Vertical Farming Comes to Edinburgh

By Gordon Davidson

August 10, 2021

Scotland’s Rural College is to be the first higher education institute in Scotland to open its own vertical farm for research and education.

The half million-pound facility is to be built at the SRUC's King’s Buildings campus in Edinburgh next year, with the backing of a £200,000 grant from the Scottish Government. It will enable key research into plant and crop science, growing nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables with specific human health qualities, while analysing crop yield and growth rates – with all inputs recorded in the closed environment – to compare their carbon footprint to other production systems.

SRUC's vertical farm will operate on renewable energy sources from the national grid, supported by battery technology to manage peaks in energy demand.

With only a handful of commercial vertical farms in Scotland so far, it is envisaged that the facility will be important for demonstration and knowledge exchange with farmers, growers and small businesses. It will also be used by SRUC students as part of their educational activities, looking to a future when such systems will be far more common places of work.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, said: “As we look to produce more fruits and vegetables locally, vertical farming could provide us with a way to make better use of our land. It’s an exciting and innovative field that could bring us real benefits and it is important that we have the skills in Scotland to take advantage of this technology.

“By supporting the industry at an early stage, we can assess these benefits and help to focus our long-term strategy. We will also be reaching out to the wider industry to explore in further detail the opportunities low-carbon vertical farming offers. We will work together to establish the future of vertical farming in Scotland.”

Principal and chief executive of SRUC, Professor Wayne Powell, said: “One of the most critical challenges we face is how to feed a growing global population. We have been teaching farmers for generations but, as the population increases, it is important that we look at growing different, more nutritious crops to support healthy diets and local access to food.

“Not only will this vertical farming unit be a valuable asset to our students, but it will also provide us with important data to help optimise and promote innovation into this expanding industry.”

Lead Photo: A new vertical farm at SRUC will be used for education and research.

Women in AI: How Does the Future of Horticulture Will Look?

August 11, 2021

Getting the best from your crop and greenhouse will increasingly become a computer responsibility. We need to make better decisions, to get better results and fix the global food problems and expertise shortages. Artificial Intelligence can help us with this. But what skills are needed to work in AI tech? And what does the future of working with AI look like? Britta Meixner, Saheli De and Gosia Piekarska of Blue Radix answer these questions, and suggest how we can encourage more women to aim for tech jobs in AI or IT.

What’s your job at Blue Radix?

Britta: “My name is Britta Meixner, and I’m a Scientific Data Engineer. I advise the Blue Radix management team on technical implementations. I keep track of new technologies enabling us to introduce innovative products to customers. I also design, build and maintain a scalable and future-proof IT environment. Other tasks include implementing proof of concepts for new technologies and setups; I design and realize solutions when we start using these new technologies. One of these is the Azure IoT Hub, which lets us send results from the Data Science Team to greenhouses, steering installations autonomously.”

“A day in a data scientist’s life entails a range of tasks,” explains Saheli De, who works as a Data Scientist at Blue Radix. “Developing new functionalities for our customers involves preparing, cleaning and analyzing the data that comes from the climate computers and other data platforms. In this phase we work closely with our product development team to understand the dynamics and strategies involved in the greenhouse. Then there’s extensive discussion of strategies to solve the business requirement, leading to building models using cutting-edge AI technologies like machine learning. The essence of the job lies in translating the horticulture industry’s business requirements into data science solutions.”

Gosia Piekarska works as a Blue Radix Test Engineer and is responsible for implementing testing procedures, shaping the testing process, and software testing. “My job is to check the quality of the infrastructure and components in both Crop Controller and the energy domain. My work is my hobby; I’m always trying to improve my software testing knowledge in my spare time. I’m particularly interested in Test Automation, Data Analysis and DevOps.”

What do you like about working with new AI tech solutions for horticulture?
Britta: “There’s often no standard way of doing something when creating new AI solutions. Every new project requires new skills and technology knowledge. I can never stop learning in my job. Staying up to speed on new developments and technologies is the key to success. This makes my job demanding, but at the same time it never gets boring.”

Adds Saheli: “The tech industry is growing rapidly, and being the flag-bearer of AI in horticulture lets you design unique and sustainable solutions. Imagine walking into a supermarket picking up a tomato that was produced with the help of your algorithms! That’s powerful!”

“I always love working on the cutting-edge technology solutions, because they introduce the innovations which are so desperately needed in our world,” says Gosia. “I think that sustainable technology in the food-growing industry is critical for people’s well-being.”

What skills are needed to work in the AI tech-field?
“You need a broad spectrum of knowledge to make our solutions work in the greenhouse, from network protocols and operating systems, databases and APIs, to data pipelines. It’s only the combination of these which enables us to steer a greenhouse autonomously,” explains Britta. “Because the IT infrastructure differs in every greenhouse, we must be able to create solutions that quickly adjust to a wide range of situations. So alongside a very broad technical knowledge, you also need to be flexible, and to understand new situations and requirements quickly.”

Saheli adds: “Data Science in particular is a mix of mathematics, statistics, and computer science skills. Horticulture-related skills are a benefit, but not mandatory in my role.”

Gosia: “Constant learning of both broad technologies and tools.. On top of that, don’t forget soft skills.”

How do you think the future of working with AI will look?
Britta: “Data Scientists now focus mainly on a deep understanding of algorithms and data sets to be able to get the most accurate results for steering the greenhouse. This is often done in controlled offline setups. But there’s still a large gap before these algorithms are ready to be integrated into production environments to produce real-world data for the greenhouse. Data science and data engineering have to work together early in the development process to close this gap. That lets us deliver new features and improvements to existing functionalities faster.”

Saheli: “As we say at Blue Radix: ‘Algorithms can feed the world’. We believe that algorithm-based solutions, like our Crop Controller, offer growers worldwide a digital brain for their greenhouse. The dream is to work towards a symbiotic utopia of growers and AI-driven solutions.”

Gosia adds: “The key will be the AI-human interaction and how to deliver AI solutions to customers who don’t necessarily have a deep technical understanding of AI systems. This is important in horticulture, because advanced controlled systems are relatively new in this industry.”

How can we generate enthusiasm among women for tech jobs in AI or IT?
Britta: “Women have different styles of working, thinking and communicating than men. While that might cause confusion here and there, it can really help a team to reach their goals faster, and to find better solutions. If we are to encourage more women to take up AI or IT jobs, it’s important to reach true equality in opportunities and pay in every job out there. We need to remove gender stereotypes in daily work, while also avoiding them in early childhood and at schools.”

Saheli: “I completely agree with Britta,; we need to generate opportunities for both genders to be able to access and experience meaningful interaction with technology from a very young age. I strongly believe that curiosity is the key to science. Stay curious and keep asking questions!”

Gosia: “We can’t shape our world if we’re not involved. Working in IT offers enormous opportunities for women to make their mark. I also believe there are great career prospects if you choose a future working in AI, IT and sustainability. There are so many great challenges, and you can really contribute to a better world. The best would be to provide successful examples and stories of women working in AI, to encourage young girls to join the field.”

California Drought Continues to Cause Irrigation Cutbacks

By Tom Linden

August 11, 2021

California, which has already reduced water deliveries received through the State Water Project to zero or near zero levels, has now stopped water diversions for thousands of farmers and other users in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed.

In early August, the California State Water Resources Control Board unanimously voted 5-0 to put new limitations on 5,700 water right holders, including farmers and landowners, preventing them from diverting more than 55 gallons per day from their adjacent water sources without prior approval. These users have long term water rights based on the location of their land adjacent to these water sources. In addition, all water use has to be reported by those who have water rights in the region. Failure to comply will result in significant fines, including penalties as high as $1,000 per day, as well as up to $2,500 for each acre-foot of water diverted without expressed permission.

The new diversion ban is expected to be approved by California’s Office of Administrative Law by mid-August.

This action stems from California’s worsening drought situation as a very dry winter has been followed by high summer temperatures adding to the state’s dire situation.

