Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
OnePointOne And Sakata Seed America Aim To Accelerate The Quality And Variety In Vertical Farming
OnePointOne’s system consists of advanced aeroponics and a fleet of robotic growers to perform most of the day-to-day production functions – from planting, to watering, to harvesting
Industry-Leading Partnership Will Drive Data, Growth, and Consumer Options
SAN JOSE, CA — OnePointOne and Sakata Seed America announced today a game-changing collaboration in the acceleration of vertical farming. Together, the two leading entities will share intelligence and analysis focused on maximizing plant outputs while minimizing environmental impact.
The large-scale research program begins today at OnePointOne’s facility in San Jose, CA. Their 25-foot vertical structure uses LED lights to supplant the sun, a nutrient-rich mist to replace the soils, and a clean-room environment, akin to a computer lab, as the production field.
OnePointOne’s system consists of advanced aeroponics and a fleet of robotic growers to perform most of the day-to-day production functions – from planting, to watering, to harvesting.
Sakata’s wide array of state-of-the-art genetics coupled with OnePointOne’s industry-leading, proprietary tech promises to drive further innovations and discovery.
Dave Armstrong, President/CEO of Sakata adds, “We are taking the Controlled Environment Agriculture arena very seriously. By working with OnePointOne on product research and development, we aim to push the segment’s development in a real-world vertical production environment. Working together directly and fully sharing information enables both sides to capture data that might otherwise take years to generate.”
“Working with OnePointOne gives us the opportunity to test many of our varieties in a true vertical system and highly precise indoor environment. The performance data we’ll collect will help us continue to refine our varieties and fine-tune our breeding programs for the CEA space,” said Tracy Lee, Sakata’s Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Lead.
“We are on a mission to unleash the power of plants to feed, fuel and heal the world,” explains Sam Bertram, CEO, and Co-Founder of OnePointOne. “As we launch Willo, the world’s first personalized vertical farming experience, this Sakata partnership will help amplify our ability to bring an exciting list of cultivars to our members. Furthermore, it will drive the innovations and advances needed to bring a more sustainable growth platform to the market at scale.”
About Sakata Seed America, Inc.: Headquartered in Morgan Hill, CA, Sakata Seed America is a major research, seed production, and marketing-distribution subsidiary of Sakata Seed Corporation, established in 1913. Sakata Seed America, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, serves as the headquarters for the North American/Central American operations. Their mission is to quickly and efficiently meet industry expectations for quality seed, innovative genetics, and excellent greenhouse and field performance.
About OnePointOne: Founded in Silicon Valley, OnePointOne is revolutionizing vertical farming by building the most technologically advanced plant cultivation platform on the planet through innovations in automation, AI, and plant science. In 2020, OnePointOne launched Willo (www.willo.farm) the world’s first personalized vertical farming program designed to amplify human health.
Startup of The Month: Unfold
The future of vertical farming begins on the genetic level. That’s the philosophy of Unfold, a Sacramento-based startup focused on innovating fruit and vegetable seeds to better serve indoor growing facilities
John Purcell is the president and CEO of Unfold. (Photo courtesy of John Purcell)
Breeding Seeds For Vertical Farms
December 3, 2020
By Russell Nichols
The future of vertical farming begins on the genetic level. That’s the philosophy of Unfold, a Sacramento-based startup focused on innovating fruit and vegetable seeds to better serve indoor growing facilities.
Vertical farms use artificial light and take up less space than traditional farms. They are automated to control factors such as light, temperature, and humidity. With a biochemistry background, John Purcell, president, and CEO of Unfold recognized a gap between open fields (and greenhouses) and controlled environments. He heard from many vertical farmers that seeds intended for outdoor use didn’t work as well indoors where plants are grown on shelves.
“They’ve made so many investments on lighting and mechanics, but they were trying to get by with seed varieties that were developed for other production systems,” Purcell says.
Unfold aims to fill that gap using seed genetics (germplasm) from vegetable crops to create new varieties best suited for vertical farms. The startup’s bimodal strategy begins with a screening phase, analyzing which germplasm yields optimal results, followed by a breeding phase to develop the varieties that thrive in a controlled environment.
With urban living and organic food becoming more popular, the vertical farming industry has been booming globally. In 2019, the market reached about $4.4 billion, according to Statista. By 2025, the market value is expected to hit $15.7 billion. Using vertical spaces increases the amount of yield per square foot or per acre while being able to grow food closer to the consumer. Because these farms are automated, they require less labor to run, which is also attractive, given the labor shortages in agriculture, Purcell says.
Purcell previously worked as senior vice president at Bayer and head of vegetables research and development for its Crop Science division. He also spent nearly 30 years at Monsanto Company, acquired by Bayer in 2018. His team will be exploring questions such as: How does a plant respond to artificial light? How fast does a plant grow with no disease or insect pressures? What kinds of varieties have proved to be successful already?
Lettuce greens will be the first crop tested because they are the biggest crop grown by indoor farmers — 57 percent of indoor farms, including vertical farms, produce leafy greens, according to the Agrilyst 2017 “State of Indoor Farming” report. In the future, Unfold also plans to examine other crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.
But vertical farms aren’t all the same. They use similar core technology (lighting, temperature, humidity), but the setups vary. The lack of standardization in the market presented a challenge, which is why Unfold is also providing a crop model (a “digital recipe”) to growers to define how to set up the various parameters for optimal results.
Unfold launched with $30 million in initial funding and an agreement for certain rights to germplasm from Bayer’s vegetable portfolio. The funding is meant to help the startup fast-track tailor-made seeds to the vertical farming industry, says Derek Norman, vice president of venture investments for Leaps by Bayer, the company’s impact investment division.
