Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
The 5th AVF International Summit - The International Vertical Farming And New Food System Conference & Exhibition - 2nd - 3rd September, 2021 In Munich, Germany.
A hybrid event, it is designed to welcome back delegates and participants for in-person meetings, networking, and exchanges relating to innovations, investments, business opportunities, strategic partnerships, and cooperation in our vertical farming industry across the globe
The Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) in official partnership with the German State of Bavaria through its Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Forestry announces the 5th AVF International Summit – The International Vertical Farming and New Food System Conference & Exhibition -- on 2-3 September 2021 in Munich, Germany.
A hybrid event, it is designed to welcome back delegates and participants for in-person meetings, networking, and exchanges relating to innovations, investments, business opportunities, strategic partnerships, and cooperation in our vertical farming industry across the globe.
We have prepared a two-day program of world-class keynotes, panels, roundtables, break-out sessions, and startup pitches to get everyone up to speed with the latest crucial developments and emerging trends in the various subsectors of our dynamic global industry. In addition, we are also organizing workshops on artificial intelligence, insect protein, robotics, automation, and sustainability certification.
And what’s more the city of Munich -- with its centuries-old culture, gastronomy, art, and architecture together with its vibrant, contemporary, and fun-loving modern incarnation – is eagerly awaiting your visit.
See You All In September
Click Here To Reserve Your Early Bird Tickets!
AVF Presents Advisory Board For 2021
The Advisory Board will support and advise AVF Board of Directors in all strategic developments, oversee the implementation of annual objectives and create a valuable ecosystem for the members to advance the Vertical Farming industry globally
AVF is honored to introduce our Advisory Board members for the year 2021, they are experts in their own fields and represent different sections of the indoor farming industry and academia.
The Advisory Board will support and advise AVF Board of Directors in all strategic developments, oversee the implementation of annual objectives and create a valuable ecosystem for the members to advance the Vertical Farming industry globally. AVF’s board and staff are pleased to have the support of this esteemed group going forward.
Ali Ahmadian is the CEO of Heliospectra and the chair of AVF’s Advisory Board for 2021.
Ali combines his passion for people and technology with 20 years of international business leadership experience to his position at the helm of Heliospectra.
Ali is globally recognized for his successful track record of developing new business and delivering profitable growth in a multitude of geographies. He has lived and worked in five different countries on three different continents over the course of his career. Highly skilled in integrating cultural and commercial experiences, he excels in establishing partnerships with different stakeholders and driving diverse teams to peak performance. Prior to joining Heliospectra, Ali was Vice President of Tetra Pak in Asia Pacific and served as a member of Tetra Pak’s global executive team.
Luis Trujillo is an Area Sales Manager at Hoogendoorn Growth Management.
He has more than 25 years of experience in markets with a strong focus on innovation and technology. He is currently with Hoogendoorn America.
Jasper den Besten is a professor at HAS University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands.
He is researching new cultivation systems, with a focus on cultivation without daylight. Since 2009, HAS University has been involved in very applied LED-lit climate cell research.
Hemant Julka is the Co-founder and COO at Veggitech in the UAE, a professional with over 3 decades of experience in business and technology.
He is a social entrepreneur with a vision to make a positive impact in transforming communities at the grass-root level. The Agro-Tech startup company, VeggiTech, is disrupting the Agriculture industry with protected Hydroponics and grow light-based Hydroponics.
Max Loesel is the CEO of Agrilution and one of the Co-founders of the AVF.
He is a young entrepreneur and has been engaging with activists for sustainable living to preserve our planet for years. He has pioneered a fully automated Vertical Farming home system with Agrilution.
For more information:
Association for Vertical Farming
info@vertical-farming.net
www.vertical-farming.net
Publication date: Wed 6 Jan 2021
UK’s Urban Agritech Sector Welcomes Announcement of Official Representative Collective
UKUAT brings together the UK’s key players in modern agricultural technologies
UKUAT Formalized As A Membership
Organization For Urban Agriculture
06 February 2020
The UK’s evolving agritech sector today welcomes the formation of a new membership group – the UK Urban AgriTech Collective (UKUAT).
