On March 3rd, 2025, we published Version 1.4 of our Sustainable Agriculture Standard on the Knowledge Hub.
This streamlined version of our standard is binding from October 1st, 2025, bringing considerable improvements for both our Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holders.
To implement this new version of our standard, we will also launch a new Rainforest Alliance Certification Platform (RACP) that will be available by November 3rd, 2025.
From October 10th to November 3rd, there will be a data freeze for Certificate Holders (CH) with an “Active” License or “Granted Pending Activation” License. Because we are moving to a new platform, the data of some CHs will be frozen during the migration to the new platform.
When must I start using Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard and the New RACP?
You don’t need to schedule a new audit or recertify just because we’re updating our standard and changing our certification platform. When it’s time for your next audit, we’ll guide you through the switch to Version 1.4 of our Sustainable Agriculture Standard and new RACP. The timing of your transition to the new standard and the new platform depends on your audit schedule.
Which transition timeline applies to you?
You’ll fall into one of the below mentioned groups based on your upcoming audit or license expiration date. Check below to see what version of the standard and RACP system you’ll need to use—and what deadlines to keep in mind.
Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holders with audits planned up until September 30th, 2025
What to do:
You must prepare against Version 1.3 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard and will be audited against this Version, (you may choose to follow the Simplification Policy).
Use the current RACP to start and complete your audit process.
The “Renew your Certification” button in the current RACP was disabled on June 5th, 2025; if you didn’t click this button in time, please contact Customer Success (customersuccess@ra.org) before October 10, 2025, for them to support you.
Start your audit (i.e. conduct the opening meeting) by the latest September 30th, 2025.
Close any non-conformities within 10 weeks, by latest December 22nd, 2025.
Need Help? Contact our Customer Success team at at customersuccess@ra.org
Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holders with audits planned from October 1st, 2025, until February 1st, 2026
What to do:
You must prepare against Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard, and you will be audited against this Version.
You will use the current RACP, which has been updated with Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard since August 1st, 2025.
Contact Customer Success for them to “Renew your Certification” button in the current RACP for you before October 10th, 2025.
Need Help? Contact our Customer Success team at customersuccess@ra.org
Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holders with audits planned from 2nd February 2026 onwards
What to do:
You must prepare against Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard, and you will be audited against this Version.
For Farms: Apply the new Certification Rules for Farm V1.1 and Auditing Rules for Farm V1.1.
For Supply Chain Actors: Apply the Certification and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain Actors V1.0.
Use the new RACP, accessible from November 3rd, 2025.
Your certification data will be read-only from October 10th to November 3rd while we migrate you to the new RACP. During this period, you will not be able to make changes to your certification scope, certification sites, or process certification extensions, but you will still have access to the Traceability and Claims applications.
After November 3rd, access the new RACP to continue your process.
If you’re a Supply Chain Actor, you’ll receive a new verification level from November 3rd, 2025, through the new RACP to determine when or if you need an audit.
Need Help? Contact Customer Success team at customersuccess@ra.org
Supply chain actors not requiring an audit (endorsed or no audit year) with licenses expiring up until September 30th, 2025
What to do:
You must prepare apply Version 1.3 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard when completing your self-assessment, (you may choose to follow the Simplification Policy).
Use the current RACP to complete your self-assessment.
The “Renew your Certification” button in the current RACP was disabled on June 5th, 2025; if you didn’t click this button in time, please contact Customer Success at customersuccess@ra.org before October 10th, 2025, for them to support you.
There’s no change to regular timelines—just complete your self-assessment and request your endorsement before your license expires.
Need Help? Contact Customer Success team at customersuccess@ra.org
Supply chain actors not requiring an audit (endorsed or no audit year) with licenses expiring from October 1st, 2025, until February 1st, 2026
What to do:
Apply Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard when completing your self-assessment.
Apply the Policy on Phased Implementation that refers to the applicable rules.
You will use the current RACP, which has been updated with Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard since August 1st, 2025.
Since August, Supply Chain Actors have been able to receive new verification levels through the current RACP.
Contact Customer Success for them to “Renew your Certification” button in the current RACP for you before October 10th, 2025.
Need Help? Contact Customer Success team at customersuccess@ra.org
Supply chain actors not requiring an audit (endorsed or no audit year) with licenses expiring from February 2nd 2026 onwards
What to do:
Apply Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard when completing your self-assessment.
Apply the Certification and Auditing Rules for Supply Chain Actors v1.0.
Use the new RACP, accessible from November 3rd 2025 to receive your new SCRA Level.
Your certification data will be read-only from October 10th to November 3rd while we migrate you to the new RACP. During this period, you will not be able to make changes to your certification scope, certification sites, or process certification extensions, but you will still have access to the Traceability and Claims applications.
After November 3rd, access the new RACP to continue your process.
Need Help? Contact Customer Success team at customersuccess@ra.org
The Simplification Policy: what is it, and how to apply it.
As of March 3rd, we introduced a Simplification Policy for Version 1.3. This means that both current and new Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holders can start benefiting from some of the changes, like fewer requirements and reduced internal inspections, even before Version 1.4 becomes binding. The Policy expires on October 1st, 2025.
The Simplification Policy is available on the Knowledge Hub. It clearly outlines which requirements from Version 1.3 will no longer apply as well as which policies remain in place.
To make implementing the Simplification Policy even easier, we’ve updated the Certificate Holder self-assessment checklist in the Rainforest Alliance Certification Platform (RACP).
Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holder s must first re-confirm their scope in RACP. This will enable Certification Bodies to view the updated checklist in RACP, and Certificate Holders to take the optional step of checking which requirements no longer apply to them.
Certification Bodies can then use RACP to manage the process of applying this checklist to upcoming audits.
For Farm and Supply Chain Certificate Holder s that have already been audited, any non-conformities raised based on “not mandatory ” requirements will no longer need to be closed.
For audits planned against Version 1.3 before October 1st, 2025, any requirement marked as “not mandatory” will no longer need to be complied with by Certificate Holders, nor audited by Certification Bodies.
The Phased Implementation Policy: what is it, and how to apply it.
To support the transition to Version 1.4, we’re phasing in changes . From October 1st, 2025, the SAS V1.4 and corresponding annexes become binding, but the Certification and Auditing Rules will mostly stay the same until January 30th, 2026. The new Policy on Phased Implementation explains what will and won’t change.
Farm Certificate Holders will continue using current RACP as usual, with the new data submission tool in the same place of the previous questionnaire . Certificates remain valid for 3 years, with 1-year licenses.
Supply Chain Certificate Holders will move to 3 verification levels (down from 5), with audits every 2 or 3 years based on risk. From August 1st, these new levels will appear when submitting the Supply Chain Risk Assessment.
Be sure to review the Policy on Phased Implementation if your license and/or certificate expires between October 1st, 2025, and February 1st, 2026 .
The Knowledge Hub: Your go-to place for Version 1.4 content
Version 1.4 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard, along with its supporting documents and the Certification and Auditing Rules, have been published on the Knowledge Hub. Many of you already use this platform, and we’re consolidating all certification-related documents there to make content easier for you to find. While the Version 1.3 documents will still be available on our website for now, we’ll transition everything to the Knowledge Hub over time. Don’t worry—we’ll keep you informed every step of the way.