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Huge Wisconsin Operation Shows Promise of Aquaponics in Midwest
“We’re producing about 30 times more produce per square foot than traditional organic farming,” Brandon Gottsacker, president of Superior Fresh, says
By Kristen Leigh Painter Star Tribune MARCH 7, 2020
Superior Fresh's grand experiment raises an intriguing question that,
for now, can't be answered:
How many other Midwest farmers can follow its path?
NORTHFIELD, Wis. – Stepping into the massive greenhouse of Superior Fresh — 6 acres under one roof — the gentle embrace of warm, humid air is quickly followed by the smell of lush, green plants.
Daylight streams through the roof and the sound of sloshing water tricks the senses into a kind of tropical reverie. Seen from nearby Interstate 94, the greenhouse at night glows purple as red and blue lights come on to help organic leafy greens grow during sun-deprived winter months.
But Superior Fresh is not just another player in the nature-defying business of growing produce all year in the Midwest. It runs the nation’s, and likely the world’s, largest aquaponics facility, raising vegetables and fish in a way that benefits both.
Next to its greenhouse is a fish house where 600,000 Atlantic salmon swim in giant tanks. Sharing a closed-loop water system, the fish fertilize the greens, and the greens filter water for the fish.
“We’re producing about 30 times more produce per square foot than traditional organic farming,” Brandon Gottsacker, president of Superior Fresh, says.
Built-in 2015, the farm first reached its full output in 2018 and last year produced 3 million pounds of greens and about 200,000 pounds of salmon. Both were sold to groceries and restaurants, and ultimately consumers, throughout the Midwest.
The farm’s owners, members of the family that owns Ashley Furniture in Arcadia, Wis., aim to double its size and production this year. Even then, Superior Fresh will produce just a tiny fraction of the nation’s demand for leafy vegetables and salmon.
But as it tests the prospect for fish farming in the landlocked Midwest, Superior Fresh’s grand experiment raises an intriguing question that, for now, can’t be answered: How many other Midwest farmers can follow its path?
“I’ve been working with some dairy farmers in Wisconsin, who have reached out and asked how much retraining would they need to convert from a dairy farm to a fish farm,” said Chris Hartleb, professor of fisheries biology and co-director of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility.
Aquaponics is heralded as a sustainable, local solution for a future where resources are under increased strain from a ballooning global population.
“There are very few places in the world where you can actually put salmon farms into the oceans, and those areas are kind of tapped out now,” said Christopher Good, director of research at the Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute. “But the demand keeps rising, so the solution has to be land-based and I think the major salmon companies are starting to realize that.”
Hartleb said he sees nothing but growth in aquaponics. “More and more we are realizing that we have very little food safety and control over our food. Most of that risk is eliminated in aquaponics,” he said.
But it’s an expensive business to start and a difficult one to sustain.
Pentair shuttered Urban Organics’ tilapia-and-greens plant in St. Paul last year without explanation. Some farmers and entrepreneurs have found that focusing solely on either plants — through a system called hydroponics — or the fish, called aquaculture, is easier to manage.
“You have to achieve a certain size to become commercially viable. Prior to that, it’s a hobby or side business,” Hartleb said. “But to start out at that large size you have to have private financial backing because banks aren’t willing to take the risk.”
There are a fair number of what Hartleb calls “medium-sized” aquaponic farms in operation that support two to three employees and largely serve local markets. These are financially viable because they keep their costs in check with their smaller output.
“Most people getting involved with commercial aquaponics lack the farming background and this can lead to failure,” Hartleb said. “Current farmers have that experience, so they would just need to learn about water-based aquaponics.”
The owners of Superior Fresh decided to go big. The company spent $30 million on the first phase alone. The current expansion is phase three.
They invested in expensive systems that ozonate (adding oxygen) and filter the water with ultraviolet light as it returns to the fish. The farm also constantly monitors and tests water for pathogens, temperature and other crucial factors. It has backup pumps for their backup pumps, and generators powerful enough to keep the whole operation running if the power went out.
The farm produced its first harvest of lettuce about a month after opening in 2017. That brought revenue as salmon grew to harvest weight, which took two years.
“It’s not an easy business. If you make one mistake, you can literally kill fish in minutes,” Gottsacker said. “So if you’re going to do it, do it right. This is definitely a farm, so you can’t just leave for the weekend.”
Gottsacker, who studied biology with a focus on fisheries and aquaculture, started the farm with backing from Todd Wanek, chief executive and co-owner of Ashley Furniture, and wife Karen Wanek.
Superior Fresh greens are certified organic. Its salmon is fed an organic, non-GMO diet of fishmeal and fish oil. They are never given antibiotics or pesticides. The farm earned a certification for humane kill methods. The facility also sits on nearly 800 acres that was changed from monoculture farmland to oak savanna and prairie.
“The hundreds of acres of land that you would need here to grow the same amount of production now can be converted back to its native state,” Gottsacker said.
On paper, raising salmon makes sense for livestock farmers. Salmon need 1.1 pounds of feed to grow 1 pound. Hogs need 3 pounds of feed to yield 1 pound of pork, and cattle need 10 pounds of feed for a pound of beef.
With vegetables in the mix, the numbers look even better. Every 1.1 pounds of feed produces 1 pound of salmon and 10 pounds of organic leafy greens, Gottsacker said.
Critics of aquaponics often point to the energy required to keep a controlled system stable. Superior Fresh also has to heat the greenhouse and fish house all winter.
But Gottsacker said, “Compared to shipping seafood thousands of miles or trucking produce across the country, the energy footprint to grow fish and greens locally is significantly less than the alternative.”
When it comes to animal and environmental welfare, salmon raised in the closed-loop water system — called a recirculating aquaculture system, or RAS, in the industry — receives the highest “best choice” ranking from Seafood Watch, which is run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and informs consumers and chefs on sustainable seafood.
“Farmed salmon, generally speaking, tends to have a pretty bad reputation,” Ryan Bigelow, senior program manager for Seafood Watch. “There are a lot of old tapes still playing on how wild is better than farmed. And while there is a lot of truth to parts of that, RAS tends to be a much better way to raise salmon than in [ocean] net pens.”
The organization is critical of large net-pen farms where fish escape and concentration of feed are concerns. Sea lice, a naturally occurring ocean pest, is worsened in tight spaces. “They are also interacting with wild animals, which probably means higher use of antibiotics,” Bigelow said.
Open ponds are the most common form of aquaculture in the U.S., but they aren’t feasible in northern climates. Flow-through systems look like streams and are a common way to raise salmon and trout.
“The negative side is you are constantly flushing water through the property, which is high in nutrients,” Hartleb said. Flow-through systems are highly regulated in most states to prevent water pollution, so this style of farm is becoming less common, “because the permitting is nearly impossible,” he said.
RAS systems are the newest and therefore the least common.
The waste is being filtered out and, depending on the facility, either treated on-site or sent to feed plants. Because the entire system is contained, it’s unlikely to find parasites in the water, reducing the use of drugs. And the risk of a food-borne illness at an indoor aquaponics facility is also very low.
Some of the nation’s biggest leafy green recalls in recent years have been traced back to outdoor farms where the groundwater was contaminated with waste from nearby cattle farms. Salmon are a coldwater fish that aren’t known as E. coli carriers.
“As long as you keep your biosecurity up, and pathogen-free eggs, then you can raise really healthy fish,” Good said.
Because salmon get their pink hue from eating carotenoid-rich food like krill and shrimp, Superior Fresh had to find a natural way to achieve that same color. The company doesn’t add a synthetic dye to achieve the color, a technique at farmed facilities around the world. Instead, they feed the fish a product called Panaferd that’s derived from a microorganism found in the ocean. The product is approved for use in the organic aquaculture industry.
More than 90% of salmon in the U.S. is imported, with the majority coming from Chile, Norway and Canada. The vast majority of salmon sold to Americans is raised in ocean net pens.
Right now, land-based RAS aquaculture — and the even smaller aquaponics subset within it — is largely being pioneered by entrepreneurs and angel investors.
“But the major salmon companies are watching this. As soon as one of those companies decides that land-based is the way to go, this will really take off,” Good said.
When completed later this year, Superior Fresh’s greenhouse will expand from 6 acres to 13 acres and the fish house will double from 1 acre to 2 acres. Its salmon harvest could rise to 1.3 million pounds a year. Even though no other aquaponics facility in the U.S. is as large as Superior Fresh, many fish-only RAS farms are larger.
“We want to keep growing. We’ve got other sites that we like throughout the U.S. — one on the East Coast, one on the West Coast — where we would build farms, likely as large or larger than this one because the markets are bigger there,” Gottsacker said. “This is a long-term game and a long-term business plan with long-term solutions.”
