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Hydroponics: Farming for the Future

To Camden City Countil and Department of Planning and Development,
Can you imagine life without access to fresh, affordable food? Often taken for granted,
agriculture in America is vital to nearly every facet of human life, from the food we eat to the
jobs we hold and the energy well create for the future. With agriculture as an evolving asset to
our nations economy, how is it possible that regions in the US exist where communities have
little or no access to healthy food? A food desert is an area that does not have a supermarket less
than one mile away (Goldschein). Within these regions, an estimated 23.5 million Americans
reside; Americans who are required to travel far distances just to purchase fresh groceries
(NewsOne). With a lack of fresh, unprocessed food and subsequent high levels of obesity, food
deserts serve as an area in need of legislative action. Agriculture in our nation has evolved quite
dramatically from the original methods and technologies that were used in the 19th century.
Hydroponics allow for plant growth without soil or sunlight, an attribute that makes this
agricultural method highly feasible for areas that do not have the necessary land to harvest
produce. In food desert areas, such as Camden, NJ, hydroponics can be implemented into
community gardens to provide healthy, unprocessed food to residents in order to combat obesity
and other cardiovascular diseases that often overcome the area.
Over the last century, the structure of farms and agriculture has changed dramatically.
During the time of the American Revolution in the 18th century, 95% of Americans were engaged
in farming, contrary to the less than 2% of Americans that participate today (Dimitri). Before
World War II, most American farmers cultivated a variety of crops on diversified farms. In order
to keep up with the industrializing U.S. economy, however, some Americans felt that food and
farming needed to be cheaper so that they could afford other products offered by new industries

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(Johns Hopkins). The U.S. food system was industrialized in order to create a system revolved
around specialization, simplification, mechanization, and consolidation. The premise behind this
initiative was that farmers could operate more efficiently if they were to focus their efforts on
one product. The desire to boost profits led to larger, and more efficient farms. The new,
corporate nature of farms in the late 20th century led agriculture to become agribusiness, a term
that describes the larger, more efficient farm enterprises that now engulf our nation (US
Embassy). These systems rely heavily on productive and mechanized technologies to produce
goods that will then be shipped throughout the country to feed the growing nation (Star
Spangled). With the influx of mechanized systems, there is less of a reliance upon farm workers
and more dependence on machines and synthetic fertilizers to boost production (Dimitri). This
industrial style of food production has put 4 million family farms out of business, small farms
that created jobs and provided small towns across America with wholesome, fresh food (US
Embassy). During the time from 1930 to 1990 when the US population nearly doubled, farm
employment dropped from 12.5 million to 1.2 million (USDA). Surprisingly, production on
farms in the United States nearly doubled during this time while operating with a fraction of the
human labor. If these large conglomerates with the potential to mass produce goods now exist,
how is it possible that 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts where there is not adequate
access to fresh, unprocessed food (NewsOne)?
These farming monopolies have the ability to control what consumers eat, how much
they pay, and what is available to them at the supermarket. Agriculture in the United States has
become efficient, but at the cost of providing less nutritious products (US Embassy). In 2014, a
new farm bill was passed to provide large government subsidies to farmers. These subsidies
support the mass production of soy and corn, two crops that facilitate the production of meat and

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processed foods (Haspel). Therefore, soy and corn are very cheap to produce. Without large
subsidies to produce the fruits and vegetables that Americans should be eating, it becomes too
expensive for farmers to support these crops. Therefore, farmers are producing more calories, but
with less nutrition. The amount of calories in the U.S. food supply increased by 20% over the
time period from 1930 to 1990 (Johns Hopkins). Due to the consolidation of farms, farmers have
less control over how food is produced, processed, shipped and sold and must follow processes
dictated by the larger agriculture corporations (Johns Hopkins). This leads to industrialized
processes that often overlook the importance of providing healthy, unprocessed food to
customers. As more consumers consider the environmental and health consequences of industrial
agriculture and food production, the demand for locally-sourced food has increased (GRACE).
This, however, has become an issue for areas in the United States where residents do not have
access to fresh produce. For those living within food deserts, specifically Camden, NJ, there is a
reliance on processed and packaged food, an unhealthy habit that has increased obesity and other
cardiovascular health cases among residents (Cho).
Purchasing locally-sourced food from a local farmer or grocery store supports the farmers
themselves as well as encouraging food systems that are sustainable. For the 23.5 million
Americans who currently reside in food deserts, access to healthy food, let alone fresh produce
is nearly impossible. Instead, processed food and various fast food restaurants are bountiful. The
cheap price and pure convenience of unhealthy food provided by a convenience store or fast food
restaurant seem to be the only option for most residents. Convenience stores sell processed and
fat and sugar laden foods, products that are huge contributors to the nations obesity epidemic. In
addition, those living in food deserts have 2.5 times the exposure to fast-food restaurants as do
those living in the wealthiest areas (Moore). In food deserts, where more than half of residents

