Dear city/town people. You can throw around any numbers, mathematical figures, estimates, costs for financial success when moving into a farming venture....however unless you are a born and breed farmer (or spent many many years studying practical experience of farming within your ecological environment, you will almost likely fail. Thanks for this RU-vid upload😊.
Fully agree, one of the best places to pick up aquaponics gear is from aquaponics farms that went bankrupt. there is a reason for this!! Either the farming side goes wrong, the fish side goes wrong, or the business planning goes wrong. Or for legal reasons the whole thing is shut down. (Tilapia is considered an invasive species in many places...) Do your homework. Get help and advice, start small to learn the systems and make connections.
Oh shut it pretending you’re special bc you have farming experience. Most farms wouldn’t exist without government subsidies and is not a special skill. Urban farming is what is going to reduce some food costs and increase quality; not shipping cereal crops from the Midwest.
With around 90% of fish stocks coming from imports where is the opportunity for local aquaponic fish producers? are the permits for selling as food a roadblock?
Great Question... The opportunity is in providing the freshest possible fish to your local community(direct sales, markets, restaurants etc.). As a small scale producer your cost per lb. of fish will never match the price efficiency achieved through the large scale, low labor cost, low feed cost, and low standards of care that many foreign producers can take advantage of. You have to demonstrate that your fish is simply better and worth every penny. It will most definitely taste better for starters. You're also in control of the fish's entire life cycle, water quality, feed regimen etc. You're producing the fish in your local economy, and people want to support local farmers so their money goes into your fish and your fish go into their mouths. That's how it should be if we really want to strengthen our local economies and our local food sheds. If you are able to consistently supply local markets, then there are that many fewer orders going to China. Are the permits a roadblock? Generally speaking, no. Small scale aquaponic fish farmers will often sell their fish live and uneviscerated because of fewer permits and regulatory issues. Processing fish requires a significant investment in equipment and there are significant regulatory requirements so it's not usually practical for the small farmer. Check your state Dept of Health for their requirements.
@@jdsawyer8058 thanks… looking at it from food security point of view and hoping the government and/or the private sector bolster interest and support.
