Home

The Alliance for Sustainable Hydroponics

We developed the Clean Hydroponic Produce Standard (CHiPS) to promote consumer awareness of hydroponic produce growers who value transparency, hyper- local food production, organic-friendly inputs, and improved nutrient density.

.

Why Shoppers Need CHiPS

 

Sometime around 2010, USDA organic certifiers began quietly allowing hydroponic growers to certify their facilities as organic — and to market their produce using the USDA Organic Seal. That bending of the rules has lead to some farms circumventing the legal requirement that organic food be grown in biologically active soil. Undisclosed and unlabeled, “organic” hydroponic food is now marketed to consumers without their knowledge.

The CHiPS Alliance for Sustainable Hydroponics Clean Hydroponic Produce Standard was created to provide distinct and transparent marketing for quality produce grown without “soil in the ground.” We believe consumers should always have real choices, and that choice requires they know fully how their food is grown. We believe hydroponic farmers should be proud of the food they grow, and they should have a seal of quality to proudly show the world.

There’s organic. There’s hydroponic. But there is really no such thing as “organic hydroponic”. The CHiPS program intends to give clean hydroponic produce farms the distinct recognition and support they deserves.

Participate in Building the CHiPs Standard

Review the Standard

CHiPS Scope One version 1 is live. Please request a copy in Word format if you would like to annotate the Standard to help inform changes to future versions. Stakeholder input on Scope 2 and 3 will be solicited in the future.

 

Become CHiPS certified

CHiPS requires the use of OMRI listed or NOP compliant inputs, participation in nutrient density studies, calculation of energy use, and honest disclosure of hydroponic practices on cases and labels seen by shoppers. The Alliance does not charge for certification or use of the Seal.

Become a CHiPS Certifier

CHiPS certification requires an annual third party audit. A qualified auditor can be anyone with appropriate agriculture experience. To keep costs to a minimum, we recommend producers use professionals who are already on site for other purposes.

Please let us know you are interested!

CHiPS in the NEWS

The Clean Hydroponic Produce Standard is the missing link between conscious consumers and healthy local food systems.

Organic Insider Writes about the Clean Hydroponic Standard – August 26, 2020

Farmbox Foods Recommends Clean Hydroponic Produce Standard

Natural Grocers Chooses Clean Hydroponic Produce Standard for new GardenBox Program