We Are a Disruptive Food Production and Distribution Technology

It is Time to Re Think the Food Value Chain
The Traditional Cost of Food - A confluence of natural and man made events has opened the door to a shift in the conventional food production and distribution model.  The Family Fish Farms Network is about to introduce a disruptive new technology bundle that will revolutionize our food system.

End The Industrialization of Food
 One of the largest ecological detriments of the industrialization of food in the last 50-years is the cost of transporting food hundreds of miles from where it is produced to where it is consumed.  Government subsidy of food production, as well as major petroleum subsidies have made it feasible to transport food economically from places as far away as China and Chile to North America for American consumers.  Events of the last few years have exposed the inherent un-sustainability of this kind of food system, and the interest in local food in America has skyrocketed.  The numbers of farmers markets and community gardens continue to increase from year to year, and more and more of the population is seeking ways to reduce their dependence on industrialized food and its deep dependence on subsidized fossil fuels.

Sustainability Means Local Food
Many people easily associate sustainability with energy efficiency, recycling, biking, public transportation, solar power, hybrid vehicles, and even shopping at local businesses, but few readily associate sustainability with food. ...
Publish Date: 10/18/2011 13:00
http://vodaplan.com/2011/10/sustainability-means-local-food/

A Disruptive Technology - Changing the Growing and Distribution Model

Our production and business models are disruptive and revolutionary in that they turn the present system around.  Instead of large centrally located farms located hundreds or some times thousands of miles from centers of population,  we envision a national network of urban micro farms located within the inner cities.  Ours is a sustainable food production and distribution system that will disrupt and restructure how America produces food...local food, locally grown.  Many people easily associate sustainability with energy efficiency, recycling, biking, public transportation, solar power, hybrid vehicles, and even shopping at local businesses, but few readily associate sustainability with food.  How and what we eat as a community has a major impact on long-term sustainability.  “Eating locally” is more than just a pleasant aphorism for the wealthier among us, it is an absolutely essential goal for any community wishing to encourage a healthier population, create local jobs, and support local business.

Aquaponics: Scale up, or Scale Down?

The Argument for Small Scale Local Food Production
If you serve a salad using lettuce harvested today from a local source it will taste measurably better that one harvested last week!  Given that the average head of lettuce travels 1,500 miles to market ... ?  Our argument is for a network of small micro farms circling a large city.  New York, Phil, DC, Atlanta, Chicago ... etc etc.

This will provide for security (one down system does not end production) Flexible consumer demand (each unit can produce 2 different products) and freshness (a local site can provide food that is hours not days from harvest)

The argument that large scale production is necessary to amortize plant and equipment is illusory in the

And ... it creates community economic development possibilities as well.  More jobs, more opportunity for ownership and community prosperity.  A national network of Reciriculating Aquaponics Systems (RAS) will provide an attractive opportunity for fresh local food, enhanced nutrition, and local engagement in the production of staple foods.  Scaling down in this case beats the scale up model every time.  Availability (12 months a year) Freshness (taste is the test) and Nutrition ( time erodes nutrient content of food)

Can We Make Commercial Aquaponics Work?

No Question - Aquaponics is the Future of Food!

Key issue -  Before aquaponics can take its place as a viable alternative to bland, empty corporate food, it must be able to secure substantive funding.  How do we get the investment needed to make this happen?   The Agribiz folks won't do it.  Why should they?  This goes against their "better living through chemistry .." model of massive fertilizer and pesticide application.  Why? Because they sell fertilizer and pesticides ... duhhhh!   It just ain't down their alley.  We have few successful examples of profitable aquaponics.  One reason is because of the boutique nature of the business at present.

Most aquaponic farms are demonstration and training facilities run by talented tinkerers, or a social entrepreneur.  Also, many farms exit on subsidies, grants, and/or are being deficit funded by the owner.  Aquaponics funding at the professional investor level is critical to solving the commercial business model.

Amy Crawford an Aquaponics Farmer from Northern California speaking at the 8th Annual Engineering Conference on Aquaculture,  Amy made the following address.   This highlights just how important professional funding is to the future success of this most promising technology.

An Interesting Challenge for Aquaponics
The majority of funding, of course, comes from the “industrial” corporations at the university research centers. Think CAFO … ie confined animal feeding operations… feed lots (cattle, hog, chicken, etc) that can maximize profits on the ...
Publish Date: 08/29/2010 18:14
http://theaquaponicsource.com/aquaponicgardeningblog/2010/08/29/an-interesting-challenge-for-aquaponics/


What our community needs is a well funded Aquaponics driven business model.

•  A dedicated, investor funded, stock corporation with a significant profit motive in addition to a social purpose.  
• ... a professional management team with modern process manufacturing and agricultural engineering abilities.  
• Aquaponics also needs to be optimized as a healthy, food production and distribution model!

A National Business Model and Roll Out Plan

The Family Fish Farm Network has an evolved, well thought out business model.  We can all participate.  Let's put our knowledge and experience together.  It is the only way we can overcome the combined interests of Agribiz and not permit this technology to be turned to no good purpose.  Join us here and help work towards a common goal. Go to our website: www.thefamilyfishfarmsnetwork.com and join our team.  Then sign-in link is  at the bottom of the site.  