Kristen Leigh Painter covers the food industry for the Star Tribune. She previously covered growth and development for the paper. Prior to that, Painter was a business reporter at the Denver Post, covering airlines and aerospace. She frequently writes about sustainable food production, consumer food trends, and airlines.
All Photos: ANTHONY SOUFFLE – STAR TRIBUNE
US: Florida - Aquaponics: Winter Gardening Reaches New Heights In Winter Garden
A sustainable garden on a Winter Garden rooftop has everything from a fish farm to produce to a water filtration system
By: Irene Sans and George Waldenberger
February 26, 2020
ORLANDO Fla. — A sustainable garden on a Winter Garden rooftop has everything from a fish farm to produce to a water filtration system.
This type of garden is becoming more popular because they are sustainable, they require less space, they can mitigate dangerous heat and they may serve many ecological causes.
Certified meteorologist George Waldenberger visited Green Sky Grows, a Winter Garden aquaponics facility run by Valencia College.
Fireside Chat With Square Roots CEO & Co-Founder Tobias Peggs: Scaling Indoor Farming At Speed
Indoor Ag-Con is excited to announce that Square Roots Co-Founder & CEO Tobias Peggs has joined our conference line-up for the May 18-20, 2020 edition! Tobias will join Nicola Kerslake, Indoor Ag-Con Founder and Co-Founder, Contain, for the afternoon Fireside Chat: Scaling Indoor Farming At Speed
Square Roots Co-Founders Tobias Peggs and Kimbal Musk Empowering Next-Gen Farmers
Indoor Ag-Con is excited to announce that Square Roots Co-Founder & CEO Tobias Peggs has joined our conference line-up for the May 18-20, 2020 edition! Tobias will join Nicola Kerslake, Indoor Ag-Con Founder and Co-Founder, Contain, for the afternoon Fireside Chat: Scaling Indoor Farming At Speed. If our industry is to bring high-quality, local produce to customers all year round, we must collectively understand how to scale farming at speed to reach as many people as possible. Using a unique and scalable ‘farmer-first’ technology platform, Square Roots is doing just that. Tobias will share how this tech-enabled urban farming company is training and empowering the next generation of leaders in urban agriculture to grow local food that is delicious, responsible, nutritious, and profitable. And, be sure to check out the story further down in this issue highlighting our special guest blog post from Square Roots Co-Founder Kimbal Musk, too!
CHECK OUT FULL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE >>>
During Indoor Ag-Con, we’ll be featuring the panel presentation, What Is the Next Technical Frontier for LED Lighting” on Monday, May 18 from 10 – 10:45 am. Moderated by Dr. Morgan Pattison, SSLS, Inc., the panel will include Blake Lange, Signify, formerly Philips Lighting – City Farming; Brandon Newkirk, LumiGrow; and Xander Yang, Sananbio.
Ahead of the session, we reached out to our participants to find out, from an LED perspective, what is the next hot thing in lighting?
WHAT'S THE NEXT HOT THING IN LED LIGHTING? >>>
KIMBAL MUSK: 10 WAYS SQUARE ROOTS' FARM-TECH PLATFORM EMPOWERS THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS
Ahead of Square Roots CEO & Co-Founder Tobias Peggs' Fireside Chat at Indoor Ag-Con, Co-Founder & Exec Chairman Kimbal Musk has shared a guest blog post with us.
"There are a lot of smart people in this industry, many with different visions for the optimum architecture and model for indoor farming (e.g. plant factories)," says Musk. "But all working hard to bring better food to market — which, given our wider vision to bring real food to everyone, is wonderful to see. The more of us working on the real food revolution the better — and we want all of these systems to flourish. But here are 10 reasons why we think container farming rocks.....”
10 WAYS SQUARE ROOTS' FARM-TECH PLATFORM EMPOWERS NEXT-GEN FARMERS>>>
YOU COULD WIN 2 TICKETS TO BIOSPHERE 2!
When you arrive at Indoor Ag-Con, be sure to enter for your chance to win two general admission tickets to Biosphere 2 and an overnight stay at B2 cabanas!
The winners will get to tour one of the world’s most unique facilities dedicated to the research and understanding of global scientific issues. The Biosphere 2 facility serves as a laboratory for controlled scientific studies, an arena for scientific discovery and discussion, and a far-reaching provider of public education.
What’s more, as part of the package, the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (UA-CEAC) would like to also extend an invitation for the recipients to its vertical farm research and educational facility (UAgFarm) at UA-CEAC and other UA-CEAC projects/facilities as an additional welcome!
SEE WHO'S SPEAKING | SEE WHO'S EXHIBITING
INSIDE INDOOR AG | INDUSTRY NEWS HARVEST
PRODUCE GROWER: Elevate Farms Closes on $1.8 Million In Round Of Funding
GREENHOUSE GROWER: Gotham Greens Opens Another Massive Greenhouse
NEW YORK POST: I Tasted A Bug Diet, the Sustainable Protein That Could Save The WorldIGROW NEWS --CubicFarm Systems Announces Largest Sale To Date
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GROWING ROSTER OF
SPONSORS, MEDIA ALLIES & INDUSTRY PARTNERS
In addition, Indoor Ag-Con is proud to be a member of the Hemp Industries Association.
US: Pennsylvania - Hope Street Learning Lab Opening Aquaponics Classroom This Summer
Hydroponics and aquaponics are two urban farming techniques in which plants are grown in water without soil and fertilized with fish waste. These techniques often help provide fresh produce in food deserts
Lindsay C VanAsdalan York Dispatch
Mar 2, 2020
Hope Street Learning Lab will be opening a community aquaponics classroom this summer, following plans announced in November to install a hydroponics lab.
"We are super excited about it, and the ability to partner with somebody like Dr. Bracey-Green — it really is phenomenal," said Blanda Nace, executive director of York City's Redevelopment Authority. Jamie Bracey-Green, director of the Center for Inclusive Competitiveness at Temple University's College of Engineering, is partnering with the Hope Street nonprofit to donate shipping containers for its aquaponics and hydroponics in York City.
The partnership comes through a local chapter of MESA — Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement — housed in the center, to bring more of those studies to underserved areas.
Hope Street lab looks to buy a stretch of York City property
Jamie Bracey-Green, director for the Center of Inclusive Competitiveness at Temple University, is providing shipping containers for a new aquaponics classroom for Hope Street Learning Lab. She announced the proposed classroom along with Hope Street officials in February. The addition to the York City community learning center will involve soil-less hydroponic and aquaponic growing techniques. The classroom is slated to be open this July. Pictured, L to R: State Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York City, Jamie Bracey-Green, Lincoln Charter Director of Community Outreach Anne Clark. Submitted, c/o Randy Flaum
Hydroponics and aquaponics are two urban farming techniques in which plants are grown in water without soil and fertilized with fish waste. These techniques often help provide fresh produce in food deserts.
Groundbreaking for the classroom is expected to commence March 31, and with it will be other additions to the Hope Street property, including a greenhouse next to the lab on the east side and a mint and herb garden on the west side.
The produce would be donated to the community. One shipping container is the equivalent to planting on 2 acres of ground, said Hope Street Executive Director Anne Clark.
Clark said the learning lab has been offering produce to residents in the city's west end for years, and the goal is to expand those efforts.
"It really is a neighborhood asset," Nace said of the planned farming technology, noting that the west end is definitely a priority in the city, but the need for food is even broader.
"The city in its entirely is a food desert," he said. "Anything we can do that change that is a step in the right direction."
York College and Temple will work with Hope Street on design to allow some natural light in the shipping containers so they'll fit in with their environment, Clark said.
"I really want the indoor classroom to be part of outside," she said, but the challenge will be also keeping them dark enough to allow the artificial light needed for the hydroponic and aquaponic farming techniques.
West Shore aquaponics supports urban agriculture, STEM education
Clark, who is also the director of outreach for Lincoln Charter School, said Hope Street is also working with the state Department of Education to match standards for the new classroom with each grade level.
Lincoln Charter School president and CEO Leonard Hart speaks at the announcement of a new aquaponics classroom for Hope Street Learning Lab in February. Lincoln Charter School is a founding partner of the learning lab, and its students often use the facility. The addition to the York City community learning center will involve soil-less hydroponic and aquaponic growing techniques in two shipping containers. The classroom is slated to be open this July. Submitted, c/o Randy Flaum
It would be available to all York County schools, as well as adult residents.
The cost of the project is about $10,000, which Clark plans to cover through financial or material donations of items such as paint, desk chairs, and solar panels.