While more cutbacks to farmers are not a welcome sight, representatives of agriculture and the state’s many water districts were not summarily opposed to the State Water Board’s action.  Many groups weighed in on the proposed diversion ban with many of their comments concerning the length of the ban and the mechanics of it. Western Growers, which represents many growers in the state, officially commented on the regulations as a signee of a letter generated by like associations in California. 

Gail Delihant, senior director of state government affairs and a water expert for the association, agreed the state is in bad shape and efforts to better manage water use are needed. In fact, she said, “Rules mandating large amounts of water to be released from reservoirs and flushed out to the ocean in prior months and years have gotten us into this current situation. The state water system was designed for dry periods like this. We are in dire straits because of implementation of environmental rules from the State Water Board and the environmental rules due to the federal and state Endangered Species Acts.”

She said the excess use of stored water for unattainable environmental goals has depleted the resources to a critically low level.

She noted this particular ban of water diversion was ordered because the state is not achieving the environmental results it expected with the amount of water it has released from the state’s Shasta and Oroville reservoirs that was pumped through the delta and out to sea to curb salt intrusion. She said the state’s water officials are theorizing that more water is being diverted from the delta by adjacent users than is being reported. Hence, the board is banning water diversions to ensure water quality standards are able to be met.

What Western Growers and other groups are lobbying for are mitigation efforts to increase storage as soon as possible once the rainy season begins, if it does.

More water restrictions in California are expected in the coming weeks as the drought intensifies.

AeroFarms and Nokia Bell Labs Partner to Further AI-Plant Technology

By Johnny Eppich

August 11, 2021

AeroFarms and Nokia Bell Labs have unveiled a multi-year partnership. The goal is to combine their expertise and expand their joint capabilities in cutting-edge networking, autonomous systems, and integrated machine vision and machine learning technologies to identify and track plant interactions at the most advanced levels.

As part of this partnership, AeroFarms, a global leader in indoor vertical farming, contributes its commercial growing expertise, comprehensive environmental controls, an agriculture-focused data platform, and machine vision core foundation.

Nokia Bell Labs, the industrial research arm of Nokia, contributes its autonomous drone control and orchestration systems, private wireless networks, robust image and sensor data pipelines, and innovative artificial intelligence (AI) enabled mobile sensor technologies.

AeroFarms and Nokia Bell Labs have been working together since 2020. They have reached a milestone of achieving a proof of concept for this state-of-the-art integrated system and testing the technologies with AeroFarms’ current commercial crop varieties.

Together, they plan to scale this system to all of AeroFarms’ crops and future indoor vertical farms, including the next ones in Danville, VA, and Abu Dhabi.

The integration of Nokia Bell Labs’ AI-enabled drone-based sensors and advanced machine learning, computer vision, and data analytics technologies with AeroFarms’ existing machine vision tools enhances and elevates AeroFarms’ position as an agriculture platform and capabilities organization dedicated to solving food and agriculture supply chain challenges.

“With Nokia Bell Labs, we have developed the next-generation system that can image every plant every day in a cost-effective way at scale,” says David Rosenberg, CEO at AeroFarms. “This level of detailed imaging and insights helps us be better farmers by monitoring our plant biology dynamically and allowing us to course-correct as needed to ensure the highest level of quality all year round.”

Nokia Bell Labs’ machine vision technology has enabled the most precise data capture yet, down to the level of individual plants, using leaf size segmentation, quantification, and pixel-based scanning to identify consistency and variation.

Going beyond what even the human eye can perceive, this state-of-the-art imaging technology enables the gathering of immense insights about a plant, including its leaf size, stem length, coloration, curvature, spotting, and tearing.

The end-to-end system is flexible and robust, built to take advantage of Nokia’s 5G private wireless network with cloud processing technology. The network is designed for low latency and high privacy in an on-premises network. It also provides intelligent industrial analytics capabilities as an integrated service that can be deployed quickly and efficiently anywhere.

“Nokia Bell Labs is driven to solve hard and impactful problems, and together with AeroFarms, we are building the ability to see and identify plant interactions at unprecedented levels,” says Thierry Klein, Vice President of Integrated Solutions and Experiences Research Lab at Nokia. “The fundamental technologies of this partnership are our strength, and vertical farming is just the beginning. With the AeroFarms platform, we are exploring the power of network-driven intelligence for industrial outcomes. These capabilities can expand into a multitude of indoor industrial operations, including logistics, warehousing, distribution hubs, and manufacturing.”

Kalera AS to Acquire &ever GmbH to Form a Global Leader in the Vertical Farming Industry

August 11, 2021

&ever has been represented on the global market since 2015 and operates a large vertical farming facility in Kuwait, in addition to in-store grow-towers in Germany. It is also currently constructing a mega-facility in Singapore.

Kalera will become the only company with capabilities to serve every segment within the leafy green industry solidifying Kalera’s position as the overall indoor farming market leader.

Through the combination with &ever’s existing portfolio of vertical farms, Kalera will own the largest portfolio of farming systems from small in-store or on-property farms to megafarms.

ORLANDO, Fla., (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kalera AS (Euronext Growth Oslo: KAL, Bloomberg: KSLLF), one of the fastest-growing and largest vertical farming companies in the world, announces today that it has entered into a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of all shares in &ever GmbH, a global leader in baby leaf indoor farming, for a total consideration reflecting an enterprise value for &ever GmbH of EUR 130 million on a cash and debt free basis as of 1 July 2021. The consideration will consist of a combination of cash and Kalera shares. Under the terms of the agreement, &ever GmbH shareholders will receive EUR 21.6 million in cash and 27,856,081 Kalera shares at a subscription price of NOK 36.68.

The cash consideration will be financed through a debt facility provided by DNB or by other financing sources available to Kalera. Kalera shareholders will own an 87% stake in the combined company, while current &ever GmbH shareholders will own 13%, on a fully-diluted basis.

&ever is a vertical farm company headquartered in Germany with operations in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The acquisition will transform Kalera into a global vertical farming leader, accelerating its plans for international growth and broadening its product line to include several cut leaf baby greens in high demand.

The company will be wholly owned by Kalera AS upon closing of the transaction. &ever GmbH will be renamed to Kalera GmbH.

Leading Technology and Capabilities for Baby Leaf Production

Founded in 2015 to grow select baby leaf produce and herbs including spinach, kale, endive, arugula, watercress, cilantro and bok choy, &ever has developed a proprietary approach for seeding, germination, propagation, harvesting, and delivery of fresh baby leaf products that optimize the entire production cycle through unique growing methods and technologies.

&ever has operations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and has designed production facilities of various sizes, ranging from small scale installations to mega-farms. Large-scale installations or mega-farms allow for mass scale production of baby leaf greens in facilities that can be built in less than 10-months and that can produce up to 1,500 MT of produce per year.

&ever has a large-scale farm in Kuwait that is currently in ramp-up phase, built in partnership with NOX Management. A second mega-farm is under construction in Singapore with support from a major competitive government grant and is expected to start operations during Q1 2022.

Small scale production facilities include an on-site Grow Box® for small retail stores and an on-site Grow Tower® for larger retail stores allowing the company to grow on-site in a local grocery store.

In addition, the company has unique growth solutions that include Dryponics® and Bestponics®, which are exclusive to &ever and expand the existing alternatives for growing leafy greens. Additional capabilities include advanced climate cells for perfect climate conditions for each product and an automated intra-farm bench movement system that significantly reduces operating expenses for high volume/short cycle growing methods, developed in partnership with German engineering firms Viessmann and Kardex Mlog, and Italy-based Modula.

Transformational Acquisition Creating a World Leader in Vertical Farming

"With Kalera’s farms in North America and &ever’s operations in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, we will jointly revolutionize the global vegetable production industry and further expand our market leadership in vertical farming,” says Daniel Malechuk, CEO of Kalera. “In addition, we see &ever's climate cell technology and their high degree of automation as excellent additions to our advanced nutrient management system, which will further increase the productivity of our production facilities."

