The Rural Coalition and the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association see strong progress for this nation’s African American, Asian Pacific, Latino, and Tribal Farmers and Ranchers and rural communities in the strongly bipartisan Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, which passed yesterday by a vote of 86-11. The bill preserves nutrition programs, leaves largely […]
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WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy will host a workshop on “Innovation and Design in Vertical Agriculture and Sustainable Urban Ecosystems” on June 27-28 in Washington, DC. The workshop will be held at the Thomas Jefferson Auditorium at USDA Headquarters at 1400 Independence Ave. SW in Washington. Representatives from the public […]
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Led by executive director Lee Frankel, the Coalition for Sustainable Organics (CSO), continued its advocacy efforts at the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Spring meeting to ensure the National Organic Program remains open to producers using containers and hydroponic cultivation methods. Frankel testified, “Comprised of growers big and small, we [the CSO] advocate for the […]
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About every five years the Federal Government passes a massive, far-reaching “Farm Bill” with the main aim of providing an adequate national supply of food and nutrition. The Bill affects all facets of the U.S. food system including nutrition assistance, crop subsidies, crop insurance, research, and conservation. The 2014 Farm Bill directed the spending of […]
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Urban Agriculture Production Act offers growers, retailers and consumers opportunity to produce, market and purchase locally-grown food. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) introduced the Urban Agriculture Production Act in September. This bipartisan bill aims to support nutritional and farmers’ market programs and help create the next generation of local, urban farmers and food producers. Kaptur was joined […]
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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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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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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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Theo Crisantes, VP Wholesum Harvest, Recommends Improvements to Organic Policy Washington, DC, July 13, 2017 – Theo Crisantes Vice President of Operations for Wholesum Harvest and Board member of the Coalition for Sustainable Organics (CSO) was invited to testify at the Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing on “Opportunities in Global and Local Markets, Specialty Crops, and Organics: […]
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Aquaplanet is working with the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) to establish new categories for aquaponics / hydroponics agriculture. This will make it easier for development agencies, banks, farmers and investors to scale up, and have the risks underwritten by the government. Please take a moment and fill out this brief survey. Please note that […]
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Tout Microloans as a Critical Factor BROOKLYN, NY, Dec. 20, 2016 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini and New York State Executive Director, James Barber, traveled to Brooklyn Monday to tour urban agriculture operations that were funded by USDA microloans. As more urban farms start in […]
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Small farmers are turning to aquaponics and hydroponics in droves. These have a proven record of safe, pesticide-free production. And far from being “sterile,” studies overwhelmingly show beneficial, disease-fighting root flora– a staple of organics– in aquaponics and hydro. Water use is 1/10 to 1/100th of growing the same food in soil. Finally, aquaponics and […]
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Sneak peak into what’s coming up in Issue 13 in April 2016 by Jim Pantaleo It was an honor and a privilege to recently speak with Dr. Gary Stutte, NASA Principal Investigator, and timely too, given the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) events occurring on theInternational Space Station (flowering zinnia and lettuce successfully grown) and in […]
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