Harvesting Cherries At Night To Protecting Apples With Nets, Record Heat Takes Toll On Fruit Crop

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.

Valoya Launches Two New Greenhouse LED Grow Lights

Valoya, the research-driven manufacturer of horticultural LED grow lights has expanded its RX-Series line of greenhouse LEDs with two new models – RX500 and RX600. The new models are higher power, higher efficiency versions of the existing RX400 model, and can be used as true 1-to-1 HPS replacements. RX500 and RX600 produce up to the staggering 1700 µmol/s of uniform light output. They have been designed to be robust and compact, producing minimal shading over the canopy. With an Ingress Protection rating of IP65 (wet location) these luminaires are completely dust tight and can withstand spraying with water jets from any direction. The high light intensity they produce enables them to be positioned high above the canopy, as much as 4 meters above it.

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Valoya’s LED technology is proprietary and great efforts have been taken to create LED luminaires that last long and sustain the same light spectrum over their entire lifetime. RX500 and RX600 typically last 50000 hours whereby the intensity drops to 90% after about the 36000-hour mark. The spectrum decays evenly ensuring the grower will be getting the same plant performance and will not have to change the growth protocol over time.

In transitioning from HPS to LED, growers have to develop new growth protocols quickly. This is where Valoya’s team of biologists will provide support and expertise based on over 600 plant trials conducted in over 10 years. This means growers will hit the ground running after their LED upgrade and will see improvements in their plant performance right after it.

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The new models are available with most of Valoya’s patented spectra such as SolrayÒ (sunlight replica) and AP673L (vegetative growth). All of Valoya’s spectra can be used as sole source lighting in no sunlight environments as well as together with sunlight. They have been tested on over 300 plant species/varieties and we will gladly share this data with growers to help them get the most out of their plants.

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RX500 and RX600 are heavy-duty, greenhouse luminaires designed to produce high and uniform light output over a long period of time. Combined with Valoya’s patented spectra and the support of a team of photobiologists, RX-Series is the way to upgrade to LEDs in your greenhouse.

Contact Valoya today to get your free light plan - sales@valoya.com

To learn more about the RX-Series, please download the brochure. 

About Valoya

Valoya is a provider of high end, energy-efficient LED grow lights for use in crop science, vertical farming, and medicinal plants cultivation. Valoya LED grow lights have been developed using Valoya's proprietary LED technology and extensive plant photobiology research. Valoya's customer base includes numerous vertical farms, greenhouses, and research institutions all over the world (including 8 out of 10 world’s largest agricultural companies).

Additional information:

Valoya Ltd, Finland

Tel: +358 10 2350300

Email: sales@valoya.com

Web: www.valoya.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valoyafi/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/valoya

Singapore's Temasek Bets on 'Skyscraper Farms' As Growth Market

Joint Venture With Bayer To Develop Seeds

To Boost Food Security In City-State

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TAKASHI NAKANO, Nikkei staff writer

September 10, 2020

SINGAPORE -- Singapore's state-backed investment group Temasek Holdings has extended its business portfolio into urban farming, a concept that will aid the city-state in its quest to become more agriculturally self-sufficient.

Temasek and German pharmaceutical major Bayer established Unfold, a 50-50 joint venture, last month. The company will develop and market seeds for vertical farming both in Singapore and at its California headquarters.

Singapore produces less than 10% of the food it consumes. The government plans to raise the ratio to 30% by 2030.

Vertical farming, officials believe, is crucial to attaining that goal. The technique grows agroponic layers of crops under artificial light inside skyscrapers. Because the plants are not dependent on weather, the method is expected to generate large yields in a relatively quickly.

"Temasek is recognized as one of the leading investors in the food and agriculture segment," said Jurgen Eckhardt, head of Leaps by Bayer -- an investment arm of Bayer. "They have investments in, and relationships with, a range of vertical farming companies."

Bayer will provide plant genetic data to Unfold, which will first develop new varieties of lettuce, spinach and tomatoes, among other crops. The company will sell seeds to food producers.

Temasek will introduce companies to the technology and expertise at Unfold and other investment targets. Temasek holds a stake in Sustenir Agriculture, a Singaporean urban farming company, providing a channel for Sustenir to cultivate Unfold's high-yield seeds.

Vertical farming is projected to grow into a $12.77 billion market in 2026, according to Allied Market Research, up from $2.23 billion in 2018.