UKUAT brings together the UK’s key players in modern agricultural technologies. It is a cross-industry group devoted to promoting the application of high-tech food production in urban areas to improve both local and wider food security by relieving dependence on resource-intensive supply chains. It will also be exploring the social, operational and metabolic synergies urban agritech can exploit through its integrations with the built environment which are conducive to more dynamic local economies and richer placemaking.
UKUAT’s 25-strong membership includes commercial urban farmers, multinational technology companies, renewable energy companies, architects, built environment professionals, academics, research-based organizations and more. It hopes to grow this number to 75 over the next two years and operates with a common representative voice to share information, educate and advocate for further adoption of urban agriculture in the UK. It will influence policy and help shape the debate around how high-tech food production in urban and peri-urban areas addresses increasing demands for a more transparent, sustainable and resilient UK food system.
Founder and Director Mark Horler commented: "We founded UKUAT to amplify the collective voice and activities of the agritech industry in the UK. As it continues to grow rapidly, and with that rate of expansion accelerating, the UK is positioned to be an international leader, both in the development of agricultural technology and its implications for more sustainable and resilient food systems"
Oscar Rodriguez, Director of design consultancy Architecture & food and UKUAT member said: “The UKUAT community is coming together at a very interesting time. Concerns over UK food security have emerged following Brexit and UKUAT believes leveraging agricultural technology and expanding our indigenous food production capacity while engaging urbanites to be more conscientious about their eating patterns are crucial ends of a worthy proposition.”
UKUAT was founded in 2017 by Mark Horler and formalized in January 2020. It continues to grow its presence in the UK and is collaborating with numerous international organizations to advance agritech solutions in urban and peri-urban environments across the world.
- ENDS -
Sent on behalf of UKUAT. For more information please contact: Mark Horler, UKUAT - email: info@ukuat.org
2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
The Aquaponics Association presents the 2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement, signed by over 130 organizations, including 98 from the U.S. This statement explains the food safety credentials of produce grown in aquaponic systems
The Aquaponics Association presents the 2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement, signed by over 130 organizations, including 98 from the U.S. This statement explains the food safety credentials of produce grown in aquaponic systems.
PDF version: 2019 Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
December 9, 2019
Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
Established Science Confirms Aquaponic Fish and Produce are Food Safe
Aquaponics is a food production method integrating fish and plants in a closed, soil-less system. This symbiotic relationship mimics the biological cycles found in nature. Aquaponics has been used as a farming technique for thousands of years and is now seeing large-scale viability to feed a growing global population.
Benefits of aquaponics include dramatically less water use; no toxic chemical fertilizers or pesticides; no agriculture discharge to air, water or soil; and less food miles when systems are located near consumers where there is no arable soil.
Aquaponics has consistently proven to be a safe method to grow fresh, healthy fish, fruits, and vegetables in any environment. Governments and food safety certifiers must utilize the most current, accurate information to make food safety decisions about aquaponics at this time when our food systems adapt to a growing population and environmental concerns.
Food Safety Certification for Aquaponics
For years, commercial aquaponic farms have obtained food safety certification from certifying bodies such as Global GAP, USDA Harmonized GAP, Primus GFS, and the SQF Food Safety Program. Many aquaponic farms are also certified USDA Organic. These certifying bodies have found aquaponics to be a food safe method for fish, fruits, and vegetables. As far back as 2003, researchers found aquaponic fish and produce to be consistently food safe (Rakocy, 2003; Chalmers, 2004). Aquaponic fish and produce continue to be sold commercially across North America following all appropriate food safety guidelines.
Recent Certification Changes Based on Unfounded Concerns
Recently, Canada GAP, a food safety certifier, announced that it will phase out certification of aquaponic operations in 2020, citing concerns about the potential for leafy greens to uptake contaminants found in aquaponic water.
