In the produce section of the grocery, you would often find vegetables and fruits neatly stacked in baskets arranged in rows. There are those that are grown in farms and there are those with special labels that were grown hydroponically. It is often said that hydroponically grown fruits and vegetables are healthier because they are all organic.
As it turns out, there are many environmental enthusiasts who want to clarify the difference between organic produce and those that are a product of hydroponics. Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, they are not one and the same.
Driscoll, a farming conglomerate that owns more than 60 percent of the berry market in the US, and whose signature service is offering various types of berries, which used to be seasonal, but are now made available all year round. The company has now gained a strong foothold on the organic industry. They work with hundreds of farmers from all over the world. In fact, The New York Times called them "one of the largest hydroponics growers of every type of berry you want." And yet there is a growing concern in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables using hydroponics. Experts say that it does not really define what organic farming is all about.
"Growing organic food is not just about being healthy. Rather, it is about keeping an entire ecosystem alive," writes Dan Nosowitz. His feature was published in the magazine, Modern Farmer. "Organic gardening is about making sure that the soil is healthy, recharging it with nutrients from various crops and also providing an avenue for natural pollinators to flourish. It also includes the proper practice of pest control. Hydroponics, on the other hand, willfully separates the plant from its natural environment, growing it healthy, but destroying its environment in the process," he added.
The National Independent Democratic Farm Workers Union launched a massive boycott of all the products coming from Driscoll. They say that the practices of the company are "one of the most exploitive practices in California."
Perhaps the real concern is not about what truly defines organic farming. Rather, it is about approaching the situation, and not just aiming at solving one problem at a time. The solution should be aimed at saving farming as an industry including all the factors that come into play. Growing fruits and vegetables is not just about growing them healthy. It is about making sure that all the other aspects of the environment are taken care of too.
Whether you buy plants that are grown in soil or hydroponically, the more important concern should be this: are your practices at home helping make the environment cleaner and greener for growing food? If it does not, then perhaps you want to think about it and start the change from there.