“From the beginning, our vision has been to offer communities worldwide hyperlocal high-quality salads and herbs year-round. Together with Kalera, we have now come a big step closer to this goal,” says Dr. Henner Schwarz, CEO of &ever who will serve as Managing Director of EMEA and Asia for the combined entity. "We share very similar visions, core values, and goals and are eager to immediately begin the integration of the companies together."

“The merger is an important milestone for the global future of vertical farming. We are very much looking forward to the next steps with &ever as a new, stronger Kalera,” says Daniel Malechuk who will serve as CEO of the combined company. “This acquisition, combined with our previous acquisition of Vindara, the only seed company dedicated specifically for controlled environment agriculture, continues to complement and accelerate Kalera’s now global industry-leading position.”

The Largest Portfolio of Indoor Farming Systems

Through the combination with &ever’s existing portfolio of vertical farms, Kalera will own the largest portfolio of farming systems from small in-store or on-property farms to mega-farms, allowing Kalera to serve all market segments through a full spectrum of indoor farming systems that require low CAPEX and can deliver all products ranging from baby leaf, full head, cut leaf, or teen leaf to serve all segments and customer preferences.

Ability to Produce the Full Array of Leafy Green Products from Whole-Head to Baby Leaf

The indoor farming industry has been highly fragmented into different product segments between microgreens, baby leaf, cut leaf, teen leaf, and full head. Kalera will become the only company with capabilities to serve every segment within the leafy green industry solidifying Kalera’s position as the overall indoor farming market leader. This will provide retailers and foodservice customers with a single source to serve all their leafy green needs, a value proposition in the marketplace that no other company has been able to offer until now.

Accelerate Global Expansion

Kalera will accelerate its international rollout plan with the addition of two international facilities and a strong pipeline of opportunities especially in the Middle East and Asia. The &ever facility in Kuwait is a partnership with NOX Management, an investment arm of IFA Group, an owner of food markets, restaurant chains, retail chains, and food distributors. The &ever farm in Singapore is under construction and will launch operations by the end of Q1 2022. These two farms will become Kalera’s first international operations accelerating Kalera’s rollout schedule. Additional rapid international expansion at strategic locations throughout Asia, Middle East, and Europe, will be driven by Kalera’s and &ever’s combined business plan with an ability to offer the widest product portfolio to customers.

World-class Management Team to Join Kalera

&ever’s management team will join Kalera to strengthen Kalera’s international business development initiatives and operational capabilities. In addition, one member of &ever’s Board will join Kalera’s Board, adding to a team of world-class professionals that will help to drive the company’s future.

Technology and Partnerships are Highly Complementary

With &ever, Kalera adds grow technologies and strong German engineering partnerships. Kalera’s best-in-class hydroponic grow systems have been used to-date for growing whole-head lettuce and microgreens, whereas Dryponics® and Bestponics® technology is more flexible and productive for growing baby leaf including certain product varieties such as spinach and arugula. &ever’s technology also allow for a more effective offering of smaller in-store growing systems. These technologies can be combined to produce a wider variety of products with maximum efficiency. &ever’s partnerships with Viessmann and Kardex Mlog, and Modula add outstanding expertise in climate control and in-farm bench movement systems, respectively.

Transaction Terms

Under the terms of the agreement, &ever GmbH shareholders will receive EUR 21.6 million in cash and 27,856,081 Kalera shares at a subscription price of NOK 36.68. The consideration shares will be subject to a twelve-month lock-up after closing except for management who will be subject to a three-year lock-up.

The cash consideration will be financed through a debt facility provided by DNB or by other financing sources available to Kalera.

Kalera shareholders will own an 87% stake in the combined company, while current &ever GmbH shareholders will own 13%, on a fully-diluted basis.

By continuing to own shares of the combined company, &ever GmbH shareholders will have the opportunity to participate in the enlarged Kalera’s long-term value creation potential.

The current &ever shareholders will propose Faisal Al-Meshal as a new Kalera Board member and Dr. Klaus Bader as an observer to the Kalera Board, both to be proposed for election at a Kalera general meeting. The election is expected to take effect upon completion of the contemplated merger between Kalera and the new Luxembourg parent for the group, which has previously been announced. In the period between completion of the &ever acquisition and such merger, Faisal Al-Meshal and Dr. Klaus Bader will be invited to participate in Kalera Board meetings.

Up to 2.2 million Kalera share options will be granted to &ever management in connection with the transaction. The options will have a strike price of NOK 36 and will vest over four years with the following schedule: 0% at the end of year one, 25% at the end of year two, 25% at the end of year three, and 50% at the end of year four.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including a resolution of the Kalera general meeting to issue the consideration shares to the &ever shareholders.

It is expected that the transaction will be completed by the end of September 2021.

A presentation about the acquisition is attached here and is also available at the Kalera's website, www.kalera.com/investor.

About &ever:

&ever is a German indoor vertical farming company that combines technologies from the fields of software, mechanical engineering and agriculture. &ever has been represented on the global market since 2015 and operates a large vertical farming facility in Kuwait, in addition to in-store grow-towers in Germany. It is also currently constructing a mega-facility in Singapore. The company's focus is on building sustainable farms in cities around the world to provide more and more people with better tasting lettuce with higher nutrient content at the same time. The patented cultivation systems from &ever are easily scalable in shape and size so that indoor vertical farms of various sizes can be operated anywhere in the world, regardless of local climatic conditions. More information is available at www.and-ever.com.

About Kalera:

Kalera is an American vertical farming company based in Orlando, Florida. The company uses technology to ensure that more people around the world have access to the freshest, most nutritious, and cleanest products possible. It has spent several years optimizing plant nutrient formulas and developing an advanced automation and data acquisition system with Internet of Things, cloud, big data analytics and artificial intelligence. Kalera currently operates farms in Orlando, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Kalera’s Houston, Texas farm will open soon, and the company has plans to open more farms in the US and also in both the Middle-East and Asia in the coming months. More information is available at www.kalera.com.

For more information, please contact:

Molly Antos
Phone: +1 847 848 2090
Email: kalerapr@dadascope.com

Important notice:

Matters discussed in this announcement may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "strategy", "intends", "estimate", "will", "may", "continue", "should" and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors which are difficult or impossible to predict, and are beyond their control. Actual events may differ significantly from any anticipated development due to a number of factors, including without limitation, changes in public sector investment levels, changes in the general economic, political and market conditions in the markets in which the Company operates, the Company's ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel, changes in the Company's ability to engage in commercially acceptable acquisitions and strategic investments, and changes in laws and regulation and the potential impact of legal proceedings and actions. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this release by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not make any guarantee that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this announcement are free from errors nor does it accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the opinions expressed in this announcement or any obligation to update or revise the statements in this announcement to reflect subsequent events. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this announcement.

The information, opinions and forward-looking statements contained in this announcement speak only as at its date, and are subject to change without notice. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review, update, confirm, or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that arise in relation to the content of this announcement.

Lead Photo: &ever is a German indoor vertical farming company that combines technologies from the fields of software, mechanical engineering and agriculture

Genie Scissors Assist ‘Europe’s Largest’ Vertical Farm

By Leila Steed

August 10, 2021

Farming company Nordic Harvest has purchased a range of electric scissor lifts from Genie, for the construction and daily operations of its new vertical farming facility in Denmark.

A specialist in hydroponic cultivation, the company grows a variety of vegetables and herbs for wholesale in a 14-storey vertical farm near Copenhagen.

It added nine Genie scissors to its operations, specifically  the GS-2632 and GS-2646. Flemming Dyring, Nordic Harvest’s sales director, said, “The scissor lifts had to provide a high level of stability for safe work. In addition, their handling had to be as easy as possible, including intuitive controls and the possibility of instant troubleshooting, all of which met our requirements.”

Five Genie GS-2632 electric scissor lifts helped build and set up the internal structures of its facility, which provides an area of 4,950m2 of growing space, and is said to be the largest indoor of its kind in Europe.

With a maximum working height of 9.8m and a platform capacity of 227kg, the GS-2632 slab scissors were used to install the farm’s cultivation trays at heights of up to 9m.