The nonprofit is also looking at partnerships with Crispus Attucks York and York County School of Technology on some building elements and possible student mentoring.
Annual maintenance costs of Hope Street Learning Lab, which will increase about $5,000 with the new additions, would be offset in part by giving students the opportunity to plant and sell flowers.
Clark also plans to meet with the RDA in May to purchase the lab's property. Hope Street has an agreement with the authority to operate for a year, but does not own the property.
Nace said it will be up to the RDA's board to decide, but the authority has been working to assemble all the Hope Street properties into one parcel. The RDA owns several, one is privately owned and two are owned by the city.
The new aquaponics classroom is slated to open by July.
Pennsylvania Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York City, speaks at the announcement of a new aquaponics classroom for Hope Street Learning Lab in February. The addition to the York City community learning center will involve soil-less hydroponic and aquaponic growing techniques in two shipping containers. The classroom is slated to be open this July.
Submitted, c/o Randy Flaum
Singapore Hotel Turns Over A New Leaf With Aquaponics Farm
The aquaponics farm at Singapore's Fairmont is expected to provide 30 percent of the hotel's vegetable needs by August
What Goes Around Comes Around in The Fairmont's Rooftop Garden
Producing Vegetables and Fish for Guest Meals
AFR Travel Editor
Feb 19, 2020
In New York and London, rooftop gardens have become the must-have accessory for any self-respecting luxury hotel. In what is being touted as a first for a Singapore hotel, the Fairmont has joined the crowd with an urban aquaponic farm.
Aquaponics involves growing plants without soil, using a “closed, circular system” that channels the waste from living fish to fertilize the plants, which in turn filter and clean the water for the fish.
By August, the hotel expects its farm to provide 30 percent of its monthly vegetable needs.
The plants are grown on flatbeds and in densely packed towers. The 450-square-meter farm, launched late last year, was created on a covered outdoor terrace on level five, wedged between the 26-story Fairmont and its adjoining Swissôtel sister property. Both are part of French chain Accor, as is historic Raffles across Bras Basah Road.“
We need to manage sustainability and climate change,” says Michael Issenberg, chairman and CEO of AccorHotels Asia Pacific. “Accor is working to eliminate plastic, food wastage, and to generally improve our ecological footprint. The aquaponic farm is a superb initiative.”Stumbling into this farm, you find yourself surrounded by edible greenery including english spinach, water spinach (kangkong), mint and numerous varieties of lettuce. The plants are grown in rows of flatbeds and densely packed towers.
In large containers at the back of the farm, 1600 tilapia fish play their part in this cycle. The bad news for said fish is that by next month, the Fairmont will be serving them as meals.
The greenery is already gracing the dining tables of the three hotels, featuring in a signature aquaponics salad.
At a glance
Fairmont Singapore Solid five-star luxury with more than 700 rooms and suites located in two towers (north and south). Book in the north tower – the rooms have undergone a lavish renovation, and the higher floors overlook Marina Bay. (Our top tip: don’t miss dining at Jaan by Kirk Westaway on the 70th floor of the adjoining Swissôtel.)
Raffles Singapore Following its extensive refurbishment, the 115-room Raffles re-opened in late 2019 and is more wow than ever. As the saying goes: “When visiting Raffles, don’t forget to see Singapore.”
The newly renovated Raffles Singapore is open for business.
British Airways Flies direct from Sydney to Singapore. Unfortunately, it’s still the old Club World business-class product on the route. But old or new seats, the champagne tastes the same.
The writer traveled to Singapore with British Airways and stayed as a guest of AccorHotels.
Lead photo: The plants are grown on flat beds and in densely packed towers.
Coalition For Sustainable Organics Disappointed in Latest Attempts Center For Food Safety To Restrict Supplies Organic Foods through Lawsuit
Lee Frankel, the executive director of the CSO stated, “It is disappointing to see groups target pioneering organic farmers that use the most appropriate organic growing methods adapted to their site-specific conditions on their farms to meet the needs of consumers
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA March 3, 2020 – The Coalition for Sustainable Organics (CSO) is saddened by the latest attempts by the Center for Food Safety and their allies to limit fair competition and organic supplies in the market through legal action.
Lee Frankel, the executive director of the CSO stated, “It is disappointing to see groups target pioneering organic farmers that use the most appropriate organic growing methods adapted to their site-specific conditions on their farms to meet the needs of consumers. The members of the CSO are strongly committed to the integrity of organic standards and the organic label. The groups behind the lawsuit failed to convince the members of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to prohibit container and hydroponic production methods after significant industry debate and submission of public comments. Instead of unifying the industry after the decision made by representatives of the organic community at the NOSB, the CFS is seeking to eliminate public input to achieve their goals of restricting competition to drive up the price of organics for organic consumers to allow favored producers to increase their profit margins.”
Frankel continued, “Growers using containers adhere to the U.S. Department of Agriculture organic standards under the National Organic Program (NOP) and have been allowed to grow certified organic produce since the initiation of the NOP more than 25 years ago. After extensive study in 2010, the USDA through the NOP opted not to change these high standards for certifying organic produce – and affirmed that organic produce can be grown through containerized methods. After additional review in 2015-2017, the National Organic Standards Board voted to reject a proposed prohibition on container and hydroponic systems.”
Karen Archipley of Archi’s Acres of Escondido, California added “Our production systems are managed in accordance with the federal organic law. We chose to incorporate hydro-organic methods at our operations since it is the most appropriate way to promote ecological balance by drastically reducing our water use, conserve biological diversity by preserving valuable habitat while still incorporating the microbial processes described by organic pioneers to recycle nutrients to nourish our crops. Every choice we make and every input we use must be audited and approved by USDA-accredited certifying agents like any other Organic Farmer.”
Archipley continued “Changing the rules now would limit the amount of organic produce available to the public – just as the public is demanding more organic produce. This is not an issue that should be settled in the courts or politicized. If a grower meets USDA standards for organic certification, they should be able to market organic produce, whether they grow in soil or any other sustainable, certified organic growing media.
USDA Grants Call For Aquaponics
USDA AFRI Grants will disburse $192 Million across several different programs and specifically call for aquaponics and hydroponics projects
Federal Grants have recently been published that can apply to aquaponics growers. USDA AFRI Grants will disburse $192 Million across several different programs and specifically call for aquaponics and hydroponics projects.
The USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) will award $192 Million for FY2020. Due dates for grant applications range from March 12 to May 28, 2020, depending on the project. The AFRI program is to invest in research, education, and extension projects that support more sustainable, productive, and economically viable agricultural systems. Click here for AFRI Request for Applications.
Kentucky State University, 2019 Aquaponics Conference
Aquaponics Projects Can Fit Into
Multiple Programs Within The Grant, Including:
Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production Systems
Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems
Small- and Medium-Sized Farms
Water Quantity and Quality
Separately, USDA Aquaculture Research Grants have also been published. These grants total $1.2 Million. The due date is April 22, 2020.
Click here for Aquaculture Request for Application
For more information:
Aquaponics Association
4531 Airlie Way, Annandale VA 22003
info@aquaponicsassociation.org
aquaponicsassociation.org
Publication date: Mon 17 Feb 2020
Vertical Farming
There is a new kind of futuristic farming on the rise. In response to growing fears regarding dependency on fossil fuels, healthy agricultural practices, land and water, Vertical Farming has arrived
By Daniel Loeschen on June 28, 2019
There is a new kind of futuristic farming on the rise. In response to growing fears regarding dependency on fossil fuels, healthy agricultural practices, land, and water, Vertical Farming has arrived. From Asia to North America, what people are referring to as farms of the future are beginning to sprout up in the most unlikely environments. Where can you find these farms? Try urban apartments, warehouses, or laboratories to name of few. Vertical farming is not all that new either.
Academic professionals such as Columbia University's (NYC) Dickson Despommier, an ecologist who has actively been campaigning for vertical farms since 1999. His basis for arguing for the vertical farm was primarily rooted in the desire to see the carbon footprint of agricultural transport decrease. With the wonders of technology, the advance of LEDs, and the integration of automation, vertical farming is showing promise in the agricultural industry.
One of the world's largest vertical farms opened its doors in April of 2013 and is attracting quite a bit of attention. Expanding over a 90,000 square foot space, Farmed Here CEO Jolanta Hardej has wasted no time getting this vertical farm up and running. The building blocks came into place when Farmed Here received a $100,000 loan from the enormously popular Whole Foods. This new business appears to be well on its way to accomplishing its mission of "transforming the way local and organic produce is grown and distributed, making it accessible to everyone by profitably growing high-quality vegetables indoors, year-round, which are distributed to our retail partners within 24 hours of harvest." New technology is believed to allow Farmed Here to produce upwards of 1 million pounds of organic greens such as mint, basil, lettuce and more, with no soil. How is this possible? Aquaponics.
