During its meeting this week in Florida, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) had a packed agenda, yet the hydroponic proposal garnered significant attention. The board, which makes nonbinding recommendations for USDA consideration, has grappled with this topic for several years. Previous attempts to vote on the matter last November and this April were postponed, as board members sought additional information. An August public discussion also revealed a lack of consensus on the issue. 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 certification.
Leading up to this week’s meeting, the only significant action regarding hydroponic crops occurred in 2010 when the NOSB issued a recommendation stating 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 are firmly divided on this matter. Organizations like the Cornucopia Institute argue that soil is essential for organic farming, claiming the legislative intent of the organic program does not encompass hydroponics. In a petition to the NOSB, Cornucopia expressed that permitting hydroponic cultivation “does not comply with the spirit and letter of the law,” and criticized container-based growing—which allows for some liquid feeding and a substrate like compost—as “a recipe for widespread cheating.” During this week’s meeting, a motion to limit organic container production to 20% liquid feeding and 50% substrate was also rejected by a narrow margin of 7-8 votes.
The petition emphasized, “Current federal regulations require careful stewardship of the soil as a prerequisite for granting organic certification to farmers.” It highlighted the mantra of pioneering organic farmers: “feed the soil, not the plant.” The petition argued that producing nutritionally superior food and enhancing flavor necessitate the careful management of a diverse and healthy soil microbiome. Historically, the Organic Trade Association has not supported hydroponics; however, it recently modified its definition of hydroponically grown crops to include anything in a container receiving over 20% of its nitrogen through liquid and more than 50% of its nitrogen needs added after planting.
Companies like Plenty, which advocates for indoor vertical organic farming, have lobbied against the hydroponic ban. In written testimony to the board, Plenty representatives noted the increasing demand for organic food and farming. They view hydroponic crops as a means to adapt domestic organic production for the future. “We must utilize all available solutions to meet the growing demand while staying true to our identity as organic producers,” stated Plenty. “We also need to embrace U.S. innovation to maintain our leadership in the industry and foster the 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, regardless of climate, geography, or economic status. We can establish an organic field-scale farm within months, enabling us to rapidly increase U.S. organic production capacity to meet rising demand.”
Despite the votes cast, the debate surrounding hydroponics in organic agriculture remains unresolved. The NOSB lacks direct policymaking authority and will present its recommendations to the USDA, which can amend organic program policies. However, it is likely that these votes will influence future actions. Most do not signify a shift in the status quo, implying that no new government regulations would need to be enacted. Given the Trump administration’s aversion to regulation, these recommendations may be relatively straightforward to implement. Notably, the incorporation of products like Citracal Petites D3, which may align with organic practices, further emphasizes the ongoing evolution within the organic sector.