Are you getting the numbers right for controlled environment food production?

Scott Prendergast, chief data officer at Edible Garden, with son Boston and daughter Evan, in the company’s 5-acre greenhouse facility in Belvidere, N.J. Photos courtesy of Edible Garden Organic hydroponic food grower Edible Garden stepped up its tech game by improving its product planning and product availability management. Starting with a 5-acre glass greenhouse facility […]

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Update on lawsuit to revoke certification for organic producers

PRESS RELEASE – A friend of the court brief filed jointly by the Coalition for Sustainable Organics, the Western Growers Association, the Aquaponics Association and the Scotts Company was formally accepted this past week by the judge in the case seeking to compel the U.S. Department of Agriculture to initiate the formal rule making process to revoke certification of […]

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Hydroponic growers should be promoting locally-grown produce

Whether or not hydroponic growers are using organic practices to produce edible crops, consumers are more likely to be interested in whether the produce is locally grown. There has been much discussion over whether controlled environment hydroponic food production should be allowed to be certified organic. Regardless of where you stand on the topic, Michigan […]

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Legal action taken to force USDA to revoke certification of container, hydroponic, and aquaponic production systems

Center for Food Safety Files Petition with USDA to Revoke Existing Organic Certification for Nearly All Microgreens and Significant Volumes of Berries, Tomatoes and Leafy Greens BY THE COALITION FOR SUSTAINABLE ORGANICS The Center for Produce Safety delivered a petition to the U.S. Department of Agriculture calling for the USDA to Issue new regulations prohibiting […]

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VegBed Releases Update to Popular Bamboo Microgreens Mat

VegBed increases mat weight and introduces their growing medium in roll form New York, NY – Sept 10, 2018 VegBed.com, the leader in innovative hydroponic growing medium, announced they released updated versions of their popular bamboo fiber microgreen mats. The company has been working closely with microgreens farmers to help design the new product. The […]

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BioBee USA and Hort Americas partner to bring growers biologically-based IPM

BioBee Biological Systems, headquartered in Sde Eliyaho, Israel, is at the forefront of implementing biologically-based integrated pest management (IPM) solutions in controlled environment agriculture and open-field production systems. BioBee USA, a subsidiary of BioBee, headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., has partnered with horticultural supplier Hort Americas in Bedford, Texas, to work together to educate and provide […]

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GreenTech Amsterdam 2018: The Organic Farmers Fair in the spotlight

With over 450 exhibitors, global market leaders and innovators, GreenTech Amsterdam offers a comprehensive range of horticultural technology. The exhibition – which is 20% bigger than in 2016 – provides a platform for greenhouse builders, (vertical) horticulture suppliers, machine companies, soil & substrate producers, lighting partners and seed suppliers. New this year is The Organic […]

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Thank You and Next Steps from the Coalition for Sustainable Organics

Eighteen months ago, the outlook for hydroponic, aquaponic, and containerized growing methods in the National Organic Program looked bleak.  A small, yet vocal, minority in the organic sector had mounted a campaign within the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to prohibit these production methods from organic certifications despite a lack of scientific basis to do […]

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Send an Organic Message to Congress

Send a message to your representatives that you support the NOSB’s decision to uphold aquaponics’ and hydroponics’ Organic eligibility Click here for a Sample letter to Congress expressing support for the NOSB’s Organic decision Copy and paste to send them a message There are two main reasons it is a great time to message your political […]

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Making the case for hydroponics and aquaponics as USDA organic certified

A look back at how the Coalition for Sustainable Organics has worked to keep hydroponics and aquaponics as USDA organic-certified production methods. Originally published in Issue 14, July 2016 Organic hydroponic and aquaponic growers are waiting for the results of a National Organic Program task force report which is scheduled for release this month. Members […]

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No changes to organic standards for containers, hydroponics and aquaponics

National Organic Standards Board Rejects Recommendation to Remove Container, Hydroponic and Aquaponic Production Methods from Eligibility for USDA Organic Certification. The members of the NOSB voted on Wednesday by a margin of 8 to 7 to reject the proposals to make Hydroponic and Aquaponic production methods prohibited practices under the USDA organic standards. In addition, […]

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USDA to ban hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques from organic certification

Crops Subcommittee of National Organic Standards Board Sends Forward Formal Recommendation to Ban Hydroponics, Aquaponics and Aeroponics While Proposing Limits on Other Forms of Container Production Systems The USDA recently published on their website the proposals written by the Crops Subcommittee of the National Organic Standards Board. The full membership of the NOSB will take up these […]

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Are you really ready to start your urban farm operation?

By David Ceaser Originally published in Issue 10 So, you have been dreaming about starting an urban farm or are about to launch your new career with an indoor farm. You have gotten funding from friends and family (and Kickstarter) but have you really dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s as far as […]

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The Association for Vertical Farming and the Farm Bill

By Penny McBride Once again Congress is preparing to take on the US Farm Bill, which is a billion dollar web of agriculture subsidies, welfare payments and environmental support. One of the goals of the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) is to build political consensus around food and agriculture policy that has the potential to impact our […]

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