Genie GS-2646 electric scissor lift has a maximum working height of 9m and platform capacity of 454kg.

Due to the vertical nature of the sustainable farming technique, Nordic Harvest then added four Genie GS-2646 electric scissor lifts with platform capacities of 454kg.

The 9m models are now being used by the company’s staff to access all 14 storeys of cultivation trays, enabling employees to check the healthy growth of the plants and herbs before harvesting.

Nordic Harvest purchased the new scissor lifts through Genie’s authorised distributor Jøma Lift Teknik.

“For our work, a minimum working height of 8.80m (28ft 9in), a comfortable working space and high manoeuvrability in small spaces were imperatives”, said Dyring.

“Before making our decision, we took the opinion of our Taiwanese partners who recommended Genie scissor lifts to us for their design quality and proven reliability to effectively complete our assigned tasks: construction of the cultivation structures and control of the seedings and harvest.”

Lead Photo: Genie GS-2646 electric scissor lift at the Nordic Harvest vertical farm in Denmark.

Vertical Farming and the Future of Automation in Agriculture

August 10, 2021

Vertical farming is by no means a new idea. However, recent supply chain disruptions coupled with the falling price of produce, is opening new doors for a farming method previously deemed unviable by many. Here, John Young, APAC country manager at automation parts supplier EU Automation, highlights the renewed interest in vertical farming among a new generation of farmers, and explores the advantages it offers in tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the sector.

Turn the clock back approximately 1000 years, and less than four per cent of the world's habitable land was used for farming — that is the equivalent of four million square kilometres. Today, farmland takes up more than half of the world's habitable land, which equates to a landmass larger than South America.

Our World in Data reports the alarming facts associated with industrialized livestock farming, involving climate change, extinction of species, widespread destruction of habitat, and 80 per cent of cropland grown to feed livestock. With the population of the Asia Pacific region expected to reach 5 billion by 2050, the responsibility to supply food to an ever-growing population is becoming difficult.

A new generation of farmers are rising to the sustainability challenge. This agricultural revolution presents the transition from traditional farming to futuristic high-tech artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Whether it's weed-killing robots, harvesting and picking robots, or autonomous tractors, the farming landscape is evolving. In this age of robotic farming, producers believe incorporating automation and data will enable farmers to produce more, while damaging the environment less.

One major process change that is currently on the rise is the shift to vertical farming. Currently, 16.55 million square feet (sq ft) of indoor farms operate across the globe. However, the State of Indoor Farming report suggests this figure will increase to 22 million sq ft by 2022. The demand is high, and the AI journey is only getting started. 

Why are farmers suddenly interested in vertical farming?

Vertical farming is the practice of producing food in vertically stacked layers. The climate-controlled indoor farms contain rows of plants situated next to each other, growing vertically, and hanging from the ceiling. Robotics help manoeuvre the products around, and AI can monitor the different parameters that are required for the crops to grow, such as the levels of water, temperature, and light.

Indoor agriculture is at an exciting point in its development. Key technologies used in farming systems today range from perception technologies which use cameras and sensors to detect and monitor various factors of the lifecycle. AI processes the data from sensors and provides solutions, while automated and autonomous mechatronics that use robotics and automated machines collect products when ready to dispatch to the market and recover the crops from ailments during the growing cycle.

Right now, the focus is to take vertical farming to the next level by developing smart robots which can increase precision and productivity, while minimizing environmental impact and risk. Agriculture, one of humankind’s oldest inventions, is merging with the latest technology, and farmers will soon be looking to pair with a reliable automation parts supplier to make the step up to vertical farming.

Vertical farming offers a unique set of advantages. Farmers understand there are many urgent and practical reasons to grow upwards rather than outwards. This farming method has huge potential for sustainability and food security, while protecting the environment, economy, and ecosystems.

In addition, the inclusion of AI and robotics ensures high-quality growth of products all year round, while preserving water, nutrients, and land consumption by 95 per cent. The controlled process of indoor farming with the help of AI and robotics also protects crops against pest invasions, and ensures they are well insulated — this is an aspect field farming cannot guarantee since it requires amenable weather conditions and labour.    

Vertical farms can operate anywhere with no geographical constraints and are not subject to the limitations presented in outdoor farming, such as extreme conditions. This not only protects the crops, but also provides a safer working environment for labourers. What’s more, labour costs can be significantly reduced due to the automated indoor growing systems; thus, there is no longer a need for manual labour all year long.

In addition, energy consumption can be drastically reduced in vertical farming by implementing LED lighting to mimic the sun as a light source. A minor change like this can limit heat waste while increasing energy efficiency and cutting energy costs. Not only can LED lighting be used as an alternative, but renewable energy generated from wind turbines can be paired with vertical farming to ensure 100 per cent of its energy is produced from renewable sources. It is a win-win situation. 

How will it boost the economy? 

This sector is expecting a huge boom in investment and interest and manufacturers, suppliers and retailers are therefore preparing for this shift through early adoption. In the past, vertical farming was viewed as theoretical, but now the vertical farming market in the APAC region is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29 percent, rising from its current value of $0.78 billion to $2.77 billion by 2026. This is largely due to the advancement in technology such as sensors and smart energy systems that have improved the efficiency of growing products.

Although vertical farms will not replace traditional ways of farming, they hold great potential to revamp the future of agriculture in the APAC region by pushing towards a sustainable, environmentally conscious, tech savvy, economically rational, and health-sensitive world.

Source and Photo Courtesy of Agritech Tomorrow

Vertical Farming: Turning Deserts Into Fresh Food Hubs

August 10, 2021

Vertical farming technologies allow for collecting the humidity produced by plants. With recirculating and recycling techniques, hydroponic and aquaponic systems can reuse 98% of water, which makes vertical farms feasible in deserts.

Deserts and arid lands are commonly perceived as worthless. Because of this image of the world’s drylands, agricultural investments and development initiatives pass these regions by. Moreover, with the new NASA food challenge, it seems like AgriTech enthusiasts would rather attempt to cultivate plants in space than in desert environments on their native planet.

Taking up 41% of our planet’s landmass, arid zones have always been seen as marginal for agriculture. But thanks to technological advancements, they can produce fresh food and compete on the global market. How? By adopting next-generation technologies like vertical farming.

How vertical farming enables agriculture in deserts  

The most fascinating thing about vertical farming technology is that it brings food production to regions with no arable land. Crops grow indoors, stacked in layers under LED lights. Most vertical farms rely on hydroponic, aeroponic, or aquaponic methods, as they don’t require soil. Anything “hydro” and “aqua” may seem inappropriate for arid lands, but these methods are extremely water efficient.

And here’s what thrills me a lot: While most barren lands suffer from aridity, agriculturally developed regions waste tons of water. Even though modern smart irrigation systems do help reduce water use on traditional farms, water is still lost because of wind and evaporation. On the contrary, vertical farming technologies allow for collecting the humidity produced by plants. With recirculating and recycling techniques, hydroponic and aquaponic systems can reuse 98% of water, which makes vertical farms feasible in deserts.

Vertical farms ensure plants have exactly what they need

The ultimate goal of vertical farming technology is to get the highest possible yield by precisely meeting plants’ needs. One can believe me or not, but it works like magic. 

After the vertical farming facility is built and all equipment is installed, a complex network of IoT and analog sensors comes to life. They measure gases and nutrients, humidity, light, and temperature inside and outside the farm. Additionally, the monitoring system takes photos and videos of plant growth. Then, all this data is transferred to secure cloud storage via edge gateways.

This provides a huge volume of raw data that can be integrated into AI-based software and analytics platforms. Built-in machine learning algorithms can match plant images against a huge database and learn to recognize plant types as well as deviations in their growth. The analytical algorithms can process plants’ growth data and correlate it with microclimate measurements to find the perfect combination of environmental factors for particular crops.

The final flourish is data visualization. User-friendly dashboards present calculations, analytics, and prediction results in meaningful histograms and neat reports. Having vertical farming software installed on any device, owners can get real-time insights into farm health and make data-driven decisions.

