Aquaponics Association Submits NAICS Proposal – A Major Step Forward for the Industry
We are thrilled to announce that the Aquaponics Association has officially submitted a proposal for change to create a dedicated NAICS code for the upcoming 2027 revision process!
You may be asking yourself, what the heck even is a NAICS code? Well NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. Essentially, a code that identifies what type of business you are based on your activities, which is unique to Mexico, Canada, and the US.
Image Source: US Business Registration Website https://unitedstatesbusinessregistration.us/naics-code-look-up-tool/
Every business is assigned a code which enables them to report their business activities within this code that allows for tracking of the size, activities, key players, market trends, and more for that specific industry. Find out more about NAICS codes (LINK).
To this point, the aquaponics industry has never had a specific code, rather businesses would operate as either an aquaculture, under-cover production (i.e. Greenhouse), or another type of business. As many of us know, aquaponics is neither aquaculture nor hydroponics production, rather we are a unique production system, which combines aquaculture and hydroponics. This combination results in our own unique production challenges, production regulations, and operational needs. Therefore, if our proposal is accepted it would mark a significant milestone in our mission to secure legislative recognition for the aquaponics industry to be classified as a distinct and essential part of agriculture in North America.
A dedicated NAICS code can potentially result in better industry economic data collection, increased access to funding opportunities, and stronger policy support for aquaponic farms and businesses across Mexico, Canada, and the US. While there is no guarantee of approval in this revision cycle, this proposal establishes a strong foundation for future updates. As the industry continues to expand over the next five years, we are confident that aquaponics will be in an even better position to be recognized as a distinct form of agriculture production.
This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of our NAICS Proposal Development Committee. A huge thank you to:
- Adam Fay (Founder and CEO of Good Luck Gardens);
- Cameron Heil (Director of Operations at Ounce of Hope);
- Conner Woods (Indoor Ag and Aquaponics Practitioner);
- Josh Dusci (Indoor Agriculture Associate at Virginia State University and Coordinator at The Aquaponics Association);
- Cori Byrge (Founder and CEO of AGP Substrates and Communications Director at The Aquaponics Association);
- Molly Stanek (Executive Director at The Aquaponics Association and Founder and CEO of EcoAgTech);
- Elshan Bal (Aquaponic Farmer and Owner of Greenway Farms);
- Gabe Smith (Assistant Professor of Sustainable Technologies at Santa Fe Community College);
- John Derksen (Researcher at Lethbridge Polytechnic Centre for Applied Research and Innovation);
- Joe Pate (Leading Aquaponic Consultant and Founder of Regenerative Ecosystems and Long-term Advisor to The Aquaponics Association);
- Marianne Cufone (Executive Director of Recirculating Farms);
- Annemarie Deutschmann (Founder at Guardian Aquaponics and Community Director at The Aquaponics Association);
- Sam Fleming (Co-Founder and Executive Director at 100Gardens);
- T.C. Beckett (Executive Director at Veterans Produce); and
- Tom Precht (Aquaponic Producer and Vice President at Floraponics).
These individual’s contributions, which included numerous hours of meetings, planning, and writing (often outside of normal working hours!) have been invaluable in shaping this proposal and advancing the future of aquaponics! This effort once again highlights our strong community pushing forward the aquaponics industry. We truly wouldn’t be the organization we are without our community and volunteer support.
Our NAICS Code Proposal, regardless of the outcome, is a major step forward for the aquaponics industry. As the aquaponics industry and production capacity matures and grows across the world, North America has and will continue to be the industry leader and largest market share. This proposal is just one part of the puzzle to allow for North America to remain the leader in growing this sustainable food production system, which ultimately aligns with global trends in agricultural resource efficiency, intensive and sustainable production across the rural and urban continuum, and increased local food security. Interested in viewing the proposal? Click here to view a pdf version of our submission!
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Stay tuned for updates, and let’s keep growing aquaponics! 🌱🐟
