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Technology Is Shaping The Future of Food But Practices Rooted In Tradition Could Still Have A Role To Play
Its executive summary said the food we consume — and the way we produce it — was “doing terrible damage to our planet and to our health.”
By Anmar Frangoul
August 6, 2021
From oranges and lemons grown in Spain to fish caught in the wilds of the Atlantic, many are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking the ingredients that go on our plate.
Yet, as concerns about the environment and sustainability mount, discussions about how — and where — we grow our food have become increasingly pressing.
Last month, the debate made headlines in the U.K. when the second part of The National Food Strategy, an independent review commissioned by the U.K. government, was released.
The wide-ranging report was headed up by restaurateur and entrepreneur Henry Dimbleby and mainly focused on England’s food system. It came to some sobering conclusions.
Its executive summary said the food we consume — and the way we produce it — was “doing terrible damage to our planet and to our health.”
The publication said the global food system was “the single biggest contributor to biodiversity loss, deforestation, drought, freshwater pollution and the collapse of aquatic wildlife.” It was also, the report claimed, “the second-biggest contributor to climate change, after the energy industry.”
Dimbleby’s report is one example of how the alarm is being sounded when it comes to food systems, a term the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN says encompasses everything from production and processing to distribution, consumption and disposal.
According to the FAO, food systems consume 30% of the planet’s available energy. It adds that “modern food systems are heavily dependent on fossil fuels.”
All the above certainly provides food for thought. Below, CNBC’s Sustainable Future takes a look at some of the ideas and concepts that could change the way we think about agriculture.
Growing in cities
Around the world, a number of interesting ideas and techniques related to urban food production are beginning to gain traction and generate interest, albeit on a far smaller scale compared to more established methods.
Take hydroponics, which the Royal Horticultural Society describes as “the science of growing plants without using soil, by feeding them on mineral nutrient salts dissolved in water.”
In London, firms like Growing Underground are using LED technology and hydroponic systems to produce greens 33-meters below the surface. The company says its crops are grown throughout the year in a pesticide free, controlled environment using renewable energy.
With a focus on the “hyper-local”, Growing Underground claims its leaves “can be in your kitchen within 4 hours of being picked and packed.”
Another business attempting to make its mark in the sector is Crate to Plate, whose operations are centered around growing lettuces, herbs and leafy greens vertically. The process takes place in containers that are 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet tall.
Like Growing Underground, Crate to Plate’s facilities are based in London and use hydroponics. A key idea behind the business is that, by growing vertically, space can be maximized and resource use minimized.
On the tech front, everything from humidity and temperature to water delivery and air flow is monitored and regulated. Speed is also crucial to the company’s business model.
“We aim to deliver everything that we harvest in under 24 hours,” Sebastien Sainsbury, the company’s CEO, told CNBC recently.
“The restaurants tend to get it within 12, the retailers get it within 18 and the home delivery is guaranteed within 24 hours,” he said, explaining that deliveries were made using electric vehicles. “All the energy that the farms consume is renewable.”
Grow your own
While there is a sense of excitement regarding the potential of tech-driven, soilless operations such as the ones above, there’s also an argument to be had for going back to basics.
In the U.K., where a large chunk of the population have been working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, the popularity of allotments — pockets of land that are leased out and used to grow plants, fruits and vegetables — appears to have increased.
In September 2020 the Association for Public Service Excellence carried out an online survey of local authorities in the U.K. Among other things it asked respondents if, as a result of Covid-19, they had “experienced a noticeable increase in demand” for allotment plots. Nearly 90% said they had.
“This alone shows the public value and desire to reconnect with nature through the ownership of an allotment plot,” the APSE said. “It may also reflect the renewed interest in the public being more self-sustainable, using allotments to grow their own fruit and vegetables.”
In comments sent to CNBC via email, a spokesperson for the National Allotment Society said renting an allotment offered plot holders “the opportunity to take healthy exercise, relax, have contact with nature, and grow their own seasonal food.”
The NAS was of the belief that British allotments supported “public health, enhance social cohesion and could make a significant contribution to food security,” the spokesperson said.
A broad church
Nicole Kennard is a PhD researcher at the University of Sheffield’s Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures.
In a phone interview with CNBC, she noted how the term “urban agriculture” could refer to everything from allotments and home gardens to community gardens and urban farms.
“Obviously, not all food is going to be produced by urban agriculture, but it can play a big role in feeding local communities,” she said.
There were other positives, too, including flood and heat mitigation. “It’s … all those benefits that come with having green spaces in general but then there’s the added plus, [which] is that you’re producing food for local consumption.”
On urban farming specifically, Kennard said it provided “the opportunity to make a localized food system” that could be supported by consumers.
“You can support farms that you know, farmers that you know, that are also doing things that contribute to your community,” she said, acknowledging that these types of relationships could also be forged with other types of farms.
Looking ahead
Discussions about how and where we produce food are set to continue for a long time to come as businesses, governments and citizens try to find ways to create a sustainable system that meets the needs of everyone.
It’s perhaps no surprise then that some of the topics covered above are starting to generate interest among the investment community.
Speaking to CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” in June, Morgan Stanley’s global head of sustainability research, Jessica Alsford, highlighted this shift.
“There’s certainly an argument for looking beyond the most obvious … ways to play the green theme, as you say, further down the value and the supply chain,” she said.
“I would say as well though, you need to remember that sustainability covers a number of different topics,” Alsford said. “And we’ve been getting a lot of questions from investors that want to branch out beyond the pure green theme and look at connected topics like the future of food, for example, or biodiversity.”
For Crate to Plate’s Sainsbury, knowledge sharing and collaboration will most likely have a big role to play going forward. In his interview with CNBC, he emphasized the importance of “coexisting with existing farming traditions.”
“Oddly enough, we’ve had farmers come and visit the site because farmers are quite interested in installing this kind of technology … in their farm yards … because it can supplement their income.”
“We’re not here to compete with farmers, take business away from farmers. We want to supplement what farmers grow.”
Lead Photo: Fruit and vegetable allotments on the outskirts of Henley-on-Thames, England.
Exeter Town Council Considers Turning Schartner Farm Into Massive High-Tech Agricultural Project
On Wednesday, the Exeter Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposal for a zoning change that will allow for the development of a high-tech farm, with huge parking areas for trucks, a building the size of the Warwick Mall, and a 13 acre solar farm.
By Frank Prosnitz
August 8, 2021
On a crisp October morning, leaves turning the color of the rainbow and pumpkin patches filled with pumpkins awaiting children to turn them into Jack-O-Lanterns, thousands of parents, children, and grandparents would flock to Schartner Farm in Exeter.
They’d likely find the home-cut French Fry stand, and inside freshly baked pies, homemade jams and newly picked apples of every variety, fresh vegetables and fruits, and an array of Mums.
But that was all a few years ago, before the 150-acre farm closed when a fire partially destroyed its main building in 2015, leaving fields that once produced corn and strawberries, pumpkins, and large variety of vegetables, to go fallow. The farm was founded more than a century ago, in 1902.
Farm buildings were left behind decaying, greenhouses in disrepair, and nearby residents fearful that the land would become a strip mall, the likes of which are found only in Rhode Island’s more urban areas.
