Last week the National Organic Standards Board held a teleconference webcast in which they once again discussed hydroponics. And once again there was no consensus whether they can or can not be certified USDA Organics.
The meeting was open for members of the public to listen to NOSB board members discussing the issue on hydroponics, aquaponics and container-grown produce. They NOSB did not vote on the subject; this is slated for a next meeting from October 31 to November 2.
Tom Chapman, Chairman for the National Organic Standards Board said in the meeting that is is likelely to support the 2010 recopmendation, in which the NOSB said that “Hydroponics...certainly cannot be classified as certified organic growing methods due to their exclusion of the soil-plant ecology intrinsic to organic farming systems and USDA/(National Organic Program) regulations governing them.” But Chapman also stressed out that this statement also does not address what is prohibited and what is allowed.