The Technology of Aquaponics
Capable of being herbicide and pesticide-free with year-round growing, aquaponics has quite a promising appeal. At its core, aquaponics is the advancement of hydroponic technology in the form of a system of aquaculture. Aquaculture is literally raising fish below efforts of raising plants with nutrient-rich water. This all occurs in the same system. Farmed Here best describes the process as, "the symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in water and nutrients recirculating environment."
The Why of Vertical Farming: Integrated Sustainability
Many view vertical farming as one of the leading ways to combat issues in the growth of food crops such as drought and the fast-growing population of the planet. A large amount of vertical farming is stemming from studies indicating that the population will swell within the next 4-5 decades and will be increasingly more difficult to feed. Yes, the population will grow, but many believe this growth will funnel specifically into cities. Thus one might think, what better way to resolve the many issues facing agriculture globally than to integrate an idea that follows major cultural shifts and resolves land and water issues. Vertical farming is also unique in that the concept allows for year-round growing. This is possible due to the ability to control water, lighting, humidity, and CO2 levels. This means that vertical farming can take place in cities too. Vertical agriculture leads many to the question of what will happen to existing rural farmers. Fast Company recently wrote an article claiming that these futurist farmers possess the desire to supplement current efforts such as farms and greenhouses but in this new and sustainable way. The efficient foreseen way to complement existing farming efforts is to utilize the ability to grow year-round. Year-round growing is a pivotal way to combat harsh growing seasons. Although Vertical farming is most definitely on the uptrend, it also has a few obstacles to overcome as well. A few of these potential roadblocks might include the initial cost to run LED lighting and growing room limitations for specific crops like tomatoes and grains.
The Future of Food
With a dedicated focus on rethinking agricultural spaces and desire to solve current issues facing the agricultural industry, vertical farming is promising. Ray Kurzweil is the Director of engineering at Google. Time Magazine recently interviewed Kurzweil on the topic of predicting how food will evolve into the future. Kurzweil wasted no time to point directly to vertical agriculture. Although he suggested a host of benefits, some of the highlights included the freeing up of land, decreases in pollution, and low food costs. Kurzweil even went as far as to say that, "the 2020s will be the decade of the vertical agriculture revolution.
Lead photo: farmedhere.com
"Aquaponics Can Reduce Food Miles"
Long travel distances for our food lead to excessive carbon use, energy use for refrigeration, food spoilage, nutrient depletion, and poorer food security. by Brian Filipowich
Long travel distances for our food lead to excessive carbon use, energy use for refrigeration, food spoilage, nutrient depletion, and poorer food security.
by Brian Filipowich
Aquaponics – and other controlled-environment growing techniques like hydroponics and aeroponics – can greatly reduce the distance food travels from farm to plate.
For the first time ever, researchers recently attempted to map out the entire U.S. food supply chain. The resulting map, above, shows an intricate web of food moving across the country. The full report is public and can be found here: Food flows between counties of the United States (Lin, 2019)
The map illustrates that our food travels long distances before it reaches our plate. “Food miles” is the measurement that tracks the actual distance food travels from farm to plate.
“Studies estimate that processed food in the United States travels over 1,300 miles, and fresh produce travels over 1,500 miles, before being consumed.” (ATTRA, 2008)
One reason for high food miles is because most food requires a large amount of open land and arable soil, and requires a specific climate to be grown at a large scale. Only certain parts of the country meet this criteria, and these areas must transport food long distances to reach all U.S. consumers. The map below shows the nine counties in the U.S. (highlighted in red) from which most food originates.
But aquaponics – and other modern growing methods like hydroponics and aeroponics – are water-based and do not require large amounts of arable soil. Also, these modern growing methods are usually practiced in “controlled-environments” like greenhouses that maintain ideal growing environments for plants throughout the entire year.
Aquaponic systems that raise edible fish can further reduce food miles by cutting down on the distance needed to transport the animal protein in our diets. The demand for animal protein is expected to rise along with world population growth. But farms that raise beef, pork, and poultry need large tracts of land far from population centers. Conversely, aquaponics and other recirculating aquaculture operations can raise fish in urban or suburban areas. And, because fish have a much more efficient feed conversion ratio than land animals, less feedstock needs to be grown and shipped, further increasing efficiency.
To read more about food miles, see Food Miles, Background and Marketing from ATTRA.
One often-overlooked benefit of local food is greater food security. Our complex web of food is susceptible to systemic shocks such as weather or disaster events. In extreme cases, disruptions could make it difficult to get enough food to a certain population. A greater proportion of local food allows areas to be better-prepared in cases of unexpected events.
But, before we assume that all food miles are bad, more research is needed to measure the tradeoffs between local and long-distance. For instance, studies show that it’s often more efficient to import fruits from distant warmer climates than to heat a local greenhouse in the winter.
More needs to be done to evaluate, quantify, and account for the hidden costs of our food system, including food miles. Analytic tools such as True Cost Accounting, Cost-Benefit Analysis, and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) create a more complete picture of the true cost of a product. LCA takes into account the costs of a product’s entire life cycle: production, processing, packaging, transport, use, and final disposal. LCA uses indicators not traditionally captured in a product’s market price, such as resource depletion, air and water pollution, biodiversity loss, human health impacts, and waste generation.
Analytic tools like LCA can uncover the true cost of shipping foods long distances and incentivize local agriculture. Aquaponic and hydroponic growers will benefit because – without the need for soil – they can get as close to consumers as possible. The result will be fresher food, less strain on the planet, and local economic growth!
For more information:
Aquaponics Association
4531 Airlie Way, Annandale VA 22003
info@aquaponicsassociation.org
aquaponicsassociation.org
The Final Event of The Erasmus+ 'Aqu@teach' Project Which Will Take Place At The University of Greenwich On Saturday 28 March.
In light of climate change, Brexit, and concerns over the carbon footprint of the food supply chain, aquaponics, and other controlled environment farming technologies could play a key role in the future of food production, but only if there is an appropriately trained workforce
Aqu@teach is the first aquaponics curriculum to be developed
specifically for university-level students.
The curriculum, which covers the basics of aquaponics with a focus on transferable and entrepreneurial skills, can be taught either using blended learning or as an e-learning course and will be freely available on the project website from 1 April. Given the multidisciplinary nature of aquaponics, the curriculum can be taught as an optional module in a wide variety of different degree courses, including agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, aquaculture, landscape architecture, and ecological engineering.
In light of climate change, Brexit, and concerns over the carbon footprint of the food supply chain, aquaponics, and other controlled environment farming technologies could play a key role in the future of food production, but only if there is an appropriately trained workforce.
At the event on 28 March, we will explain how the curriculum was put together, and participants will be able to explore the online modules. There will also be an opportunity to visit our green roofs and aquaponics greenhouse.
Please see our Eventbrite site for further information
about the event and to register for a free ticket:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/aquteach-tickets-87961111051
Congress Funds Office of Urban & Innovative Agriculture
The Mission of the Office is to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices
By Brian Filipowich
The new Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production created by the 2018 Farm Bill had been sitting in limbo for the past year. The USDA declined to establish it without dedicated funding from Congress.
On December 20, 2019, the President signed into law H.R. 1865, The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020. The Law includes $5 million for the Office.
The Mission of the Office is to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices, including:
community gardens and farms located in urban areas, suburbs, and urban clusters;
rooftop farms, outdoor vertical production, and green walls;
indoor farms, greenhouses, and high-tech vertical technology farms; and
hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic farm facilities.
The Office will disburse $10 million in grants before 2023 intended to “facilitate urban agricultural production, harvesting, transportation, and marketing.”
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) was the main sponsor of the new Office and was responsible for adding it to the 2018 Farm Bill. This past Fall, Senator Stabenow introduced an amendment to appropriate the $5 million to fund it.
The next step is to establish the Advisory Committee that will guide the establishment of the Office. The Committee is to be composed of 12 individuals from various sectors of the urban and innovative ag field.
The Farm Bill directed the establishment of the advisory committee by Summer, 2019. The USDA missed the target date because of the lack of funding and the USDA’s major relocation project from Washington, DC to Kansas City, MO, which “has resulted in catastrophic attrition at USDA’s top research agencies.”
Hopefully, with the new funding, the USDA can establish the Office soon.