On Wednesday, the Exeter Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposal for a zoning change that will allow for the development of a high-tech farm, with huge parking areas for trucks, a building the size of the Warwick Mall, and a 13 acre solar farm.
Some in the community are fearful the council will approve the zone change and a project that will forever change the character of the land, and possibly the community. Others see it as providing a needed food source, making the property productive again.
The zone change, proposed by Richard Schartner of RI Grows, would establish a Controlled Environmental Agricultural Overlay District that, according to the town’s public hearing notice “would contain eligibility and process standards for establishing Controlled Environmental Agriculture (“CEA”) facilities which provide a controlled environment for year-round production of food and plants using a combination of engineering, plant science, and computer managed greenhouse control technologies to optimize plant growing systems, plant quality and production efficiency. The “CEA” facilities would also include onsite solar power as a ‘by-right’ accessory use to the primary CEA agricultural facility.”
In other words, high-tech greenhouse that are driven by technology, a building that would reportedly be 35 feet high and cover 20 acres, powered by solar energy.
The council’s public hearing is being held at the Metcalf School and begins at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
In June, Rhode Island Grows broke ground for a 25-acre indoor tomato farm on Schartner Farm. At the time it was reported, the farm would have hydroponics technology, powered by solar energy, using recycled rainwater.
According to the RI Department of Environmental Management, the tomato farm facility would cost $57 million and take eight months to build, produce 14 million pounds of tomatoes, and employ 80 people. DEM said it is only the first phase of the $800 million project that will eventually add 10 greenhouses over the next decade.
“As industrial agricultural in other areas of the country and central America have squeezed out local farms, this self-sufficient facility will enable the Schartner family to continue their century of farming in Rhode Island with another 100 years,” the DEM said in a statement.
Opponents of the proposed zone that would permit the new high-tech farming, are concerned that the process is more manufacturing than farming and “since a CEA (Controlled Environmental Agriculture) does not need farmland, should a huge CEA be located on a farm when preserving what’s left of Rhode Island’s farms is critical?” wrote Megan Cotter of the Exeter Democratic Town Committee.
“The project would negatively impact the scenic beauty of Route 2 and disrupt the quality of life for all in the vicinity,” she wrote. Cotter emphasised she’s not opposed to high-tech farming but feels it’s more appropriate in industrialized locations.
Another Exeter resident, Asa Davis, who owns more than 100-acres in town, is a strong proponent of the project.
“If you really want to preserve things like natural resources for future generations, you don’t use them,” Davis wrote. “Traditional agriculture can wear land out, and uses a lot of water, fertilizer and pesticides. The 1930’s Dust Bowl in the Midwest was man-made, not a natural occurrence. If we want to preserve water and farming resources for future generations, CEA looks like a good solution. The greenhouse is big, but it’s got a dirt floor. If it doesn’t work out, it wouldn’t be hard to remove it and revert to traditional farming – nowhere near the cost or effort of removing a shopping mall.”
Lead Photo: On Wednesday, the Exeter Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposal for a zoning change that will allow for the development of a high-tech farm, with huge parking areas for trucks, a building the size of the Warwick Mall, and a 13 acre solar farm.
Farm Tech Investing Is Accelerating Faster Than Ever – New Report
‘Farm tech’ investing soared to $7.9 billion in 2020, topping 2019 investments by $2.3 trillion, or 41%, according to AgFunder’s latest Farm Tech Investment Report.
By Jessica Pothering & Louisa Burwood-Taylor
August 4, 2021
We’ve been watching the surge of investor interest in upstream, close-to-the-farm technologies since the Covid-19 pandemic started. We now have numbers that show just how significant that farm tech investor interest is.
‘Farm tech’ investing soared to $7.9 billion in 2020, topping 2019 investments by $2.3 trillion, or 41%, according to AgFunder’s latest Farm Tech Investment Report. [Disclosure: AgFunder is AFN‘s parent company.]
To put this in perspective, farm tech’s acceleration was about six percentage points greater than agrifoodtech overall — that’s foodtech and farm tech combined — and 37 percentage points higher than global VC’s year-over-year increase in 2020 (which Crunchbase pegged at just 4%.)
Much of the investment activity was led by two sectors: Ag Biotechnology and Novel Farming Systems (mostly the indoor farming of crops and insects). Investors pumped more than $1.5 billion into each category. Ag Biotech companies attracted particular interest from investors: 173 deals closed, representing 58% growth from 2019. Novel Farming Systems deal activity grew by 47% year-over-year.
As difficult as 2020 was globally (2021 hasn’t been pretty in many parts of the world), the pandemic seems to have buoyed farm tech because it “exposed cracks in the industrial agricultural system,” particularly the vulnerability of the food supply chain, Infarm’s CEO Erez Galonza told AFN in an interview featured in the report. The German hyper-local vertical farming venture, whose modular units can be found in grocery stores across Europe, secured $170 million from investors last year.
“[The pandemic] highlighted the need for resilient, localized solutions,” he added.
Farm tech funding 2012-2020
Yellow bar denotes projected total by end of 2021 as more 2020 data come to light. Credit: AgFunder
SPACs for best-funded farm tech categories
Perhaps the biggest winner, in that sense, was US-based high-tech greenhouse operator, AppHarvest. The company announced plans to go public last September via a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. It officially listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in January, just weeks after shipping its first harvest.
AppHarvest recently purchased robotics leader and AgFunder portfolio company Root AI, making founder Josh Lessing the publicly listed company’s new CTO. Read more here.
AppHarvest kicked off a SPAC trend for Farm Tech companies, and Novel Farming ventures specifically. We’ve since seen four other agrifoodtech companies announce plans to go public through SPACs: agbiotech companies Benson Hill and Gingko Bioworks and novel farming ventures AeroFarms and Local Bounti. (Keep up to date with agrifoodtech SPAC news here.)
It is interesting to see public listing activity happening in the two agrifoodtech sectors that surged the most in terms of deal activity last year; it signals that there could be more to come if the process proves successful for these early case studies. For now, it’s certainly providing an exit opportunity to early agtech ventures that bet on deep technologies requiring significant amounts of time (and certainly hefty commitments of resources) to become revenue-generating, much less profitable.
That in and of itself is a significant milestone for a maturing agtech industry.
Pandemic pivots
It isn’t all about Ag Biotech and Novel Farming Systems; the biggest deals of 2020 were in the Agribusiness Marketplace sector. Boston-based Indigo Ag raised two investment rounds, totaling $535 million last year, and San Carlos, Calif.-based Farmers Business Network raised $250 million.
Indigo Ag’s executive team told AFN that because it deals directly with the food supply chain, the company confronted an immediate shock from the pandemic.
“The global pandemic was an external challenge that required our team, like many others, to quickly adapt to ensure that our customers and employees were supported,” they said in a special interview featured in the report. “While we were fortunate that our operations were not significantly impeded by the pandemic, we did have to quickly expand our support services and tap our creativity to enable our farmers, buyers and partners to manage their business with confidence during the early stages of Covid-19.”
The company launched a transport support hotline for grain growers, carriers and shippers to ensure the supply of grain could continue to move as efficiently as possible. It also focused on developing pricing tools, access to grain marketing advisors, and even a podcast to help growers grapple with pandemic-related market volatility.