Correspondence with Canada GAP leadership revealed that the decision to revoke aquaponics certification eligibility was based on research and literature surveys related to the uptake of pharmaceutical and pathogenic contaminants in hydroponic systems. However, these concerns are unfounded based on the established evidence.
First, the Canada GAP decision assumes that aquaponic growers use pharmaceuticals to treat fish, and that these pharmaceuticals would be taken up by plants causing a food safety risk.
In fact, pharmaceuticals are not compatible with aquaponics. Aquaponics represents an ecosystem heavily dependent on a healthy microorganism community (Rinehart, 2019; Aquaponics Association, 2018). The pharmaceuticals and antibiotics referenced by Canada GAP would damage the beneficial microorganisms required for aquaponics to function properly.
Second, the CanadaGAP decision misrepresents the risk of pathogenic contamination. Aquaponic produce – like all produce – is not immune to pathogenic contamination. However, aquaponics is in fact one of the safest agriculture methods against pathogenic risk. Most pathogenic contamination in our modern agriculture system stems from bird droppings, animal infestation, and agriculture ditch or contaminated water sources. In contrast, commercial aquaponic systems are “closed-loop” and usually operated in controlled environments like greenhouses. Almost all operations use filtered municipal or well water and monitor everything that enters and leaves the system.
Aquaponics and Food Safety
If practiced appropriately, aquaponics can be one of the safest methods of food production. The healthy microbes required for aquaponics serve as biological control agents against pathogenic bacteria. (Fox, 2012) The healthy biological activity of an aquaponic system competitively inhibits human pathogens, making their chances for survival minimal. This is, in effect, nature’s immune system working to keep our food safe, rather than synthetic chemicals.
The Government of Alberta, Canada ran extensive food safety tests in aquaponics from 2002 to 2010 at the Crop Diversification Centre South (CDC South) and observed no human pathogenic contamination during this entire eight-year period (Savidov, 2019, Results available upon request). As a result of this study, the pilot-scale aquaponic operation at CDC South was certified as a food-safe operation in compliance with Canada GAP standards in May 2011 (GFTC OFFS Certification, May 26, 2011). Similar studies conducted by the University of Hawaii in 2012 in a commercial aquaponic farm revealed the same results. (Tamaru, 2012)
Current aquaponic farms must be able to continuously prove their food safety. The U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act requires farms to be able to demonstrate appropriate mitigation of potential sources of pathogenic contamination as well as water testing that validates waters shared with plants are free from contamination by zoonotic organisms. So, if there is a food safety concern in aquaponics, food safety certifiers will find and document it.
Conclusion
The recent certification decision from Canada GAP has already set back commercial aquaponic operations in Canada and has the potential to influence other food safety certifiers or create unfounded consumer concerns. At a time when we need more sustainable methods to grow our food, it is essential to work on greater commercial-government collaboration and scientific validation to ensure fact-based food safety standards.
In order to expand the benefits of aquaponics, we need a vibrant commercial sector. And for commercial aquaponics to succeed, we need reliable food safety certification standards based on established science.
Consumers can feel secure knowing that when they purchase aquaponic fish and produce, they are getting fresh food grown in one of the safest, most sustainable methods possible.
Sincerely,
The Aquaponics Association, along with the undersigned entities
UNITED STATES
Alabama
Gardens on Air – A Local Farm, Inc.
Southern Organics
California
AONE Aquaponics
Fresh Farm Aquaponics
Go Fish Farm
SchoolGrown Aquaponics
Seouchae Natural Farming
Shwava, Inc.
University of California, Davis
Colorado
The Aquaponic Source
Bountyhaus School Farms
Colorado Aquaponics
Dahlia Campus for Health and Wellness Aquaponic Farm
Ecoponex Systems International LLC
Emerge Aquaponics
Flourish Farms @ The GrowHaus
Grand Valley Greens, LLC
GroFresh Farms 365
Northsider Farms LLC
Connecticut
Marine Bait Wholesale
Delaware
Aquaponics AI
Florida
The Aquaponics Doctors, Inc.