Innovative Aquaponics Company Achieves a Greener World’s First Non-GMO Certification For Salmon
Superior Fresh, an industry-leading aquaponics facility specializing in organic leafy greens and Atlantic salmon, is the first company to offer salmon Certified Non-GMO by A Greener World
HIXTON, WI –Superior Fresh, an industry-leading aquaponics facility specializing in organic leafy greens and Atlantic salmon, is the first company to offer salmon Certified Non-GMO by A Greener World. The company’s flagship facility is the largest of its kind, practicing ecologically sound water conservation and native prairie restoration in a closed-loop, zero-discharge system.
Developed at the request of farmers and consumers seeking a meaningful non-GMO label, Certified Non-GMO by AGW guarantees food is produced without the use of genetically modified feed, supplements or ingredients, and comes from animals raised according to higher animal welfare standards using sustainable agriculture methods. On salmon, the Certified Non-GMO by AGW label includes A Greener World’s Salmon Welfare Certified standards, incorporating the UK RSPCA’s respected higher welfare salmon standards. Certified Non-GMO by AGW has meaningful prohibitions on GMO contamination (see comparison chart here for more details), and ensures that at no point in the growing, processing or manufacturing of the product will GMOs enter the system.
Superior Fresh’s announcement follows FDA’s recent controversial approval of genetically modified salmon for human consumption–despite significant opposition from consumer advocates, fishing groups, public health officials and native communities. As public concern for the labeling of GMOs (genetically modified organisms, also known as GE, or genetically engineered) continues to grow, the market for non-GMO products is surging 17% annually and expected to reach 1.1 billion USD by 2023, according to industry analyst, Technavio. Consumers seek out non-GMO products for a variety of reasons, including environmental sustainability, health, corporate consolidation and transparency. A lack of clear labeling around GMOs means that consumers must actively seek out Certified Non-GMO products to avoid them.
Superior Fresh President Brandon Gottsacker says,
“The fish production systems at Superior Fresh are designed and managed using technology that maintains clean water, giving our salmon the opportunity to live in a stress-free environment. It is our duty to make sure our fish have great welfare, leading to the best quality fish for the consumer. In the absence of a USDA Organic standard for seafood, we chose to obtain the AGW certifications for Salmon Welfare and GMO-Free to assure our customers that we meet their standards.”
AGW Executive Director Andrew Gunther says,
“We work with some of the most forward-thinking food producers on the planet, and the team at Superior Fresh is no exception. Wild fisheries are under significant threat–through habitat destruction, industrially abusive production practices, and now genetically modified salmon. Stewardship-based approaches like that of Superior Fresh are essential solutions if we are to meet our current needs without impacting wild ecosystems while we work to rebuild them. This has been an inspiring project and we are thrilled to support the work of independent, sustainable aquaculturists in this sphere.”
ABOUT A GREENER WORLD
A Greener World (AGW) identifies, audits, certifies and promotes practical, sustainable farming systems by supporting farmers and ranchers and informing consumers. AGW’s growing family of trusted certifications includes Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW, Certified Grassfed by AGW and Certified Non-GMO by AGW. Each program is designed to have positive and measurable impacts on the environment, society and animals, and to encourage truly sustainable farming practices. AGW’s standards and procedures are robust and transparent and achievable.
A nonprofilt funded by public donations and membership, A Greener World offers a range of resources to help people make informed food choices, including an Online Directory of certified farms and products and Food Labels Exposed–a definitive guide to food label claims (available in print and online). For more information visit agreenerworld.org.
ABOUT SUPERIOR FRESH
Superior Fresh brings together a one-of-a kind sustainable ecosystem that combines the world’s most advanced aquaculture and hydroponic growing techniques. By using the cleanest water and mimicking the natural environment, we provide an ideal and safe growing environment for our fish. Our Atlantic salmon receive only the best care and animal husbandry–they never receive any hormones or antibiotics, and they’re fed a sustainable, organic diet. We’re delivering an unparalleled eating experience with the most premium fish. For more information and availability visit superiorfresh.com.
Superior Fresh Expanding Their Aquaponics Operation
Superior Fresh utilizes aquaponics to raise seafood and leafy greens for retailers across the Midwest.They are now expanding their greenhouse footprint from six acres to 13 acres and their aquaculture center from 40,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet
Mike Beiermeister
Hixton, Wis. (WXOW) — Superior Fresh utilizes aquaponics to raise seafood and leafy greens for retailers across the Midwest.
To View The Video, Please Click Here
They are now expanding their greenhouse footprint from six acres to 13 acres and their aquaculture center from 40,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet.
“Most people wouldn’t think that you could grow organic vegetables in the middle of Wisconsin in the middle of the winter,” said Brandon Gottsacker, president of Superior Green.
The company was founded back in 2011. Since the creation, Superior Fresh has become the first indoor Atlantic Salmon farm in the United States. They are also able to grow leafy greens year-round thanks to their aquaponics system and sustainable practices.
“You know you’re doing something for not just us, for the rest of the world and leading the harvest of the first Atlantic Salmon in the United States, right here,” said Kyle Woolever, aquaculture manager for Superior Fresh.
Aquaponics integrates fish and plant growth to create a symbiotic environment. Superior Fresh utilizes these practices to produce around 4,000 pounds of leafy greens per day and around 4,000 pounds of Atlantic Salmon each week. By this time next year, they plan to produce 25,000 pounds of Atlantic Salmon each week. Right now, they have 200,000 Atlantic Salmon swimming in their tank.
“We’re probably the most sustainable farm on the planet when you talk about how many pounds of fish and produce were producing on the volume of water,” said Gottsacker.
The company uses the bulk of summer sun to shed light on their produce with the help of diffused glass. They use LED lighting for winter months. Their produce is pesticide-free, non-GMO, and constantly controlled for perfect growing.
“Our goal is to locate these farms all over the world, so in theory, you could build a facility like this in the desert, you could build it right outside of a city where food is scarce, or it has travel really far to get there,” said Gottsacker. “Our goal is to provide really good, high quality, safe, healthy food for everyone.”
Mike Beiermeister
WXOW Weekend Anchor and Reporter
Auburn University Aquaponics Survey
The School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences (SFAAS) invites growers to participate in a survey study to generate a ‘snapshot’ of the status of the aquaponics industry. This survey is designed for hobbyists, educators, and for-profit aquaponic producers
The School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences (SFAAS) invites growers to participate in a survey study to generate a ‘snapshot’ of the status of the aquaponics industry. This survey is designed for hobbyists, educators, and for-profit aquaponic producers.
The survey's questions should take about 20 minutes to complete. Your responses will be kept confidential and any data collected will be presented in aggregate form to ensure anonymity. If you have any questions or wish to provide additional feedback, please do so in the comments section at the end of the survey.
The information you share with SFAAS will be used to develop targeted research, teaching, and extension efforts to support the needs of the aquaponics industry.
The survey can be accessed here
Source: Aquaponics Association
2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
The Aquaponics Association presents the 2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement, signed by over 130 organizations, including 98 from the U.S. This statement explains the food safety credentials of produce grown in aquaponic systems
The Aquaponics Association presents the 2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement, signed by over 130 organizations, including 98 from the U.S. This statement explains the food safety credentials of produce grown in aquaponic systems.
PDF version: 2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
December 9, 2019
Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
Established Science Confirms Aquaponic Fish and Produce are Food Safe
Aquaponics is a food production method integrating fish and plants in a closed, soil-less system. This symbiotic relationship mimics the biological cycles found in nature. Aquaponics has been used as a farming technique for thousands of years and is now seeing large-scale viability to feed a growing global population.
Benefits of aquaponics include dramatically less water use; no toxic chemical fertilizers or pesticides; no agriculture discharge to air, water or soil; and less food miles when systems are located near consumers where there is no arable soil.
Aquaponics has consistently proven to be a safe method to grow fresh, healthy fish, fruits, and vegetables in any environment. Governments and food safety certifiers must utilize the most current, accurate information to make food safety decisions about aquaponics at this time when our food systems adapt to a growing population and environmental concerns.
Food Safety Certification for Aquaponics
For years, commercial aquaponic farms have obtained food safety certification from certifying bodies such as Global GAP, USDA Harmonized GAP, Primus GFS, and the SQF Food Safety Program. Many aquaponic farms are also certified USDA Organic. These certifying bodies have found aquaponics to be a food safe method for fish, fruits, and vegetables. As far back as 2003, researchers found aquaponic fish and produce to be consistently food safe (Rakocy, 2003; Chalmers, 2004). Aquaponic fish and produce continue to be sold commercially across North America following all appropriate food safety guidelines.
