Exeter Town Council Considers Turning Schartner Farm Into Massive High-Tech Agricultural Project

By Frank Prosnitz

August 8, 2021

On a crisp October morning, leaves turning the color of the rainbow and pumpkin patches filled with pumpkins awaiting children to turn them into Jack-O-Lanterns, thousands of parents, children, and grandparents would flock to Schartner Farm in Exeter.

They’d likely find the home-cut French Fry stand, and inside freshly baked pies, homemade jams and newly picked apples of every variety, fresh vegetables and fruits, and an array of Mums.

But that was all a few years ago, before the 150-acre farm closed when a fire partially destroyed its main building in 2015, leaving fields that once produced corn and strawberries, pumpkins, and large variety of vegetables, to go fallow. The farm was founded more than a century ago, in 1902.

Farm buildings were left behind decaying, greenhouses in disrepair, and nearby residents fearful that the land would become a strip mall, the likes of which are found only in Rhode Island’s more urban areas.

On Wednesday, the Exeter Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposal for a zoning change that will allow for the development of a high-tech farm, with huge parking areas for trucks, a building the size of the Warwick Mall, and a 13 acre solar farm. 

Some in the community are fearful the council will approve the zone change and a project that will forever change the character of the land, and possibly the community. Others see it as providing a needed food source, making the property productive again.

The zone change, proposed by Richard Schartner of RI Grows, would establish a Controlled Environmental Agricultural Overlay District that, according to the town’s public hearing notice “would contain eligibility and process standards for establishing Controlled Environmental Agriculture (“CEA”) facilities which provide a controlled environment for year-round production of food and plants using a combination of engineering, plant science, and computer managed greenhouse control technologies to optimize plant growing systems, plant quality and production efficiency. The “CEA” facilities would also include onsite solar power as a ‘by-right’ accessory use to the primary CEA agricultural facility.”

In other words, high-tech greenhouse that are driven by technology, a building that would reportedly be 35 feet high and cover 20 acres, powered by solar energy.

The council’s public hearing is being held at the Metcalf School and begins at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

In June, Rhode Island Grows broke ground for a 25-acre indoor tomato farm on Schartner Farm. At the time it was reported, the farm would have hydroponics technology, powered by solar energy, using recycled rainwater.

According to the RI Department of Environmental Management, the tomato farm facility would cost $57 million and take eight months to build, produce 14 million pounds of tomatoes, and employ 80 people. DEM said it is only the first phase of the $800 million project that will eventually add 10 greenhouses over the next decade.

“As industrial agricultural in other areas of the country and central America have squeezed out local farms, this self-sufficient facility will enable the Schartner family to continue their century of farming in Rhode Island with another 100 years,” the DEM said in a statement.

Opponents of the proposed zone that would permit the new high-tech farming, are concerned that the process is more manufacturing than farming and “since a CEA (Controlled Environmental Agriculture) does not need farmland, should a huge CEA be located on a farm when preserving what’s left of Rhode Island’s farms is critical?” wrote Megan Cotter of the Exeter Democratic Town Committee.

“The project would negatively impact the scenic beauty of Route 2 and disrupt the quality of life for all in the vicinity,” she wrote. Cotter emphasised she’s not opposed to high-tech farming but feels it’s more appropriate in industrialized locations.

Another Exeter resident, Asa Davis, who owns more than 100-acres in town, is a strong proponent of the project.

“If you really want to preserve things like natural resources for future generations, you don’t use them,” Davis wrote. “Traditional agriculture can wear land out, and uses a lot of water, fertilizer and pesticides. The 1930’s Dust Bowl in the Midwest was man-made, not a natural occurrence. If we want to preserve water and farming resources for future generations, CEA looks like a good solution. The greenhouse is big, but it’s got a dirt floor. If it doesn’t work out, it wouldn’t be hard to remove it and revert to traditional farming – nowhere near the cost or effort of removing a shopping mall.”

Lead Photo: On Wednesday, the Exeter Town Council will hold a public hearing on a proposal for a zoning change that will allow for the development of a high-tech farm, with huge parking areas for trucks, a building the size of the Warwick Mall, and a 13 acre solar farm.

Nine High-Tech Farms In Singapore Awarded Nearly $40 Million To Ramp Up Food Production

View fullsize

SEP 9, 2020

Shabana Begum

SINGAPORE - Nine urban farms have been offered a total of $39.4 million by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) as part of efforts to support the growth of local agrifood enterprises and ramp up local food production over the next six to 24 months.

The amount was made available through the "30x30 Express" grant launched by the SFA on April 17 this year. The aim of the grant was to meet 30 percent of Singapore's nutritional needs with food produced locally by 2030.

More than 40 proposals were received by May 29, the closing date for proposals, and SFA said that the nine selected incorporated highly productive farming systems that could be constructed and implemented quickly to achieve high production levels.

