The practice of raising farmed animal in confinement at a high stocking density. Animals do not have access to pasture or range and are raised on concrete, slats or bare…

Erosion is the gradual destruction and removal of rock or soil in a particular area by rivers, the sea, or the weather.

The complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space.

Ecology is the study of interactions among living things and their environment. It provides new understanding of these vital systems as they are now, and how they may change in…

Clearing of virgin forests, or intentional destruction or removal of trees and other vegetation for agricultural, commercial, housing, or firewood use without replanting (reforesting) and without allowing time for the…

Turning over, mixing, or otherwise plowing the soil. (Also see Inversion)

Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region or…

A clearly defined starting point from where implementation begins, improvement is judged, or comparison is made. The measured conditions at the start of certification.

An official request for something.

A person who applies for AGW certification.