Recent Certification Changes Based on Unfounded Concerns
Recently, Canada GAP, a food safety certifier, announced that it will phase out certification of aquaponic operations in 2020, citing concerns about the potential for leafy greens to uptake contaminants found in aquaponic water.
Correspondence with Canada GAP leadership revealed that the decision to revoke aquaponics certification eligibility was based on research and literature surveys related to the uptake of pharmaceutical and pathogenic contaminants in hydroponic systems. However, these concerns are unfounded based on the established evidence.
First, the Canada GAP decision assumes that aquaponic growers use pharmaceuticals to treat fish, and that these pharmaceuticals would be taken up by plants causing a food safety risk.
In fact, pharmaceuticals are not compatible with aquaponics. Aquaponics represents an ecosystem heavily dependent on a healthy microorganism community (Rinehart, 2019; Aquaponics Association, 2018). The pharmaceuticals and antibiotics referenced by Canada GAP would damage the beneficial microorganisms required for aquaponics to function properly.
Second, the CanadaGAP decision misrepresents the risk of pathogenic contamination. Aquaponic produce – like all produce – is not immune to pathogenic contamination. However, aquaponics is in fact one of the safest agriculture methods against pathogenic risk. Most pathogenic contamination in our modern agriculture system stems from bird droppings, animal infestation, and agriculture ditch or contaminated water sources. In contrast, commercial aquaponic systems are “closed-loop” and usually operated in controlled environments like greenhouses. Almost all operations use filtered municipal or well water and monitor everything that enters and leaves the system.
Aquaponics and Food Safety
If practiced appropriately, aquaponics can be one of the safest methods of food production. The healthy microbes required for aquaponics serve as biological control agents against pathogenic bacteria. (Fox, 2012) The healthy biological activity of an aquaponic system competitively inhibits human pathogens, making their chances for survival minimal. This is, in effect, nature’s immune system working to keep our food safe, rather than synthetic chemicals.
The Government of Alberta, Canada ran extensive food safety tests in aquaponics from 2002 to 2010 at the Crop Diversification Centre South (CDC South) and observed no human pathogenic contamination during this entire eight-year period (Savidov, 2019, Results available upon request). As a result of this study, the pilot-scale aquaponic operation at CDC South was certified as a food-safe operation in compliance with Canada GAP standards in May 2011 (GFTC OFFS Certification, May 26, 2011). Similar studies conducted by the University of Hawaii in 2012 in a commercial aquaponic farm revealed the same results. (Tamaru, 2012)
Current aquaponic farms must be able to continuously prove their food safety. The U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act requires farms to be able to demonstrate appropriate mitigation of potential sources of pathogenic contamination as well as water testing that validates waters shared with plants are free from contamination by zoonotic organisms. So, if there is a food safety concern in aquaponics, food safety certifiers will find and document it.
Conclusion
The recent certification decision from Canada GAP has already set back commercial aquaponic operations in Canada and has the potential to influence other food safety certifiers or create unfounded consumer concerns. At a time when we need more sustainable methods to grow our food, it is essential to work on greater commercial-government collaboration and scientific validation to ensure fact-based food safety standards.
In order to expand the benefits of aquaponics, we need a vibrant commercial sector. And for commercial aquaponics to succeed, we need reliable food safety certification standards based on established science.
Consumers can feel secure knowing that when they purchase aquaponic fish and produce, they are getting fresh food grown in one of the safest, most sustainable methods possible.
Sincerely,
The Aquaponics Association, along with the undersigned entities
UNITED STATES
Alabama
Gardens on Air – A Local Farm, Inc.
Southern Organics
California
AONE Aquaponics
Fresh Farm Aquaponics
Go Fish Farm
SchoolGrown Aquaponics
Seouchae Natural Farming
Shwava, Inc.
University of California, Davis
Colorado
The Aquaponic Source
Bountyhaus School Farms
Colorado Aquaponics
Dahlia Campus for Health and Wellness Aquaponic Farm
Ecoponex Systems International LLC
Emerge Aquaponics
Flourish Farms @ The GrowHaus
Grand Valley Greens, LLC
GroFresh Farms 365
Northsider Farms LLC
Connecticut
Marine Bait Wholesale
Delaware
Aquaponics AI
Florida
The Aquaponics Doctors, Inc.
Aquaponic Lynx LLC
The Family Farm
GreenView Aquaponics, LLC
Sahib Aquaponics
Traders Hill Farm
Georgia
FM Aquaponic Farm
Georgia Aquaponic Produce LLC
TRC Aquaponics
Teachaman.fish
Ula Farms
Hawaii
Friendly Aquaponics, LLC
Idaho
FoodOlogy
Illinois
Central Illinois Aquaponics
Kentucky
Janelle Hager, Kentucky State University
K&L Organics
Purple Thumb Farms
West KY Aquaponics
Louisiana
Small Scale Aquaponics
Massachusetts
Aquaponics Academy
Lesley University
O’Maley Innovation Middle School
Maryland
Anne Arundel Community College
Greenway Farms, LLC
Missouri
Www.PlentyCare.Org
Minnesota
Menagerie Greens Inc.
North Carolina
Grace Goodness Aquaponics Farm, LLC
100 Gardens
New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
New York
iGrow News
Oko Farms
New Mexico
Desert Verde Farm
Growing the Greens
High Desert Aquaponics
Howling Coyote Farms
Lettuce, Etc. LLC
Openponics
Project Urban Greenhouse
Sanctuary at ABQ
Santa Fe Community College
Ohio
Berean Aquaponic Farms and Organics LLC
CHCA Eagle Farms
Wildest Farms
Williams Dairy Farms
Oklahoma
Freedom FFA
Greener Grounds LLC
Oregon
Alternative Youth Activity
Ingenuity Innovation Center
Live Local Organic
Triskelee Farm
Pennsylvania
Aquaponics at State High
Yehudah Enterprises LLC
Puerto Rico
Fusion Farms
Granja Ecologica Pescavida
Rhode Island
The Cascadia Bay Company
Tennessee
Great Head LLC
Texas
BioDiverse Technologies LLC
BnE Enterprises
East Texas Aquaponics, LLC
Gentlesoll Farm
HannaLeigh Farm
K&E Texan Landscaping
King’s Farm
Tarleton State University, Aquaponics Hydrotron
West Texas Organic Gardening
Utah
Aquaponics Olio
Wasatch High School
Virginia
Grace Aquaponics
INMED Partnerships for Children
Return to Roots Farm
Vermont
The Mill ART Garden, LLP
Washington
The Farm Plan
Impact Horizon, Co.
Life Tastes Good LLC
Northwest Aquaponics LLC
Wind River Produce
Washington, DC
Anacostia Aquaponics DC LLC
P.R. Harris Food Hub
AUSTRALIA
New South Wales
Wirralee Pastoral
Solum Farm
BHUTAN
Thimphu
Chhuyang – Aquaponics in Bhutan
BRAZIL
Rio Grande do Norte
Habitat Marte
Santa Catarina
Pedra Viva Aquicultura
BULGARIA
Burgas
Via Pontica Foundation
CANADA
Alberta
Agro Resiliency Kit (ARK) Ltd.
Fresh Flavor Ltd
Lethbridge College
W.G. Guzman Technical Services
British Colombia
Garden City Aquaponics Inc.
Green Oasis Foods Ltd.
Pontus Water Lentils Ltd.
