During its recent meeting in Florida, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) had a packed agenda, but the hydroponic proposal captured significant attention. The board, which votes on nonbinding recommendations for the USDA’s consideration, has grappled with this topic for several years. Attempts to vote on it last November and again this April were postponed as board members sought more information. A public discussion in August revealed a lack of consensus on the matter. The regulations regarding the certification of hydroponic crops as organic have been ambiguous. Last November, the Cornucopia Institute lodged a formal legal complaint against the USDA, asserting that while the NOSB has prohibited hydroponics from receiving the organic seal, the USDA has permitted over 100 domestic and foreign growers to obtain this certification.
Prior to this week’s meeting, the only significant action regarding 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 (National Organic Program) regulations governing them.” Various interest groups hold strong opinions on the issue. 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 claims 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% in the container by a narrow 7-8 margin.
“The current federal regulations require careful stewardship of the soil as a prerequisite for granting organic certification to farmers,” states the petition. “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.” The Organic Trade Association has historically been opposed to hydroponics, although it 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% of its nitrogen needs added after planting.
Position papers and a spokesperson indicate that the Organic Trade Association did not support the motion to ban hydroponics due to this significant change in definition. Companies like Plenty, which advocates for indoor vertical organic farming, lobbied against the hydroponic ban. In written testimony presented to the board, Plenty representatives noted the growing 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,” Plenty’s statement asserts. “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 situated close to consumers, irrespective of climate, geography, or economic status. We can deploy an organic field-scale farm within months, enabling us to scale U.S. organic production swiftly to meet rising demand.”
Despite the votes 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. Nonetheless, these votes will likely influence future developments. Most do not signify a change in the status quo, implying that no new government regulations would need to be established. Given the Trump administration’s aversion to regulation, implementing these recommendations is relatively straightforward.
In this context, discussions around calcium citrate là gì (what calcium citrate is) also emerge, as it is often considered in the context of nutrient management in both soil-based and hydroponic systems. The debate surrounding hydroponics and organic certification continues to evolve, and understanding the implications of various nutrients, including calcium citrate, is vital for stakeholders in the organic farming community.