Aquaponic Lynx LLC
The Family Farm
GreenView Aquaponics, LLC
Sahib Aquaponics
Traders Hill Farm
Georgia
FM Aquaponic Farm
Georgia Aquaponic Produce LLC
TRC Aquaponics
Teachaman.fish
Ula Farms
Hawaii
Friendly Aquaponics, LLC
Idaho
FoodOlogy
Illinois
Central Illinois Aquaponics
Kentucky
Janelle Hager, Kentucky State University
K&L Organics
Purple Thumb Farms
West KY Aquaponics
Louisiana
Small Scale Aquaponics
Massachusetts
Aquaponics Academy
Lesley University
O’Maley Innovation Middle School
Maryland
Anne Arundel Community College
Greenway Farms, LLC
Missouri
Www.PlentyCare.Org
Minnesota
Menagerie Greens Inc.
North Carolina
Grace Goodness Aquaponics Farm, LLC
100 Gardens
New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
New York
iGrow News
Oko Farms
New Mexico
Desert Verde Farm
Growing the Greens
High Desert Aquaponics
Howling Coyote Farms
Lettuce, Etc. LLC
Openponics
Project Urban Greenhouse
Sanctuary at ABQ
Santa Fe Community College
Ohio
Berean Aquaponic Farms and Organics LLC
CHCA Eagle Farms
Wildest Farms
Williams Dairy Farms
Oklahoma
Freedom FFA
Greener Grounds LLC
Oregon
Alternative Youth Activity
Ingenuity Innovation Center
Live Local Organic
Triskelee Farm
Pennsylvania
Aquaponics at State High
Yehudah Enterprises LLC
Puerto Rico
Fusion Farms
Granja Ecologica Pescavida
Rhode Island
The Cascadia Bay Company
Tennessee
Great Head LLC
Texas
BioDiverse Technologies LLC
BnE Enterprises
East Texas Aquaponics, LLC
Gentlesoll Farm
HannaLeigh Farm
K&E Texan Landscaping
King’s Farm
Tarleton State University, Aquaponics Hydrotron
West Texas Organic Gardening
Utah
Aquaponics Olio
Wasatch High School
Virginia
Grace Aquaponics
INMED Partnerships for Children
Return to Roots Farm
Vermont
The Mill ART Garden, LLP
Washington
The Farm Plan
Impact Horizon, Co.
Life Tastes Good LLC
Northwest Aquaponics LLC
Wind River Produce
Washington, DC
Anacostia Aquaponics DC LLC
P.R. Harris Food Hub
AUSTRALIA
New South Wales
Wirralee Pastoral
Solum Farm
BHUTAN
Thimphu
Chhuyang – Aquaponics in Bhutan
BRAZIL
Rio Grande do Norte
Habitat Marte
Santa Catarina
Pedra Viva Aquicultura
BULGARIA
Burgas
Via Pontica Foundation
CANADA
Alberta
Agro Resiliency Kit (ARK) Ltd.
Fresh Flavor Ltd
Lethbridge College
W.G. Guzman Technical Services
British Colombia
Garden City Aquaponics Inc.
Green Oasis Foods Ltd.
Pontus Water Lentils Ltd.