Indigo Ag isn’t a stranger to unchartered business terrain. The company has put itself in the middle of the evolving but murky carbon markets. “With new players entering the carbon space nearly weekly – many taking less rigorous approaches to verification and measurement – Indigo has remained steadily focused on enabling farmers to make informed decisions about how, when and why to participate in the carbon market,” the Indigo Ag team told AFN.
They added: “By leveraging our scientific insight, technological capabilities, and use of industry-leading carbon accounting protocols, Indigo ensures farmers are supported with the right tools and information to take advantage of the opportunity to raise a new and increasingly valuable crop: carbon.”
Food’s sustainable future
Verification of carbon-capture accounting is indeed getting increased attention and scrutiny. It’s likely to be a key theme in the agriculture industry going forward, and it’s one of AgFunder’s key trends to watch in 2021, alongside overall food system sustainability.
“We can invent a new, sustainable food industry, feeding the planet all the while protecting its biodiversity, and combatting climate change,” the executive team behind French insect farming venture Ynsect told AFN. The company sees insects as a crucial component of food’s sustainable future.
“Insects can aid food security and be a part of the solution to food shortages, given their high nutritional value, low requirements for land and water, low emissions of greenhouse gases, and the high efficiency at which they can convert feed into food,” the Ynsect team argued in an interview featured in the report.
Investors seem to agree: Ynsect scored the largest amount of funding in the novel farming sector in 2020, raising $222 million in 2020, taking its Series C total to $372 million, to build an industrial-sized farm for its Molitor mealworms near the city of Amiens. Ynsect went on to acquire Dutch insect farming company Protifarm in April of this year.
Many of the world’s consumers may as yet be skeptical of insects as a protein source. But consumer consciousness and demand for high-quality, low-environmental impact foods is certainly a trend influencing the evolution of Farm Tech, as evidenced by the range of startups that attracted funding in 2020.
Ag Biotech ventures like Benson Hill, GreenLight Biosciences, and Pivot Bio secured investor backing for helping to diversify crop input technology away from environmentally-harmful synthetic chemicals.
Novel Farming ventures are developing highly efficient and resource-conservative approaches to growing fresh foods.
Farm Management Software, Sensing & IoT companies like ICEYE, Aclima and Cervest are illuminating climate change impacts and helping companies anticipate and forecast climate-related disruptions.
Food preservation technologies like Apeel Sciences’s are helping reduce food waste, as are e-grocery services like Misfits Market and Imperfect Foods, which sell “ugly produce” that would otherwise be wasted among their fresh foods and grocery offerings.
Companies like Celtic Renewables are turning farm waste into a resource through the production of biofuels.
“As companies increasingly make commitments to improve their environmental impact – and governments at all levels enact policies to encourage climate-smart agriculture,” said the Indigo Ag team, “the opportunity for agriculture to act as a climate solution will only become more apparent.”
Welcome To Our Farm Within A Farm
But now all of the hard work and waiting has come to fruition as we are now ready to welcome you into our new Micro Farm: A Farm Within a Farm.
August 5, 2021
What is CEA?
Over the past year or so you may have heard us at Vertical Harvest referring to our “conversion” project – the construction of which has been the cause of some product delays and shortages. But now all of the hard work and waiting has come to fruition as we are now ready to welcome you into our new Micro Farm: A Farm Within a Farm.
The idea emerged when we noticed an increase in demand from our local chefs and grocery stores to supply more microgreens and petite greens. This happened to align with an internal ambition we have been fostering to implement a fully Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) system within our greenhouse. The new compartment has 4,000 sq feet of rack systems growing micro and petite greens fully independent of the whims of nature.
This farm is our next iteration for creating efficient and scalable growing systems. As we are seeing greater fluctuations in our local and national climates it has become increasingly important to us to delve into the capabilities of a growing system that is fully self-contained and not dependent on external changes in light and temperature. Instead, the greens will be nurtured in light and temperature conditions that are ideal to their growth cycles. This space has also increased our greenhouse production by 200%, meaning we can get our community more of the greens it loves both at home and when dining out.
Though our Maine greenhouse will incorporate some different technology, it will have a tray system that is very similar to this new compartment; so we have also reserved a portion of this new space to trial products and improve growing methods to ensure that our Westbrook greenhouse will have all the resources and information needed to hit the ground running when it plants its first seeds. We are already growing in the new space, training our employees on the new system, and getting our greens to customers. Vertical Harvest has always integrated different techniques and changed to growing demands, this project has been challenging and rewarding and will go on to influence all of our future greenhouses.
How Next-Gen Agri-Techniques Could Deliver Multi-Fold Productivity Gains And Combat Hunger In India
We have come across hydroponics, where plants are grown in inert medium like rocks or coir and are fed with nutrient rich water is probably the most well researched method. And there is aquaponics, where fish are reared in water along with plants.
By Dr. Richard Lobo
August 3, 2021
In the early 1700s, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to George Washington, “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will, in the end, contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.”
Farming has, over the years, changed the course of human civilisation, and then we took on a high premium on land as a key factor of agricultural production. The quality of soil, its fertility, nurture, and value has been a key social and political conversation over centuries.
Over the ages, advances were recorded through mechanisation, irrigation, and fertilisers, and all revolved around improving land and soil quality. However, the latest advances of today are bringing the centrality of land itself in question.
Yes, we are talking about farming practices and methods that do not use land at all. We have come across hydroponics, where plants are grown in inert medium like rocks or coir and are fed with nutrient rich water is probably the most well researched method. And there is aquaponics, where fish are reared in water along with plants.
However, the most interesting among them is aeroponics – growing of plants in air, with the roots not touching the soil but getting their nutrients and water from a nutrient laden mist that is created around the roots periodically.
This method of agriculture was conceived in order to find a way of growing food in space. While the term was coined by Dutch biologist Frits Warmolt in 1957, it only saw some traction in the mid-eighties when patents were filed and aeroponically food was sold in European markets.
Today Asian countries like Vietnam are adopting aeroponics in a big way for a low cost certified disease-free organic produce.
The global Aeroponics market was valued at $578.70 million in 2018, and is projected to reach $3.53 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 25.60 percent from 2019 to 2026.
While not much data is available for aeroponics in India, we can get an idea from how the hydroponics market in the country is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.53 percent between 2020 and 2027, according to a report by DataM Intelligence.
Less land and scalable agriculture
Aeroponics technique is also known as vertical farming as the crops can be grown in vertically stacked layers in smaller spaces. This gives a huge opportunity for farmers with smaller land holdings to grow crops in enclosed places by taking away the primacy of land and its cyclicality out of the equation. It also allows farming without lower capital investment as much less land is required.
In a predominantly agrarian country like India, aeroponics holds the potential to contribute to the development of the sector and boost production. The technique requires only 10 percent of the area traditional farming needs.
According to NASA, aeroponically grown plants can be harvested three times faster and the yields are more consistent. As nutrients are sprayed onto the plants and roots, and there's plenty of oxygen and other gases in the growing chamber for roots to absorb.
