First US Vertical Farm Receives GAP Certification Three Story Greenhouse Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole
First US Vertical Farm Receives GAP Certification Three Story Greenhouse Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole
Passes GAP audit
By: Nona Yehia
JACKSON, Wyo.— Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole becomes the first vertical farm in the United States to receive GAP certification, joining an elite global group of vertical farms that have received the certification.
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is a voluntary audit that verifies that fruits and vegetables are produced, packed, handled, and stored as safely as possible to minimize risks of microbial food safety hazards. GAP audits verify adherence to the recommendations made in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (pdf) and industry recognized food safety practices. The certification is important as it’s required by most large-scale distributors and attaining it opens up significant market opportunities.
Vertical farming and urban agriculture are rapidly growing areas in the US and global horticulture. More people are recognizing the clear benefits of bringing food sources closer to the consumer and promoting farming methods that save water, enable year-round production and reduce pesticide use. Creating new markets for food grown in these systems is vital to building a sustainable future.
As Nona Yehia, Vertical Harvest’s Co-founder and CEO explains “ This is a huge achievement for our young farm. We are proud to be one of the first vertical greenhouses in the world to be GAP Certified. Vertical Harvest is committed to food safety and delivering the best quality product to its customers while also creating jobs who need it most in our community.”
About Vertical Harvest
Jackson Hole is home to one of the world’s first vertical greenhouses located on a sliver of land next to a parking garage. This 13,500 sq.ft three-story stacked greenhouse utilizes 1/10th of an acre infill lot to grow and the annual amount of produce equivalent to 10 acres of traditional agriculture.
Vertical Harvest is a sustainable source of locally grown vegetables to sell year-round to Jackson area restaurants, grocery stores and directly to the consumer via MARKET, the on-site retail store. In addition to fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and microgreens, Vertical Harvest produces jobs. Vertical Harvest is an innovative community impact model to employ an under-served Wyoming population: adults with developmental disabilities.