Ontario
Aquatic Growers
University of Guelph
Power From Within Clean Energy Society
GREEN RELIEF
Quebec
ML Aquaponics Inc
Yukon Territory
North Star Agriculture
EGYPT
Cairo
Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research
FRANCE
Paca
Vegetal Grow Development
INDIA
Delhi
Prof Brahma Singh Horticulture Foundation, New Delhi
Karnataka
Blue’s and Green’s
Spacos Innovations Private Limited
ITALY
Turin
Grow Up
MALAYSIA
Negeri Sembilan
BNS Aquafresh Farming
NIGERIA
Abuja
University of Abuja
PHILIPPINES
Nueva Ecija
Central Luzon State University
Metro Manila, NCR
IanTim Aquaponics Farm
PORTUGAL
Madeira
True Spirit Lda
ROMANIA
Sectors 2 & 4
Bucharest Association of Romanian Aquaponics Society
SAUDI ARABIA
Riyadh
Aquaponica
SENEGAL
Senegal
Ucad Dakar
SINGAPORE
Singapore
Aquaponics Singapore
Contributors:
Brian Filipowich, Aquaponics Association
Juli Ogden, The Farm Plan
Dr. Nick Savidov, Lethbridge College
Tawnya Sawyer, The Aquaponic Source
Dr. R. Charlie Shultz, Santa Fe Community College
Meg Stout, Independent
Contact:
Brian Filipowich
info@aquaponicsassociation.org
References
Chalmers, 2004. Aquaponics and Food Safety. Retrieved from http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travis/Aquaponics-andFood-Safety.pdf
Filipowich, Schramm, Pyle, Savage, Delanoy, Hager, Beuerlein. 2018. Aquaponic Systems Utilize the Soil Food Web to Grow Healthy Crops. Aquaponics Association. https://aaasociation.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/soil-food-web-aug-2018.pdf
Fox, Tamaru, Hollyer, Castro, Fonseca, Jay-Russell, Low. A Preliminary Study of Microbial Water Quality-Related to Food Safety in Recirculating Aquaponic Fish and Vegetable Production Systems. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
Rakocy, J.E., Shultz, R.C., Bailey, D.S. and Thoman, E.S. (2003). Aquaponic production of tilapia and basil: comparing a batch and staggered cropping system. South Pacific Soilless Culture Conference. Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Rinehart, Lee. Aquaponics – Multitrophic Systems, 2019. ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture. National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Tamaru, Fox, Hollyer, Castro, Low, 2012. Testing for Water Borne Pathogens at an Aquaponic Farm. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
Center of Excellence For Indoor Agriculture Announces Launch of Networking and Marketplace Web Site
The goal of the Center is to accelerate growth and innovation in the industry through leadership, knowledge sharing, marketplace exchange, investment, programs and services, training, R&D, and advocacy.
Media, PA – Sept 24, 2019 – After leading a year-long study of two hundred indoor agriculture stakeholders that confirmed the need for a Center of Excellence, Eric W. Stein, Ph.D., co-founder and Executive Director is pleased to announce the launch of phase one of the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, which includes a membership-based networking platform and marketplace exchange web site that brings together 21st century farmers, entrepreneurs, technologists, suppliers, communities, universities, and government. The Center’s new features are available at indooragcenter.org
The goal of the Center is to accelerate growth and innovation in the industry through leadership, knowledge sharing, marketplace exchange, investment, programs and services, training, R&D, and advocacy. Phase two of its development includes raising capital and building a COE headquarters and technology demo facility in the greater Philadelphia area.
The Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture offers free Individual membership as well as paid Business and Institutional (e.g., university, non-profit, government) annual memberships based on size. Membership benefits include access to the following:
• Social Networking Platform
• Communities of Practice
• The COE Indoor Agriculture Supplier Marketplace
• Discounts on Products, Services, and Events
• Access to Partner Programs for Energy Savings and Job Search
• Access to an evolving library of Best Practices, Cases, Research, and Testing
• Promotion of Products and Brands
All indoor agriculture stakeholders are encouraged to join and discounts on memberships are available through the end of 2019.
“We are really excited to launch the new web site,” according to Eric W. Stein, Ph.D., co-founder and Executive Director of the Center of Excellence. “The site offers an opportunity to create a highly networked community for indoor agriculture that is available to the members throughout the year. We expect it will help investors find farms to invest in, help growers find the products and services they need, highlight key conferences and events, and develop a knowledge base of best practices, solutions, cases, and research. We invite all types of indoor growers to participate regardless of technology or product type; e.g., from greenhouses to plant factories and from leafy greens to mushrooms.”