There are a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that can be grown using aeroponics system. Cucumbers, tomatoes, leafy vegetables, pumpkins, gourds, melons, strawberries, and various herbs can be grown with the help of these techniques in closed spaces.
Less water and sustainable farming
Farming in closed spaces has other advantages. Since nutrients are delivered through a mist, water usage is low. Aeroponics uses almost 90 percent less water than in traditional farming. Also, due to the controlled environment and better use of space, aeroponic farms are able to reduce the carbon footprint of food production.
Farming in a confined space gives the farmer control over pest and locust attacks and sudden heat waves.
In a country like India, space is always an issue. There is a constant pressure on agricultural land and its conversion to other uses and we are losing about 3,000 acres of farmland to real estate or industrial development every day. With Aeroponics the discussions around farming can move away from land constraints to focussing more on sustainable farming techniques.
Sustainability will be a key factor in India’s farming future. India may face devastating climate change effects, including killer heat waves and severe floods, in the next 80 years, says a recent study published in the journal 'Earth Systems and Environment'. The effects of climate change are now becoming severe at an alarming rate.
A farming system that uses less water, operates in a controlled environment leading to lesser wastage can be a boon for the cause of sustainability, especially in a populous country like India.
As aeroponics promises to solve multiple problems through its innovative approach to farming and it is time the technology got its due attention.
The Art Of Growing Plants Without Soil – Aeroponics, And Hydroponic
Historically, humans have grown crops in soil and they could not think of growing them in the air or a liquid but the advent of modern science and technology has made it possible
Jenna Walter
July 12, 2021
The post-apocalyptic scenario depicted in Wall-E shows that the planet earth had turned into a barren wasteland, although the movie shows a seedling growing out of a shoe, a possible solution would have been the use of aeroponics and hydroponics. These processes of growing plants without soil as a medium are mind-boggling for many.
Historically, humans have grown crops in soil and they could not think of growing them in the air or a liquid but the advent of modern science and technology has made it possible.
Hydroponics:
Hydroponics requires an aqueous solvent to grow a plant. The hydroponic system will control the environmental conditions of the plant. These conditions include the temperature and the pH balance. Simultaneously it also maximizes plants’ exposure to nutrients and water.
Hydroponics has a simple philosophy that is to provide the exact things the plant needs to grow. The administration of nutrient solutions is tailored to the needs of the particular plant being grown. The system will let the researchers control the exact amount of sunlight needed and for how long it is needed. These conditions are customized and controlled to accelerate the growth of the plant. The controlling of these factors helps reduce the chances of diseases or stunted plant growth.
On the contrary, plants that are grown in conventional conditions are more susceptible to growth issues. The soil of these plants can have fungus which can spread to the plants. Conventional plantations are also vulnerable to wildlife. Locusts attacks are also common on crops. They are known to consume whole fields in a day.
The hydroponics system can end the uncertainty that comes with growing plants outdoors. The soil only acts as a barrier for the seed while a hydroponic system allows a plant to grow vigorously.
If you are into trying out hydroponics you can buy a hydroponic garden kit. It will help you grow your favorite plants within your home.
Aeroponics:
Aeroponic systems will use the nutrient-laden mist to provide the plant necessary nourishment. It is based on the above-mentioned hydroponics systems in which the roots are submerged in a soilless growing medium.
The aeroponic eliminates the growing medium, the roots are left mid-air hanging from the pieces of foam stuffed into tiny pots. The roots are sprayed with nutrient-rich mist from time to time using specially designed devices that let you control the amount of mist, its pressure, and direction.
The seeds are planted in the foam stuffed tiny pots. On one side of the seed is light and on the other side is the mist. The foam helps to hold the plant as it grows over time.
The Use Of This Technology In Future
In the future use of these technologies will only increase. Climate change and global warming are making it difficult to grow crops using conventional methods. The earth is becoming barren due to aggressive farming practices.
The only solution left would be to use hydroponics and aeroponics. They offer more control over the growth of the plant. They can help increase crop production and they are safer because they do not use pesticides or insecticides.
US (IA): Removing Seasonality by Rolling Out Multiple Farms Throughout The State
“We want Nebullam Farms to be available in every city throughout the US, so we can fulfill our mission of creating access to reliable and local food for everyone, year-round,” says Clayton Mooney, founder of Nebullam
By Rebekka Boekhout
July 6, 2021
“We want Nebullam Farms to be available in every city throughout the US, so we can fulfill our mission of creating access to reliable and local food for everyone, year-round,” says Clayton Mooney, founder of Nebullam.
Over half of the Nebullam team is comprised of Iowa State University Alumni. Today, Nebullam HQ and its Nebullam Farm 1 in Ames, located in the Iowa State University Research Park. At the end of this year, the company will be launching Nebullam Farm 2, which will be in another location in Iowa.
Clayton Mooney, founder
Tomatoes as a cash cow
The company’s staple food is Red Butterhead Lettuce. Next to that, Nebullam grows Red Oakleaf lettuce, pea shoots, micro radish, broccoli sprouts, and cherry- and slicer tomatoes. “What we grow comes from direct feedback from our subscribers. Tomatoes are a great example, as we started trialing them in mid-2020, delivered samples to chefs, produce managers, and subscribers,” notes Clayton. He says that their feedback helped to bring the tomatoes to market 3 months earlier than expected, which has continued to add to Nebullam’s revenue. Now, the company is looking at peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, and spinach, which are subscriber requests.
Read the rest of the article here
For more information:
Clayton Mooney, founder
Nebullam
c@nebullam.com
www.nebullam.com
Ocado To Fund New Vertical Farm Near Bristol As Sales Leap
Ocado is planning to “assist” with the building of a vertical farm near Bristol, it has announced. The online grocer said it had invested £5 million in Lincolnshire-based Jones Food Company (JFC) as part of a wider £25 million raise
By Holly Williams, Hannah Baker, David Laister
July 6, 2021
Ocado is planning to “assist” with the building of a vertical farm near Bristol, it has announced.
The online grocer said it had invested £5 million in Lincolnshire-based Jones Food Company (JFC) as part of a wider £25 million raise.
The funding will be used to help JFC - Europe’s largest vertical farm - to build a second site outside the South West city.
Ocado said its original stake in the Scunthorpe business, which uses hydroponics and renewable energy to grow herbs and leafy greens, was now worth “more than double” its initial investment, made in mid 2019.
JFC launched in early 2018 with a 5,000 sq m farm in an adapted coldstore, with an entrepreneur and expert agronomist at the helm.
Initial harvests saw enough produce grown for 11 million sandwiches.
The announcement was made as Ocado posted its half-year results on Tuesday. The company said in the six months to May 30, losses narrowed sharply as sales surged.
But the company said shoppers had begun returning to some pre-pandemic habits due to easing restrictions.
Jones Food Company is an energy intensive business, and has partnered with Flexitricity to participate in demand side response for the National Grid. (Image: HLC Creative)
Ocado posted a £23.6m loss before tax over the period - down from losses of £40.6m a year earlier. Underlying earnings – the company’s preferred measure – rose 41% to £61m.
Ocado said revenues for its retail joint venture with Marks & Spencer jumped 19.8% higher in the first half to £1.2bn
This comes as a marked slowdown on the 39.7% sales rise notched up in the first quarter to February
The online grocer also said its first UK mini Customer Fulfilment Centre (CFC) in Avonmouth, near Bristol, was “ramping faster” than any facility before it.
