please join the non-profit Aquaponics Association

[Paul Trudeau]

Hey there Sacramento area folks,

I know these are tight times, but if you can, I encourage you to consider joining the non-profit Aquaponics Association to help advance the field and improve the situation for all of us doing this.  AA (not *that* AA, although sometimes I wonder if aquaponics is so addictive that we need our own 12-step group!) does a lot:

--holds a fantastic yearly conference (coming up Sept. 21 - 23 in Denver. The conference features 24 speakers, including Dr. James Rakocy, Murray Hallam, TCLynx, Rob Torcellini, Gina Cavaliero,  Max Meyers (a Sacramento Aquaponics member, by the way), and Dr. Wilson Lennard)

--is setting up a mini-grant program to fund worthy aquaponics efforts (the state fair project would have been perfect for that)

--is lobbying at state and local levels for regulations that are more friendly to both commercial and home aquaponics (for example, petitioning Fish and Wildlife departments that restrict tilapia to allow tilapia ownership without a permit if fewer than 100 fish are held and changes to the Food Safety regulations to encompass the nuances of aquaponic farming).  

--and much more.

Dues are $45/year for individuals.  See http://aquaponicsassociation.org/

A few months ago AA named me branch chair for Sacramento.  The many aquaponics activities we've had recently haven't emphasized AA, but perhaps that should change in the future...