“Everybody saw the sector as high potential but relatively small today compared to traditional vegetable growing,” Norman says. “Vertical farming hasn’t commanded the same resources.”
In 2021, Unfold plans to have its facility secured and the breeding program established. For Purcell, the initial investment plus the advantage of a license agreement to tap into Bayer Crop Science allows Unfold to “hit the ground running, providing solutions,” he says.
And what better ground for an agtech startup is there than Sacramento? Purcell chose the Capital Region because he recognized it as a center for agricultural innovation and a great hub for seed companies like Unfold. “Not a whole lot of better places, especially for horticulture and produce,” he says. “There’s such a robust ecosystem.”
–
Increased Demand For Specialty Leafy Greens Drives Creation of Indoor Vegetable Division
Given the rapid growth in vertical farming as well as the development of additional opportunities for leafy greens, we felt it was important to place additional emphasis on serving controlled environment agriculture to fuel its growth globally,” says Tracy Lee, who heads up the new division
Recently, Sakata Seed announced the start of a division for indoor-grown vegetable varieties. “Given the rapid growth in vertical farming as well as the development of additional opportunities for leafy greens, we felt it was important to place additional emphasis on serving controlled environment agriculture to fuel its growth globally,” says Tracy Lee, who heads up the new division. “We have been a leader in developing varieties for the indoor space for a number of years and decided that now was an excellent time to devote even more resources to serving this indoor sector. With a dedicated Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) division, we are in a position to develop varieties that specifically focus on the precise needs of protected culture practices.”
With additional opportunities for leafy greens, Lee refers to microgreens and baby leaves, but also fully mature products are part of the portfolio. Although indoor varieties are many times the same as open field varieties, the final application of the product is what differentiates them. For example, baby leaf beet greens, if grown to full maturity would produce that actual beet root and be a fully marketable product. Some indoor greens are grown specifically for color, crunch, flavor, or volume. “It really depends on the grower’s needs for their product recipe,” Lee added.
Trending varieties
Astro arugula is an example of a variety that offers a strong, zesty flavor to mixes. Similarly, Miz America is a mustard with a deep dark red color to give color variation that looks great in a mix. Savanna is a spinach mustard that offers deeper green color and gets darker as it matures. Joi Choi is a pak choi that offers ease of growing in a tidy little package that is considered the industry standard. Last but not least, Sakata’s Lakeside spinach has smooth, dark green leaves that start out long and slender before maturing to a traditional round oval shape. “These are all trending varieties that we’re having great success with, lending themselves really well for an indoor growing environment,” she said.
Click here for a complete overview of Sakata’s indoor varieties.
Starting top left and clockwise: Astro arugula, Miz America mustard, Lakeside spinach, and Savanna spinach mustard.
Benefits of growing indoors
Lee has seen the interest in indoor agriculture increase in recent years. Demand for leafy greens with a distinct color or flavor profile is a key driver, but apart from the final application, an indoor growing environment has many benefits. “First of all, a controlled environment helps to increase plant productivity and yield in many cases. Often, transportation distances to the final consumer are shorter as many indoor growers are located near urban population centers. In addition, growers have more precise control or are less impacted by factors like lighting, temperature, humidity, CO2, water, and nutrient distribution compared to an outdoor setting. The controls available lead to the more precise timing of crops shortened distribution routes and fresher product for the end consumer,” she commented.
Greenhouses are probably the most popular structures for indoor agriculture. Some greenhouses are considered high-tech with full input controls, while others are mid-tech, offering a mixture of lighting and input controls. There are many variables such as supplemental lighting controls, heating, nutrient delivery, substrates, etc. that vary depending on the crop, application, and geography. Indoor vertical farms generally offer no natural lighting and have full control over all inputs that the plant would experience. Hoop houses and high tunnels are also part of indoor agriculture since they offer protection for light and wind over typical outdoor production.
Global trialing
Sakata works directly with indoor growers around the world for trialing its varieties. “We trial around the globe as varieties that work well in greenhouses in the Netherlands may not show the same performance in Canada, the US, or Mexico. Although we find it greatly beneficial to work directly with our Sakata breeding programs around the globe on product development initiatives, we always place varieties into the specific geography where they will grow. This ensures that the plants behave as expected in each environment.”
For more information:
Tracy Lee
Sakata Seed America
tlee@sakata.com
www.sakatavegetables.com
Mon 16 Nov 2020
Author: Marieke Hemmes
© HortiDaily.com
Vertical Farming Growth Accelerated by Coronavirus
Vertical farms utilize indoor growing facilities that leverage artificial light, reduce dependency on synthetic chemistry and other crop inputs, optimize water use, and allow food growth in challenging environments with limited arable land
August 14, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the traditional U.S. food and agriculture supply chain, providing a potential growth opportunity for vertical farms.
One recent deal made in the space involves Singapore-based Temasek Holdings Pte and Bayer AG forming a new company called Unfold, which will develop seeds for vertical farms.
Unfold raised $30 million in an initial funding round and entered into an agreement for certain rights to germplasm—the genetic material from which plants grow—from Bayer's vegetable portfolio, according to the two firms. By utilizing the 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.
The venture 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.
"The investment in Unfold is a great example of a transformative, creative approach to developing agricultural products that meets the needs of consumers, farmers, and the planet by increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables, supporting sustainably grown, hyperlocal production, and addressing food security challenges faced by growing urban populations,” said Jürgen Eckhardt, MD, head of Leaps by Bayer, which was built to drive fundamental breakthroughs in the fields of health and agriculture through new technologies.