Lead Photo: Ocado has invested millions into Scunthorpe vertical farming start-up Jones Food Company
The Philippines: Simple Is The best
Our investment is returned to us TEN TIMES PLUS in increased local participation in our FREE training programs and peaceful sleep knowing people are NOT going to bed hungry
I was motivated to develop our farm, Kitakitz Natural Farm, when I saw local children were suffering development issues. Kids of the same age in my hometown of Bloomsburg Pennsylvania are Significantly healthier. When we first retired to the Philippines in 2010 I was shocked when I discovered kids that were of similar ages to our 9-year-old were actually several years OLDER! They were short, lightweight, boney, and had numerous development issues including poor skin, hair, and dental health.
So I decided growing food for my own use was NOT ENOUGH!
Everything we do is 100% Organic and we do NOT use Chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Our Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers, Various Plants, Bamboo, trees & scrubs, cuttings & Seeds are grown in compost and vermiculture created soil.
We are also developing HYDROPONIC SYSTEMS USING HANGING VERTICLE BAMBOO POLES.
Throughout the farm, we apply NO TILL agriculture and permaculture food forest techniques similar to the Cuban Urban ORGANOPONICO & CONSULTORIO. We also provide FREE training to those who want to duplicate our programs and provide fresh produce, seeds, & Tools in ADDITION to wages for those who work on the farm. We also SELL fruits and Vegetables through our vendors at BELOW market prices. Our goal is NOT to make $$ but to help people to become 100% food Self Sufficient.
We have friends in the USA who help us sponsor families here. Our programs create Long term solutions for food Security. We are totally Unlike Government Give-away programs. State-sponsored programs are weak at best and only provide short-term solutions with minimal disbursement amounts of rice and processed food sufficient for only a few meals.
In nearly 100% of our cases, our PLAN is providing long-term solutions. For less than $100 per family, we set them up with over 150 lbs of food like Rice, Oats, Flour, Fruit juices, peanut butter, canned meat & fish, and of course SEEDS. Plus we provide EDUCATION on Nutrition & Meal planning, how to save seed, and growing sprouts and vegetables in limited space and sunlight. When they follow the PLAN within a few days our recipients are growing and eating their own FRESH food. Additionally, within a few weeks they can also be harvesting fast-growing crops like 50 DAY Radish, & 30 to 40 DAY Pakchoi, Spinach & lettuce. (See photos below of our standard Seed, Food & Sprouts Family plan)
Our investment is returned to us TEN TIMES PLUS in increased local participation in our FREE training programs and peaceful sleep knowing people are NOT going to bed hungry.
Harvesting Cherries At Night To Protecting Apples With Nets, Record Heat Takes Toll On Fruit Crop
Record-breaking heat that blasted the West over the weekend is also proving to be lethal to crops. Even with the heat breaking a bit on Monday, daily records were tied or broken over the weekend across California, Nevada and Arizona, with extreme heat also hitting Idaho and portions of the Pacific Northwest
By Tyne Morgan
July 12, 2021
Record-breaking heat that blasted the West over the weekend is also proving to be lethal to crops. Even with the heat breaking a bit on Monday, daily records were tied or broken over the weekend across California, Nevada and Arizona, with extreme heat also hitting Idaho and portions of the Pacific Northwest.
Much of the West and Southwest have been under a heat warning for more than a week, with more than 28 million Americans seeing triple-digit heat, including Arizona, Nevada, California’s Central Valley and even parts of Washington State. The relentless heat comes just more than a week after the Pacific Northwest saw a “thousand year” heat wave that killed hundreds.
The heat and extreme drought conditions are also fueling wildfires, as well as causing orchards and farm workers to change their schedules in order to beat the heat. That’s as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says last month was officially the hottest June on record.
Trying to Beat the Heat with Nighttime Harvest
According to Reuters, the hottest days last month forced farm laborers to start picking cherries at 1 a.m., earlier than the normal 4 a.m. start. According to Reuters, headlamps and roving spotlights were used to aid the workers in an earlier start time in order to beat the daytime heat that threatened the workers’ safety. The extreme heat also made the fruit too soft to harvest during the day.
Reuters reports Northwest Cherry Growers still expects to see an average-sized cherry harvest this year.
"We think we probably lost about 20% of the crop," B.J. Thurlby, president of the Northwest Cherry Growers, a grower-funded trade group representing top cherry producer Washington and other Western states, told Reuters.
As reported on "The Packer" earlier this month, the Northwest Cherry Growers said the heat will force some growers to abandon a portion of their crop due to the damage caused by the heat. The issue surrounds quality. The Northwest Cherry Growers says fruit exposed to such a prolonged period of intense heat wouldn’t meet the stringent standards upheld by the Northwest growers. Unfortunately, that means that a few growers lost some or all of their crop this season.
The hot weather taking a toll on the cherry crop comes as USDA's latest sweet cherry production forecast showed production higher than 2020, but down 6% from what producers saw in 2019. USDA says the later blooming varieties were well behind the rest of the crop, which is already leading to lower yields.
Shipping Concerns
Also according to "The Packer," with temperatures topping 105 degrees for several days from June 27-30 in Wenatchee, Wash., shipping was also impacted by the extreme heat. Shippers said the heat wave could reduce the crop volume some and hold back sizing temporarily but expressed confidence there will be plenty of high-quality Washington cherries for retailers to promote in July and into August. Some are even hydro cooling cherries and taking other steps to take the heat out of fruit and using advanced sorting technology to send only strong fruit to market.
Eyes on the Apple Crop
But it’s also adding uncertainty to what the Washington apple crop will produce this year. Apples are Washington’s most valuable crop, with an estimated revenue of $2 billion each year. Apple harvest is still six weeks away, but the heat has caused the apples to stop growing for now.
"We really don't know what the effects are. We just have to ride it out," Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission, told Reuters.
The Washington Apple Commission says growers are doing what they can to protect their fruit against sunburn. That includes using expansive nets and spraying water vapor above the trees.
USDA's meteorologist Brad Rippey expects the heat to continue in the West for the remainder of July. View his forecast here.
Lead Photo: Heat and extreme drought are causing orchards and farmworkers to change their schedule in order to beat the heat. NOAA says last month was officially the hottest June on record, as heat continues to blast the West.
Farmers Already Forced To Abandon Crops As Additional Water Restrictions Loom
Bringing into focus some of the California crop losses caused by the 2021 drought, Western Growers has released a series of videos called “No Water = No Crops”
By Tom Karst
July 12, 2021
Bringing into focus some of the California crop losses caused by the 2021 drought, Western Growers has released a series of videos called “No Water = No Crops.”
The videos feature three California farmers who talk about the losses they are suffering this year.
“This is one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make in a long time,” Joe Del Bosque of Del Bosque Farms, Firebaugh, Calif., who sacrificed his asparagus field that still had five years’ productivity left, said in one video. “Seventy people are going to lose their jobs here. Next year, there will be no harvest here. Those 70 people lose two months of work. It’s a very difficult hit for them.”
