What does LEAF Marque cover?
LEAF Marque addresses sustainable farming through integrated farm management. Its scope concerns the farm and how environmental responsibilities are managed together. It complements applicable baseline assurance rather than replacing all other farm requirements.
Who it is for
Crop, livestock and mixed farms applying integrated farm management.
Key areas to understand
Start with these areas. Identify which requirements apply to your activities and who is responsible for them.
- 1Connect farm management plans with environmental objectives.
- 2Manage resources and biodiversity across farm activities.
- 3Review results and improve farming practices.
Evidence to prepare
This list is a starting point. Check the standard for all required documents. For each item, record who is responsible, the activity or site it relates to, and a recent example showing how it works.
- Farm scope and management plans
- Soil, water and resource-use records
- Biodiversity and habitat plans
- Monitoring and review results
- Improvement actions and staff responsibilities
Keep records that explain what was checked, which requirement was used and who checked it. Include any action taken when a requirement was not met. Link each record to the work it supports.
An internal audit example
Suggested checks from 4Auditee
Choose a field or farm activity with a documented environmental objective. Compare the plan with actual practice and monitoring records. Ask how the team evaluated the result and whether that learning changed the next season’s approach.
Choose a sample that suits your activities and risks. If you find a gap, record the requirement, the evidence and what was missing. Check more examples if the first results suggest a wider problem.
A common problem to check
A conservation plan is not evidence of implementation. Walk the relevant area and connect observed conditions with the actions and monitoring recorded.
Prepare for assessment
The assessment type for this guide is sustainable farming certification scheme. Confirm the requirements, what will be assessed and how the assessment will work with the responsible body or customer. These steps help you prepare. You must also follow the scheme’s official rules.
- Define what is covered. List the products, services, activities and sites. Record the standard edition, additional scheme rules and customer requirements.
- Find what is missing. Compare the requirements with current work. Prioritise gaps by risk. Assign someone responsible and a completion date.
- Keep records of everyday work. Check a sample of actual records and speak with the people involved. Make sure they understand their responsibilities.
- Check the results. Complete internal reviews and audits. Check that corrective actions worked before closing problems.
From one site to many
Make it easy to find who is responsible at each site. Keep company policies separate from records of local work. Link each site’s records to its activities, risks and requirements so you can spot gaps at individual sites.
Sites that share a management system do not automatically qualify for one certificate or assessment. Confirm which sites can be included and how they will be checked with the assessment body.
About this guide and its sources
4Auditee wrote this guide using the public source below. The evidence list, audit example and preparation steps are our suggestions. Read the official standard and scheme rules for the full requirements. This guide does not include the standard’s full text or provide certification.
DNV: LEAF Marque reference information