Vertical farms utilize indoor growing facilities that leverage artificial light, reduce dependency on synthetic chemistry and other crop inputs, optimize water use, and allow food growth in challenging environments with limited arable land. They also help crops grow quicker, enabling the reliable growth of fresh, local produce anywhere and at anytime by utilizing less space and fewer natural resources while reducing the need for food logistics and transportation.
In July, vertical farming company Kalera announced it will open a state-of-the-art growing facility in Houston, TX, during spring 2021. The Houston facility will be the largest vertical farming facility in the state.
The new facility was introduced just two months after Kalera revealed it will be opening a new facility in Atlanta in early 2021—an announcement that took place less than two months after it opened its second Orlando, Florida farm. The Houston facility will be even larger than the Atlanta one, which is slated to be the highest production vertical farm in the Southeast.
“In light of the global pandemic and seemingly endless food safety recalls, today, more than ever, consumers are demanding food that is local and that they can trust, said Daniel Malechuk, CEO of Kalera. “Houston presents Kalera with a wonderful market for our produce, as it allows us to not only supply one of the largest cities in America, but also service cities throughout the region including Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and New Orleans." Kalera’s lettuce from the Houston farm will be available at retailers and foodservice distributors.
Meanwhile, Greenswell Growers will invest $17 million to open a hydroponic greenhouse in Goochland, VA, reported Richmond Times-Dispatch (Aug. 11). The facility will reportedly produce 28 times more product per acre than a traditional growing operation, and the company expects to yield about 3.7 million-lbs. of leafy greens, which it will distribute throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
“Greenswell Growers is proud to bring our large-scale indoor growing facility to Goochland where we will provide delicious, safe, and sustainably grown leafy greens that are good for our community," said founder Chuck Metzgar.
In Scotland, indoor agritech specialist ISG completed a deal with vertical farming operator Vertegrow to build the first commercial vertical farm in the country. This is the first move into vertical farming for Vertegrow, diversifying alongside existing agricultural operations, currently growing crops including barley and rye in open fields.
The towers, which are expected to be operational in early 2021, will grow a variety of crops that are intended to service the local food supply chain. Vertegrow will work with a range of local customers including retailers, caterers, restaurateurs, and other local services, to deliver produce all year round.
The four-tower system will be built in Aberdeenshire in Scotland later this year.
To listen to The Food Institute's webinar featuring AeroFarms, a leader in indoor vertical farming, click here.
About the Author
Victoria Campisi
The Food Institute
Victoria writes for the biweekly Food Institute Report, the daily Today in Food updates, and the Foodie Insider daily newsletter for consumers. She graduated from Montclair State University with a B.A. in Journalism and has a background in Nutrition and Food Science. Victoria can be reached through her email at victoria.campisi@foodinstitute.com.
VIEDO: Interview With Two Partners At True Leaf Market
For almost forty years, True Leaf Market Seed Company has proudly offered the best non-GMO seeds on the market
Wheat Grass Business Turns Into A Seed Company
Interview with two partners at True Leaf Market, and a behind the scenes of a live photoshoot with Jordan.
About True Leaf Market:
Website: https://www.trueleafmarket.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trueleafmar...
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/trueleafmarket
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trueleafmarket
For almost forty years, True Leaf Market Seed Company has proudly offered the best non-GMO seeds on the market. All seeds are not equal and you can count on us for super-premium quality. We love hearing from our customers that report improved vigor and health from growing their own sprouts, wheatgrass, microgreens, and fruits and vegetables.
Bejo Zaden And Signify Team Up To Accelerate Breeding of More Seed Varieties
Signify has partnered with Bejo Zaden to accelerate breeding of more seed varieties through a new vertical farm approach to cultivation. In the facility, a large climate-controlled room is equipped with Philips GrowWise Control System to automate control of Philips GreenPower LED dynamic modules
Signify has partnered with Bejo Zaden to accelerate breeding of more seed varieties through a new vertical farm approach to cultivation. In the facility, a large climate-controlled room is equipped with Philips GrowWise Control System to automate control of Philips GreenPower LED dynamic modules. The company can now produce multiple crop cycles per year to meet the high demand from growers, faster.
“We’ve actually doubled the number of growing hours per day. Normally our crops only flower once a year, but now with this dynamic LED lighting solution, our crops flower multiple times a year,” said Jan Kempen, Crop Specialist at Bejo Zaden. “Thanks to our dedicated light recipes from Signify, we can steer the light spectrum and intensity for each individual crop and growth phase. We’re able to force flowering or prevent plants from bolting. For asparagus, we are now getting stronger, more vigorous tissue culture plants.”
Bejo Zaden first used supplemental lighting and later LED lighting to speed up the breeding process for new varieties, which typically takes 10 to 15 years. After several trials in smaller climate-controlled rooms, set up by their long-term horticulture partner Lek Habo, Bejo Zaden reached out to Signify in 2017 to help them implement a larger climate-controlled room. Signify’s plant specialists helped the company develop a custom-made growing process in the right environment and created special light recipes to meet the company’s requirements.
“Bejo Zaden tries to accelerate breeding of more disease-resistant seed varieties, said Udo van Slooten, Business Leader Horticulture at Signify. “Our LED solutions give growers the control they need to move to new cultivation techniques that are both sustainable and profitable.”
Bejo Zaden will share the results during their Open Days September 24 – 28th.
For more information:
Publication date: 9/17/2019
"Indoor Growers Lacked Important Seed Knowledge, Limiting Their Businesses"
As indoor agriculture matures, many advanced farms are looking to develop seed programs to improve their farm economics and give them an edge over competitors, especially in leafy greens. Given this, former American Seed Trade Association executive and Asia & Pacific Seed Association board member Michelle Klieger of Stratagerm Consulting was asked to join Indoor Ag-Con Asia on January 15-16, 2019 to discuss her views on seeds in indoor systems. Ahead of that, Indoor Ag-Con caught up with her to ask her 5 seed questions.