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are low-income, the convenience and low prices of the unhealthy foods are appealing to residents
(Prendergast). This puts food desert residents at a much greater risk for obesity and
cardiovascular diseases. In 2008, counties with the highest percentage of people living in food
deserts, 10% or more, had rates of adult obesity more than 9% higher than counties with the
lowest percentage of residents living in food deserts, less than 1% (Chinni). Similarly, food
deserts had rates of adult diabetes that were five times higher than non-food desert areas.
Consistent exposure to high fat, processed products and fast-food restaurants puts food desert
residents on a road to a multitude of health risks. Therefore, access to fresh, unprocessed and
affordable food will help residents make healthy nutritional choices in an effort to reverse the
impact of obesity in these areas.
In order to combat economic and health issues that are omnipresent in food deserts across
America, locally-sourced food must become accessible to provide healthy and affordable options
for residents. Food deserts are usually not in close proximity to farms, let alone supermarkets,
most of which sell imported produce across the United States. The answer to the problem facing
food deserts is not simply to import more produce because often times, residents do not have
access to it in the first place. Rather, solving the obesity crisis will depend upon making healthy
foods more affordable, maximizing access, and ensuring its quality. Doing so will require
systems that are easy to implement, on the community. In Camden, New Jersey, one of the worst
food deserts in the United States, there are no areas to cultivate crops on open farmland.
Therefore, an indoor gardening system would provide the community with produce throughout
the year. It is proposed that hydroponic systems be used in Camden to provide fresh, healthy, and
affordable produce to residents. Hydroponic systems use mineral nutrient solutions to feed plants
in water without the use of soil (SimplyHydro). Plants are placed into a grow tray with a water

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reservoir underneath. The water, containing dissolved minerals and oxygen, is taken up by the
plant, allowing it to grow and produce crops. Sunlight is not necessary for plant growth in
hydroponic systems due to grow lights that provide the power for photosynthesis. Without the
need for soil or sunlight, these systems can be used indoors, allowing for optimum production at
anytime of the year. In fact, hydroponic growers have found that there is greater product yield
because when plants are grown hydroponically, they do not need large root systems (Woodford).
With smaller roots, more plants can grow in the same area and produce more. These systems
have the ability to be set up in any location, therefore can provide fresh produce to any
community (Bartok). Even in food deserts, a well managed hydroponic garden could be set up as
a source of fresh produce. It has the ability to grow large amounts of produce in an efficient
manner. With little to no access to usable farmland, Camden can greatly benefit from the use of
hydroponic systems. The growing environment can be controlled, allowing for faster plant
growth and harvesting. The use of hydroponic systems has the power to greatly impact the ways
in which residents of food deserts, specifically Camden, NJ gain access to fresh, local produce.
Due to the benefits of hydroponic systems, it is proposed that these systems be
implemented in a community garden setting in Camden, New Jersey so that residents gain access
to fresh, unprocessed, and affordable produce. In this food desert, where there is limited access to
farm land, community gardens made up of hydroponic systems would not require soil or much
space due to the compact and stackable nature of the systems themselves. To implement this
initiative, I implore Edward C. Williams, the Director of Department of Planning and
Development of Camden, NJ to assist with the effort. Mr. Williams works to serve the
community through business development, housing assistance, and project planning and
development. With economic assistance from the government, he would have the ability to enact

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this policy. In Camden specifically community hydroponic systems will stimulate the local
economy. Money spent on food purchased from these local gardens could be reinvested within
the community (Moore). With local gardens accessible to residents, there will be less reliance
upon processed and unhealthy food purchased from the local convenience store. This locallysourced food will be nutrient dense and in its peak form. Generating this shift from limited
access to healthy food to broad access will also work to combat health issues that often arise in
food desert areas.
In some food desert areas across the United States, green markets have been established
to support local farmers while providing fresh, healthy foods to underserved communities. In
New York City specifically, the Green Market Co. is dedicated to supporting regional food
producers by making their products available in a farmers market setting (GreenMarketCo).
New York City is home to some of the worst food deserts in America, yet throughout the five
boroughs of New York City, over 75 Green Markets exist, granting local residents access to
fresh, healthy produce. Over 200 local farmers are able to sell what they grow and many of the
crops have been harvested less than 24 hours before they reach the market. Unlike the
industrialized agriculture that is now present in the United States, these local markets provide
fresh, untainted produce to residents. Michael Hurwitz, the director of GreenMarket Co cites the
positive influence that greenmarkets have on the community, Our markets are truly centers of
community activity. We want everyone to smell and taste their way through; for community
groups to set up and let folks know what else is happening in the neighborhood and how they can
get involved. The large success of these Green Markets in New York City is promising for the
idea of implementing a similar sort of community market or garden in Camden, NJ. These
Green Markets function all year round thus providing constant access to healthy produce to the

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community. In Camden, a year round garden would be plausible due to the versatility of
hydroponics. With the success of the Green Market Co. in New York City, a similar subset of a
produce market using hydroponic systems would be very successful and beneficial in Camden,
New Jersey.
The function of agricultural systems across America have changed dramatically over the
past 200 years. From its original form as family run businesses to the large, conglomerate style
of agribusiness, farming has become largely industrialized. It now focuses on efficient,
increased output in order to meet consumer demands at lower prices. This method of farming has
driven small farms out of business and leads to the production of processed, calorie laden, and
cheap food. Consumers are beginning to recognize the environmental and health concerns
regarding industrialized agricultural systems and have an increased demand for locally sourced
products. In food desert areas, locally sourced produce and fresh produce in general is in limited
supply. Residents of these areas are forced to purchase processed and unhealthy food from local
convenience stores due to the lack of fresh supermarkets. This has led to an increase in obesity
and cardiovascular diseases, an issue that can be diminished by increasing access to fresh food
options to residents. Due to the success of green markets in food desert areas of New York City,
the implementation of similar green markets in the form of community gardens in Camden, NJ
would allow for the use of hydroponic systems The use of hydroponic systems would allow for
the efficient and plentiful cultivation of produce that will be accessible to local residents, thus
working to diminish obesity and health concerns presented in food desert areas. Residents of
food deserts once could only imagine of a time with fresh, affordable food. Now, the opportunity
has presented itself, and city legislators like yourself must take action.

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Works Cited
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<https://ag.umass.edu/fact-sheets/hydroponic-systems>.

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GRACE Communications. "Food Economics." Sustainable Table. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Mar.
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