All the proposals were assessed based on benchmarks such as productivity, project feasibility, economic viability, and the farms' capabilities.

SFA had to increase its original $30 million budget for the grant to close to $40 million to support the nine companies' proposals, said the agency in a press release on Wednesday (Sept 9).

Seven of the nine companies have accepted the SFA offer.

They are vegetable farms ComCrop, Green Harvest, I.F.F.I, LivFresh, Genesis One Tech Farm and VertiVegies, and egg farm Chew's Agriculture.

The funds will go towards projects such as building additional greenhouses, leveraging technology and automation to reduce manpower, and bringing artificial intelligence to high-tech farms.

SFA said the companies awarded the grant will be able to tap it to defray costs while accelerating their expansion.

For instance, I.F.F.I will set up a mega high-tech indoor vegetable farm that depends on AI to monitor the growth of its leafy greens, along with an advanced environmental control system to ensure optimum yield all year round. The farm will also use an innovative water treatment system that reduces the amount of bacteria in the crops and extends the shelf life of its produce.

Ms. Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said: "While we continue to plan to tackle our long-term challenges, we also need to respond swiftly to the immediate global food supply challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Supporting our agri-food industry and augmenting their production capabilities remains a key strategy in strengthening Singapore's food supply resilience," she added.

View fullsize

Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has awarded close to $40 million of funding to nine companies to help them adopt technology to ramp up local food production. This marks another significant step towards reaching our goal of fulfilling 30% of our nutritional needs through local sources by 2030.

The “30x30 Express” grant was launched in April this year to accelerate our efforts to strengthen food security. The COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse impact on global supply chains, has underscored the importance of local food production as a buffer against supply disruptions. With Singapore importing more than 90% of our food, we are particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in the global food supply, which can stem from diseases, trade tensions, or climate change.

I visited two of the awarded companies, ComCrop and I.F.F.I, and was impressed by how they have integrated technological innovation into their farming. ComCrop’s vegetables are grown using NFT hydroponics system, which requires 90% less water and nutrients compared to traditional soil-based farming. I.F.F.I leverages AI farming systems integrated with IoT monitoring to achieve optimum growing conditions all year around. The grant will provide them with an added boost to adopt highly productive farming systems to ramp up production over the next 6 to 24 months.

Let us play our part to strengthen food security by supporting our local farmers! Do lookout for the SG Fresh Produce logo and give local produce a try when you go on your next groceries shopping trip!

Farms in Singapore can tap on SFA's existing Agriculture Productivity Fund (APF), which aims to help them modernize and adopt advanced farming systems, as well as co-fund the test-bedding of technologies.

Enterprise Singapore has also set aside over $55 million to help local agriculture and aquaculture companies build new capabilities and innovate to grow more with less.

SFA has also urged consumers to buy local.

"We urge consumers to support our local farms and buy local produce, which can be identified easily by our new SG Fresh Produce logo," said Mr. Lim Kok Thai, SFA chief executive officer.

Lead photo: Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu with ComCrop CEO Peter Barber during a visit to the farm

TOPICS: AGRICULTURE AND FARMING MINISTRY OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT AWARDS AND PRIZES

BANGLADESH: The Future of Food

View fullsize

August 24th, 2020

Tanveer Mohiuddi

View fullsize

Courtesy

This High Tech Farming Technique Is

Gaining Popularity In The City 

With a growing population inside Dhaka and other cities, the space for plantations has drastically gone down. Many cities around the world have already adopted the method of soil-less cultivation. Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in liquid, sand, or gravel (or other mediums), with added nutrients, but without soil.

The main principles of hydroponics are increased oxygen to the root zone, and liquid feed delivered directly to roots. These factors result in increased growth rates, and increased yields when compared to traditional soil gardens where much lower oxygen and often nutrient levels are present.

Across Bangladesh, we can see that a rising number of modern dairy and cattle farmers too are adopting this reliable method of producing fodder -- meaning grass grown in a controlled environment throughout the year, ensuring a continuous supply of cattle feed.

According to many experts, growing vegetables on the rooftops can be considered a sustainable solution, especially for the urban population. With the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals being commonly used, growing fruits and vegetables privately is a much cleaner, safer, and more reliable source of nutrition. Green Savers Association is one such organization working with projects such as this. Md Ishaque Faruquee, Head of Communications and Capacity Building, spoke to Dhaka Tribune about their journey, and the prospect of hydroponic plantations in Bangladesh.

View fullsize

Green Savers Association began their work in 2010, with a dream to create a green Dhaka city. With high-rise buildings and increasingly fewer land for trees, the idea of promoting rooftop gardens with a small team of tree lovers gradually started becoming a reality. “We are proud to have worked with over 5,000 households, 200 schools, and countless volunteers and organizations since then,” mentions Ishaque.