Another video features Ross Franson of Fresno, Calif.-based Woolf Farming.
“Around this time of year, we’d normally be prepping for harvest,” Franson said in the video.
The farm has started knocking down almond trees in its 400-acre orchard, he said.
“But due to the dire drought that’s going on in the state of California right now, we made the decision to pull these trees out simply because we didn’t have the water to irrigate them.”
“These trees are all dead, and they shouldn’t be,” Jared Plumlee of Booth Ranches said in one video. The company produces citrus in Orange Cove, Calif., and destroyed 70 acres of trees because of the drought.
“It’s just a shame. This block had probably 20 years of productive life, and we were forced to push it out.”
Western Growers president and CEO Dave Puglia said in a news release that the future of agriculture in California is being compromised by the regulatory uncertainty of water deliveries to farms.
“Is that really what you want? Do you want a bunch of dust blowing through the center of the state interrupted by fields of solar panels, which don’t employ many people?” Puglia said in the release.
“It is a question that needs to be posed to Californians, generally, and their political leaders. Is that what you want? Because that is the path you are on.”
Lead Photo: Joe Del Bosque of Del Bosque Farms, Firebaugh, Calif. points to a melon field that was plowed under because of the drought.
The Collaborative Farm: Where Agriculture Meets The Entertainment World
The Collaborative Farm is an emerging destination in Milwaukee that survives as the rebrand of an organization formally known as Growing Power. The Farm is redefining urban agriculture and how the entertainment industry can impact its operations remarkably to sustain several communities
By GetNews
July 13, 2021
The Collaborative Farm is an emerging destination in Milwaukee that survives as the rebrand of an organization formally known as Growing Power. The Farm is redefining urban agriculture and how the entertainment industry can impact its operations remarkably to sustain several communities. The new and improved organization was made possible by Tyler Schmitt, best known to his peers as Tymetravels. His phenomenal vision to put together agriculture and music to expand urban farming has been making waves, making his novel initiative an extraordinary breakthrough.
Schmitt majored in Entrepreneurship with a minor in Sustainability at the University of St. Thomas then later moved to live in the national parks in Wyoming. When Growing Power collapsed, Schmitt came home from Jackson Hole to lend a hand to Will Allen and his father Tom Schmitt to solve the intricate issues involved in urban farming—from solar aquaponics to increasing food production while keeping operations sustainable.
Schmitt developed Ultimate Farm Collaborative to redesign not just farms but also cities in the near future. Collab Official, on the other hand, is the record label he created in order to unite various music artists under the umbrella of an extraordinary cause. The Farm Music Festival is its annual event, which is designed to generate funds to sustainably operate the farm.
This coming October 1–3, Milwaukee’s last remaining farm will be hosting a music festival to create awareness on the value of urban farming through hip-hop and EDM music. Schmitt hopes that the upcoming event will make a difference in the lives of urban farmers. The upcoming event will also give the good people of Milwaukee an opportunity to experience The Collaborative Farm up close. When music meets agriculture, the possibilities are out of this world.
The Collaborative Farm has a whole lot of surprises in store for the future as it is in the process of developing and recruiting a solid and hardworking team that will help it realize its goals. In the coming months, it will open an art studio, which will also be a coffee shop. The coffee shop will be the front store to increase foot traffic day in and out long-term. Additionally, it is working on establishing the vertical farm that Growing Power was positioned to pursue in the past.
Moreover, the founder of Ultimate Farm Collaborative sees the company staying with The Collaborative Farm long-term. In the next couple of years, it will either purchase or design a second facility. The annual music festival at The Collaborative Farm will continue and expand as a creative label through the efforts of Collab Official.
The novel idea behind The Collaborative Farm serves as an inspiration to those who have been supporting urban farming and those who wish to try sustainable living by growing their own produce. As the entertainment aspect of the whole operation continues to fund the needs of the farm that provides produce for locals, Tyler Schmitt hopes to continue to make promising collaborations that will impact the community significantly in the coming years.
Media Contact
Company Name: Ultimate Farm Collaborative Inc.
Contact Person: Tyler Schmitt
Email: Send Email
Phone: 4145874320
Country: United States
Website: http://www.ultimatecollab.com
Contain Inc Announces Finance Arrangement With Edible Beats For FarmBox Foods Container Farm
The container farm is being built and customized for Edible Beats, and will produce ingredients for all of the EB concepts, Linger, Root Down, Vital Root, El Five, and Ophelais
NEWS PROVIDED BY
July 07, 2021
Contain Inc announces a financing agreement arranged between Edible Beats Restaurant Group & a prominent lender for a FarmBox Foods container farm.
Image courtesy of FarmBox Foods
With the FarmBox Food container, we can grow hyper-local, organic, year-round produce that will be featured at all of our restaurants. We feel this is just the beginning of what we can grow”— Justin Cucci of Edible Beats Restaurant Group
RENO, NV, UNITED STATES, July 7, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Contain Inc is pleased to announce a financing agreement arranged between Edible Beats Restaurant Group and a prominent lender for a controlled-environment container farm, FarmBox Foods. Edible Beats is a locally owned Denver-based restaurant group known for its diverse menus and healthy, plant-based dishes that highlight local and seasonal ingredients. Edible Beats will be able to grow herbs, leafy greens, salad greens, and various produce organically and year-round with the container farm that will be attached to their Vital Root location.
“We have always sought opportunities to be more responsible to the sourcing, growing, and handling of the incredible ingredients that we get,” said Justin Cucci of Edible Beats Restaurant Group. “With the FarmBox Food container, we can grow hyper-local, organic, year-round produce that will be featured at all of our restaurants. We feel this is just the beginning of what we can grow, and we are eager to add the mushroom grow operation in the future”
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Edible Beats purchased the container from FarmBox Foods, a Colorado-based company that builds automated farms that grow gourmet mushrooms, leafy greens, and culinary herbs. To FarmBox, controlled-environment agriculture is the future, and this deal is one of many leading us towards a more decentralized and eco-friendly food system.
“I think we’re going to see a lot more of these types of programs going forward,” said Chris Michlewicz, Chief Public Relations Officer at FarmBox. “Restaurants are realizing that their produce is fresher and has a longer shelf life when they have a container farm on site. It’s a reliable and sustainable source of food, and it’s more eco-friendly because you no longer have to transport food in from elsewhere.”
Image courtesy of Unsplash
Likewise, Contain Inc is thrilled to support Edible Beats as it ventures into indoor ag. “We're delighted to have assisted SemiMojo and FarmBox Foods in this innovative initiative. Contain is always excited to see more fresh food made available to consumers. Customers appreciate freshness and quality produce, year round. Restaurants and container farms make this possible”, said Doug Harding, Head of Leasing & Vendor Relations at Contain Inc. “We are thrilled to have collaborated with Edible Beets and Farm Box Foods on this project. It aligns perfectly with Contain's mission of supporting the controlled environment agriculture industry in its financing needs”.
The container farm is being built and customized for Edible Beats, and will produce ingredients for all of the EB concepts, Linger, Root Down, Vital Root, El Five, and Ophelais.
