Soilless hydroponic operations can still be certified as organic
 

[url]http://www.thepacker.com/news/what%E2%80%99s-dirt-organic-and-hydroponic?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWkdaa1lXTmpaRFJtWlRNeCIsInQiOiJKcno0NzAwdEJieWpCQkY2SGJJZjZZM1FPS1JvNDNFUks2Ykg1aTZVdXBGOG1LK1VMK3Q5Zkw5T3dSRjZyWEZyYldFdXc3UEhrQTZkeVlpdzhQOXRyU0tTZFBlT20xV1kwY3kwcVdJVTdzTT0ifQ%3D%3D[/url]

I hope the new regulations allow for the use of pumps which are made of plastics other than food-safe. Pond pumps and sump pumps are ideal for many types of hydro, but there is no option to purchase them in food-safe plastic models. It's the same with pond liners, plastic flood & drain trays, pipe, hose and fittings. No one is making food safe plastic hydro equipment. It might be possible to accomplish, but the current regulations block out all commercially standard hydro methods and equipment.

Interesting Cole. I just use shallow well jet pumps, would they be considered usable in the situation you explained?

Good question. I think jet pumps are mostly metal, but then how much are they going to go through every tank, hose, fitting, valve, etc and demand that every piece of plastic be stamped "food safe?" PVC pipe isn't "food safe," even though most of us are drinking water that was piped through it. They are going to have to ease up a lot on the plastics restrictions to make organic hydro realistic on a commercial scale.

[url]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiXi_ffj77QAhUHxYMKHVb9AOIQFggrMAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uni-bell.org%2Fhealth_benefits.html&usg=AFQjCNEuKEKV6HlahiS8HwHrggyY6djdkg&sig2=cWSp0qfGqovKq6eXLnlTag[/url]

you can use plastic on your rows in organic certified so I don't see why PVC would matter. Plastic mulch [U]has[/U] been shown to break down slightly and some gets in the soil. I'm ok with that b/c I cant pull weeds 24/7

I'd add that my local Ag guy does seem biased against hydro. I think they associate hydro with marijuana so it gets a bad rap. Seeing what the growers here have done with hydro set ups is pretty darn amazing, and seems like the best solution in areas prone to diseased soil.

The big majority of this stuff is food safe it just isn't stamped food safe.
The there are the food safe devices for transporting hot liquids in factories.
These idiots cant possibly expect people to use that equipment to water a plant.
Some time ago I had the biggest argument with a guy that said you couldn't drink water from PVC pipe.
PVC pipe is stamped and listed as safe for drinking water.
CPVC is used for hot water so it wont get hot and lose shape.
This BS came from years ago when they had problems with it.
The jerks need to do some research and do some cross referencing on plastics and know what these markings mean on pipe and other fittings pumps and so on and what you can use it for.
In short just because it doesn't say food grade stamped in big letters for these people doesn't mean it isn't food safe or drinking water safe.
The other ASTM NSF ASSE and so on say this.
What do they want, food safe for hot liquids high acid or drinking water?

Do they even know that all this goes out the window if the GPM gets to high and eats the inside of the pump or pipe out in time.
Do they know the difference between yellow brass and red brass?
Do they know the different grade of stainless and what it can be used for.
I think not.
But yet they will allow water to go down a ditch to water plants which by the way isn't food safe.

Last but not least they are worried about food safe but yet the stuff going through the system isn't food safe.
Sorry for the rant but this stuff gets on my nerves.

Worth

According the NY Times article the biggest objection was in not using soil. Organic gardeners feed and nurture their soil.

As you may know, I am an organic gardener, not a farmer, just a home gardener and I do not grow for sale but it seems to me like they are splitting hairs.

Even some on the Organic Gardening Community forum that I frequent are OK with hydroponics for organically growing produce. They mentioned things like rain falling through possibly polluted air onto our gardens makes them technically not organic and also that produce can become contaminated by bacteria in soil that contains manure so maybe hydroponics would be safer.

I feel that allowing organic growing hydroponically would lessen the amount of pesticides and herbicides sprayed onto conventional fields and that would be a good thing for the Earth.

Not sure how easy it is to efficiently grow hydro with organic fertilizers, sure sounds more difficult to me than doing it in ground. Did anyone here try?
I don't think they refer to hydro grown tomatoes using chemgrow, or else all of a sudden most food would be labeled organic.

I have tried some organic fertilizers in my greenhouses, very expensive, and results were just decent. Of note though, I do not have to use insecticides, instead I use parasitic insects to kill unwanted insects, and do not ever have to worry about weed killer either.
Here in AK, many organic leaning growers just use the name "all natural" to avoid the hassle, most people are just fine with that too.

Good bugs
 

[QUOTE=AKmark;601443]I have tried some organic fertilizers in my greenhouses, very expensive, and results were just decent. Of note though, I do not have to use insecticides, instead I use parasitic insects to kill unwanted insects, and do not ever have to worry about weed killer either.
Here in AK, many organic leaning growers just use the name "all natural" to avoid the hassle, most people are just fine with that too.[/QUOTE]

Will parasitic insects work outside? . If so I'd like to try them this year.:). Jimbo