Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
Re-Nuble And KETOS Partner To Provide Turnkey On-Site Food Waste Recovery Solution For Soilless Farms
Re-Nuble’s on-site food waste recovery system helps soilless farms optimize their operations while reducing costs
By 24-7 Press Release
June 17, 2021
NEW YORK, NY, June 17, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ — Re-Nuble has announced a new strategic partnership with water innovator KETOS today, providing soilless farms across the United States with a turnkey on-site food waste recovery solution. By combining the technology of Re-Nuble’s on-site food waste recovery system with the KETOS SHIELD, soilless farms will not only be able to produce their own free supplementary and sterile biostimulants and potable water for reuse, but they will also gain access to industry-standard lab data on the quality of their treated water.
Re-Nuble’s on-site food waste recovery system helps soilless farms optimize their operations while reducing costs. Through its Organic Cycling Science™ approach, farms can finally use a fully integrated, closed-loop, and self-sustaining nutrient system, capable of reducing input and disposal costs, while delivering biostimulants capable of improving crop yield and nutritional value. However, as water droughts and erratic weather patterns become more frequent, the need for resource efficiency using circular economy strategies, particularly water reuse, is becoming increasingly necessary.
“We’re here to help our clients be proactive about water reuse in order to create a fully circular food production and hedge their risks. For that reason, we saw an immense value add for our clients by partnering with KETOS,” commented Tinia Pina, Founder, and CEO of Re-Nuble.
The KETOS SHIELD is part of a fully integrated solution offering valuable water insights including automated reporting, real-time alerts, EPA-compliant or custom threshold-based diagnostics, custom reports, historical trends, and more. These insights are used for water quality, safety assurance testing, protecting liability, understanding process optimization, improving crop yields and water data for farming and protecting consumer health.
“We are pleased to partner with Re-Nuble, as water quality and conservation is critical for agricultural applications – particularly in instances where nutrient management, water availability, water quality and consistency, or product safety is essential,” said Meena Sankaran, Founder and CEO of KETOS. “For many farmers, poor nutrient management, a lack of water, low water quality, inconsistent or varied water sources, and safety concerns can have a significant impact on both revenue and profitability.”
Re-Nuble noticed this was a salient challenge for all farms but more prevalent amongst the growing indoor, controlled environment agriculture market due to the frequent wastewater discharges not reclaimed. However, the solution is also of interest to soil-based farms as more municipalities seek to limit nutrient runoff and water contamination, impacting underground water tables.
Today’s announcement builds on Re-Nuble’s mission to help global agricultural communities reimagine localized food waste for more sustainable growing practices.
ABOUT RE-NUBLE
Re-Nuble is an MWBE-certified agricultural technology company that uses organic cycling science™ technology to transform unrecoverable vegetative food byproducts into a platform of sustainable technologies for soilless farming. Our closed-loop process transforms unrecoverable food byproducts into organic goods while eliminating landfill waste and greenhouse gasses. We were founded with the mission to help global agricultural communities reimagine localized food waste for more sustainable, environmentally-friendly growing practices.
For more information, please visit www.re-nuble.com.
ABOUT KETOS
KETOS delivers smarter, safer, and more sustainable water solutions to change the way the world thinks about water. This is done through a comprehensive offering of industrial-grade patented hardware, an IoT communication framework, and a robust software platform to address global water management issues. Real-time monitoring and understanding of water, both quantitatively and qualitatively, helps address both water efficiency (leak-detection & usage) and water quality (safety), ultimately increasing water availability. With the power of actionable and predictive water intelligence on a global scale, KETOS seeks to solve a number of the world’s water challenges with the goal of preserving this quintessential resource for generations to come. Learn more at http://www.ketos.co.
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com
Mexico Is Experiencing One of The Most Widespread And Intense Droughts In Decades: NASA
According to the space agency, 85% of the territory is facing these conditions, which has affected the drinking water resources for drinking, cultivating, and irrigating. "Dams throughout Mexico are at exceptionally low levels."
As of April 15, 85% of the country was facing these conditions, explained the space agency.
ENTREPRENEUR STAFF
May 11, 2021
This article was translated from our Spanish edition using AI technologies. Errors may exist due to this process.
NASA published a statement in which it explains the drought situation in Mexico and ensures that the country is experiencing one of the most widespread and intense in decades.
According to the space agency, 85% of the territory is facing these conditions, which has affected the drinking water resources for drinking, cultivating, and irrigating. "Dams throughout Mexico are at exceptionally low levels."
You may be interested: Avocado, the 'green gold' that could harm the environment?
