US: High school raises produce with aquaponics

FFA members at Moore High School, located about 10 miles south of Oklahoma City, grow produce in an unconventional way. In 2018, Moore FFA launched an impressive aquaponics system: They raise tilapia and bluegill to help nourish carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, bok choy, peppers, squash, zucchini, and more. “We’re an urban school, so we don’t have traditional livestock programs. Aquaponics is a great way to get our students involved in agriculture,” says Jessica Dunlap, Moore FFA advisor. Every product of the system goes to good use. At the end of the school year, after picking the produce, students harvest and fillet the fish to take home. “We have a vacuum sealer so students can package the fish and eat that protein at home,” Dunlap says. Members are responsible for taking care of the entire system, from the fish to the plants. Their system keeps growing; the chapter received Grants for Growing funds last fall that helped purchase more fish, seeds, and water-quality testing ...