Ontario
Aquatic Growers
University of Guelph
Power From Within Clean Energy Society
GREEN RELIEF
Quebec
ML Aquaponics Inc
Yukon Territory
North Star Agriculture
EGYPT
Cairo
Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research
FRANCE
Paca
Vegetal Grow Development
INDIA
Delhi
Prof Brahma Singh Horticulture Foundation, New Delhi
Karnataka
Blue’s and Green’s
Spacos Innovations Private Limited
ITALY
Turin
Grow Up
MALAYSIA
Negeri Sembilan
BNS Aquafresh Farming
NIGERIA
Abuja
University of Abuja
PHILIPPINES
Nueva Ecija
Central Luzon State University
Metro Manila, NCR
IanTim Aquaponics Farm
PORTUGAL
Madeira
True Spirit Lda
ROMANIA
Sectors 2 & 4
Bucharest Association of Romanian Aquaponics Society
SAUDI ARABIA
Riyadh
Aquaponica
SENEGAL
Senegal
Ucad Dakar
SINGAPORE
Singapore
Aquaponics Singapore
Contributors:
Brian Filipowich, Aquaponics Association
Juli Ogden, The Farm Plan
Dr. Nick Savidov, Lethbridge College
Tawnya Sawyer, The Aquaponic Source
Dr. R. Charlie Shultz, Santa Fe Community College
Meg Stout, Independent
Contact:
Brian Filipowich
info@aquaponicsassociation.org
References
Chalmers, 2004. Aquaponics and Food Safety. Retrieved from http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travis/Aquaponics-andFood-Safety.pdf
Filipowich, Schramm, Pyle, Savage, Delanoy, Hager, Beuerlein. 2018. Aquaponic Systems Utilize the Soil Food Web to Grow Healthy Crops. Aquaponics Association. https://aaasociation.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/soil-food-web-aug-2018.pdf
Fox, Tamaru, Hollyer, Castro, Fonseca, Jay-Russell, Low. A Preliminary Study of Microbial Water Quality-Related to Food Safety in Recirculating Aquaponic Fish and Vegetable Production Systems. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
Rakocy, J.E., Shultz, R.C., Bailey, D.S. and Thoman, E.S. (2003). Aquaponic production of tilapia and basil: comparing a batch and staggered cropping system. South Pacific Soilless Culture Conference. Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Rinehart, Lee. Aquaponics – Multitrophic Systems, 2019. ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture. National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Tamaru, Fox, Hollyer, Castro, Low, 2012. Testing for Water Borne Pathogens at an Aquaponic Farm. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
US: OHIO - 8,600 sq ft Indoor Aquaponics Facility Opened In Toledo
There's a new farm in Toledo, and it's located inside a building downtown. Balance Farms is an aquaponics farm in Downtown Toledo vertically integrated with parent restaurant Balance Grille
There's a new farm in Toledo, and it's located inside a building downtown. Balance Farms is an aquaponics farm in Downtown Toledo vertically integrated with parent restaurant Balance Grille.
Their restaurant has been active for nearly a decade, serving vegetable-focused Build-a-Bowls, Asian-inspired Tacos, and seasonal snacks to the Toledo and Cleveland communities
Balance Grille held a grand opening showcase Friday night for its state-of-the-art aquaponics farm, germinating right in the heart of downtown Toledo.
The new 8,600 square-foot facility uses waste from fish as a natural fertilizer for plants to grow in water, pesticide-free. The facility cultivates crops grown outside the soil, specializing in leafy greens, microgreens, living herbs, and fruiting vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes. Additionally, the farm utilizes LED lighting and energy-efficient climate control systems that reduce utility usage. The farm runs on the organic fish matter produced by its collection of tilapia and koi fish.
"In any Balance location, you will notice the open-kitchen concept that informs customers on how their food is being prepared. Opening the Balance Farms helps us take the concept of transparency to another level by showing customers where their food is coming from", they explain.
Scheduled tours are available for groups and individuals.
To View The Video, Please Click Here
Publication date: Mon 25 Nov 2019
Aquaponics Food Safety Statement November 2019
Aquaponics is a food production method integrating fish and plants in a closed, soil-less system. This symbiotic relationship mimics the biological cycles found in nature. Aquaponics has been used as a farming technique for thousands of years and is now seeing large-scale viability to feed a growing global population
Click here: Click here: Sign the Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
November 15, 2019
Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
Established Science Confirms That
Aquaponic Fish and Produce Are Food Safe
Aquaponics is a food production method integrating fish and plants in a closed, soil-less system. This symbiotic relationship mimics the biological cycles found in nature. Aquaponics has been used as a farming technique for thousands of years and is now seeing large-scale viability to feed a growing global population.
Benefits of aquaponics include dramatically less water use; no toxic chemical fertilizers or pesticides; no agriculture discharge to air, water or soil; and less food miles when systems are located near consumers where there is no arable soil.
Aquaponics has consistently proven to be a safe method to grow fresh, healthy fish, fruits, and vegetables in any environment. Governments and food safety certifiers must utilize the most current, accurate information to make food safety decisions about aquaponics at this time when our food systems adapt to a growing population and environmental concerns.
Food Safety Certification for Aquaponics
For years, commercial aquaponic farms have obtained food safety certification from certifying bodies such as Global GAP, USDA Harmonized GAP, Primus GFS, and the SQF Food Safety Program. Many aquaponic farms are also certified USDA Organic. These certifying bodies have found aquaponics to be a food-safe method for fish, fruits, and vegetables. As far back as 2003, researchers found aquaponic fish and produce to be consistently food-safe (Rakocy, 2003; Chalmers, 2004). Aquaponic fish and produce continue to be sold commercially across North America following all appropriate food safety guidelines.
Recent Certification Changes Based on Unfounded Concerns
Recently Canada GAP, a food safety certifier, announced that it will phase out certification of aquaponic operations in 2020, citing concerns about the potential for leafy greens to uptake contaminants found in aquaponic water.
Correspondence with Canada GAP leadership revealed that the decision to revoke aquaponics certification eligibility was based on research and literature surveys related to the uptake of pharmaceutical and pathogenic contaminants in hydroponic systems. However, these concerns are unfounded based on established evidence.
First, the Canada GAP decision assumes that aquaponic growers use pharmaceuticals to treat fish and that these pharmaceuticals would be taken up by plants causing a food safety risk.
In fact, pharmaceuticals are not compatible with aquaponics. Aquaponics represents an ecosystem heavily dependent on a healthy microorganism community (Rinehart, 2019; Aquaponics Association, 2018). The pharmaceuticals and antibiotics referenced by Canada GAP would damage the beneficial microorganisms required for aquaponics to function properly.
Second, the CanadaGAP decision misrepresents the risk of pathogenic contamination. Aquaponic produce – like all produce – is not immune to pathogenic contamination. However, aquaponics is, in fact, one of the safest agriculture methods against pathogenic risk. Most pathogenic contamination in our modern agriculture system stems from bird droppings, animal infestation, and agriculture ditch or contaminated water sources. In contrast, commercial aquaponic systems are “closed-loop” and usually operated in controlled environments like greenhouses. Almost all operations use filtered municipal or well water and monitor everything that enters and leaves the system.
Aquaponics and Food Safety
If practiced appropriately, aquaponics can be one of the safest methods of food production. The healthy microbes required for aquaponics serve as biological control agents against pathogenic bacteria. (Fox, 2012) The healthy biological activity of an aquaponic system competitively inhibits human pathogens, making their chances for survival minimal. This is, in effect, nature’s immune system working to keep our food safe, rather than synthetic chemicals.
The Government of Alberta, Canada, ran extensive food safety tests in aquaponics from 2002 to 2010 at the Crop Diversification Centre South (CDC South) and observed no human pathogens during this entire eight-year period (Savidov, 2019, Results available upon request). As a result of this study, the pilot-scale aquaponic operation at CDC South was certified as a food-safe operation in compliance with CanadaGAP standards in May 2011 (GFTC OFFS Certification, May 26, 2011). Similar studies conducted by the University of Hawaii in 2012 in a commercial aquaponic farm also revealed no human pathogens. (Tamaru, 2012)
Current aquaponic farms must be able to continuously prove their food safety. The U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act requires farms to be able to demonstrate appropriate mitigation of potential sources of pathogenic contamination as well as water testing that validates waters shared with plants that are free from contamination by zoonotic organisms. So, if there is a food safety concern in aquaponics, food safety certifiers will find and document it.
Conclusion
The recent certification decision from CanadaGAP has already set back commercial aquaponic operations in Canada and has the potential to influence other food safety certifiers or create unfounded consumer concerns. At a time when we need more sustainable methods to grow our food, it is essential to work on greater commercial-government collaboration and scientific validation to ensure fact-based food safety standards.
In order to expand the benefits of aquaponics, we need a vibrant commercial sector. And for commercial aquaponics to succeed, we need reliable food safety certification standards based on established science.
Consumers can feel secure knowing that when they purchase aquaponic fish and produce, they are getting fresh food grown in one of the safest, most sustainable methods possible.
Sincerely,
The Aquaponics Association
[ Click here: Sign the Aquaponics Food Safety Statement]
References
Chalmers, 2004. Aquaponics and Food Safety. Retrieved from http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travis/Aquaponics-andFood-Safety.pdf
Filipowich, Schramm, Pyle, Savage, Delanoy, Hager, Beuerlein. 2018. Aquaponic Systems Utilize the Soil Food Web to Grow Healthy Crops. Aquaponics Association. https://aaasociation.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/soil-food-web-aug-2018.pdf
Fox, Tamaru, Hollyer, Castro, Fonseca, Jay-Russell, Low. A Preliminary Study of Microbial Water Quality-Related to Food Safety in Recirculating Aquaponic Fish and Vegetable Production Systems. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
Rakocy, J.E., Shultz, R.C., Bailey, D.S. and Thoman, E.S. (2003). Aquaponic production of tilapia and basil: comparing a batch and staggered cropping system. South Pacific Soilless Culture Conference. Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Rinehart, Lee. Aquaponics – Multitrophic Systems, 2019. ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture. National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Tamaru, Fox, Hollyer, Castro, Low, 2012. Testing for Water Borne Pathogens at an Aquaponic Farm. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
Former Steel Site To See Aquaponics Facility
To the complex problems of the City of Duquesne and the Mon Valley, entrepreneur Glenn Ford offers a solution that is both down-to-earth and very fishy
RICH LORD
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
NOV 11, 2019 rlord@post-gazette.com
To the complex problems of the City of Duquesne and the Mon Valley, entrepreneur Glenn Ford offers a solution that is both down-to-earth and very fishy.