In this report, NASA shows images of the levels of the Villa Victoria dam, one of the main water supplies in Mexico City, one taken on March 27, 2020, and another on March 30, 2021, and exposes:
March 27, 2020. Photo via NASA.
March 30, 2021. Photo via NASA.
“The most recent images, although more cloudy, show that the water levels have continued to decrease. Villa Victoria is at approximately a third of its normal capacity ”.
Mexican dams at their lowest levels
According to what was exposed by the space agency, 60 large dams located in the north and center of the Aztec country are below 25% of their capacity. This has caused some government administrators to regulate the flow of the liquid from the reservoirs so that some inhabitants have been left without running water.
On the other hand, in the following map NASA shows the areas in which the vegetation is most stressed due to drought, through data on the Evaporative Stress Index (ESI, for its acronym in English).
Photo via NASA.
The ESI indicates how the evapotranspiration rate, water evaporates from the earth's surface and from plant leaves, is compared to normal conditions. The space agency explains that the negative values are below normal rates, which is why plants are stressed due to inadequate soil moisture.
No rain
From October 1, 2020, to April 18, 2021, the National Meteorological Service of Mexico said that the country had about 20% less rainfall than normal. He also explained that the northeast of the territory has gone from severe drought to an extreme one.
The report also adds that in the wet months of last year, little rainfall was also received due to the La Niña phenomenon, in which cold water from the Pacific Ocean inhibits the formation of rain clouds over Mexico and the southern United States.
“Mexico is approaching one of the worst widespread droughts on record. In 2011, drought conditions covered 95 percent of the country and caused famines in the state of Chihuahua. In 1996, the country experienced the worst drought on record and suffered huge crop losses, ”concludes NASA.
Lead Photo: Image credit: Depositphotos.com
USA: Indoor Growers Wanted For CEA Survey
"The current step in our research plan is to verify the details of this chart with peer growers worldwide via a survey", explains research associate Wythe Marschall. "It invites indoor farm managers to tell us how important each skill is, and how frequently it is conducted
A Cornell team is leading a new project to investigate how Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) compares to conventional field agriculture in terms of energy, carbon and water footprints, profitability, workforce development and scalability. Strategic FEW (food, energy, water) and Workforce Investments to Enhance Viability of Controlled Environment Agriculture in Metropolitan Areas is funded by a three-year, $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation, through its new funding initiative called Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems.
The workforce development research, led by Professor Anu Rangarajan (Director, Small Farms Program), consisted in 2018 and early 2019 of interviews and an intensive two-day workshop with industry experts. During that workshop, a focus group of indoor farm operations managers produced this chart detailing the duties (responsibilities) and tasks (activities, skills) that describe their work.
Survey
"The current step in our research plan is to verify the details of this chart with peer growers worldwide via a survey", explains research associate Wythe Marschall. "It invites indoor farm managers to tell us how important each skill is, and how frequently it is conducted. The survey can be completed anonymously, or growers can provide us with their names and emails to receive a $25 Amazon gift card as a token of our appreciation."
To take this survey, register here. The Cornell team will send a survey link directly from Qualtrics. Respondents may provide their names and emails to receive a $25 Amazon gift card as a token of appreciation.
Online workshops
"We are also interested to ask growers if they would be interested in a series of upcoming online workshops to help us detail what specific, teachable steps (activities) are contained within each important skill needed by indoor farm operations managers", Wythe adds. "For example, we'll ask growers to dive into the specific skill, 'Manage crop fertigation (e.g., mixing nutrients, monitoring pH, monitoring water temp),' breaking this down into teachable, specific components.
"This series of workshops will be compensated, and we are beginning to schedule it now. Any CEA farm manager is invited to participate, regardless of location or modality."
For more information about this study regarding the future of the CEA workforce, please contact project lead Anu Rangarajan (ar47@cornell.edu) or research associate Wythe Marschall (wmarschall@fas.harvard.edu).
Publication date: Tue 9 Jun 2020
February Indoor Science Cafe Recording Is Now Available!
This presentation was given by Dr. Paul Fisher at the University of Florida during our 16th cafe forum on February 20th, 2020. Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the project team funded by USDA SCRI grants program
This presentation was given by Dr. Paul Fisher at the University of Florida during our 16th cafe forum on February 20th, 2020. Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the project team funded by the USDA SCRI grants program.
Questions?
Please visit the Indoor Ag Science Cafe QA forum at Public Good Ag website and ask your questions. OptimIA team is collaborating with Penny McBride to develop an information-sharing site with the lively discussion platform to better understand indoor farming.