According to Michael Guttman, co-founder and Director of Sustainable Development for Kennett Township, “The recent launch of the Indoor Agriculture Center of Excellence marks a turning point in the industry’s history. From now on there will be a comprehensive one-stop platform that provides news, education, social networking, and e-commerce for the whole industry - vertical farms, greenhouses, and mushroom farms, as well as facilities builders, equipment manufacturers, and a wide variety of service providers. The possibilities are endless.”
The Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture anticipates building its presence in the greater Philadelphia area, which affords proximity to the “Mushroom Capital” of the U.S. in Southern Chester County, PA as well as Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington, DC and New York. The area boasts advanced cold storage, packaging and distribution, a green-tech workforce, proximity to universities and schools, access to large consumer markets, and availability of land, capital and intellectual capital.
About Indoor Agriculture
Indoor agriculture is a means of growing produce and leafy greens indoors under controlled environmental conditions employing advances in lighting, automation and information management. Nearly $500 million dollars of venture capital has gone into the industry in the past five years (e.g., Hortidaily, 12/4/2017; Forbes 4/5/19). Indoor Ag is predicted to be a multi-billion-dollar industry that alters the way food is grown.
About Eric W. Stein, Ph.D.
Dr. Eric W. Stein is an Associate Professor of Business at Penn State and CEO of Barisoft Consulting Group. Dr. Stein has a Ph.D. in Managerial Science from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Physics from Amherst College. He has published numerous books, articles and academic papers in business. He has served as an advisor to municipalities including Kennett Township and the City of Philadelphia as well as advised businesses interested in setting up indoor farms. Dr. Stein has spoken at conferences including Indoor Ag-Con and FreshTech, and run workshops for the USDA on indoor farming. Dr. Stein designed and operates an indoor vertical farm (e3garden) to conduct applied research on the economics of indoor farms.
About Michael Guttman
Mr. Guttman is Director of Sustainable Development for Kennett Township (PA) and co-founder of the Center. He has been a visionary in the field of indoor agriculture by highlighting the contributions of mushroom farming to indoor agriculture. Mr. Guttman has spoken at several indoor farming conferences including FreshTech, Indoor Ag-Con, and Agtech NYC.
Media Contact Information:
Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture
info@indooragcenter.org
Anne H. Stein 484-416-5580
###
The African Association For Vertical Farming Joins The EBAFOSA
Established in mid-2015 and endorsed at the highest continental environment policy forum – the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), EBAFOSA focus is on climate proofing and maximising productivity of Africa’s agro-value chains
The African Association for Vertical Farming (AAVF) has announced that it is joining the Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA).
To expand the beneficial impacts of vertical farming, going beyond on-farm production to also integrate value addition is paramount. This is necessitated by the need to eliminate rising postharvest losses (PHLs) and leverage the process to unlock multiple enterprise opportunities along entire value chains. It is for this reason, and the urgent need to maximise agro-productivity while taking care of the environment that AAVF has joined the EBAFOSA.
Facilitated by the UN Environment, EBAFOSA is a countries-driven inclusive policy and implementation action framework that convenes multiple actors – state and non-state, individual and institutional – to forge complementary and mutually beneficial partnerships that connect the dots towards scaling climate action. But doing so from an enterprise paradigm that ensures market longevity.
Established in mid-2015 and endorsed at the highest continental environment policy forum – the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), EBAFOSA focus is on climate proofing and maximising productivity of Africa’s agro-value chains. The end being to convert inefficiencies along Africa’s agro-systems that cost over $48 billion each year, into food secure homes, income and enterprise opportunities and macroeconomic expansion. The core strategy applied is enterprise partnerships that decentralise appropriate clean energy – a climate solution - to power value addition of produce sourced from ecological production – a climate solution as well. This as the core, is combined with innovative financing, market incentives and policy feedback to catalyse growth of diverse enterprises with climate action co-benefits along entire value chains.