Basically, a vertical farm is a premium luxury ultra-all-inclusive spa resort for plants. 

The vertical farming market has huge potential

An ever-changing climate along with the depletion of soil nutrients and groundwater have accelerated the adoption of vertical farming technology. The coronavirus pandemic has also contributed. The risk of supply chain disruptions has underscored the need to locate vertical farms near distribution routes and intended markets.

With many drivers igniting the industry, the global vertical farming market will reach USD 11.71 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 20.1% according to Emergen Research. But we’re only at the advent of vertical farming in terms of technology. Innovative advancements are expected to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of plant growth in vertical farms, giving us high hopes for the future.  

Desert reality: vertical farming or nothing

Some skeptics may consider vertical farming advantages controversial. But with temperatures reaching +40 degrees Celsius (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit), just a few days of rain a year, and barren sands, deserts don’t seem like suitable places for any other agricultural practices. In addition, climate change promises to make these lands even drier, hotter, and less valuable. Being land-agnostic and capable of conserving water, vertical farming is a reasonable option for arid lands. This ingenious method of producing food in deserts might be a springboard to economic development of arid regions. 

Boosts the local economy 

Local economies have attracted a lot of attention recently. And guess what I consider to be a remarkable contribution to developing local economies? Right, vertical farms near desert cities. The more often and the faster a dollar circulates in a region, the more income it creates. Studies also show that the most prosperous communities gain and sustain their wealth because they have the highest percentage of jobs in local businesses. Such communities still engage in global trade, but they import only things they can’t supply themselves.

Reinforces food security

The coronavirus pandemic has spotlighted local food production, making it more of a necessity than a luxury. Countries that heavily rely on food imports are now striving to achieve food security and resilience more than ever. And the risk of food supply chain disruptions is less imminent with several vertical farms near megalopolises. Because indoor environments are independent of outside weather conditions, vertical farms ensure reliable harvests to meet delivery schedules and supply contracts.

Decreases prices for fresh food

Besides ending dependence on imported food, vertical farming in close proximity to cities lowers the cost of products. Since food prices are linked to oil prices, delivery distance is an influential factor in food costs. The shorter the distance food travels, the less it costs. Additionally, local produce is fresher, as it isn’t stored in fridges for long during delivery. On top of that, vertically farmed crops are healthier than field-grown crops and are naturally flavorful, as strict biosecurity procedures in indoor farms eliminate plant diseases and the need for pesticides. 

Creates new jobs

Among other vertical farming advantages are the job opportunities the technology provides. Yes, an indoor farm doesn’t require much manual labor due to automated growing systems and robotics. Nevertheless, it creates a lot of new jobs in farm construction and management, plant cultivation, technology development and support, distribution control, and personnel management. 

Uses energy sustainably

Although a 30-story vertical farm needs 26 million kWh of electricity, it can generate 56 million kWh through biogas digesters and solar panels. The excess energy can be transferred back to the grid and bring additional income.

Given the technical opportunities, market potential, and benefits for communities, I struggle to find a rational explanation as to why large desert areas still lie unused. Fortunately, some early adopters have already recognized the potential of arid lands. 

The challengers who have already succeeded

However challenging the idea of growing crops in hostile climates may seem, some daring companies are already leveraging high-tech techniques of vertical agriculture and running successful businesses, boosting food production in their countries.

The Al-Badia market garden farm is among these pioneers. The daily harvest of the Middle East’s first commercial vertical farm is two hundred boxes of greens, including radishes, kale, mustard, basil, and arugula. The multi-story setup is on an 800-square-meter plot of land in one of Dubai’s main industrial areas. Al-Badia serves nearly 70 local caterers and restaurants, providing fresh and pesticide-free products that wouldn’t be available otherwise.

The driest state in the USA, Nevada, has become home to a 20,000-square-meter hydroponic vertical farm built by Oasis Biotech. Besides catering to the needs of the Las Vegas restaurant industry, the company has created its first consumer-facing brand, which is currently sold through a local distributor. While most US produce travels between 1,500 and 2,500 miles before reaching the consumer, Oasis Biotech ensures its goods are delivered within an average of four miles and go from harvest to plate within 36 hours. 

In Australia — a country that is 53% deserts and drylands by landmass —vertical farming technology is also being adopted. Stacked Farm’s two locations (200 and 4000 square meters) focus on salad greens, leafy vegetables, and livestock feed. But what’s more exciting about these farms is that they’re fully automated, from planting the seeds to harvesting and packaging the produce. Nevertheless, Stacked Farm doesn’t intend to take work away from farmers but rather to support farming communities that are suffering through drought or during off seasons. 

Deserts are no longer deadlands

Vertical farming technology is certainly a game changer for regions with severely hot climates. Once a dryland gets a vertical farm, it stops being a deadland and becomes an advanced hub of fresh food. Vertical farming pioneers will be remembered as the kick-starters of thriving desert economies. The first to build a vertical farm in a desert will most likely be the first to start getting profits from desert farming and eventually become a frontrunner in the industry.

Source: Agritech Tomorrow

A Manufacturer and a Food Caterer Among New Players Feeding Singapore’s Urban Farming Boom

August 10, 2021

SINGAPORE: In a small room tucked away on the second floor of a precision engineering factory in Tuas, pots of kale and lettuce stacked in vertical racks grow under the glow of pink-purple lights.

These light-emitting diode (LED) lights have been designed to shine at a customised spectrum that will help crops grow better. Smart sensors also keep tabs on temperature and humidity in the room, while a special water treatment system reduces bacteria growth.

In here, the goal is to find the best way to farm vegetables indoors, all with the use of technology.

“You can control everything, even how much nutrients or water is being used for each plant,” said Mr Nelson Lim, co-founder of I.F.F.I, which stands for Indoor Farm Factory Innovation.

“We want to bring indoor farming into something more precise, where you calculate the least input for the best output. That is precision farming,” he told CNA.

Mr Lim is also the chief executive of precision engineering firm TranZplus Engineering, which is the parent company of I.F.F.I. TranZplus’ two-storey office in Tuas now houses both a manufacturing facility for semiconductor components and a farming showroom.

“A lot of people ask me: ‘Nelson, are you crazy? You’re in engineering, why suddenly do farming?’ Actually, the two are not unrelated. We can put our engineering skills to good use in indoor farming,” Mr Lim said, while demonstrating the farming racks that can be adjusted according to height and size.

Robotics is another expertise that the company has incorporated into its farming solutions to not just improve the yield and quality of crops, but also workflow efficiencies.

For instance, automated machines that can perform seeding, transplanting, potting and harvesting tasks will be put to work at I.F.F.I’s mega indoor farm when ready at the end of this year.

(Left to right) I.F.F.I's general manager Veronica Lee, chief operating officer Kelvin Ng and co-founder Nelson Lim. (Photo: Tang See Kit)

SEEDING A DIVERSIFICATION

TranZplus’ venture into agriculture was first seeded in 2016 when it became one of the vendors for Panasonic’s indoor farm in Singapore.

“Initially, they just wanted to have a rack. Then we thought why not have racks that can be customised, why not put in an irrigation system and other types of automation?” Mr Lim recalled. “We worked out a prototype and they were impressed.”

The company kept on with research and development after that, while being involved in setting up three other small-scale farms. In 2019, it decided it had gained enough experience to give it a shot.

Mr Lim said the decision to venture into indoor farming was driven by “strong business potential”, partly on the back of Singapore’s “30 by 30” goal to produce 30 per cent of the country's nutritional needs locally by 2030.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the potential, with global disruptions to the harvesting, shipping and sale of food making it even more important for the country to have its own resources. Indoor farms can be the solution, he added.

Last September, I.F.F.I. became one of the nine urban farms to secure grants totalling S$39.4 million from the Singapore Food Agency.

Its 38,000 sq ft indoor farm, which remains under development at the JTC Space @ Tuas, will be using a soil-based cultivation method that allows more vegetable varieties to be planted.