About Contain Inc
Contain is out to empower the indoor ag industry of tomorrow. Our first and key mission is bringing easier and faster financing to controlled environment agriculture, but we aren't stopping there. We create platforms to move the industry forward, and most importantly, find ways to make indoor ag more accessible to farmers of all stripes.
Contact Contain:
Doug Harding, Leasing & Vendor Relations
doug@contain.ag | 760-330-1199
About Edible Beats
Edible Beats is a locally owned independent restaurant group that operates such diverse concepts as Linger, Root Down, El Five, Ophelais, and Vital Root. “Walking the walk” is important to us and the various aspects of sustainable & local food sourcing, up-cycled design, and authentic Hospitality.
About FarmBox Foods
FarmBox Foods was founded to help provide a sustainable, eco-friendly food source to places where there is a lack of access to farm-fresh produce. The company’s mission is to use container farms to decentralize the food supply chain and empower local communities.
Doug Harding
Contain Inc
doug@contain.ag
Visit us on social media:
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USA: BOSTON - 'Space-Age Farming': Agtech Company Looks To Expand In Mass.
The company (Nasdaq: APPH) was founded in 2017 with the mission to modernize the way food is grown and delivered to large enterprises
By Miranda Perez - Inno Reporter
June 23, 2021
AppHarvest has a local office in Woburn and is looking to develop local tech centers under the direction of Chief Technology Officer Josh Lessing. AppHarvest
AppHarvest, a Kentucky-based, agriculture-tech startup, is looking to expand to Boston to further develop its tech-centered farming.
The company now has a local office in Woburn, and it's looking to develop local tech centers under the direction of its chief technology officer, Josh Lessing.
The company (Nasdaq: APPH) was founded in 2017 with the mission to modernize the way food is grown and delivered to large enterprises. It maintains indoor farms that operate year-round, using no pesticides to maintain freshness and relying on recycled rainwater to leverage sustainability.
“This brilliant technology, originally made in the Netherlands, where you could make food anywhere in the world, allows us to do it year-round, with 90% less water and with 30 times more yield per acre,” Lessing said.
The public company, which has 550 employees, is looking to “massively expand'' in upcoming projects in robotics and enterprise software for the agricultural industry.
In a statement regarding it's 2020 annual filing, the company said it a "pre-revenue state in 2020," and reported a net loss of $17.4 million, compared to $2.7 million for the year before.
AppHarvest has one fully-functional farm right now with two more being built. The goal is to have a dozen by 2025.
The existing farm is a 60-acre building, which Lessing describes as “almost like being inside of some combination of a 60-acre robot and its own world.” Inside is an entire ecosystem of insects that support the pollination of fruits and manage to keep the “bad bugs” away. The main focus is on tomatoes now, but Lessing says he plan to expand to other fruits and vegetables.
Watering is automatic, through robotic systems. Other systems are designed to handle specially designed supplemental lights.
“It's just remarkably space age farming,” Lessing said.
AppHarvest food is available in the top 25 grocery stores and in some food service locations such as Kroger and Wendy’s.
“If you talk to a farmer, there's an infinite amount of work that you can be doing at a farm and there's never enough time to get it done. AppHarvest frees us up to start doing more individualized crop care,” Lessing said.
New Solar Greenhouse With A Window To The Future Opens
The glasshouse was built by Perth high-tech building materials company ClearVue Technologies using three different versions of its transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels
10-05-2021 | Farm Online
AUSTRALIA, Perth- The world's first clear solar glass greenhouse has been opened at Murdoch University's new grains research precinct in Perth. The glasshouse was built by Perth high-tech building materials company ClearVue Technologies using three different versions of its transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels.
SOLAR GREENHOUSE: The world's first clear solar glass greenhouse at Perth's Murdoch University uses three different versions of ClearVue Technologies' transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels.
The ClearVue technology turns windows into a generator of renewable energy.
The facility will be used by Murdoch University geneticist Professor Chengdao Li and his team to develop new plant breeding technologies and use them to develop commercial crop varieties.
Murdoch University Vice-Chancellor Professor Eeva Leinonen said the ClearVue greenhouse project was a number of years in the making but represented what universities and industry could achieve when they worked together.
"Murdoch's research strategy is focused on food, health, and the environment and the interconnections between each," Professor Leinonen said.
"I am delighted ClearVue has become an important new collaborator as we seek answers to wicked global problems - increased food demand, environmental sustainability and food safety."
Constructed using a $1.6 million grant from the federal government's AusIndustry Co-operative Research Centre Projects program, the greenhouse uses clear solar glass that not only lets natural sunlight through but also generates power using the unwanted UV and IR light wavelengths and converts these to power from photovoltaics at the perimeter of the window.
SOLAR VISIONARY: ClearVue executive chairman Victor Rosenberg.
The ClearVue greenhouse has a range of sensors that record and present data in real-time providing scientists with accurate information relating to conditions like temperature, humidity, and the amount of light that plants are receiving.
This information is used to make automatic adjustments to air conditioning, lighting, fans, louvres, blinds, and reticulation systems which in turn allows scientists to maintain a constant micro-climate (23 to 26 degrees C) that provides optimum growing conditions - all while being powered by the energy generated by the ClearVue glass.
ClearVue Technologies executive chairman and founder Victor Rosenberg said ClearVue was also looking to expands into Japan, the US, and Europe.
He hoped to develop a carbon sink that would capture all the carbon produced by the various equipment in the greenhouse and turn it into food-grade carbon dioxide which could be fed to the plants to boost growth.
ROOM WITH A VIEW: Murdoch University's new clear solar glass greenhouse.
"Estimates indicate the world's arable land has reduced by one third in the past 40 years," Mr Rosenberg said.
"By 2050, two-thirds of the world's population is predicted to be urbanized, which will further impact the availability of land for agricultural production."
He said the ability to control the microclimate within the ClearVue greenhouse created an optimum growing environment to achieve higher yields.
Leafy plants required protection from harmful UV rays in the same way humans need to protect their skin, he said.
Plants did this naturally by producing a waxy substance that shielded them from harmful UV rays.
Mr Rosenberg said ClearVue glass blocked these UV rays so the energy required by plants to create the protective layer on leafy vegetables can be redirected to growing more produce.
Source and Photo courtesy of Farmonline
University of Florida 2021 Greenhouse Training Online Courses: Greenhouse 101
Greenhouse 101 is a great introduction to the Greenhouse Training Online program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension
Finding trained growers is a major challenge for our industry. Your best investment is to upskill your own workers to make better crop management decisions by learning the underlying horticultural science of plant growth. Greenhouse 101 is a great introduction to the Greenhouse Training Online program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. It is designed for people with no formal training in horticulture that work in the greenhouse or nursery industry. Topics covered are plant parts and functions, photosynthesis and growth, greenhouse technology, flowering, compactness and branching, irrigation, nutrition, and plant health. The course is offered in English and Spanish.
Join over 660 growers who have graduated from Greenhouse 101 since 2015 in our award-winning program and receive a customized certificate of completion. Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars by grower participants.
The course runs from May 31 to June 25, 2021. The cost is $US249 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. The course is completely online and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with Ph.D. professors, and quizzes. The course material is available any time of the day, and two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules.
Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).
Download The Flyer
For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.