Youth being the majority in the continent and hence the most significant nonstate actor constituency are key in driving this “connecting the dots” approach. They are structurally guided and inspired to leverage their skills, ongoing work and existing enabling policies, and work collaboratively with their peers of complementary skilling towards undertaking climate action enterprises. Such voluntary mutual & complementary collaborations to drive climate enterprise actions are the EBAFOSA modus operandi called Innovative Volunteerism.
In all these, the EBAFOSA logic is that challenges for actors along Africa’s agro-value chains present opportunities for complementary actors with solutions having climate co-benefits. But that these two polar opposites need to be brought together. EBAFOSA provides the inclusive framework where these two polar opposites are brought together for collaborative solutions and unlocking enterprises.
To date, EBAFOSA innovative volunteerism actions are ongoing in over 40 counties across Africa.
AAVF looks forward to working with EBAFOSA and the mentioned stakeholders towards ensuring vertical farming catalyses growth of multiple climate action enterprises in areas of AAVF operations through innovative volunteerism.
Publication date: 8/8/2019
AVF Introduces Peter Lane As Interim Vice Chair
I don’t think there is a farmer’s son on the planet that hasn’t thought: there must be an easier way to make a living. I was no different- that is why, approximately 55 years ago, at the age of 10, I designed my first farm-engineering solution. And ever since leaving school in 1969, I have been in the electrical and controls industry in one form or another for 48 years.
by Peter Lane
I have worked as an engineer, site or project manager in near every industry since then from pharmaceutical and petrochem plants, to every form of power generation from nuclear to wind. I have worked on every kind of water treatment from sewage to ultra pure, on car plants and semiconductor plants, material handling, conveyors and sortation devices, to food and beverage plants in countries from as far apart as Azerbaijan and the USA, and most countries in between.
From all my experience over the years, I can safely say there is none more complex or fascinating as the controlled environment agriculture industry. In the mid-1980s I designed what is now a typical rack-and-shelf system and I went to Wageningen to learn what I could about growing tomatoes. Sadly, in those days before the LED light, it simply wasn’t economically viable. In 2014, I once again looked at the viability of what we now call vertical farming and immediately realised that there are so many solution variations- there is no one size fits all.
What works in a developed country would not work in the developing world and vice-versa, so I produced various blueprints that could be used as a template for a site-specific design. These included designs that worked where technology and resources were limited but had abundant sun and low-cost labour; and high-tech systems that would be suitable for areas where funding was more readably available but where labour and energy costs were seriously damaging the economic viability of any production facility.
Blueprinting innovation in Controlled Environment Agriculture
After failing to get all the funding for a project in Canada, I came back to the UK and I have now set up a new company called CEA Research and Development. We now have a new office in Coventry and the role of the company is to build, test and evaluate various prototypes suitable for the industry. We are currently working on several projects including the building and evaluation of a DC bus system with a direct DC supply for the LED lighting and all the other equipment for a working plant.
A secondary role of the company is to set up a training facility in Wales suitable for hands on training technicians and future technicians and operators of high density vertical growing facilities that tackle the issues of visibility, accessibility and maintainability that has caused so many problems in the industry so far. The year long course will cover all aspects of designing, building and operating a CEA growing facility, including project management training.
I am looking forward to shaping the industry future as part of AVF
As of the 16th of December, this year I was honoured at the AVF Annual General Meeting to be nominated and elected as the new Vice Chairman of the AVF. My engineering experience, and the plant and growing expertise of my co-vice chairperson, I hope will be beneficial to all the AVF members in helping guide them in their ambitions to design, build and operate profitable and successful businesses. The AVF is currently going through changes and evolving to better serve its members, to promote the industry, and to become a centre of information and support for its members and the industry at large. 2019 looks to be the start of a new and exciting era for the AVF and the industry.
