During its meeting this week in Florida, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) had a packed agenda, but the hydroponic proposal garnered significant attention. This topic has been a contentious issue for the board, which votes on nonbinding recommendations for the USDA to consider. Efforts to vote on this matter last November and again in April were halted as board members sought additional information. An August public discussion revealed little agreement on the subject. The regulations surrounding the certification of hydroponic crops as organic have been ambiguous. Last November, the Cornucopia Institute filed a formal complaint against the USDA, arguing that while the NOSB has prohibited hydroponics from receiving the organic seal, the USDA has certified over 100 growers, both foreign and domestic.
Before this week’s meeting, the last significant action on hydroponic crops occurred in 2010 when the NOSB recommended that “Hydroponics…certainly cannot be classified as certified organic growing methods due to their exclusion of the soil-plant ecology intrinsic to organic farming systems and USDA regulations governing them.” Various stakeholder groups hold strong views on this matter. Organizations like the Cornucopia Institute assert that soil is essential for organic farming and that hydroponics should not be included in the organic program’s legislative intent. In a petition to the NOSB, Cornucopia claimed that permitting hydroponic cultivation “does not comply with the spirit and letter of the law,” criticizing container growth—which allows some liquid feeding and a substrate like compost—as “a recipe for widespread cheating.” During this week’s meeting, board members also rejected a motion to limit organic container production to 20% liquid feeding and 50% substrate, with a narrow vote of 7-8.
“The current federal regulations require careful stewardship of the soil as a prerequisite for granting organic certification to farmers,” the petition emphasized. “The mantra for pioneering organic farmers, and those who truly uphold the spirit of organics, is: feed the soil, not the plant. Nutritionally superior food, and superior taste, require careful stewardship of a diverse and healthy microbiome in the soil.” Traditionally, the Organic Trade Association has not supported hydroponics, though they noted that the NOSB recently revised its definition of hydroponically grown crops to include anything in a container that receives over 20% of its nitrogen through liquid and more than 50% after planting. According to position papers and a spokesperson, the Organic Trade Association did not back the motion to ban hydroponics due to this significant definition change.
Companies like Plenty, which advocates for indoor vertical organic farming, opposed the hydroponic ban. In written testimony to the board, Plenty representatives highlighted the growing demand for organic food and farming. They view hydroponic crops as a way to adapt domestic organic production for the future. “We must take advantage of all available solutions to meet growing demand while staying true to our identity as organic producers,” stated Plenty. “We also must embrace U.S. innovation to maintain our leadership in the industry and foster the solutions that will ultimately feed the world. For example, Plenty’s organic growing system yields up to 350 times that of traditional systems and can be situated close to consumers, regardless of climate, geography, or economic status. We can deploy an organic field-scale farm within months, enabling us to scale U.S. organic production capacity rapidly to meet rising demand.”
Even though votes have been cast, the issue of hydroponics in organic agriculture remains unresolved. The NOSB lacks independent policymaking power and will present its recommendations to the USDA, which has the authority to modify organic program policies. However, it is likely that these votes will influence future actions. Most do not signify a change in the status quo, suggesting that no new government regulations will be necessary. Given the Trump administration’s aversion to regulation, these recommendations could be relatively straightforward to implement.
In discussions about nutrition and organic farming, some consumers also express interest in products like solgar calcium citrate with vitamin d3 kullananlar, as they seek ways to enhance their dietary choices. The incorporation of such supplements into an organic lifestyle reflects a broader trend towards health-conscious decision-making among consumers.