H.F. 488 Section 1. STUDY —— AQUAPONIC INTEGRATED PRODUCTION 1 SYSTEMS. 2 1. Iowa state university of science and technology in 3 cooperation with the department of agriculture and land 4 stewardship shall study the feasibility of soilless farming 5 using aquaponic integrated production systems in rural and 6 urban communities. The study shall consider the design and 7 management of those systems as a method to promote organic and 8 sustainable agriculture, water quality, and food security. The 9 study shall evaluate economically viable practices that promote 10 the use and expansion of integrated fish and crop production 11 systems, and areas of research regarding the short-term and 12 long-term advantages of promoting the use or expansion of those 13 systems as a food production alternative. 14 2. Iowa state university of science and technology in 15 cooperation with the department of agriculture and land 16 stewardship shall prepare and submit a report including 17 findings and recommendations to the governor and general 18 assembly by January 10, 2020. 19 EXPLANATION 20 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 21 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 22 This bill requires Iowa state university of science 23 and technology (ISU) in cooperation with the department 24 of agriculture and land stewardship (DALS) to study the 25 feasibility of using aquaponic integrated production systems 26 in rural and urban communities. ISU and DALS must prepare and 27 submit a report including findings and recommendations to the 28 governor and general assembly by January 10, 2020. Aquaponics 29 combines hydroponic production of plants and aquaculture 30 production of fish into an integrated agriculture system. 31 -1- LSB 1938YH (2) 88 da/rn 1/ 1