How did you come to form Stratagem Consulting? What do you do?
I’ve always been interested in wildlife conservation. Many people don’t think of it this way, but the greatest threat to wildlife is agriculture. So, I started working in agriculture to help farmers grow more food on less land. I’ve become increasingly fascinated by the next generation of technology that is transforming agriculture. Many of these changes are helping increase the amount of food farmers grow and reducing the environmental costs associated with producing food.
After engaging with indoor growers, I realized that they lacked important seed knowledge and that not having this information was limiting their businesses. My background as a consultant and working in the seed industry meant that I had the missing puzzle piece and could help growers make the powerful connection between seed selection and their growth potential.
Stratagerm helps indoor growers pick better seeds for their system based on their farm’s technical requirements and their customers’ needs. The goal is to increase profitability by producing more vegetables or growing higher quality vegetables. Once a farmer understands HOW to pick new seeds and integrate them into their farm, we help them better communicate with their seed supplier to reduce business risks, such as a seed shortage.
What are the trends in seed development that are most exciting to you?
Seed companies are increasingly interested in controlled environment agriculture of all kinds and they are starting to invest in this sector. This investment is focused on researching new varieties that will grow well in high tech vertical farms. Also known as plant factories, these farms have LEDs, nutrient baths, and sensors that monitor every aspect of the operation.
Right now, most of the varieties planted in vertical farms were either bred for traditional outdoor agriculture or greenhouses. Outdoor plants need to be ready for droughts, floods, insects, and other adverse conditions. Greenhouses might provide ideal water levels, but they still have insects and diseases inside of them. Surviving these conditions is essential for plants grown outdoors or in greenhouses. But, it is not necessary for your indoor crops. Your plants are grown under controlled and often sterile conditions. Farms like yours need new varieties intended for vertical farms. Ones that will grow quickly and taste amazing, but probably aren’t hearty enough to survive outside.
Which crops do you think we’ll see move indoors next?
I love that indoor growers are being creative with their indoor systems. I’ve seen people try to grow valuable spices like saffron, which is so innovative! Anything is possible for small operations – that’s what I want people to take away from this.
On a larger scale, I think tomatoes are a great option. They are a high-value vegetable. They already grow well in high-tech greenhouses. So farmers have valuable experience growing tomatoes indoors. Plus, they taste amazing the second after they are picked, so the quicker the tomatoes can get from the farm to a dinner plate the better. Indoor growers can sell a better tomato because they grow so close to the consumers who will eat them.
Why has there not been more indoor ag-specific seed development? Do you expect this to change?
There are two reasons that we have not seen more indoor ag-specific seed developments. First, it takes plant breeders seven to ten years to commercialize a new plant variety. As the industry grows and demand for seed increases, more investment has and will be made. But, it will take a while before indoor farmers can purchase these new varieties.
Second, indoor farm growing environments vary dramatically. Successful plant breeding matches the genetics to the environment the plant is growing in. Without standards across the industry, it makes it difficult for plant breeders to know which environments to breed for. Until we know which light, nutrient, and temperature combination will be most popular in the future it’s difficult to pick varieties specifically for indoor agriculture. As farm technology matures and certain practices become the industry standard, we can expect targeted investment by seed companies and plant breeders for these conditions.
How would you recommend a new or small grower in Asia go about setting up their own seed program?
Seeds are a strategic piece of your business and all of the choices you make about seeds should be recorded so you can keep improving your decisions. Before you purchase seeds take time to understand your farm, your customers and your goals. With this preparation work, you will have a more productive conversation with your seed supplier. The supplier will be able to make recommendations or give advice based on the information you shared, instead of recommending a variety that grows well hydroponically.
Remember, your business will ultimately be judged on the vegetables and herbs you sell. If your customers are happy with the produce they will be repeat customers. So, picking seeds that grow into beautiful and tasty vegetables will remain very important to your business.
For more information:
indoor.ag
Biodegradable Growth And Seed Plug Processed Automatically
Flier Systems presents automatic Growcoon Dispenser
Biodegradable Growth And Seed Plug Processed Automatically
Flier Systems, a Dutch automation company for the horticultural industry, has expanded its assortment with the Growcoon dispenser, in which the biodegradable growth and seed plug Growcoon is automatically processed. With this expansion, Flier Systems is contributing to the rapid advancement of the seed plug that was introduced in 2015.
The entire Growcoon presentation during the GreenTech was handled by Flier Systems, Klasmann-Deilmann, and Maan. As title, they chose 'The road to optimal growth' and through various activities around GreenTech, they formalized this theme.
Optimal growth and combined techniques
'The road to optimal growth' has been chosen as a theme because the biodegradable growth and seed plug contribute to a fast, high-quality and uniform development of seedlings and optimal growth of the plant. The unique product characteristics of the Growcoon are strengthened by material and system suppliers. They integrate the Growcoon into their products to maximize the benefits of the plug. In the Growcoon stand various tray, technology and system suppliers presented the successful integration of the Growcoon into their own products.
Everything for the plant
"By using the Growcoon, crops are delivered quickly and the user achieves uniform growth. In addition, the waste in the cultivation process decreases, and production processes become more efficient. All these advantages come about at the development of the Growcoon." During this entire process, just one question is really important: what is best for the plant? "In addition to the compact binding of the root ball, the primary function of a growth and seed plug, the Growcoon creates a 100% natural nutrient medium."
