Organic Hydroponics and 

Aquaponics
Organic Hydroponics and Aquaponics

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Current Status

• The USDA organic regulations do not currently prohibit 

hydroponic production. Certification to the USDA organic 

standards is currently allowed, as long as the certifier can 

demonstrate it is certifying in a way that complies with the 

standard.

NOSB Recommendations

• 1995: “Hydroponic production in soilless media to be 

labeled organically produced shall be allowed if all 

provisions of the OFPA have been met.”

• 2010: “Growing media shall contain sufficient organic 

matter capable of supporting natural and diverse soil 

ecology. For this reason, hydroponic and aeroponic

systems are prohibited.”
Hydroponic and Aquaponic Task Force

• Composition: individuals that represent both 

the soil-based organic and hydroponic and 

aquaponics communities; technical expertise.

• Objectives: 

– Describe hydroponic and aquaponic systems 

and practices.

– Examine how hydroponic and aquaponic

methods align or conflict with OFPA and the 

USDA organic regulations.

– Explore alternatives.

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service | National Organic Program 3
Hydroponics and Aquaponics

Subcommittee
Hydroponics - the growing of plants in mineral 

nutrient solutions with or without an inert 

growing media to provide mechanical support

Definitions

Agreed – Should be prohibited

Reasons: 

• Unapproved inputs

• Insufficient carbon and biology in system 

• No nutrient cycling 
Bioponics - a contained and controlled growing 

system in which plants derive nutrients from organic 

substances in water and/or growing media which are 

released by the biological activity of microorganisms 

throughout the system 

Emerging Technologies

 Modified hydroponic systems that 

use the same organic inputs, processes, 

and principles as field growers. 
Emerging Technologies

 All inputs compliant with The National List, 

including media 

 Sufficient organic matter is added to the system 

to support microbial diversity

 Biology is added and maintained in the system 

such that nutrient cycling is achieved

 Natural resources of farm site are conserved, 

soil and water quality are not degraded (any excess 

fertilizer is captured and re-purposed)

Alignment with organic principles
Example 1: Aquaponics

A system of aquaculture in which the waste produced 

from farmed fish or other aquatic animals supplies 

nutrients for plants grown hydroponically, which in turn 

purify the water
Example 2: Bioponic Tomatoes

Tomatoes grown in a base of organic 

coconut husk

 Media is inoculated with 

compost tea

 Earthworms

Crop nutrition 

 Solid and liquid plant, animal, 

and OMRI-approved minerals

Biology
Example 3: Bioponic Lettuce Systems

Lettuce started in an organic base of coconut 

husk and/or compost

 Compost tea, microbes from biofilter in 

the system, or other microbial inoculant

products (OMRI-approved)

Crop nutrition 

 Liquid organic fertilizer such as 

fermented plant materials or compost teas 

are added to a re-circulating water system

Biology
2010 Recommendations state that container culture 

based growing media (typically used in greenhouse 

systems) that are predominantly compost or 

compostable plant materials should be rightly 

considered soil.

• All soil-dwelling organisms in the soil 

food web can thrive in a compost or 

bioponic growing media or container 

system 

Agreed – And other bioponic container 

systems should also rightly be included.

Reasons: 
Bioponic growing systems:

 Because they are container systems, 

they maintain the site soil.

 No need to perform soil crop rotations 

or cover cropping.

 Run-off drainage does not contribute 

to surface or groundwater contamination 

since it is captured and re-purposed.
Our subcommittee came to the conclusion that 

the intent of the organic regulations is:

1) to be able to grow foods in a way that provides 

the least harm to the earth’s soil, water, and 

biological communities in the soil. 

2) for production systems to integrate cultural, 

biological, and mechanical practices that foster 

cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, 

and conserve biodiversity. 

3) To grow foods that are chemical-free and healthy
How does the public view organic foods?