Temasek invested 3 billion euros ($3.7 billion) into Bayer in 2018 -- funding which helped Bayer complete the acquisition of U.S. seed producer Monsanto.

The company anticipates further investments in the agricultural sector.

"Whether it's in the area of an alternative protein, aquaculture, or crop science, it's an area that requires actually more capital," said Temasek International CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara. "So far it's done well for us and we're still keen to invest more in it."

Temasek has expanded its portfolio of life sciences and agribusiness investments. Allocation in the domains stood at 8% at the end of March, or five points higher than five years earlier. The size of the holdings is about $17 billion.

The coronavirus pandemic has heightened concerns over food security. Thailand and other trading partners temporarily imposed restrictions on exports. The Singaporean government doled out 30 million Singapore dollars ($22 million) in subsidies this April to help companies produce more eggs, leafy vegetables and fish.

"In Singapore, with less than 0.8% arable land, vertical farming innovation is critical," said Unfold CEO John Purcell.

This year, Temasek has invested in startups that develop meat and fish substitutes, as well as plant-based milk. GIC, another Singaporean state investor, in May picked up shares in Apeel Sciences, a U.S. company that developed an artificial peel for fruits and vegetables to extend shelf life.

The less-than-stellar portfolio performance has also factored in Temasek's investments into agribusiness. For the year ended March, the company reported a return of minus 2.3%, the first negative result in four years. Declining stock values of domestic companies such as the banking group DBS Group Holdings and the conglomerate Sembcorp Industries were behind the setback.

When Singapore Airlines sought to raise up to S$15 billion in rescue funds this March, Temasek was the first to indicate it would sign on in light of its status as a major investor in the carrier. Saddled with its role as a financial provider of last resort, the state investment group's ability to reap returns from investments in agriculture and other growth sectors will sway its performance.

Temasek has also stepped up investment in advanced medical fields such as biopharmaceuticals in the past year, with stakes in 10 companies revealed in 2020 so far.

Vertex Venture Holdings, a Temasek unit that oversees a fund specializing in the medical field, has invested in more than 20 healthcare-related startups, including American drug developer Elevation Oncology in July.

"COVID-19 has shone a light on the importance of continued R&D investment," said Lori Hu, managing director of Vertex Ventures HC. "It has revealed critical unmet needs in the health care industry. We continue to actively look at new deals."

Leveraging its broad network, Vertex took a stake in Israeli telemedicine platform operator Datos Health in April and invested in India's IVF Access Hospitals, which specializes in infertility treatments, two months later.

Through its investments in the medical field, Temasek is also involved in the global race to develop coronavirus treatments. It was part of a group of investors to pour $250 million into Germany's BioNTech, which is jointly developing a COVID-19 vaccine candidate with Pfizer. South Korean drugmaker Celltrion, in which Temasek holds a roughly 10% stake, has brought a diagnostic kit to market in the U.S. last month.

Investments in biopharmaceutical developers carry high risks, but the payoff can be large when a treatment successfully reaches the market. Holdings in unlisted companies accounted for 48% of Temasek's portfolio as of March-end, up six points from a year earlier.

Lead photo: Courtesy of Unfold - Vertical farms use hydroponics to grow crops inside buildings.

Valoya And Citizen Electronics Enter A Licensing Agreement

Citizen Electronics Co. Ltd., leading developer of electronic devices and applied products, and Valoya, the research-driven LED grow light manufacturer have entered a licensing agreement whereby Citizen Electronics will take Valoya’s LED spectrum portfolio into use.

Citizen Electronics will apply Valoya's spectrum technology know-how in order to strengthen its COB (chip on board) LED products intended for the horticulture industry.

Valoya has launched its patent licensing program in June this year. After more than a decade of persistent focus on R&D, the company has amassed one of the largest patent portfolios of the horticulture lighting industry. 

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‘The spectrum makes all the difference. High-quality light creates high-quality plants. We are excited and proud to have a company like Citizen recognize the value of our expertise and to choose to include it in their product portfolio. We look forward to seeing their COB LED products with Valoya spectrum reach the market and the growers who will greatly benefit from Valoya’s spectra which have been developed through meticulous plant R&D efforts spanning over a decade’ comments Mr. Lars Aikala, the CEO and Co-Founder of Valoya.

