During its meeting this week in Florida, the National Organic Standards Board had a packed agenda, but the hydroponic proposal was the highlight that garnered significant attention. The board, which votes on nonbinding recommendations to be reviewed by the USDA, has faced challenges with this topic for years. Attempts to vote on it last November and this April were postponed as board members sought more information. A public phone discussion in August also revealed a lack of consensus on the matter. The regulations surrounding the certification of hydroponic crops as organic have been ambiguous. Last November, the Cornucopia Institute filed a formal legal complaint against the USDA, arguing that while the NOSB has prohibited hydroponics from receiving the organic seal, the USDA has permitted over 100 domestic and foreign growers to obtain the certification.
Before this week’s meeting, the only significant action regarding these 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.” Various interest groups have strong opinions on this issue. Organizations like the Cornucopia Institute assert 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 argues that permitting hydroponic cultivation “does not comply with the spirit and letter of the law,” and criticizes 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 by a close margin of 7-8.
The petition emphasizes, “Current federal regulations require careful stewardship of the soil as a prerequisite for granting organic certification to farmers.” It further states that the guiding principle for pioneering organic farmers is to “feed the soil, not the plant.” Nutritionally superior food, along with better taste, necessitates diligent care of a diverse and healthy soil microbiome. Traditionally, the Organic Trade Association has not endorsed hydroponics; however, the group noted that the NOSB recently revised its definition of hydroponically grown crops to include anything in a container that gets over 20% of its nitrogen through liquid feeding and more than 50% added after planting.
Companies such as Plenty, which advocates for indoor vertical organic farming, opposed the hydroponics ban. In written testimony to the board, representatives from Plenty highlighted the growing demand for organic food and farming. They view hydroponic crops as a means to adapt domestic organic production to future needs. Plenty’s statement reads, “We must take advantage of all available solutions to meet growing demand while remaining true to our identity as organic producers. Additionally, we must 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 can yield up to 350 times that of traditional systems and can be situated close to consumers, irrespective of climate, geography, or economic status. We can deploy an organic field-scale farm within months, allowing us to quickly scale U.S. organic production capacity to meet increasing demand.”
Despite the votes that have been cast, the issue of hydroponics in organic agriculture remains unresolved. The NOSB lacks policymaking authority and will present its recommendations to the USDA, which has the power to alter organic program policies. However, it is likely that these votes will influence future actions. Most do not signify a change in the status quo, implying that no new government regulations are necessary. Given the Trump administration’s aversion to regulations, these recommendations could be relatively straightforward to implement. In this context, it’s worth noting the availability of products like Citracal Calcium from Costco, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balanced diet, even as the organic farming landscape continues to evolve. This reflects the broader conversation about organic practices and consumer health, reminding us that the choices we make in agriculture ultimately affect the food we consume.