Five largest and longest running commercial aquaponics systems?

[Chris Megison]

Who are the five largest and longest running commercial aquaponics farms in existence today? How big? Are there any over 3,000 sf of grow bed space?

[TCLynx]

Please, Define "commercial" more specifically Chris.  There are many large scale aquaponics operations at universities and non profit organizations but finding many for profit commercial farm operations might be challenging depending on your definition.  And actually finding many of them could be hard in that some of them have NO online presence. 

Friendly Aquapopnics is one farm.  Look up their web page to find their stats.

Green Acre Organics is another (ask Gina about the Stats, she is a member here.)

There is a large operation that is only just starting up in China that The Friendly newsletter just wrote about.

I don't know if Coastview is considering themselves fully commercial at this time but I know they have sold produce in the past.

I'm not back up and running yet but Aquaponic Lynx LLC will be a commercial operation selling produce again at some point before the end of the year.  However I don't know that I can really give a square foot number on grow bed space since the commercial system uses mostly Zipgrow towers.

Nate Storey of Bright Agrotech LLC is running some commercial sales of produce from his facility.

I think there are a few small aquaponic systems in operation on commercial farms in New England.

Green Sky Growers is technically a commercial aquaponic operation but I think they might still be loosing money on the high tech operation.

I think I've heard of a large operation getting set up in Dubi.  I expect it and the one in China are probably the biggest.

Howling Moose in Minesota is an operation that is just starting up.

I think there is one over near Jacksonville FL that I met the operator on one of the Florida Aquaponics Tours but I don't think I've heard from him since.

I know some one over near Tampa doing aquaponics to supplement her organic buying club offerings.

I've seen some things online that seem to be selling franchises in really large scale operations but I've not seen details on the initial or model facility that is actually running and bringing in a profit to convince me that such things are even real.

If you think all of this sounds pretty vague, then you are right.  Hard stats on commercial aquaponics are to date still fairly hard to come by.

[Raychel A Watkins]

Mari's Garden is a commercial venture  on Oahu in the state of Hawaii.  He plans to expand to very big is what I hear.  TC is right many large operations are non profits. 

[TCLynx]

However, lets see if people can list as many operations as they know of and what is known about them.  Bout time we start compiling a list of sorts.

[Chris Megison]

Nice list TCLynx...thank you. I am defining commercial as the primary activity of the AP operation is that it grows food for the purpose of selling the food. I REALLY like your idea of a list of farms that are commercial operations...what do you think about starting a list like this:

OPERATION NAME. WEBSITE SIZE INFO. DATE STARTED. PURPOSE (Ed, NPO, COMM)

Friendly -- Friendlyaquaponics.com -- ?? -- ??
Green Acre -- greenacreorganics.biz -- 3000sf? -- ?? -- COMM

Perhaps people can add more names and others can fill in the blanks...I am curious about the NPO's as well...are they mostly for education and training purposes or do they sell too?

[Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair]

Greater Growth Just opened in Tennessee (12,000) sf

Green Revolution in Thailand (around 10,000sf)

Abu Dhabi aquaponics (is the largest in the world, just opened)

[Jonathan Kadish NYC AA Chair]

Herban Farms, near Philadelphia has a 10000sf green house that has been rockin just basil since 2006

http://www.herbanfarms.com/index.html

[Chris Smith]

Great list TC!

I built and operate Coastview Aquaponics in conjunction with my family. We have about 1000 sqft of total grow space between several systems. Our big system has 640 sqft of DWC and 100 sqft of media beds and a 1000 gallon fish tank. We consider ourselves a small commercial operation. We have grown and sold produce out of our systems for more than two years now. During our journey in aquaponics we have sold to distributors, at farmers markets and to local health food stores. We now only sell direct to our neighborhood since our immediate local demand has exceeded our output.

Being a small commercial farm that sells to our neighbors we have had the been able to experiment with crops and techniques while gaining a lot of knowledge/information. We have refined out techniques and are aiming to take what we have learned to a very large scale. When we get the opportunity we know exactly what to grow and how to grow it  in the most efficient methods for our area.

