The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) had a comprehensive agenda for its meeting this week in Florida, but the hydroponic proposal garnered significant attention. The board, which votes on nonbinding recommendations for the USDA’s consideration, has faced challenges regarding this topic for several years. Previous votes scheduled for last November and this April were postponed as board members sought more information. An August public telephone discussion also revealed a lack of consensus. The regulations surrounding the certification of hydroponic crops as organic have remained ambiguous. Last November, the Cornucopia Institute filed a formal legal complaint against the USDA, asserting that while the NOSB has prohibited hydroponics from carrying the organic label, the USDA has permitted over 100 domestic and foreign growers to receive this certification.
Before this week’s meeting, the only clear action regarding hydroponic crops occurred in 2010 when the NOSB recommended that “Hydroponics…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 interest groups hold strong opinions on this matter. Organizations like the Cornucopia Institute argue that soil is essential for organic crops and that the legislative intent of the organic program did not encompass hydroponics. In a petition to the NOSB, Cornucopia stated that permitting hydroponic cultivation “does not comply with the spirit and letter of the law,” and criticized container growth— which allows for some liquid feeding and substrate such as compost— as “a recipe for widespread cheating.” At the recent meeting, board members also rejected a motion to limit organic container production to 20% liquid feeding and 50% substrate by a narrow 7-8 vote.
The petition further claims, “Current federal regulations require careful stewardship of the soil as a prerequisite for granting organic certification.” It emphasizes that the guiding principle for pioneering organic farmers is to “feed the soil, not the plant.” Nutritionally superior food with exceptional taste necessitates the careful management of a diverse and healthy microbiome in the soil.
Traditionally, the Organic Trade Association has not supported hydroponics, although they noted that the NOSB recently revised its definition of hydroponically grown crops to include anything in a container that receives more than 20% of its nitrogen through liquid and over 50% after planting. According to position papers and a spokesperson, the Organic Trade Association did not endorse the motion to ban hydroponics due to the significant change in definition.
Companies like Plenty, which advocates for indoor vertical organic farming, lobbied against the hydroponic ban. In written testimony to the board, Plenty representatives highlighted the increasing demand for organic food and farming. They view hydroponic crops as a means to adapt domestic organic growth 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 must also embrace U.S. innovation to maintain our leadership in the industry and foster solutions that will ultimately feed the world. For instance, Plenty’s organic growing system yields up to 350 times that of traditional systems and can be located 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 swiftly to meet rising demand.”
Despite the votes that have been cast, the issue of hydroponics in organic agriculture is still unresolved. The NOSB lacks independent policymaking authority and will present its recommendations to the USDA, which has the power to alter organic program policy. However, it is likely that these votes will influence future actions. Most do not indicate a shift in the status quo, meaning no new government regulations are needed. Given the Trump administration’s aversion to regulation, implementing these recommendations may be relatively straightforward.
In summary, as the debate continues, the intersection of organic farming principles and modern agricultural practices remains a focal point. As the industry evolves, it is essential to consider how innovations, such as calcium citrate magnesium hydroxide vitamin D3 and zinc sulfate tablets, may impact both the health of the plants and the integrity of organic farming standards.