When operational, the mega farm will be able to produce 800 to 1,000kg of vegetables, like nai bai and spinach, per day, said Mr Lim.

Another new player on the field is food caterer Kitchen Haus, which co-founded “farm-to-table” concept brand Frux Earth a few months ago.

With its core business facing a slow recovery amid the pandemic, the company has been diversifying actively in search of new opportunities over the past year.

Agriculture is “not unrelated territory”, chief executive Patrick Chan said. “It’s still part of the food ecosystem so when the opportunity came, I agreed instantly.”

It teamed up with home-grown urban farming company Metro Farm for the new venture. With the latter’s expertise, the farms under Frux Earth – three sites spanning 60,000 sq ft – are powered by an aquaponics system that converts fish waste into nutrients for the vegetables.

For instance, its 12,000 sq ft rooftop farm atop an industrial building in Bendemeer has eight fish tanks with red tilapia and jade perch. These fishes were chosen for their hardiness and ability “to produce more waste”, said Metro Farm’s director Chris Toh.

“We have a filter to separate the fish waste, which is then broken down by bacteria. Our system will then keep the nutrients flowing to the vegetables 24/7,” said the farm’s other director Brandon Toh, who added that the system is “self-sustainable” and keeps costs low.

The Bendemeer farm, with its 720 vertical plant towers, can harvest more than 30,000 stalks of vegetables, including purple lettuce and kale, a month. The fish will also be sold once they reach table size.

Mr Chan said: “This is a breath of fresh air for us and we pivoted because we want to jump on the trend of food sustainability.

“I think Metro Farm sees the value in us having the know-how of food preparing, catering and retail. And we partner them because it’s not easy to set up a farm and they are the experts.”

Metro Farm’s director Chris Toh (left) and Kitchen Haus' chief executive officer Patrick Chan (right) joined hands to form a new urban farming company Frux Earth. (Photo: Tang See Kit)

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Metro Farm, which started its first farm in Kranji almost nine years ago, noted that the local agriculture sector has become “much more vibrant”.

While the presence of new and bigger players means greater competition, the increased attention has also made it easier for businesses to secure farming sites in land-scarce Singapore, including vacant rooftops on both public and private buildings.

“In the past, we have to explain what is a rooftop farm and what we are doing but now, more landlords are opening up to the idea,” said Mr Brandon Toh, although he noted that not all rooftops are suitable given the need to take into consideration the additional loads of farming.

Frux Earth has plans to open three more urban farms over the next few months.

Its “farm-to-table” menu is in the works as it ramps up its crop production, while it is also gauging the interest for a weekly vegetable subscription service, said Mr Chan.

These “culture boxes”, as they are called, will be filled with 1 to 2kg worth of freshly harvested organic vegetables and delivered to the doorsteps of customers every week. For now, it has started supplying a few restaurants located near its farm at the Marina Country Club.

Frux Earth is planning to launch a weekly vegetable box subscription service. (Photo: Frux Earth)

Over at I.F.F.I, the protracted pandemic and its impact on labour and supplies of raw materials have caused some delays at its mega indoor farm which was initially scheduled to open in the middle of this year.

“We are catching up and hopefully we can have everything ready soon,” said Mr Lim. “Certainly, costs have also gone up with the increase in raw material prices, but we are managing that."

Meanwhile, the company is working on opening an “indoor farm pro-shop”.

“There will be a mini-farm set up for visitors to understand and raise awareness about indoor farming,” said I.F.F.I chief operating officer Kelvin Ng.

“If they like what they see and want to start their home cultivation system, they will also be able to purchase everything they need at the shop. We will even have consultants ready to guide you. It will be a one-stop shop about indoor farming.”

I.F.F.I. also sees opportunities beyond Singapore where they can serve as consultants or designers to those looking to set up indoor farms. For instance, in Russia where crop production is a challenge due to the cold climate.

Its technologies can also be deployed in “bite sizes” even in traditional food-producing countries as solutions to specific problems, such as water pollution.

Mr Ng said: “There are many opportunities emerging in the space of indoor farming, and we want to be bold and seize them.”

Lead Photo: I.F.F.I, an affiliate of precision engineering firm TranZplus Engineering, is looking to open its mega indoor farm in Tuas by the end of this year. (Photo: Tang See Kit)

Vertical Future Welcomes New Member of Software Development Team

August 10, 2021

Vertical Future welcomes Sai kee Wong to their software development team as an Embedded Software Engineer.

Sai Kee brings an large amount of experience to the Vertical Future team, from a career spanning over 35 years, primarily based in Hong Kong. Kai See started his career as a Technician before progressing on to engineering roles, and engineering management roles at other companies, including Siemens. More recently, he worked at ARUP and at Hong Kong's Airport Authority.

His Masters degree, obtained at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, focused on computer vision with camera calibration, and he also holds further qualifications in electronic engineering.

From a personal standpoint, Sai Kee has been passionate about electronics, computer hardware and software since a very young age. His interests include astronomy and flying helicopters in his spare time. 

For more information:
Vertical Future
Jamie Burrows, Founder and CEO
jamie@verticalfuture.co.uk
www.verticalfuture.co.uk 

$160 Million Funding Round Secured To Expand Operations

August 10, 2021

80 Acres Farms, a vertical farming producer, has secured $160 million in additional funding in a round led by General Atlantic and joined by Siemens Financial Services, the U.S. financing arm of tech company Siemens.

The company intends to use the capital for continued expansion and product development, building from its current footprint of vertical farms that yield a diverse offering of high-quality produce. 

Thriving for impact
Mike Zelkind, CEO of 80 Acres Farms, said: "We are proud of what our team has been able to accomplish and enthusiastic about the road ahead. We are also honored to be supported by such a high-caliber group of strategic investors who are enabling us to continue to lead this evolving and fast-growing industry." Mike said the investment is a quantum leap for the business to build more farms both nationally and globally. 

"80 Acres Farms is building an incredibly exciting vertical farming business that provides high-quality produce through innovative practices," noted Shaw Joseph, Managing Director of General Atlantic. 

Shaw said that with global food consumption increasing and growing threats impacting supply chains and food security, there is a pressing need for healthy, fresh and local foods that are grown in more sustainable and cost-effective ways. He added, "We look forward to working closely with Mike, Tisha and the broader 80 Acres Farms' team as they scale."

"The new investment positions the company as the leading proven and profitable technology provider prepared for rapid
expansion," said Tisha Livingston, CEO of Infinite Acres, and Co-founder of 80 Acres Farms. "In addition, this enables 80 Acres to focus on their operational expertise and deep research and development capabilities beyond leafy greens."

Combining capital and tech know-how
Jason Thompson, Vice President of Sustainability and Growth Equity at Siemens Financial Services, said, "We are committed to helping scale sustainable vertical farming technology. 80 Acres has demonstrated their ability to build and operate profitable farms."

According to Jason, Siemens is enthusiastic about the opportunity to support its global expansion with both its capital and technical know-how. Including, their recently established Center of Competence dedicated to supporting companies in realizing their digital transformation. 

"We are excited to be partnering with General Atlantic and Siemens to provide growth capital and support to Mike, Tisha and the entire 80 Acres team to help scale their operations within existing and new markets," said Kayode Akinola, Head of Private Equity Directs at Blue Earth Capital. 

New board member
As part of this funding round, Shaw Joseph will join the 80 Acres Farms board. Eli Aheto, former 80 Acres Farms board member, led BeyondNetZero's contributions to this round. He noted, "I am pleased to be able to continue and grow my support of 80 Acres with this contribution from the BeyondNetZero team. 80 Acres has proven a farm design that is poised to reduce food miles, food waste and the
resulting in negative carbon emissions that exist within our food supply chain." 

For more information:
80 Acres Farms
Rebecca Haders, VP Marketing 
rebecca.haders@eafarms.com 
www.80acresfarms.com

Lead Photo: Mike Zelkind and Tisha Livingston

Vertical Farm Specified Seeds With Open-Source Licensing

By Rebekka Boekhout

August 10, 2021

When thinking of vertical farming, we usually think of rows of lettuce or herbs all neatly placed under purple LED lights. However, if it were to Rosario Iacono, founder of Kasveista, vertical farming should be all but limited to leafy greens. Kasveista’s mission is to expand vertical farms with all other crops through extensive research.

