Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

we think along the same lines
where can I find a description of your business, Adrian?

frank

Frank, the current one, bravocomms.com. It's my fourth.

now here is an argument for rigid protection of the word "organic":
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycar ... ease08.cfm
Frank

I disagree. I don't know about the legal situation in other countries but in Australia the ACCC could nail manufactures for labeling such products as orgainic.

Surely the States and the EU have laws allready on misleading advertising, branding and marketing?

Stuart

if there is no clear definition of a word and boundaries in between which it can be used, this word can and will be abused by those without conscience.
The example shown is proof of all that.

The word "misleading" can only be applied in comparison to this description. If and when it is clearly defined.

You, as an advocate for mathematics, should support this, I imagine.
If there is a field in which definitions are important, it is mathematics.

I don't imagine you wish to contest this.

It is all too easy to put the responsibility for changing things in the hands of the duped.

Want another example of misleading advertising? look at what the tobacco industry did.
Another one?
look at what was said about asbestos.

Some countries in the EU already have laws protecting the use of words which imply organic produce, the EU is following. So will the US. As should be.

But I'm ready to agree to disagree.

Frank

I couldn't agree more.

My legal expertise is pretty minimal but I think I remember a discussion with a laywer that terms don't have to be legally defined before a case of misleading advertising can be put before a court. I believe a judge or jury can decide whether advertising is misleading based on common usage of words unless (al though sometimes despite) legal precedent dictates other wise.

If this is in doubt in Australia then then simplest solution would be for the ACCC to define "organic". Similarly the EU and States would or should define the term. Such a definition though would not or in my opinion should not require that produce be certified organic.

As government departments go the ACCC in australia is relatively active in searching for and prosecuting individuals and corporations that are guilty of misconduct or illegal acts. They are not prefect and having said that I'm sure there are hundreds of examples that people can give where they have failed or not even tried.

Any grower can claim that they use sustainable, organic methods when producing their crops. There is no legislation in Australia to govern the accuracy of these claims and the buyer is not often in a position to research the grower's practices.

http://www.organicfish.com.au/Introduction.htm is the website for a NASAA-certified organic fish farm in Tassie.

Oops...http://www.organicfish.com.au/Introduction.htm are in NSW

And there's an "organically certified" Silver Perch farm up here on the North Coast of NSW

Aloha Friends

We're in Hawaii and our aquaponics systems are USDA Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth, one of the biggest certifying agencies in the USA. The vegetables are certified organic, the fish are NOT, because there is no definition yet for organic fish in the USDA system Our national legislature is working on it. We also are currently not required to feed the fish an organic fish food, as none is available. Our certification states that when organic fish food becomes available to us, we need to use it in order to keep our certification.

My wife and I run a commercial aquaponics farm in Hawaii. We built three commercial sized aquaponics systems, a tilapia hatchery, a Health Department certified processing building, a hatchery lab, and much more, for about $150,000 plus a lot of work over the last year. We currently produce 1,800 pounds of vegetables and 300 lbs of fish per month from our aquaponics systems alone. We got USDA Organic Certification for our farm in August 2008.

We held our first "Commercial Aquaponics Training", designed to teach newcomers everything they needed to know to become productive aquaponics growers on a commercial scale. in October 2008. We had 78 participants in that course, twelve of whom have built or are building aquaponics systems now. One of them, Vinny Mendoza, has already had his Organic Certification Inspection. Our whole purpose is to pass along how to be successful with aquaponics on a commercial level as quickly as possible.

We don't sell fish tanks, aquaponics systems, blowers, liners, or any equipment or hardware. There are already many good places to buy those things closer to you than we are. We do sell knowledge about aquaponics. We do it at the lowest possible rates that we can still make a living on and continue to spread the good word.

We've been highly motivated to do things better, because we earn our living from the farm; if it fails, we lose the farm. Because of this, we've worked hard the last year to figure out better and more economical ways to do things. A big part of our operation is passing on everything we know as quickly and as economically as possible to those who would benefit from it. To accomplish this, we offer regular trainings in aquaponics operation and construction in Hawaii. See our website at http://www.friendlyaquaponics.com for more information about our Hawaii trainings, Do-It-Myself trainings, and Individual Intensive trainings. Please visit and share your aquaponics stories with us. Here are a couple of pictures from our farm:

Hey Tropic Bird... you've now posted this same post in about 5 different threads...

We're all for genuine discussion and the sharing of knowledge and advancement of aquaponics...

But mate, so far you've contributed very little... other than posting an ad for your consulting/training services....

Suggest you adopt another approach... and perhaps review the "advertising" policy of the forum.... or even "buy" some advertising space in the BYAP magazine....

Well said!

Isn't it a "little" misleading to claim that your aquaponics operation is certified "organic"...

When in fact it is only your vegetable produce that actually has that certification... congrats on that by the way....

But that in fact your "certification" is ultimately dependant on an organic fish feed source....

The primary stumbling block for organic certification of aquaponics is the fish feed input.... and even presents arguments as to the environmental sustainability of aquaponics...

Do you know of anyone that is working toward producing an organic fish feed "commercially" ???