For more information:
Flier Systems B.V.
info@fliersystems.nl
www.fliersystems.nl
Publication date: 6/21/2018
Seed Supply Company Targets Growing Urban Farming Market
Seed Supply Company Targets Growing Urban Farming Market
June 18, 2018
East-West Seed prototype hydroponic unit for urban farming. -- ANNA GABRIELA A. MOGATO
VEGETABLE and flower seed producer and supplier East-West Seed Co. is planning to expand its portfolio by offering vertical farming solutions such as hydroponic units and smaller greenhouses to urban dwellers.
East-West Seed Co. Agricultural Engineer Pedro F. Dayag III, who designed the hydroponic unit prototypes, said that the company decided to target prospective urban farmers due to strong interest.
“We’re still more concentrated on farmers in the provinces. We rarely entertain urban. Now, since our technology has achieved scale, we will bring it to urban [farming],” he added.
“[For urban farming], we are trying to educate those who eat vegetables that they can also do it on their own. It doesn’t really have to come from big farms. It also has a lot of benefits — aside from eating vegetables, you know how it’s planted. It’s also therapeutic [to grow your own vegetables].”
Mr. Dayag said that while hydroponic units are not yet available for mass production, the company will accommodate individual orders.
“If there’s an inquiry and someone wants it made then we can probably accommodate because is what we are really selling here is the greenhouse [for urban farming]. Greenhouses have a repeat-buy but this one (hydroponic unit) is only a one-time buy,” he added.
East-West Seed Co. got into the business of manufacturing and installing greenhouses almost 10 years ago at the request of farmers who buy seeds from the company. Mr. Dayag said that while greenhouses can be customized, these usually come in two sizes, 3.5 meters by 18 meters and 6 meters by 24 meters.
If built and installed in Manila, the greenhouse can cost to about P50,000 to P55,000. This does not, however, include the hydroponics units inside.
The company last month exhibited a hydroponic unit which can cost around P6,000 to P8,000, which includes the aquarium pump to circulate a solution outsourced from the University of the Philippines-Los Baños. At a height of about four feet, the unit can accommodate around 72 receptacles for growing vegetables.
“I was thinking of a design [for hydroponics] that can be used in condominiums with its own lighting and aquarium pump,” Mr. Dayag said.
“All the end-user has to do [is] to choose what to plant — it can be lettuce, kangkong (water spinach), pechay (bok choy). And on the first week, they plant only on the first layer, and add another layer on the second week so that they won’t run out of vegetables. For a single person, that’s a lot.”
Field marketing representative Cusrome Loi S. Adaro said that aside from hydroponics, the company is also offer repurposed pallets for gardening.
“We had that idea because we had so many pallets in the office that remained unused. We also had another project, the “seed in the city,” where we conducted urban farming seminars to get ideas like that,” he added.
“It is now possible that the land needed for farming not be that big; that’s why we thought of projects such as container gardening. That it our focus right now but [rural] farmers are really still our main market.” — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato
Facts About Microgreens Seeds
Facts About Microgreens Seeds
April 3, 2018
"The vast majority of garden seeds will not do for the microgreens gardener. But navigating the seed catalogs will not be intimidating if you know exactly what you're looking for. Keep these guidelines in mind, and you'll have no problems finding the seeds you need and bringing your microgreens garden to life."
Organic Certification
For seed vendors located join the United States, organic certification need not necessarily means US Department of Agriculture (USDA) certification. Regional certifying agencies also monitor and attest to organic farming methods, but they're not permitted to use the words "organically grown" on seeds packets. Other terminology, such as "naturally grown," may be used, and that's perfectly acceptable.
Pamper your Seeds
Seeds are highly perishable, and untreated seeds in particle must be pampered. If only a fraction of the seeds you plant won't germinate due to poor storage conditions, you may develop a serious mold problem that can spread throughout your crop. To grow successfully germinates, successfully, your seeds need to maintain viability,(the seeds' ability to germinate) and vigor (a measure of the seeds' strength and health). Vigor declines before viability, so even if a batch of seeds successfully germinates, the seedlings may not grow vigorously.
The best conditions for storing seeds are in airtight containers in a cold place with even temperatures (above freezing) and low humidity - such as a refrigerator. Other good alternatives include a wine cellar, root cellar, or other cold storage. Before refrigerating seeds, first, remove them from packets, envelops, or other packaging and transfer them to glass jars, preferably jars that have gaskets inside the lids. Check to see that the gasket is pliable so that the lid will seal tightly, with age, gaskets can turn brittle and no longer create an airtight seal. Ordinarily, storing seeds in plastic bags isn't ideal because bags are watertight but not airtight. However, a new generation of vacuum-sealed plastic packing (one brand name is cryovac) effectively seals out air and moisture and creates an airtight seal.
The packaging works with vacuum food sealing machine designed for home use, and it could rival glass jars when it comes to effectively storing and protecting seeds. To verify that a vacuum sealed plastic package is airtight, check to see whether you can smell the contents through a sealed bag. If any odor can be detected, air is seeping in.
Watering your Seeds
As your seeds are germinating, it is important to keep a close eye on their progress and to maintain proper moisture. When using the towel method, observe the dampness of the towel and water daily, keeping the towel and the seed below it moist. One benefit of the towel method is that it gives you a window into the germination process. Instead of the seeds being hidden from your view, you can lift a corner of the towel at any time, allowing you to watch the stages of germination. You want your seeds to remain covered until they are fully germinated.
After a few days, you will notice that the towels will have started to lift off the soil, giving you a hint that your greens are get ting ready to need to see the light. As illustrated in the photographs, certain germinating seeds acquire a white fuzz on their stems.
