Senate 2018 Farm Bill Provisions for Aquaponics and Hydroponics

Aquaponics and/or hydroponics are referenced in four different sections of the Senate's 2018 Farm Bill Draft, listed below. Click here to join our 2018 Aquaponics Farm Bill Coalition and sign our letter to Congress.SEC. 7212. URBAN, INDOOR, AND OTHER EMERGING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION INITIATIVE.Within one year of passage of the Farm Bill, the USDA Secretary must conduct a census of urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production, including information about—(A) community gardens and farms located in urban areas, suburbs, and urban clusters;(B) rooftop farms, outdoor vertical production, and green walls;(C) indoor farms, greenhouses, and high-tech vertical technology farms;(D) hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic farm facilities; and(E) other innovations in agricultural production, as determined by the Secretary. SEC. 11122. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYThe Federal Crop Insurance Corporation will conduct research that evaluates the effectiveness of policies and plans of insurance for production targeted toward local consumers and markets, including policies and plans of insurance that—(i) consider small-scale production in various areas, including urban, suburban, and rural areas;(ii) consider a variety of marketing strategies(iii) allow for production in soil and in alternative systems such as vertical systems, greenhouses, rooftops, or hydroponic systems; SEC. 12302. URBAN AGRICULTURE. OFFICE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE AND INNOVATIVE PRODUCTIONThe Farm Bill Creates the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. The mission of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production is to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices, including—(A) community gardens and farms located in urban areas, suburbs, and urban clusters;(B) rooftop farms, outdoor vertical production, and green walls;(C) indoor farms, greenhouses, and high-tech vertical technology farms;(D) hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic farm facilities; and(E) other innovations in agricultural production, as determined by the Secretary. SEC. 12616. MICRO-GRANTS FOR FOOD SECURITYThe purpose of this section is to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food through small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations in food insecure communities in areas of the United States that have significant levels of food insecurity and import a significant quantity of food.An eligible entity that receives a subgrant under this section shall use the funds to engage in activities that will increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food, including by …(F) starting or expanding hydroponic and aeroponic farming of any scale. Click here to join our 2018 Aquaponics Farm Bill Coalition. We'll sign your name onto our upcoming letter to Congress. We'll be telling Congress they must support sustainable agriculture.