“For me as an agronomist, seeds have always been the most fascinating stage of a plant’s life. Without seeds there is no agriculture,” Rosario explains. “When I became interested in vertical farming, I was shocked to find out that the whole sector relies on seeds developed for open-field or greenhouse environments. Developing seeds specifically for the vertical farming sector can strongly increase the sector’s profitability. After all, the range of benefits for vertical farming will be obtained only if it produces the same range of food that is now produced in traditional agriculture.”

Read the rest of the article here

Things Are Looking Up For New Vertical Farming Students

By The Newsroom

August 10, 2021

Building work on the £500,000 facility is expected to begin next year with the £200,000 grant from the Scottish Government helping key research to be carried out in this growing area of plant and crop science – and being the first such facility to be directly connected with an educational establishment, it will also give students hands-on experience of this new field of technology.

The new building and associated technologies will focus on growing nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables with a specific focus on human health qualities. The site will also analyse crop yield and growth rates along with all resource inputs - allowing the true overall carbon footprint of the latest in growing techniques to be compared with more traditional production systems.

Vertical farming systems focus on controlling all inputs into the growing system, with light levels and frequencies carefully controlled along with temperature and CO2 levels on top of water provision and all other nutrients and substrates.

The SRUC said the facility would operate on renewable energy sources from the national grid, with new battery technology being used to help manage peaks in energy demand.

“With only a handful of commercial vertical farms in Scotland, the facility will be important for demonstration and knowledge exchange with farmers, growers and small businesses, giving vital support and promoting innovation,” said Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC.

“One of the most critical challenges we face is how to feed a growing global population,” he continued.

“We have been teaching farmers for generations but, as the population increases, it is important that we look at growing different, more nutritious crops to support healthy diets and local access to food.”

But he said that the vertical farming unit would also be a valuable asset to students studying at the site, while also providing important data which would help optimise and promote innovation into what was becoming a fast-expanding area of the industry.

The Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon said:

“As we look to produce more fruits and vegetables locally, vertical farming could provide us with a way to make better use of our land. It’s an exciting and innovative field that could bring us real benefits and it is important that we have the skills in Scotland to take advantage of this technology.

She said that by supporting the industry at an early stage, policy makers would be better able to assess the benefits and help to focus on long-term strategy.

“We will also be reaching out to the wider industry to explore in further detail the opportunities low-carbon vertical farming offers. We will work together to establish the future of vertical farming in Scotland.”

The project will be going out to tender in the coming weeks.

Agriculture Is Blooming In The Desert

August 9, 2021

Mainly produce and fruit, the UAE must import food because the arid environment is not conducive to growing a variety of leafy plants. While importing food ensures the population does not go hungry, it often results in more expensive, less fresh food, with a lower nutrient density. And, as we saw with covid-19 last year, food supply chains are fragile. Relying on other countries to grow your food is no longer always reliable.

Controlled environment agriculture, like greenhouses and vertical farming, offers a hyper-local alternative to importing food by making agriculture accessible in harsh environments. With the use of new technologies, companies can capitalize on the sprawling desert and sunshine. The UAE's three deserts offer a massive amount of real estate for building warehouses for vertical farms and an almost unlimited solar power supply. Although water is scarce, vertical farming uses over 90% less water than traditional farming.

Photo: an indoor vertical farm growing greens

Both the government and the private sector are funding an agricultural revolution

In 2018, the UAE government announced plans to be the top country in food security (measured by the Global Security Index) globally by 2051 and in the top ten by 2021--as of last year; it ranked 42. Like Singapore’s “30 by 30” plan, the government has since aggressively funded food startups and partnered with larger companies, including those from other agtech centers of excellence like the Netherlands and Korea.

In 2020, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office invested $100 million in agtech firms, including local vertical farm Madar Farms, US-based vertical farm AeroFarms, an irrigation company RDI, and a local fertilizer company called RNZ. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) teamed up with Shalimar Biotech Industries to build twelve vertical farms. The MOCCAE and partnered with the Majid Al Futtaim group to build vertical farms in their malls. And it’s not all controlled environment agriculture. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) approved five investment projects, worth $142 million, to establish fish, vegetable, fruit, cattle, and poultry farms on a total land and sea area of approximately 43 million square feet.

Just this month, His Royal Highness Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi, aka the “Green Sheikh,” flew to the US to visit Gotham Greens and the Green Bronx Machine--a Bronx-based organization that brings urban agriculture into school. In the past, he partnered with Stephen Ritz, founder of the Green Bronx Machine, to bring agricultural education and plant science initiatives to Dubai. Longtime friends with shared values on education and wellness, the two will partner on building farms in the UAE and developing culturally specific educational materials for children.

The 'Green Sheikh' collaborates with the founder of the Green Bronx Machine to educate kids in Dubai about farming in the desert.

In the private sector, Dubai is home to many different agtech companies. Badia farms produces lettuce, herbs, and microgreens for chefs, caterers, and restaurants. Madar farms is experimenting with other agtech solutions like container farms and indoor “kitchen gardens” for chefs. Crop one is planning to build the largest vertical farm in the world and partner with Emirates airlines. Green Factory Emirates partnered with veteran indoor growing experts from the Netherlands, GrowGroup IFS, to develop the world’s largest indoor farm (including vertical farming and traditional farming techniques) that will yield 10,000 tons of food annually. & Ever is not building a farm in Dubai yet, but their headquarters is based there. In Abu Dhabi, Pure Harvest opened a ‘smart’ hydroponic tomato farm that utilizes bees in its greenhouses. Another excellent use of indoor growing, Al Aliyo Hydrofarms is a hydroponic farm growing organic fodder for livestock.

Aquaculture is also present. Fish Farm boasts the largest fish farm in the UAE, with three fish hatcheries providing a local, sustainable source of shrimp, hammour, sea bass, and sea bream.

The future is bright and green

Given its large swaths of desert and government commitment to food security, it is no surprise that agtech is becoming a booming sector in the United Arab Emirates. Vertical farming and other local food initiatives have the potential to bring fresher, more nutrient-rich food to the region, provide jobs, educate the youth and continue to show the world that the UAE is always on the cutting edge of new technologies.

CAN: A Fresh Salad After A Round of Golf

August 9, 2021

In the green meadows of Alberta, a new farm was established: Springbank Vertical Farm. On this farm, food is cultivated for Windmill Golf Group. All produce at the Springbank farm is freshly served at the Windmill Golf clubhouses.

Have a look at the video below to get to know more about it. 

Opening Large Vertical Farming Facilities in Europe

August 9, 2021

Infarm has signed a contract for a new Growing Centre in Bedford which will measure 9,760 sqm in size, offering more than 5500 sqm of growing space in Infarm’s cloud-connected farming units.

Jeremy Byfleet, UK Country Director at Infarm, said: “Infarm has a clear goal to expand in the UK market. Our second UK Growing Centre located in the “golden triangle” allows us to significantly increase the amount of fresh produce grown year-round in the UK. 

When fully equipped, the units - each occupying 25 sqm of ground space and 10 metres in height - are able to produce up to 18 million plants per year and generate the crop equivalent of 360,000 sqm of farmland. The Growing Centre is currently in construction and on track for a first harvest in Q4 of 2021.

Each Infarm Growing Centre can save up to ten million liters of water per year, reducing water consumption by 95% versus traditional agricultural methods. Pentadel, appointed by Infarm to select a site as well as design and manage the construction of the new Growing Centre, has also integrated rainwater harvesting into the design of Infarm's new facility. Implementing rainwater harvesting is expected to capture a further 2.5 million litres of water per year, which will be used for conditioning plants.

Infarm will continue to operate its existing Growing Centre in Edmonton, North London and is currently hiring. “We have already opened up new positions for our locations in London and Bedford and will continue to do so as we expand our Bedford operation,” said Byfleet. To establish this large vertical farming facility, Infarm has partnered with Pentadel Project Management.