For more information:
Association for Vertical Farming
Marschnerstrasse,
81245 Munich,
Germany
info@vertical-farming.net
Two Out of The Three Board Members of The Association For Vertical Farming Have Resigned
November 11, 2018
Tom Zoellner and Penny McBride, two out of the three members of the Board of Directors for the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF), have resigned with immediate effect. This leaves Christine Zimmermann-Loessl the single remaining member of the Board of Directors.
The decision to step down has not been taken lightly and is based on irreconcilable differences within the AVF Board regarding financial management, accountability and managing conflicts of interest. After a long and intense period of internal discussion and concerted attempts to resolve the differences in a constructive manner, no meaningful progress has been achieved. As a consequence, Zoellner and McBride cannot fulfil their duties and responsibilities as members of the Board of Directors anymore.
“It is unfortunate, in an organization like the AVF that could be the choice for the growing indoor farming industry, that conflicts of interests and inadequate transparency risks important partnership with the business community and public funding agencies”, Zoellner says. In 2017, the newly elected Board of Directors was tasked to professionalize the organization.
Among other steps, Zoellner and McBride attempted to implement an improved financial reporting and control system, to obtain basic insight into the association’s financials and to resolve concerns over allocation of membership fees. Despite their efforts and being in the majority, no agreement could be reached by the Board.
Zoellner reports, “Regrettably, it has not been possible to implement simple yet important improvements required to professionalize the association. We would like to apologize to all AVF members for this, as this was the agenda that members had been defined for the Board to execute.”
Concerns about the way of working within the AVF have not gone unnoticed. The organization has suffered from a steady erosion of membership over the past years and many more AVF members have terminated their membership recently. McBride adds: “We have done everything we could think of, but could not achieve the progress that is needed within the current organizational structure. Sadly, making it impossible for us to do our jobs according to the statutes.”
Zoellner and McBride see that the indoor farming industry has moved on already and are now considering different venues to serve the industry going forward. They look forward to engage in the continuing value proposition with constructive and transparent ways of working
For further information:
Tom Zoellner, tzollner@gmail.com, +41 79 361 75 20
Penny McBride, pennymori@gmail.com, +1 (307) 413-6797
Emily Griep Joins United Fresh In Food Safety Role
The United Fresh Produce Association has hired Emily Griep as manager of food safety. She recently received her Ph.D. from Cornell University as a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Needs Fellow in the area of food safety for a global economy, according to a news release.
Emily Griep has joined the United Fresh Produce Association as director of food safety. ( Photo courtesy United Fresh )
The United Fresh Produce Association has hired Emily Griep as manager of food safety.
She recently received her Ph.D. from Cornell University as a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Needs Fellow in the area of food safety for a global economy, according to a news release.
She has been a quality associate and quality engineer for General Foods.
“United Fresh has a long history of supporting the food safety needs of the fresh produce industry,” Jennifer McEntire, United Fresh vice president of food safety & technology, who Griep reports to. “The addition of Dr. Griep to the team expands our ability to respond to individual member requests and also proactively develop materials and deliver training that benefits the produce safety community.”
The position is new at United Fresh, and Griep will aid in ongoing initiatives such as the Harmonized Standard, and lead new projects to support the association’s scientific and policy objectives, according to the release.
Griep begins in July but is scheduled to attend the United Fresh Food Safety & Technology Council meeting June 25 in Chicago, at the United FreshTec Expo.
Related Topics:
United Fresh
Food safety
EU Aquaponics Association Launched
EU Aquaponics Association Launched
The EU Aquaponics Association (EUAA) was created last April, during the final conference of the EU Aquaponics Hub in London.
The newly established association aims to promote aquaponics in the European Union as well as globally while boosting and encouraging aquaponic food quality based on science and good practices. Also, it intends to build an online platform to facilitate the exchange of information between aquaponists, aquaculturists and horticulturists to further support the development of aquaponics.
Finally, the association plans to target all levels of education to widespread aquaponics knowledge with the hope of encouraging young people to get involved in this farming system.
The website of the EUAA, with more information about the association and how to join, will be online soon.
Source: INAPRO
Publication date: 5/22/2018