36 MARCH 2023 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG tend to be small and easily saturated. Although aquaponics is becoming more mainstream, the general public is still not very familiar with the production practice or its benefits to health and the environment. Thus, consumers may not be willing to pay more for those products (Greenfeld et al. 2018). Surveyed aquaponic producers identified ‘marketing of food products’ as ‘very important’; however, there was a large discrepancy between perceived importance and access to information (Pattillo et al. 2021a, 2021b). Producers know the importance of marketing but have difficulty accessing information about successful strategies to reach consumers. Of 82 responses, producers used 3.6±1.5 advertising methods, indicating that it is important to diversify advertising efforts. The most commonly used methods to advertise were word-of-mouth (n=66), pointof-sale (n=59), social media (n=45) and email (n=42). The most commonly desired methods were search engines (n=28), print media (n=25), social media (n=23), signage (n=20) and radio (n=20). The most common unused methods were television (n=50), radio (n=38), signage (n=36) and no advertising (n=30). Types of market outlets included schools, functional health clinics, farmer’s markets, websites, virtual farmer’s markets and a state-provided list of institutions. Certifications. Product differentiation through certification is one strategy to increase product value and attract discerning customers. Some markets report a sales price for organically produced lettuce around twice that of conventional. However, there are expenses and paperwork associated with receiving and maintaining organic certification and organic standards exclude many of the typical plant supplements used in aquaponics (e.g., chelated iron and hydroxides). With the ever-changing policy on USDA organic certification, this may not be a reliable marketing tactic for aquaponic farmers. Becoming ‘Certified Naturally Grown (CNG)’ is another way to tap into higher produce prices at retail. As a sidestep to this hurdle, some aquaponic farmers market their produce as “better than organic.” Of 156 surveyed producers, we received certification responses from 80 (51 percent) on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and 75 (48 percent) on Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP). Only 65 (42 percent) responded to both questions (Fig. 1). With significant consumer education, farmers may convince consumers of their produce’s superiority and command a premium price. Solution Whenever possible, written letters of commitment for a specific volume of product with the agreed sales price should be obtained. Farmers should have many market options for their product throughout the year as competing products like field-grown crops become more available during the growing season. A diversity of crops produced can help farmers serve their clientele better and generate additional sales. Lettuce growers might consider growing different colors and varieties of leafy greens. Herbs like basil can be particularly lucrative because they grow well in aquaponics and are often sold at a higher price per unit. Cherry tomatoes can be sold in small packages and there are varieties with outstanding flavor that can remain productive over multiple seasons. Focusing on quality, taste and freshness helps aquaponic growers be competitive (Junge et al. 2017). Additionally, growers should consider the cost-benefit of growing out of season and whether it makes financial sense. Finally, think outside of the box. Food is not the only market for aquaponic products. Consider ornamental, medicinal, recreational and stock enhancement markets to find a niche. Market outlets for fish and plants can include on-farm sales, grocery stores, restaurants, other producers (e.g., stockers and fingerlings) and farmer’s markets (Love et al. 2015). Smaller, unprofitable farms tend to focus on local food sales in limited niche markets, which may be their only option considering their production scale and volume produced (Love et al. 2015). Challenge 4: Access to Capital Startup Capital. Startup money is hard to come by for aquaponic operations. Commercial aquaponic ventures are capital-intensive, with median investment costs exceeding $20/ft2 and median total costs of $47,000 (Pattillo 2021). Plus, aquaponics is generally perceived as high risk, especially with a lack of readily accessible, viable business models. According to our survey, 78 percent of commercial producers used personal funds to start and maintain their aquaponic businesses. Other private monies used included investor dollars (28 percent) and loans (20 percent). Grant monies are also obtainable but can be much more difficult to justify. Fifteen percent of commercial producers took advantage of government grants and 13 percent obtained private grants (Pattillo et al. 2022b). In general, loan officers unfamiliar with aquaponics will not approve a loan. Thus, financing will only be readily available when aquaponics can be demonstrated to be reliably profitable. Interestingly, 9 percent of respondents in our survey
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