Submit Your General Questions
for 'Indoor Ag Sci Queries'!
Please submit your questions (anonymously if you wish) about the sciences and technologies of indoor farming to this submission site. Any questions are welcome! The site is always open for your questions. Selected questions will be discussed in our future Indoor Ag Science Queries series.
Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the OptimIA project team funded by USDA SCRI grants program.
Previous café recordings are available on the OptimIA project website.
Please contact for more info: kubota.10@osu.edu
Upcoming Cafes:
March 10th, 1:30 PM EST 'Controlled Environment Production for Safer Leafy Greens' by Paul Lightfoot (BrightFarms)
April 14th, 12 PM EST 'Photons = Flavor, the case study of basil' by Dr. Roberto Lopez & Kellie Walters [Michigan State University]
May 26th, 11 AM EST 'How to fund your indoor farm' by Nicola Kerslake [Contain Inc.]
Interested in giving a talk to share your thoughts and experiences? Please contact us!
Related Events:
March 15-18, 2020 - NCERA-101 Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use Annual & International Meeting (Tucson, AZ) [More Information]
June 8-12, 2020 - ISHS International Symposium on Light in Horticulture (Malmö, Sweden) [More Information]
July 10, 2020 - Plant Empowerment Workshop - Advanced learning to optimize crop production (Columbus, OH) [More Information]
July 11-14, 2020 - Cultivate '20 (Columbus, OH) [More Information]
July 29, 2020 - OptimIA Annual Stakeholder Meeting (East Lansing, MI) (more information TBA)
February Indoor Science Cafe - February 18th 11:00 am EST - 'Managing Water Quality and Biofilm in Indoor Production' Presented by Paul Fisher (University of Florida)
Indoor Ag Science Cafe is an open discussion forum, organized by Chieri Kubota (OSU), Erik Runkle (MSU), and Cary Mitchell (Purdue U.) supported by USDA SCRI grants
Please Sign Up so that you will receive Zoom link info
one day before the cafe (Monday, Feb 17).
Indoor Ag Science Cafe is an open discussion forum, organized by Chieri Kubota (OSU), Erik Runkle (MSU), and Cary Mitchell (Purdue U.) supported by USDA SCRI grants.
Sign up for Feb 18th Cafe
Submit Your Questions for 'Indoor Ag Sci Queries'!
Please submit your questions (anonymously if you wish) about the sciences and technologies of indoor farming to this submission site. Any questions are welcome! The site is always open for your questions. Selected questions will be discussed in our future Indoor Ag Science Queries series.
Previous café recordings are available in this YouTube channel and OptimIA project site.
Please contact for more info: kubota.10@osu.edu
Upcoming Cafes:
February 18th, 11 AM EST [Dr. Paul Fisher, University of Florida]
March 10th 1:30PM EST [Paul Lightfoot, BrightFarms]
April 14th, 12 PM EST [Dr. Roberto Lopez and Kellie Walters, Michigan State University]
Interested in giving a talk to share your thoughts and experiences? Please contact us!
Related Events:
February 20-21, 2020 - HVAC for Indoor Farms (Davis, CA) [More Information]
March 15-18, 2020 - NCERA-101 Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use Annual & International Meeting (Tucson, AZ) [More Information]
July 10, 2020 - Plant Empowerment Workshop - Advanced learning to optimize crop production (Columbus, OH) [More Information]
July 11-14, 2020 - Cultivate '20 (Columbus, OH) [More Information]
Testing The Waters - Is Public Drinking Water Safe For Hydroponic Production?
The quality of the irrigation water with respect to chemical, microbial and physical properties affects crop quality and health. No matter what, test the chemical parameters of your irrigation water!
Fig. 1. Sensitivity of Petunia x hybrida to free chlorine in irrigation water. Plants were irrigated with 0, 2 and 4 ppm free chlorine with every irrigation. Chlorosis was observed at 4 ppm or greater.Photos courtesy of Rosa E. Raudales, Cora McGehee and Juan Cabrera
The quality of the irrigation water with respect to chemical, microbial and physical properties affects crop quality and health. Growers producing edibles are also concerned about the risk of spreading waterborne human pathogens during production and postharvest. Many growers resolve to use water from public water systems to lower the risk of foodborne illnesses and avoid the hassle of testing and treating water. However, growers must always monitor the chemical parameters of irrigation water to grow high-quality crops. This article explains why growers should test “clean” water.