This is not mold and is a natural part of the process as your seedlings set roots. Trays covered with soil will require a bit more attention. Soil will dry out more quickly than towels, so make sure these trays are watered a couple of times a day. With microgreens, your trays will be so densely sown that when they germinate, the covering layer of soil will lift with the seeds. If the soil is not evenly rinsed from the seeds early in this process, they will remain under the soil in darkness. These seedlings will quickly become weedy and pale. When watered at this point, the covering soil can drown and kill much of the tray.
That said, we covered our seeds with soil our entire first season of growing our greens. While it is not difficult to do, losing trays because you are a few hours off can be frustrating. If you choose not to cover your seeds, take caution when watering. A gentle shower will ensure that your germinating seeds aren’t disrupted. Remember that whichever covering method you choose, your seeds will need consistent moisture to germinate.
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy these post:
"How to make pesto with radish microgreens"
"Understanding microgreens production"
Arctic Seed Vault Turning 10 Faces 'Unprecedented' Agricultural Challenges
Arctic Seed Vault Turning 10 Faces 'Unprecedented' Agricultural Challenges
FILE - An armed guard walks through the Svalbard Global Seed Vault Monday Feb. 25, 2008 in Longyearbyen, Norway.
February 27, 2018
A cavernous bunker on a remote island above the Arctic Circle, where polar bears roam, holds the key to 12,000 years of agriculture but also to food supplies for future generations with countries urged to deposit seed samples there.
Welcome to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which turned 10 on Monday. It holds nearly one million seed samples from the world's gene banks - an agricultural back-up in the event of disasters ranging from nuclear war to climate change.
"It's fair to say that agriculture has never, ever faced bigger challenges than today," Marie Haga, executive director of The Crop Trust, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The Crop Trust, an international group working to protect crop diversity, runs the vault in collaboration with the Norwegian government and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center
(NordGen).
Among the challenges facing agriculture, experts have said, are rising hunger, population growth, and greater climate pressures.
That means the world needs to produce more food that is more nutritious and to do so "on less land, with less water, less pesticides, less fertilizer to keep within what the planet can stand", Haga said.
The answer could lie in a modest room in the vault, measuring 12 meters (40 ft) by 27 metres, where nations have deposited seed samples of food crops for safekeeping, she said.
Shelves of boxes, stacked in neat rows at minus 18 degrees Celsius (0F), hold seeds from the United States and Russia, Australia and North Korea, and Nigeria and Colombia to name just a few.
In the decade since the vault was founded, 73 institutions have deposited crop-seeds at this so-called Bank of Last Resort.
The Crop Trust is urging other gene banks around the world to follow suit. China is the notable omission, it said, although discussions are ongoing.
Haga's concerns are echoed by Carly Fowler, a renowned American agriculturalist who helped to found the seed vault.
"Agriculture faces a historically unprecedented combination of challenges. At the top of the list is climate change," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
"We're looking at climates in the near future that haven't existed in the entire history of agriculture ... We have to be proactive to make sure that agriculture does get ready for climate change."
'The Bank of Last Resort'
To do that the world needs a diverse set of crops in its arsenal, but that is exactly what it has been losing, experts said.
"Our food system is extremely vulnerable. We are basing ourselves now on 12 plants and five animal species for 75 percent of the food we eat," said Haga, a former Norwegian politician.
Historically, farmers cultivated at least 7,000 different plants to eat. Today, 60 percent of global calorie intake comes from wheat, rice and maize, said Haga.
This loss is partly due to a focus on "productivity, appearance and taste" at the expense of other aspects such as nutrition, said Kent Nnadozie at the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Nnadozie, who is secretary of the FAO's International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, said one consequence is that a major disease or virus "could wipe out the entire crop."
To combat that risk, the Treaty - which was brokered by the United Nations - facilitates seed exchanges between global gene banks to research and develop new crop varieties. Currently, 144 countries have ratified the Treaty.
Worldwide, the FAO said, more than 1,700 gene banks of varying sizes hold collections of food crops.
But many are exposed to disasters and conflict; some have to deal with more mundane problems such as a lack of funding, poor management, malfunctioning equipment or erratic power supplies.
The loss of a crop variety is irreversible.
Ahmed Amri, from Morocco's International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), knows those threats well.
In October 2015, ICARDA became the first to withdraw seeds from Svalbard after Syria's civil war had damaged a seed bank near the city of Aleppo.
The gene bank was relocated to Morocco and Lebanon, the seeds have been grown, and re-depositing began last year. On Monday, ICARDA deposited more than 8,600 seed samples. It was one of 23 institutions to hand over 77,000 samples on the day.
"These samples include wheat, barley, durum wheat and bread wheat, lentils, chickpeas, fava beans and wild relatives of these species ... So this is a big achievement," Amri told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The FAO's Nnadozie said the Syria example showed how well the vault could work.
"It's almost like you put your money in a long-term savings account. Once you are in a desperate situation and you need to, (you) take some money, and then you can put it back again."
"This is the final backup, should anything go wrong - natural disasters, crisis, war, nuclear, whatever - you can always go back there."
Climate pressures
The Svalbard archipelago, the furthest north reachable on a scheduled flight, was chosen for the vault's location because it is remote, there are no volcanoes or earthquakes, and the permafrost keeps the seeds in deep-freeze.
Yet the vault, built 120 meters (400 feet) into the rock, is facing its own climate pressures.
An unexpected thaw of permafrost meant water flowed into the entrance of the vault's tunnel in late 2016. The seeds were not in danger, but Norway said on Friday it would spend 100 million krone ($13 million) to upgrade the vault.