[TCLynx]

Well the trick here is who ever wants the list most, should follow this discussion and harvest the data to put into whatever format they want most.

Cool Jonathan, thanks for supplying the info on some of the big operations.

If you want the (Ed, NPO) info.

Growing Power, in Milwaukee.  They are primarily growing food to sell and educating people how to do it themselves but they are a NPO and aquaponics is only a part of their operation.  They farm worms, do soil growing, grow livestock as well.  They have more than one farm and Have expanded to Chicago as well.

Sweetwater, also in Milwaukee (not sure if they are really NPO but they have taken grants to get the operation going and they are not profitable at this point in time.)

Nelson and Pade.  I think they are mainly a training center teaching aquaponics and controlled climate agriculture but I don't have much information on their operation other than they started the Aquaponics Journal.  They are also in Wisconsin.

MorningStar Fishermen is an operation in Florida primarily interested in teaching aquaponics to people who will take is as a mission to 3rd world countries.

UVI or the University of the Virgin Islands.  Where Modern Raft Aquaponics got most of it's research done by Dr James Rakocy

I know there are other Universities out there now with aquaponics operations going (I think one up in Vancouver perhaps?) But hopefully people who know for sure can chime in here.

Aquatic Eco Systems Now owns Green Sky Growers and has hosted trainings in aquaponics.

Which reminds me, there is a new one in Central Florida (still under construction but I think we are going to see great things from him.) http://chattersonfarms.com/

[Sahib Punjabi]

Thanks ;-)

TCLynx said:

Well the trick here is who ever wants the list most, should follow this discussion and harvest the data to put into whatever format they want most.

Cool Jonathan, thanks for supplying the info on some of the big operations.

If you want the (Ed, NPO) info.

Growing Power, in Milwaukee.  They are primarily growing food to sell and educating people how to do it themselves but they are a NPO and aquaponics is only a part of their operation.  They farm worms, do soil growing, grow livestock as well.  They have more than one farm and Have expanded to Chicago as well.

Sweetwater, also in Milwaukee (not sure if they are really NPO but they have taken grants to get the operation going and they are not profitable at this point in time.)

Nelson and Pade.  I think they are mainly a training center teaching aquaponics and controlled climate agriculture but I don't have much information on their operation other than they started the Aquaponics Journal.  They are also in Wisconsin.

MorningStar Fishermen is an operation in Florida primarily interested in teaching aquaponics to people who will take is as a mission to 3rd world countries.

UVI or the University of the Virgin Islands.  Where Modern Raft Aquaponics got most of it's research done by Dr James Rakocy

I know there are other Universities out there now with aquaponics operations going (I think one up in Vancouver perhaps?) But hopefully people who know for sure can chime in here.

Aquatic Eco Systems Now owns Green Sky Growers and has hosted trainings in aquaponics.

Which reminds me, there is a new one in Central Florida (still under construction but I think we are going to see great things from him.) http://chattersonfarms.com/

[TCLynx]

Sahib, How would you class your operation?

[matthew ferrell]

Rob Nash- Hanna Leigh farms in Texas member on here.

Jermey Pickens works a few farms in Alabama and Miss that might be that big,

[Sahib Punjabi]

Sahib Aquaponics Research Farm is really a very small sustainable urban farm that is not set up for any sizable commercial production, rather more of a research type of set up to see how I can experiment with Hybrid Aquaponics Systems, what grows well in these systems, whether raft, media, vertical or wicking. I also incorporate vermicomposting so as to complete the whole agriculture growing spectrum. 

I have about 450 sq ft or so of raft area (both DWC & SWC), and 250 sq ft of media growing area (plus verticals and wicking beds), in about 2000 sq ft of "wasted space". If I concentrated on a few items and introduced some controlled environment (green house), so as to provide the selected produce virtually year round, I could certainly be able to participate weekly in the local farmers markets as well as supply some local restaurants, thus supplementing my income some. Not enough to run a household but certainly enough to have a nice holiday or two :-)

So really too small to be included on a "large commercial list', but certainly big enough to help feed a small local church or other community establishment.

God bless.

TCLynx said:

Sahib, How would you class your operation?