Mr. Ford, of Minneapolis, is the founder of InCity Farms, and on Friday he revealed plans for a 180,000-square-foot aquaponics facility on 25 riverfront acres in Duquesne. Backed by the social impact investors Hollymead Capital, the nonprofit Food 21 and an opportunity zone fund, with Peoples Natural Gas as its chief cheerleader, freshly sprouted InCity Farms is in the process of finding a headquarters in Pittsburgh. Its planned $30 million Duquesne facility is expected to employ 130 — starting salaries around $35,000 — potentially expanding to 275.
“We will try to hire as many of these people as we can from Duquesne and the surrounding area,” Mr. Ford said. “We’re going to take 25 [acres] and we’re going to turn that into, if you will, a little metropolis of food businesses there.”
“I think it could be the starting point for the revitalization of the city of Duquesne and the [Mon Valley] region,” Duquesne Mayor Nickole Nesby said.
Grown-up solutions to combat child poverty
In aquaponics, edible fish are raised in clean, indoor pools, and sold commercially. The waste the fish produce is filtered and treated with beneficial bacteria, and the result is used to fertilize vegetable plants.
The plants are grown indoors in optimal temperature, humidity and light. The technique can support the rapid growth of some 800 vegetable varieties year-round, Mr. Ford said. Add the fish, and you’ve got an economically viable business that also cushions against the food shocks created by global warming.
Both technologically sophisticated and labor-intensive, the field “can be the very first job that someone has, and it can also be [an opportunity for] your Ph.D. with a whole lot of experience,” he said.
Raised in Chicago, Mr. Ford worked his way up to the executive level in Pepsico before leaving to create several food-related companies and to consult for many more. He created a pilot aquaponics site in Minneapolis.
Then he got a call from Pittsburgh.
Peoples spokesman Barry Kukovich had read about aquaponics in National Geographic magazine and introduced the concept to Peoples CEO Morgan O’Brien. They saw the indoor food industry as a potential customer for a natural gas system called Combined Heat and Power, or CHP, in which the fuel is converted to electricity on-site — and as a way to help the local economy.
“We’re interested in the ripple effect of creating more jobs, more employment,” Mr. Kukovich said.
They reached out to Hollymead Capital’s managing partner, Joseph Bute, who happened to know Mr. Ford.
“Morgan [O’Brien] said, ‘I want this here, and I don’t want to waste a lot of time looking for the perfect solution,’” Mr. Bute recounted.
That doesn’t mean Duquesne isn’t the perfect solution.
It has large amounts of vacant land, much owned by the nonprofit Regional Industrial Development Corp. The city has a population of 5,500, of which more than one-third (including around 750 kids) are in poverty.
The entry-level, living-wage jobs would be “outstanding, to a community where you have a large group of people, one, with a learning disability, and two, with a criminal background,” Duquesne Mayor Nikole Nesby said.
A child of a modest Chicago neighborhood, Mr. Ford understands that situation.
“In my DNA, I know that people need scenarios where they can work their way out of their circumstances,” he said. “That’s what I want my business to be known for.”
He said 75% of the initial jobs require only that the applicant be “reliable and trainable.”
Low-income communities, he said, often suffer from a negative “balance of trade” because they sell little to the wider world and buy goods and foods that are made far away.
“Until we can start to balance that out a little bit better, we create permanent dysfunction, permanent ghettos, permanent poverty,” he said.
He said aquaponics can restore some balance, letting those communities buy food grown nearby, and giving them a product to sell to the world.
A nonprofit called Food21, created last year will help to coordinate InCity Farms’ growing plans with those of local farmers. That way they won’t be competing to sell the same vegetables at the same time. Instead, they can coordinate to meet a buyer’s needs year-round — for instance, providing traditionally grown tomatoes in summer, and aquaponics product in the winter.
InCity Farms is scouting for other sites, likely including Erie, Pa. But Duquesne comes first.
Mr. Ford said he has an agreement with RIDC to purchase 25 acres of the former Duquesne Steel Works site. He is looking for a public subsidy only for an amphitheater that he hopes will make the site a riverfront destination.
“This is the start of something meaningful and beautiful,” Ms. Nesby said.
Rich Lord: rlord@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1542.
US (PA): State-Funded Aquaponics Lab Teaches Students About Science And Leadership
West Shore School District students led Governor Tom Wolf on a tour of a new aquaponics lab at Cedar Cliff High School. Funded with a $250,000 grant awarded by the Wolf administration, the new lab provides hands-on learning for students across the school district to develop skills in science, business, and leadership
West Shore School District students led Governor Tom Wolf on a tour of a new aquaponics lab at Cedar Cliff High School. Funded with a $250,000 grant awarded by the Wolf administration, the new lab provides hands-on learning for students across the school district to develop skills in science, business and leadership.
“This new lab goes beyond teaching students about aquaculture and hydroponics to creating opportunities to learn about leadership, technology, and marketing,” said Governor Wolf. “This is another example of the workforce development strategies my administration is supporting to prepare future generations with the knowledge and skills to succeed and make Pennsylvania an attractive place for growing and emerging industries to do business.”
The indoor lab constructed at the high school last summer combines conventional aquaculture, such as raising fish and other aquatic animals in tanks, and hydroponics, the production of plants in water rather than soil, into a symbiotic system used to grow fish, fruits, vegetables, feedstock, and other plant products all year.
Students from all 14 West Shore School District schools will use the lab to learn about plant propagation, food production, and hydroponic plant growth. High school students are also using the lab for research in plant lighting manipulation, propagation techniques, crop rotation studies, and fish breeding and rearing practices.
The aquaponics lab was one of 16 projects that received a total of $3.5 million in Strategic Innovation grants from the Department of Labor & Industry. The grants are awarded through Local Workforce Development Boards.
“The Aquaponics Lab at Cedar Cliff High School is a catalyst for district-wide STEAM experiences and hands-on learning opportunities,” said West Shore School District Superintendent Dr. Todd Stoltz. “The investment made by the Department of Labor & Industry in our students’ future extends beyond aquaponics. We now have a variety of opportunities available not only to those students interested in a career in science, but also communications, education, technology, marketing, and finance. The impact this program is having on students individually and collectively, and in our local community, perhaps even global community, is a great source of district pride.”
Investing in science and technology education is a priority for Governor Wolf. In addition to Strategic Innovation Grants, the governor launched the PAsmart workforce development initiative and secured $70 million over two years. PAsmart is providing $40 million for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning and computer science programs, and $30 million for apprenticeships and job training programs.
Pennsylvania now ranks second in the nation for investments in computer science education and is third in the number of nationally recognized STEM ecosystems.
For more information:
www.governor.pa.gov
Publication date: Thu 14 Nov 2019
ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress To Support USDA Urban / Innovative Ag Office
By the end of this week (Friday, Nov 15) please call or email your two senators and one representative and ask them to Support the new USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
(Bella Vita Farm, Brookeville, MD)
By the end of this week (Friday, Nov 15) please call or email your two senators and one representative and ask them to Support the new USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production.
In the next week or two, Congress will decide whether or not to fund the USDA’s new Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. The Office was created by the 2018 Farm Bill but still needs to be funded.
This new Office is intended to be the USDA’s central hub to handle aquaponics, hydroponics, vertical growing, and other new growing methods. It will coordinate matters for these growers and offer new research and funding opportunities. (See Summary)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1 – Identify your two federal senators and one federal representative.
2 – Find the phone number of their Washington, DC office on their website.
3 – Call each Office and ask to speak to the staff member that handles agriculture policy. [You may not get to speak to the staff, they may ask you to leave a message or give you an email address. Wherever you land, use the message below.]
4 – Tell them you’d like the Senator / Representative to Support the new USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production created by the 2018 Farm Bill. If you’re feeling chatty you can tell them what you do and why you think your work is important.
Thanks for supporting urban and innovative agriculture, future generations will thank you!
Brian Filipowich, Chairman
Aquaponics Association