Vertical Farmer LettUsGrow Sets Sights on Commercial Greenhouse Market With New Harper Adams Partnership
New research project to explore how vertical farming approaches could be applied to the greenhouse sector to boost yields and curb environmental impacts
Jessica Rawnsley
29 April 2021
EXCLUSIVE: New research project to explore how vertical farming approaches could be applied to the greenhouse sector to boost yields and curb environmental impacts.
Vertical farming technology is poised to branch out into the commercial greenhouse sector, after indoor farming specialist LettUsGrow announced a major new partnership with Harper Adams, the UK's leading specialist agri-food university.
The partnership will enable a long-running trial to span across most of 2021, which will explore the environmental impact and compare growth data from two irrigation systems, aeroponics and hydroponics, in different settings: an aeroponic vertical farm and greenhouse, and a hydroponic greenhouse.
"Our food supply chain needs to be diversified to achieve productivity and stability, which means maximising the benefits of new technologies in different horticultural environments," said Charlie Guy, co-founder and CEO of LettUsGrow. "The advanced greenhouse industry is a huge part of modern food production and is entering an exciting new phase of growth to help meet global production and sustainability targets. We want to help this industry to grow more, sustainably."
According to company figures, vertical farms use 95 per cent less fertiliser and 95 per cent less water than open field farming. LettUsGrow has evolved a system for utilising aeroponics where rather than soak plant roots in water and nutrients, they are suspended and sprayed with mist. The company claims the approach consumes 30 per cent less water than a conventional hydroponic system, while produce grows an average 70 per cent faster. While a wide range of crops can be grown with the tech, the initial focus will be on growing kale and pea shoots.
The company has also developed Ostara, a smart control and farm management software systems, that will be used within the greenhouse and vertical farm trials. Ostara can be used to tailor lighting, irrigation, nutrient doses, and environment to individual crops within the same farm, as well as being used to collect a wide range of data sets, the company said.
To date vertical farms have been hampered by the considerable ongoing costs of generating artificial light. As such a key feature of the trials will be to identify whether an increase in energy use is balanced by an increase in farm productivity.
However, LettUsGrow is optimistic the application of its advanced aeroponics and Ostara technologies can deliver benefits for commercial greenhouses as well as vertical farms.
"Bringing aeroponics into a greenhouse setting is really exciting, as traditionally they run on hydroponics," said Ricardo Lopes, research scientist at LettUsGrow and the project's research lead. "There has been little research into this before so we're starting from scratch. There is huge potential in the opportunity to combine the precision of high-tech greenhouses with optimised aeroponic irrigation - meaning we could offer the plant the exact amount of water it needs, when it needs it, alongside the unique environmental control of greenhouse technology. The prospect of using aeroponics to decrease water usage within greenhouses could be a very important step in making greenhouse production even more sustainable and less energy demanding."
His comments were echoed by Dr Laura Vickers, senior lecturer in plant biology at Harper Adams, who said: "This is a particularly exciting project, greenhouses provide the half-way house between field based production and total controlled environment agriculture. They are excellent systems to apply to urban spaces, such as building rooftops. Quantifying the performance of technologies developed by LettUsGrow in our campus greenhouses, opens up the ability to assess resource efficiency, and evaluate how crop production could work in a variety of landscapes that could bring an array of stakeholders that we just don't see at the moment."
The hope is the partnership could represent a further step forward for a vertical farming sector that advocates maintain could make a huge contribution to efforts to bolster food production as climate impacts escalate. "Indoor farms can be deployed in areas without any fertile land," India Langley, LettUsGrow communications lead, told BusinessGreen. "That could be deserts, cities. There's one currently in the South Pole. As well as providing food, it takes the pressure off land that's already so stretched."
Lead photo: Credit: LettUsGrow
GREECE: 15 Hectare Semi-Closed Hydroponic Greenhouse
With the second round of financing expected to conclude by September 2021, Aurarius first facility is planned to be operational in the first quarter of 2023
Greece Investment Group Closes Funding On
Hydroponic Greenhouse
The Aurarius Investment Group successfully closed its first round of financing in the first quarter of 2021 covering development activities for Aurarius’ inaugural hydroponic greenhouse/energy plant in Greece. With the second round of financing expected to conclude by September 2021, Aurarius first facility is planned to be operational in the first quarter of 2023.
The facility will be composed of a ~15-hectare semi-closed hydroponic greenhouse farm combined with a ~10 MWh CHP facility. Aurarius intends to develop a portfolio of hydroponic farms combined with energy plants across Greece and other Southern European Countries, aiming to grow high-quality vegetables using the most modern and safe hydroponic greenhouse technology – with an eye both to social impact and sound economic returns.
For more information:
Aurarius Investment Group
https://www.aurariusgroup.com/
Nature Fresh Farms Introduces New Program For Their Imperfect Produce
The Waste Me Nots program was recently created to leverage Nature Fresh Farms Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers that do not meet the criteria of their Quality Control team
Leamington, ON (April 13, 2021)
A recent loss-conscious program focuses on selling Nature Fresh Farms imperfect produce to reduce food waste.
The Waste Me Nots program was recently created to leverage Nature Fresh Farms Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers that do not meet the criteria of their Quality Control team. As most greenhouses hope to grow flawless quality produce, some product grows to be naturally bent or smaller in size. Although unique in shape and size, these vegetables still have the same nutritional value and flavor as their perfect counterparts. Nature Fresh Farms wants to put these pieces of produce in the spotlight, creating more of an opportunity to fight waste and give shoppers further access to nutritious foods.
‘We believe it’s important to ensure that nutritious and delicious produce does not go to waste,” shared Ray Wowryk, Director of Business Development. “By creating this program, we are helping our retailers with a ready-made waste reduction alternative.”
Since volume of this type of product is not predictable, the program cannot be guaranteed to supply specific quantities and will depend on the product grown. However, Nature Fresh Farm feels that the unpredictability is outweighed by the fact that their quality and freshness is worth rescuing and sharing with consumers, making the most of all their product grown.
“Sustainability is at the center of everything we do at Nature Fresh Farms. Not only does this encompass our packaging and growing processes but also that the food we grow gets utilized completely,” explained the Director of Sales, Matt Quiring. “The Waste Me Nots program helps us to reduce waste while allowing us to better service the price-focused shoppers looking for quality tasting products at a discounted price and let our retail partners bring in some incremental sales to the category.”
Nature Fresh Farms wants to bring more cost-effective options to its consumers and bring the focus back to the taste and freshness of the produce, not solely the look of it. They hope to break the cycle of imperfect food waste by offering discounted misshapen vegetables that there would normally not be a market for and expand the consumer’s knowledge of the type of produce they purchase.
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About Nature Fresh Farms
Continuously expanding, Nature Fresh Farms has become one of the largest independent, vertically integrated greenhouse vegetable farms in North America. As a year-round grower with farms in Leamington, ON, Delta, OH, and Mexico, Nature Fresh Farms prides itself on consistently delivering exceptional flavor and quality to key retailers throughout North America, while continuing to innovate and introduce more viable and sustainable growing and packaging solutions.
SOURCE:
Nature Fresh Farms | info@naturefresh.ca T: 519 326 1111 | www.naturefresh.ca