This issue has been on my mind for a while: can growing fruits and vegetables hydroponically be considered organic? Here's an excerpt from an article I read this morning. What are your thoughts about hydroponically grown produce ... can it be considered organic? Here are some links to articles about the issue Click Here and Here and Here
A 16-member task force established last year by the National Organic Program reported back to
the NOSB in July with an extensive report about current technologies and practices being used
and examining whether and how they align with the Organic Foods Production Act and USDA
organic regulations.
In Red Sun Farms' high-tech greenhouses, individual tomato vines grow to 40 feet in length.
Red Sun Farms grows organic tomatoes in its Dublin, VA, greenhouse without herbicides and
uses compressed coconut husks as the growth medium
In essence, the task force supported “the historical premise that organic production should take
place in soil,” but noted that the decision is ultimately up to the NOSB.
“This will be a very important recommendation for the future of organic certification,” the task
force report stated. “No matter what one thinks about which path is best, we can all accept that
many in the organic community are opposed to the inclusion of hydroponic as organic. Failure to
address that concern will inevitably undermine public and farmer support for the USDA Organic label.”