The location of the facility enables us to serve 90% of the UK population within four hours, bringing the freshest plants just on time to our clients. Consequently, food mileage is substantially reduced. One of the largest indoor vertical farming facilities in Europe to date is going to deliver millions of plants and provide fresh and locally grown produce to even more consumers via our retail partners, restaurants and online food retailers.”

James Kemp, Managing Director of Pentadel, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting Infarm with the delivery of this innovative facility that we believe represents the future of sustainable, scalable and resilient farming. We are passionate about delivering projects just like this – projects that place the future of people and the planet at their heart – and I know the whole team is proud to play a part in Infarm's revolutionary story.” Pentadel has identified a suitable UK site, negotiated terms and is now designing and managing the construction of the facility.

In the UK, Infarm’s herbs and leafy greens are currently found at Whole Foods Market, Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, Fortnum & Mason and Budgens as well at online retailers Weezy and Farmdrop. The new Growing Centre will join Infarm’s expanding global network of vertical farms that all connect to a central farming brain that gathers data constantly to improve plant yield, taste, and nutritional value, while further reducing the use of natural resources. By the end of 2025, Infarm plans to expand to 100 locations worldwide.

For more information:
Infarm
press@infarm.com
www.infarm.com 

"We’re Hoping For A More Domestic Type of Farming”

By Jenneken Schouten

August 9, 2021

“Whilst living in a 9-square meter student residence, the idea of being able to use this really small space to sustain myself with well packed nutritious food was what sparked the idea of Vita” Walid Brahim, CEO with Élever Group explains.

A small personal farm for everyone, a revolutionary product that combines aesthetic looks and the implementation of the most advanced technologies to date. That is the idea behind Vita that Élever Group recently launched.

The main aim of creating Vita was to bring a new level of transparency to food production, powered by blockchain technology, permitting users to safely buy and sell their harvest within small-scale communities. “We noticed that France, despite being a nation known for its agricultural scene, has experienced somewhat of a downfall regarding the people’s confidence when buying or consuming the goods grown in their own country. With Vita, we aim to rebuild this confidence,” Walid explains.

Read the rest of the article here

“We Can Put 90 Strawberry Plants Per m2 Where A Greenhouse Would Put Only 10-12”

By Rebekka Boekhout

August 9, 2021

“I spent my first 25 years on a farm and the next 25 years in technology. Vertical farming is the bridge between those worlds,” says Yves Daoust, chief operating officer and founder of Ferme d’Hiver. The company was founded in 2018 and aims to develop a network of indoor farms and become a global hub for vertical farming.

In May 2021, Ferme d’Hiver announced that it had secured $5 million in funding from Investissement Québec, Haystack and Mavrik during its most recent funding. This funding will help Ferme d’Hiver build its first commercial indoor strawberry farm, which will cover roughly 1000 square meters and be located in Vaudreuil, Québec. Winterberry production is expected to begin in October 2021.

Read the rest of the article here

AmplifiedAg Inc. Completes $40MM In Capital Raise, Expanding Global Technologies And Vertical Roots Indoor Farms Across The Southeast

August 9, 2021

CHARLESTON, S.C., /PRNewswire/ -- AmplifiedAg Inc.™, fast-growing agtech industry leader on a mission to provide global access to safe food, announced today that the company has completed $40 million in equity financing. The funding will support the continued expansion of the company's world-leading hydroponic container farm, Vertical Roots and further development of the company's holistic operating system, AmpEDGE™, which uniquely combines environment monitoring and controls with business operations for end-to-end indoor farm management.

"Our demonstrated ability to scale our indoor farms and technology is leading to discussions with strategic and financial partners, and we expect to consummate additional financing later this year to further accelerate Vertical Roots' presence across the Country," said Don Taylor, CEO of AmplifiedAg.

Vertical Roots' rapid success exemplifies the time, profitability, operational growth efficiency, and superior product quality AmplifiedAg farms and technology achieve. In less than four years, Vertical Roots has grown to be the largest hydroponic container farm in the world growing multiple varieties of mature, fresh leafy greens. The company currently operates three farm sites in Charleston, S.C., Columbia, S.C., and Atlanta, Ga. with produce available at 1,700 major grocery stores across 12 states including retailers such as Publix, Harris Teeter and Whole Foods, as well as schools, universities, and restaurants.

The current round of funding will support the installation of farms in north and central Florida, extending Vertical Roots' dominant position as the leading CEA and vertical farming business in the southeast market.

AmplifiedAg implements a distinctive strategy to operate Vertical Roots farms directly at distribution facilities, eliminating a massive leg of produce transportation in order to reduce emissions and provide communities with fresh, locally grown produce. Vertical Roots current focus is on nutritious, mature lettuce varieties that are celebrated for their flavor, freshness and being 100% pesticide-free.

Taylor added, "We're dually focused to deploy Vertical Roots farms across the country as close to the point of consumption as possible, while advancing and expanding AmplifiedAg's global network of proven technologies and farms to others in the CEA industry."

About AmplifiedAg, Inc.

AmplifiedAg, Inc.™ is an agtech industry visionary on a mission to provide global access to safe food. The company manufactures indoor vertical container farms, hydroponic systems, and disruptive seed-to-sale SaaS-based technologies. AmplifiedAg provides holistic indoor farming solutions to sustainably grow and distribute food anywhere in the world. 

AmplifiedAg owns and operates Vertical Roots, the largest hydroponic container farm in the World with produce in over 1,700 grocery stores nationwide. Learn more at www.amplifiedaginc.com. Growing Food for a Growing World.

Urban Crop Solutions Awarded As Best-In-Class Vertical Farming Solution Provider

August 2021

Urban Crop Solutions has been awarded a ‘Best-in-Class’ award for their production systems by the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture. They were selected as the winners for the category of ‘systems starting between $250k-$500k’. Each finalist went through a rigorous review process and was evaluated according to several criteria. Emphasis was given to sustainable farms and equipment manufacturers that efficiently use resources such as land, energy, labour and water to produce the highest yields at an affordable price in indoor farm settings.

“The award is definitely a recognition for our team that is continuously working on state-of-the art growing solutions which optimise the sustainability of our industry, whether this is in an existing building or for a greenfield project.” says Maarten Vandecruys, Founder and CTO, Urban Crop Solutions.

“Today we are rewarded with a prize for our approach, but to be successful for our customers, the knowledge of the plant science is as equally important as the engineering part. We keep on striving for a more sustainable impact, not just on the consumption of our natural resources, but also the yield, which positively impacts the financial sustainability” he adds.

"We are enormously proud of the entire team! A team that works together for the future. A team that is there for each other, to give the best of themselves. Looking at our latest realisations, the ModuleX and the FarmLab, and our 24/7 support both technically and biologically, as a team leader you can look forward with a broad smile!" says Jean-Pierre Coene, CEO, Urban Crop Solutions.

Jean-Pierre Coene operating the ModuleX

ABOUT UCS

Urban Crop Solutions is a Belgium based pioneer in the fast-emerging technology of indoor vertical farming. It has developed over the past six years, 220+ plant growth recipes in its research centre in Waregem, Belgium. To date, UCS has delivered over 25 projects in multiple global locations. Their farms are being operated both for commercial and research purposes. Uses range from the production of leafy greens, microgreens and herbs for food retail, service and industrial use, and scientific research across multiple institutions.

Website: www.urbancropsolutions.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/urbancropsolutions
Twitter: www.twitter.com/U_C_Solutions
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/urbancropsolutions

CONTACT

Filip Meeuws – Sales Director, Urban Crop Solutions          
fime@urbancropsolutions.com

Maarten Vandecruys – Co-founder & CTO, Urban Crop Solutions  
maarten.vandecruys@urbancropsolutions.com

Jean-Pierre Coene – CEO, Urban Crop Solutions     
jpco@urbancropsolutions.com

Lead Photo: Maarten Vandecruys in the UCS Research Centre