What prospects with hydroponics do you see in the future?

Hydroponics has the potential to sustain a large proportion of the world’s population and to allow third world countries to feed their own people, even in places where the soil is poor and water is scarce. The technology can also be used as a valuable source of food production in places where space is scarce. From expansion of population comes the need to produce more food, create more jobs, and reduce the carbon footprint of transporting food into cities. Being able to grow and produce food within cities for urban populations eliminates the carbon footprint generated through the transport of food from rural areas to city centers. Anyone can grow crops within his/her own periphery. 

Is it a commercially viable option in Bangladesh?

There is no doubt that hydroponic farming systems are feasible as a commercial operation. The proof is in the application of this technology worldwide. There is enough information available, so that cannot be an excuse for failing. If you have the capital, then setting up a system is relatively easy. The fresh produce market will always buy up the top-quality produce at the best price. Hydroponics is designed to create an environment for the plant to grow at its genetic optimal, therefore producing the highest quality yields possible. Any business isn’t considered commercially viable until it has been in operation for at least six years. Within that period, most growers will have experienced some type of product cycle, and if they could not cope or adapt, they are no longer commercially viable. So, commercial hydroponic farms that are older than six years are economically viable and have certain characteristics in their management structure that one should take cognizance of when evaluating such a system as an empowerment project. A climate-controlled environment enables you to grow non-seasonal vegetables, which means you can grow throughout the year. You are not dependent on the weather conditions to make your vegetables grow. Furthermore, you can grow things that are not available in a particular season, and sell them at higher prices.

How are you facilitating the services for your clients?

First, we introduce our products online. Then, the customers come directly and sort the products according to their place. Then our experts go and set it up. If needed, our experts even provide technical support and after-sales support.

What are the types of plants or vegetables you are growing?

Particularly leafy vegetables, as well as flower vegetables that can be harvested around the year. The most common plants, but not limited to, are as follows: Lettuce, bok choy, hybrid cabbage, basil, mint (pudina), tomatoes, capsicum, chilli, long beans, bitter gourd, squash, cucumbers, and melons, to name a few. 

What are some of the benefits of using hydroponics?

No pests, no weeds, no herbicides, no pesticides. Hydroponic systems are basically vertical, and therefore require lesser space, and allow you to produce more. Everything grows right in front of your eyes, and you can check at any time if both leaves and roots are healthy and fresh. Moreover, you can even see the condition of your roots, how clean and fresh they are. The hydroponics process is completely soilless, so you are completely free from all soil-borne diseases. Especially, in this era, where our soil itself has become so polluted and unhygienic, water is really scarce, and each day it’s only getting worse. But, hydroponics comes as a solution -- as this method uses only 10% of the water that is used in normal agriculture. In fact, there is no wastage of water either. Hydroponics is not labour intensive at all, as the systems don’t require too much time and effort, compared to normal agriculture. Once you get things in order and create proper procedures and processes, it doesn’t require a lot of work. Hydroponics is as much a science as it is an art -- you know exactly what is going to be your output, and you can be sure of the quality of your produce. The whole system is very adaptable and scalable.

How are you creating value?

Both geographical location and the physical space where we decide to install our vertical farm should be carefully considered. Our business will not get off the ground or go very far without a good location. Our pricing must match the quality of our products, not the status quo. With the right system and distribution strategy, the local products we produce are better than anything else. We implement a system that reduces labour costs and does not require installing and maintaining expensive automation technology to be economically viable. We are adding some sort of value to our product such as packaging, cutting or combining different products into one package. We also do data management. Local farmers should not rely on data to save them from an inefficient farm setup or their inability to sell their crops. Data can amplify and accelerate a farmer’s production and sales, but only if they have the infrastructure in place to use it effectively. Extreme dedication, knowledge, and preparedness to work hard are the main key strengths of our association. 

View fullsize

Are the setup and raw materials expensive?

Hydroponic gardening is cost-effective, but you must understand that it requires an initial investment. Once you’re up and running, you can expect to see quicker plant growth and better plant production compared to plants in normal soil.

How much space is required to produce commercially? 

Hydroponic gardening is the key to achieving the concept of "farming in the sky". This gardening is better than soil gardening for several reasons. More plants can generally be grown in the same amount of space when compared to traditional soil gardens. Roots are delivered nutrients instead of having to stretch out in search of them. Also, hydroponic gardens can be stacked to further increase space efficiency. The main benefit of hydroponic gardening is much higher oxygen levels in the root zone when compared to a soil garden. This increased oxygen means increased nutrient uptake and much higher rates of growth. It is also much easier to control the nutrient levels in hydroponic gardens compared to soil gardens.