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Access to the Valoya license program not only gives us a solid IP base, but also extends Valoya's experience, research, and know-how to our COB products and our customers.

Our higher power [300 Watt] COBs provide a wide spectrum light, in a very small package. It is a superior solution for greenhouses and other horticultural applications where high power light is needed", comments Mr. Kanetaka Sekiguchi, CEO of Citizen Electronics. 

The patent portfolio accounts Valoya’s inventions in the field of light spectra for plant cultivation and lighting applications.

Valoya and Citizen Electronics are happy with this partnership and are both looking to further contribute to support the development of the global horticulture industry.

To inquire further about Citizen’s COB LED products, please click here.

To learn more about Valoya's patent licensing program, please click here.

 About Valoyarop

Valoya is a provider of high end, energy-efficient LED grow lights for use in crop science, vertical farming, and medicinal plants cultivation. Valoya LED grow lights have been developed using Valoya's proprietary LED technology and extensive plant photobiology research. Valoya's customer base includes numerous vertical farms, greenhouses, and research institutions all over the world (including 8 out of 10 world’s largest agricultural companies).

 Additional information:

Valoya Ltd, Finland

Tel: +358 10 2350300

Email: sales@valoya.com

Web: www.valoya.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valoyafi/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/valoya

Temasek, Bayer Form Joint Vertical Farming Venture In California

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Jovi Ho

 August 12, 2020

Temasek Holdings is partnering with German multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company Bayer AG to create a new vertical farming venture headquartered in California, as part of Singapore’s plans to boost the city-state’s supply of sustainable, locally grown produce. 

The joint venture between Temasek and Leaps by Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer AG, will be a US entity with commercial and research and development operations in both California and Singapore. 

The new venture, Unfold, will focus on innovation in vegetable varieties with the goal of lifting the vertical farming space to the next level of quality, efficiency, and sustainability.

Instead of focusing on external infrastructure to support plant growth, Unfold will look within the plant itself. 

“By utilizing seed genetics (germplasm) from vegetable crops, Unfold will focus on developing new seed varieties coupled with agronomic advice tailored for the unique indoor environment of vertical farms,” says Bayer. 

Unfold has raised US $30 million (S$41.19 million) in its initial funding round and entered into an agreement for certain rights to germplasm from Bayer’s vegetable portfolio. 

Global food challenges are forcing countries to rethink traditional farming practices, says John Vaske, Head of Agribusiness at Temasek.

“We need to ensure secure farm-to-fork supply chains in urban settings while we also work to reduce the overall environmental impact of farming. Reducing food waste and improving the safety, traceability and nutritional value of food are all the more important as populations grow and demand for food expands. Investments in companies such as Unfold allow us and our partners to support innovative, sustainable solutions that will benefit all of us over the long term,” says Vaske. 

Back in 2018, Temasek acquired a 3.6% stake in Bayer for 3 billion euros (S$4.85 billion), bringing its total stake to about 4% with 31 million new shares. The share sale to Temasek was part of Bayer's efforts to fund its planned US$62.5 billion takeover of seed maker Monsanto.

However, according to the latest Bloomberg data, Temasek no longer appears to own a substantial stake in Bayer. 

Unfold’s President and CEO Dr. John Purcell will move from his role as Head of Vegetables R&D, Crop Science at Bayer. 

“As a company fully focused on the vertical farming industry, Unfold will combine leading seed genetics with the best agtech experts in order to dramatically advance productivity, flavor, and other consumer preferences,” says Purcell.

“We look forward to serving the market through partnerships with vertical farming operators, technology providers, and others across the produce supply chain.”

Prior to joining the food and agriculture industry, Purcell was a post-doctoral researcher at the United States Department of Agriculture from 1987 to 1989. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Massachusetts. Purcell is also part owner of a family ranching operation in Montana.

Vertical farms, also known as indoor farms or plant facilities with artificial light (PFAL), help crops grow more quickly while using less space and fewer natural resources.

Investment in the vertical farming market has increased significantly in recent years mainly due to decreasing arable land, increasing market demand for local, sustainable produce, and migration towards mega-cities.

Singapore’s "30 by 30" agriculture goal aims for 30% of our nutritional needs to be produced locally by 2030, though this figure is smaller than 10% currently. 

According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), the 77 leafy vegetable farms here accounted for 14% of total consumption in 2019. 

Lead Photo: Credit: Bayer stock photo