Certification documents:
Using the best practices of regenerative agriculture from around the world and Lithuania, a team of professionals in the field, the Barley Growers' Association has developed the Regenerative Agriculture Standard. The aim of the Regenerative Agriculture Standard is to promote and implement the practice of regenerative agriculture on Lithuanian farms.
Regenerative agriculture is a development of traditional agriculture aimed at restoring soil health, increasing biodiversity, maintaining ecological balance and preventing land degradation, erosion, water pollution and climate change, while making farming more productive and profitable.
In accordance with the Regenerative Agriculture Standard and the established audit procedure, the Barley Growers' Association will carry out an audit of the certification of barley farms, which will determine whether the farm complies with the Regenerative Agriculture Standard.
Certification audits can only be carried out by auditors approved by the Barley Growers' Association.
Steps for a certification audit:
Step 1.
The grower or an authorized representative applies to the Barley Growers' Association by email: info@mieziai.lt with a free-form request for certification of the agricultural unit/field. The email should include: applicant's details, number of the control parcel (CPC) to be certified, field number, land code, area, information on the crop rotation plan, fertilizer products used, plant protection products used, seed used, seed certificates, acquisition documents, accompanied by a plan of the restoration of the land, other details as required.
Step 2.
The barley growers' association translates the application and appoints an authorized representative/auditor to carry out measurements, surveys of the agricultural unit and to assess its compliance with the requirements of the Regenerative agriculture standard, in accordance with the established audit procedure, at the intended location.
Step 3.
On completion of the audit, the auditor shall submit to the producer whose agricultural unit/field has been audited an audit report indicating the compliance/non-compliance with the requirements of the Regenerative Agriculture Standard.
Step 4.
The producer whose agricultural unit/field, according to the audit report, complies with the requirements of the Regenerative agriculture standard shall be entered in the Register of Certified Producers of the Barley Growers’ Association. The List of certified producers of the Barley Growers' Association is publicly accessible.
All production from a field for which a Certificate of regenerative agriculture has been issued is considered to be certified, and the purchaser of the production from that field will apply to the Barley Growers' Association for a certificate for that quantity, if required.
What criteria will be examined in the certification audit?
Key parameters to be assessed in a certification audit:
• Study of tillage methods;
• Evaluation of catch crops;
• Crop rotation assessment;
• Using certified seed;
• Use of plant protection products and chemical fertilizers.
Auditors approved by the Barley Growers’ Association:
• Ph.D. Vytautas Liakas, Vytautas Magnus University, Department of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agronomy, Associate Professor;
• Syngenta Polska Sp.z o.o. Cereals Group Product Manager for the Baltic States Arnoldas Čepelė;
• Ph.D. Juozas Semaška.
