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I have access to certified organic seeds. I want to raise the organic seeds in a soilless, hydroponic solution. I'm just wondering if I raise the plants like this would I be deceitful to market the resulting product as 'organic'?

Neil Meyer
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If you live in the USA, you could sell the produce as 'organic' in theory, provided the nutrients you supply to your plants are on the approved list as 'organic nutrients'. This area is not a clear one in the USA though, see here https://modernfarmer.com/2017/05/is-hydro-organic-farming-organic/

However, in most other countries of the world, no, hydroponically grown foodstuffs are not considered organic, whatever nutrients are used; the term 'organic' applies only to crops growing in soil in a particular way. The particular requirements for organic certification may be specific to individual countries or trading blocs, but all will have a certification scheme of some sort and all will be grown in soil. Best to contact whatever body issues organic certification for your country to find out the exact requirements.

Bamboo
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  • OK, I was just considering growing hydro plants for a farmers market and was just wondering if I could use the term 'organic'. – Neil Meyer Sep 06 '19 at 11:44
  • Depends where you live, but likely not if you have no certification. you could sell them as 'produced from organic seeds' I guess, but that's a bit of a con really... – Bamboo Sep 06 '19 at 11:46
  • I've never intentionally eaten an *inorganic* plant anyway (not counting a few bits of sand and grit, of course), so IMO the whole "organic game" is a more than a bit of a con. – alephzero Sep 06 '19 at 14:08
  • @alephzero you've applied the broader meaning of 'organic', the opposite of which is indeed the term 'inorganic', but when it comes to foodstuffs, organic has a more defined meaning, and frankly, I wouldn't eat any produce made with non (note the difference, not inorganic) organic flour at the very least, since I am not desirous of a dose of glyphosate with my cake, cereal or bread - there is a huge difference between organic and non organic food produce in the way that is it produced, see here https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/organic – Bamboo Sep 06 '19 at 15:14