 Numerous surveys have been conducted in 

the U.S. and abroad (Consumer Reports (2014); 

(Idda, Madau, & Pulina, 2008; Rabb & Grobe, 

2005)

 Consumers associate “organic” with 

chemical-free, healthy and nutritious, and 

environmentally friendly.

 They do not associate “organic” with “grown 

in the soil”.
Soil 2010 Subcommittee

Brief Summary of Report in Preparation 

USDA Hydroponic Aquaponic (HPAP) Task Force

to National Organic Standards Board

April 25, 2016

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Subcommittee Members

• John Biernbaum, MSU and MOFFA 

• Dave Chapman, Greenhouse Organic Farmer 

• Jeffry Evard, Ecocert ICO 

• Theresa Lam, NOFA-NJ 

• Amy Lamendella, CCOF 

• Eric Sideman, MOFGA 

• Sam Welsch, OneCert

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3
Organic Farming is an Integrated System

Animal

Plant

Soil 

Man

4

Feed the Soil – Not the Plant.
Why Organic?

Healthy People

Healthy Animals

Healthy Plants

Healthy Soils

Howard; An Agricultural Testament

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Organic Farming Certification Time Line 

2000 2010 1970 1980 1990

OFPA

USDA

NOP

About 50

certifying

agencies 

in the US

1972 First certifying 

agencies in US

1960 2020

NOSB Crops

Enclosures

Recommend

1940 1950

Howard 

Ag Testament

Northbourne

Look to Land

Balfour

Living Soil

Rodale

Pay Dirt 

2005

IFOAM 

Principles

Organic Ag

100 years earlier 

1840 Chemistry 

and its role in 

Agriculture and 

Physiology 6

?
Organic Agriculture is Organic Matter, 

Soil Biology and Much More

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Broad Contributions of Organic Matter and 

Biology to Soil Structure, Water and Fertility

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Biological Contributions

nutrient availability

nutrient cycling

disease management 

Physical Contributions

aggregation & structure 

water absorption & retention

Chemical Contributions

exchange capacity

pH buffering
Regulations: OFPA (1990)

• §6513. Organic plan

- (b)(1): “Soil fertility - An organic plan 

shall contain provisions designed to 

foster soil fertility, primarily through 

the management of the organic 

content of the soil through proper 

tillage, crop rotation, and manuring.” 

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Regulations: OFPA (1990)

• §6512. Other production and handling 

practices; If a production or handling 

practice is not prohibited or otherwise 

restricted under this chapter, such practice 

shall be permitted unless it is determined 

that such practice would be inconsistent 

with the applicable organic certification 

program.

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Regulations: USDA Organic (2000) 

• §205.203 Soil fertility and crop nutrient 

management practice standard:

• (a) The producer must select and implement 

tillage and cultivation practices that maintain 

or improve the physical, chemical, and 

biological condition of soil and minimize soil 

erosion.

• (b) The producer must manage crop nutrients 

and soil fertility through rotations, cover 

crops, and the application of plant and animal 

materials.

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Regulations: International

• Alignment with key trading partners’ 

policies—Canada, E.U. Mexico

• In ground, with limited exceptions

• Canada / Scandinavia and containers 

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Rigor: 2010 Recommendation Issues

1. Enclosures - definition

Greenhouses – transparent roof 

Controlled Indoor Environments

2. Enclosure 3-year Land Requirement

3. Lighting - electrical? supplemental? 

4. Containers – how defined?

5. Growing Media and Compost

6. Rotations – required or exempt? Why?

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Annual Seedlings / Transplants 

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Enclosure and Container Considerations 

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Report

• Position: Hydroponic systems cannot meet 

key requirements for organic production as 

laid out in OFPA and the USDA organic 

regulations. 

• These systems do not align with the 

founding principle of organic agriculture: 

sound management of soil biology, 

ecology, and overall soil health.

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Options?

• Limit organic certification to what is 

grown in the ground 

• Limit organic certification to what is 

grown in the ground and in 

containers, with clear restrictions for 

enclosures, lighting and fertility.

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