"When I came up here the first time in 1985 ... there was always ice on the fjord. Now you never see complete ice on the fjord," Haga said.
Scientists have warned that the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free much sooner than previous predictions, which forecast sea ice would first disappear completely during summer months between 2040 and 2050.
Fowler said he was confident the seeds were safe but welcomed Norway's decision to strengthen the vault.
"We'll be tight and dry and we'll deal with whatever climate change gives us," he said.
The Next Great Plague Could Destroy Humanity | Hint: It Starts With The Food
The Next Great Plague Could Destroy Humanity | Hint: It Starts With The Food
2017-11-17 | Jack Griffin and CJ Friedman
In 1347, the plague known as The Black Death began and killed 50% of Europe's population.
1665, the Great Plague of London killed 25% of the city's population.
The 1918 Flu Pandemic broke out and killed more people than WW1, affecting populations in every corner of the world. Estimates range from 50-100 million deaths.
1956, the Asian Flu broke out and killed over 2 million people.
The HIV/AIDs pandemic began in 1960 and has killed over 35 million people.
Now, we face an even greater threat.
Many scientists believe the next plague that could kill billions of people will find roots in the current food system. This is a largely unrecognized risk to the general population. Consider the scenario from this angle: with a human plague, a person could escape the infected area and remain relatively safe. But with a plague that affects the food supply, there is no place to hide. Every person on the planet and all of the animals we eat will be affected by starvation.
Think about the ramifications: What would happen if 50-75% of the global food supply died? By the time we replant everything, the damage will already be done.
That is the risk the current agricultural system is running with how things operate today.
In the past 100 years, 94% of the world's edible seed varieties have vanished.
We are not fear mongering here. What would happen if 94% of the fish varieties humans eat went extinct? There would be panic all over the world. That has happened to the world's seed varieties. This post is an attempt to educate the public regarding the dangers of the global agricultural system.
Simply stated, a lack of biodiversity in any living system increases the system's risk of spreading a deadly pathogen.
Currently, 75% of the world's food comes from only 12 plants and 5 animal species. This lack of biodiversity dramatically increases the susceptibility to widespread disease, and could result in colossal famine that affects billions of people, and would put companies like Monsanto in control of the fate of human existence.
To help combat this growing issue, Metropolis Farms is planning a robust seed bank propagated by our indoor farming systems to grow, save, store, and distribute diverse seeds to local farmers.
In our continuing exploration of the failing food system, this post will discuss the most important resource available to humans (besides water): SEEDS.
Across all species, especially plant-life, genetic diversity is the safeguard against evolving forms of viruses, bugs, and disease. Low levels of biodiversity are dangerous because as pathogens are introduced to the system, the pathogens encounter less resistance to spreading than they do in diverse systems. As we will explore, outbreaks of disease, invasions of insects, and climatic anomalies have caused many wholesale crop failures in the past, and are causing massive crop failures today.
To begin, looking at history can give us an understanding of this risk the agricultural system is running.
The Irish Potato Famine
Between 1845 and 1852, Ireland's population fell by ~25% due to the poverty-stricken population being heavily dependent on one crop for sustenance.
The Great Famine, more commonly known as the Irish Potato Famine, occurred because a significant amount of Ireland's population lived on one variety of one crop: the lumper potato. Due to the lack of crop diversity, entire fields of potatoes were susceptible to a disease called Phytophthora Infestens, aka potato blight. This disease soon spread across most of the potato crops not only in Ireland, but all over Europe.
Ireland experienced widespread famine because their diet was reliant on the one crop that was susceptible to this disease. The rest of Europe was okay, despite losing massive amounts of potato crops, because their diet was more diversified. Due to Ireland's situation, 1 in 8 Irishmen and women totaling 1,000,000 people died of starvation or starvation related diseases. Another 1 in 8 emigrated to escape the famine. In total, Ireland's population fell by roughly 25%.
A large portion of Ireland's population were reliant on one crop for many economic and political reasons which are similar to the diet trends here in the United States and elsewhere in the world. The moral of the story, however, is that being dependent on a small variety of crops increases the risk of one disease wiping out a population's food source.
Implication's today's food system
Today, the world is vulnerable to experiencing the potato famine on a planetary scale due to a reduction in agricultural biodiversity.
The global dependence on so few crops for a majority of the population's sustenance is replicating the same system that led to the Irish Potato Famine. Only this time, rather than affecting 1 country, due to globalized specialization, a disease can wipe out crops that affect everyone on earth.
The current food system has valued short-sighted mass production of low quality crops at the expense of long-term survivability, biodiversity, and soil quality. In addition to rapidly destroying the topsoil and causing desertification, the proliferation of massive monocultures poses a serious threat to long-term food security.
Considering 70% of agricultural crops are grown for livestock and not for humans, this potential problem will not only affect the vegetables we eat, but also the meat, dairy, eggs, and other products that are staples in today's average diet.
Farmers are the backbone of this country.
"Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country, and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bonds."
- Thomas Jefferson
And for a long time, this sentiment held true throughout government. In 1862, the USDA was established and at the start, it devoted at least one-third of its budget to collecting and distributing seeds to farmers across the country. By 1900, over 1 billion seed packages had been sent out to this country's farmers. Furthermore, farmers were encouraged to breed, propagate, and strengthen their own plants and seed banks, resulting in strong localized seed banks in which farmers could depend on themselves or their neighbors for next year's plantings.
However, in 1883, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) was founded, recognizing the potential profits that could be made off seeds instead of a free program for all farmers. After 40 years of lobbying by ASTA, Congress eliminated the USDA seed distribution program in 1924 and paved the way for the seed industry as we know it today.