As Peter Drucker, the father of American management once said, "... if you want to control the future, help participate in its design."

FFF Team Meets with City Council Staff in DC

Strategic Program Support for City Government

Today a team from MicroVenture Support and our Family Fish Farms Network met with Mr. Mark Long, Director of Constituent Services for Councilman at Large Vincent Orange.  This was our first meeting as a team.  I have known Mr. Long from other community activities and the mayoral campaign here in the city.  Present at the meeting:  J. Peloquin, L. Yahr, R. Tarrant, and Rob Ramson.  Mr. Tarrant is a former program officer at Covenant House (when our mayor was its executive director) and Mr. Ramson is a local businessman and community development advocate.

Public Private Sector Enterprise - NEW Green Jobs

The meeting was a great success in that Mr. Long (a former investment banker) really understood The Family Fish Farm Network model for bringing decent green jobs and economic prosperity to our communities.  This is a first step in engaging the city as an active supporter of our community economic development strategy:  The Family Fish Farms Network. We will advise as contacts and discussions continue.

Social Media Grows Fish

We have been active on Linkedin on our Family Fish Farms Group and others as well.  I am beginning to see more and more interest.  One of my recent contacts, a builder of trash stream recycling systems is working on an aquaponics development proposal at the request of a nearby mayor.  We are to draft an engineering specification and feasibility study in support of the eventual award and to build out the system as well.  I will advise as more details become available ... that is if this actually matures into a real project.

We also continue to blog and refine our social media strategy.  We are still limited by resources and skill but we will persavere and solve the minor issues that exist.  As you can tell we are making real progress.

A Repost from Linkedin's "Aquaponics Sustainable Farming Forum"

Commercial Aquaponics Needs a National Voice


When it comes to food production, even the largest scale aquaponics farms are lightweights compared to the Agribiz giants. If we are to have a real voice at the table we need two things. A national commercial success and a vocal, well funded advocacy effort here in Washington.

The good news is that we have logic on our side. All the primal indicators are with us. ... most of which are economic. We are also a triple bottom line business: Economically Viable, Environmentally Sound, and Socially Responsible. We have a fledgling national organization (it supports both Aquaponics and the more traditional Hydroponics) the organization is called: The Recirculating Farms Coalition. (www.recirculatingfarms.org) Marianne Cufon is the Exec. Dir.

We believe in small ... we believe in commercial. Our preference is for a distributive system of aquaponics micro farms all commercial and branded under a single name. The is what we intend The Family Fish Farms Network to achieve. We do NOT feel competitive with anyone and will open our minds and resources to anyone who wishes to pursue this most elegant and logical solution to a number of societal problems.  The list of benefits runs down the left hand side of this blog.  Read 'em and Cheer!

Vote for Investment in Aquaponics

White House Petition Initiative  Go to: http://wh.gov/4uO 
 PLEASE send this link out to your networks ...PLEASE!

We just launched a petition on the  white house web site asking for favorable tax incentives for investment in aquaponics systems to offset the cost of pollution, the carbon cost of food and as Marianne Cufone just published on the Recirculating Farms Coalition facebook page ...

U.S. PIRG put out a piece on childhood obesity, subsidies and growing commodity crops like soybeans and corn for sweeteners and high-fat oils. "Between 1995 and 2010, $16.9 billion in tax dollars subsidized four common food additives - corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, and soy oils." Would be great if recirc farms got that kind of help from the feds to provide healthy fresh food! http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/tax--budget-policy/tax--budget-policy--reports/apples-to-twinkies

Our Petition could go a long way towards getting the attention of policy wonks in the White House ... well, it might?

Aquaponics Urban Farming - 101

"We plan to develop the business models and operating standards for the next century food production - Aquaponics Farms"

The Family Fish Farms Model
Our company employs aquaponics, a combination of intensive aquaculture and hydroponics to grow different varieties of seafood and vegetables.  Our business model includes distributive production with small local operating units. In consumer terms this means a wide choice of fresh local food options in both vegetables and seafood.   The resulting diversity in product mix gives us the flexibility to be responsive to local and regional consumer demand.

Aquaponics works like this
The technology is at least 500 years old.  It uses natural processes to brow both high quality protein (seafood and fish) as well as organic quality vegetables in a closed loop system.  The fish effluent is filtered and bio digested to permit only the nutrients to flow into the  plant growing subsystem (see graphic)  The fish are kept happy in clean clear water that is exchanged every three  hours.  Fish are sized to eliminate competition for food and the water is oxygenated and carbon dioxide removed.  Fish are also fed with organic vegetable based protein to eliminate contamination.

MSNBC Green Planet with Brian Williams explains how Aquaponics can solve the twin problems of feedign a growing population while treading lightly on the environment.   Ann Thompson interviews a subsidized aquaponics site that also provides training for young people who will operate and maintain the future growing needs of our planet.