During its meeting this week in Florida, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) had a packed agenda, but the hydroponic proposal was the focal point of significant interest. The board, which votes on nonbinding recommendations considered by the USDA, has grappled with this topic for several years. Efforts to vote on the proposal last November and this April were postponed as board members sought more information. A public teleconference discussion in August also revealed a lack of consensus on the matter. The regulations regarding the certification of hydroponic crops as organic remain 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 label, the USDA has permitted over 100 domestic and foreign growers to obtain this certification.
Before this week’s meeting, the only somewhat conclusive action regarding hydroponic crops occurred in 2010. That year, 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 (National Organic Program) regulations.” Various interest groups hold strong views on this issue. Organizations like the Cornucopia Institute assert that soil is essential for organic crops, and the legislative intent of the organic program did not encompass hydroponics. In a petition to the NOSB, Cornucopia argued that permitting hydroponic cultivation “does not comply with the spirit and letter of the law,” and criticized container growing — a compromise allowing some liquid feeding and a substrate like compost — as “a recipe for widespread cheating.” During the meeting, board members also voted against a motion to limit organic container production to 20% liquid feeding and 50% substrate, with a close 7-8 vote.
The petition emphasized that “current federal regulations require careful stewardship of the soil as a prerequisite for organic certification,” stating, “The mantra for pioneering organic farmers, and those who genuinely uphold the spirit of organics, is: feed the soil, not the plant. Nutritionally superior food and enhanced taste necessitate careful stewardship of a diverse and healthy microbiome in the soil.” Traditionally, the Organic Trade Association has not supported hydroponics, but recently, it noted that the NOSB has revised its definition of hydroponically grown crops to include anything in a container that receives more than 20% of its nitrogen through liquid and more than 50% of its nitrogen requirement added post-planting.
Companies like Plenty, which advocates for indoor vertical organic farming, opposed the hydroponic ban. In written testimony submitted to the board, representatives from Plenty indicated that the demand for organic food and farming continues to rise. They view hydroponic crops as a means to adapt domestic organic growth for the future. “We must leverage all available solutions to meet growing demand while remaining 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 develop solutions that will ultimately feed the world. For instance, Plenty’s organic growing system yields up to 350 times that of traditional methods and can be established 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.”
Although votes have been cast, the issue of hydroponics in organic agriculture remains unresolved. The NOSB lacks its own policymaking authority and will present its recommendations to the USDA, which has the power to modify organic program policy. 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 need to be implemented. Given the Trump administration’s aversion to regulation, these recommendations are relatively easy to adopt. Additionally, as discussions continue, the role of nutrients like calcium citrate malate and vitamin D3 in organic farming practices may gain further attention, particularly concerning their importance in promoting soil health and plant nutrition.