At the time, there were thousands of seed companies and farmers were able to save seeds from their existing crops to establish their own sustainability.
Today, 10 companies control 73% of the global seed market. The top 6 control 68% of the market and new mergers could lower that number down to 4 companies. Think about that. 4 companies could control the world's food supply.
Henry Kissinger once said: "Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people." Research has shown that US strategy has deliberately destroyed local family farming in the US and abroad and led to 95% of all grain reserves in the world being controlled by 6 multinational agribusiness chemical corporations.
How did we get here?
To keep this post from becoming a book, this is a quick synopsis:
After the USDA seed distribution program ended in 1924, seed companies began to emerge and create hybrid seeds that promised more crop yields.
These hybrid seeds had recessive gene characteristics that disabled farmers from saving the crop's seeds for the next year's plantings. This made farmers more dependent on purchasing seeds annually.
In 1930, the Plant Patent Act (PPA) was signed, thus allowing patents for unique plant varieties. For the first time in human-history, companies could legally own the rights to plants. Although, it's important to note the original PPA did not allow a patent right to plants propagated by seeds, so farmers could still attempt to save seeds for future harvests without violating patents. This would eventually change.
Over the next decades, seed companies focused on selling a smaller subset of seeds.
In 1980, Diamond v. Chakrabarty, a landmark Supreme Court case granted the first patent on life. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that living organisms could be patented. This opened the floodgates for companies like Monsanto, and soon over 1,800 patents for genetic material and plants were submitted to the US Patent & Trademark Office.
Seed companies slowly became biochemical companies and genetically engineered (GE) seeds, commonly known as GMOs, started to emerge.
Now, seeds have been engineered to withstand the effects of herbicides so farmers can simply spray their fields with chemical poisons to kill weeds and not their crops. One of the problems is the same company that sells the seeds is also selling the chemicals. This is giving unprecedented amounts of power to companies like Monsanto.
Under this seed industry consolidation, big farmers are now more dependent than ever on these companies, and are forced to purchase seeds and the chemicals annually. Additionally, this consolidation has led to the massive reduction in crop biodiversity on commercial farms.
This short-sighted approach to agriculture - focusing on massive yields with the least amount of work - has led to specialization rather than diversification. Another consequence of this system is food is no longer grown for people.Food is grown for trucks. In fact, 30-45% of the cost of food is tied to trucking and distributing food over a 3,000+ mile supply chain.
In review: crop specialization leads to monocultures. Monocultures lead to susceptibility of disease.
For example, rather than soil regenerative farming practices seen onpermaculture farms, one mega farm will solely focus on growing one crop of corn or wheat or cotton, etc, over acres and acres of land, to maximize planting, maintenance, and harvesting production. Farmers are doing this because the current economics of outdoor farming are not in favor of a diversified field. This agricultural practice is already leading to the collapse of major crops.
In 2016, an article in The Guardian reported that Florida grown oranges
are already experiencing unfixable collapse. Per the article, "The orange crop devastation began in 2005 when a bacterium that causes huanglongbing - better known as citrus greening or HLB disease - was found in southern Florida. Since then, the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny flying insect which transmits the disease, has been blown across Florida by various hurricanes... Farmers have spent more than $100m on research into ways to combat the disease, but so far scientists are stumped. 'Farmers are giving up on oranges altogether,' said Judith Ganes, president of the commodities research firm J Ganes Consulting. 'Normally after a freeze or hurricane [which both kill lots of trees], the growers would replant 100% of their plants. But the disease has been spread all over... and made it totally uncontrollable. Farmers are giving up and turning to other crops or turning land over to housing.'" (As a sidenote: this is happening all over the country. Farmers are giving up on agriculture and are becoming land developers for urban sprawl.)
A quick google search will show that coffee beans, bananas, and coconuts are expected to experience some form of collapse within this century due to the monocropping practices.
Imagine what will happen if a superbug wipes out wheat or corn. These major crops, who's source is likely 1 of 6 companies, are a major factor in the global economy and extend well beyond the food they provide for people. 70% of the crops are actually designated to feed livestock. So additionally, meat, energy sources, and other industries will be vastly affected by such an event. And we the people will suffer as a result.
What's the solution?
As is often the solution when facing problems created by the current food system: the world needs more local farms and local farmers that grow diverse crops. People everywhere need to be more conscious of where their food is coming from, how it is grown, and the practices that are being utilized to ensure long-term food security.
In that light, Metropolis Farms is working with the City of Philadelphia to start an educational farming institute in Fairmount Park, the largest landscaped urban park in the world. In addition to providing training and educational opportunities related to farming, we are planning the creation of a seed bank to help preserve precious varieties of fruits and vegetables that face extinction.
A seed bank stores seeds to preserve genetic diversity. There are seed banks all over the world, but not nearly enough to combat the problem outlined above. In addition to storing seeds, anyone involved with a seed bank needs to continuously germinate seeds, grow crops, and produce more seeds. A current limitation most seed bankers face is a limited growing season in which to propagate their seed collection.
By developing a robust seed bank in conjunction with indoor farming, we can save more seeds annually due to our capability of year-round indoor vertical farming. After creating a seed bank, we will be a point for seed access to local farmers and gardeners who want a diversified farm. Part of Metropolis Farms' mission is to democratize our technology to make local farming accessible to anyone. With the plans of creating this seed bank, we plan to democratize the ability to grow a diverse set of crops for local farmers everywhere. We hope others join this mission and start seed banks as well.
A rise in seed banks will hopefully correspond with a rise in local farming, in turn creating a new food economy in which fruits and vegetables will be grown for people, and not trucks.
To learn more about this topic, we recommend viewing the powerful documentary Seed: The Untold Story.