Public drinking water must meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards established in the Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA sets regulatory limits for microbial contaminants, among others. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicates that “water that meets the microbial standards for drinking water is considered safe and sanitary” and is recommended in the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) certification guidelines. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) waives microbial testing of water if the source comes from a public water system and has a certification of treatment and sampling. Hence, many growers adopt public drinking water for irrigation and postharvest. However, public water facilities inject chlorine, also an EPA-regulated contaminant, to control microbes in drinking water. Chlorine in irrigation water can be toxic to crops.
Chlorine chemistry
Chlorine is an effective germicidal agent for removing pathogens from water. Chlorine is added to water as a gas, liquid (e.g. sodium hypochlorite, AKA bleach) or solid (e.g. calcium hypochlorite), or generated via membrane electrolysis. All chlorine sources react with water and form hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Further dissociation of HOCl will result in hypochlorite (OCl-) and hydrogen (H+) ions. The sum of HOCl and OCl- is known as free chlorine; both are sanitizing agents. Hypochlorous acid is the strongest form of chlorine sanitizer.
Hypochlorous acid reacts with nitrogen-containing compounds, both organic and inorganic, to form chloramines. Chloramines are a combined chlorine form. Chloramines have a lower disinfection efficacy and longer residual effect than free chlorine.
The sum of free and combined chlorine is total chlorine. Growers can measure all forms of chlorine with colorimetric kits.
Fig. 2. Sensitivity of lettuce to free chlorine in irrigation water. Plants were irrigated with 0, 0.5 and 1 ppm free chlorine with every irrigation.Photo courtesy of Rosa E. Raudales, Cora McGehee and Juan Cabrera
Phytotoxicity
In separate experiments, our team from the University of Connecticut and researchers at the University of Guelph and the University of Florida, have established that most container-grown crops can be irrigated with up to 2 ppm (or mg/L) free chlorine without causing phytotoxicity (Fig. 1). Target doses to control plant pathogens and phytotoxicity thresholds vary by crop-pathogen combination.
Chlorine demand is the difference between the initial (applied) and residual (measured after a given contact time) concentration. The organic matter in the substrate reacts with chlorine and exerts chlorine demand. Hence the recommendations for container-soilless media cannot be directly applied to hydroponically grown crops.
We tested the sensitivity of lettuce to chlorine in hydroponic production. We observed reduction in plant weight when the concentration was as low as 0.5 ppm free chlorine (Fig. 2).
The phytotoxicity symptoms caused by chlorine on hydroponically grown young lettuce plants can be confused with root rot or nutrient deficiencies (Fig. 3). In contrast, the symptoms in mature plants are not very distinctive (Fig. 2). For this reason, sending symptomatic (and healthy) plants to a diagnostic clinic and monitoring the chemistry of nutrient solutions is an important part of the diagnosis.
Fig. 3. Lettuce seedling with phytotoxicity caused by chlorinePhoto courtesy of Rosa E. Raudales, Cora McGehee and Juan Cabrera
Testing and treating the waters
The maximum chlorine level allowed in drinking water is 4 ppm. Public water treatment facilities can change chlorine residual levels, reaching up to 4 ppm combined or free chlorine, without notifying the end-user. Therefore, growers using public drinking water must include chlorine in their standard water-testing practice.
Hanna Instruments, Hach and similar companies have developed kits that can be used to measure chlorine in-house.
For more information
Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices
We do not know yet the phytotoxicity thresholds of free or combined chlorine for most hydroponically grown crops. For this reason, we recommend that growers measure total chlorine.
Growers using public water should have a water treatment option to remove chlorine from the water. The options include activated carbon filters, sodium thiosulfate and aeration.
Take-home message: No matter what, test the chemical parameters of your irrigation water!
Rosa (rosa.raudales@uconn.edu) is an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut and Cora and Juan are Ph.D. students at the University of Connecticut.
Disclaimer: Trade names are included in this publication as a convenience to readers and to illustrate examples of technologies. The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services does not imply endorsement by the University of Connecticut, nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned.
Eindhoven: ‘We Are Ahead In The Field of Urban Greening’.
Eindhoven is one of the three demonstration cities participating in the European climate research project that will be experimenting for five years with projects which make the city climate-adaptive using nature-based solution
Uitzicht over de binnenstad van Eindhoven
Posted by Lucette Mascini | Aug 24, 2019 | Tags: Brabant, demonstration cities, Eindhoven, EU, TU/e
Eindhoven is one of the three demonstration cities participating in the European climate research project that will be experimenting for five years with projects which make the city climate-adaptive using nature-based solutions. The aim is for other cities to be able to apply any successful results in their own municipalities. We asked Luuk Postmes, project leader from the municipality of Eindhoven, which of these projects are being implemented.
You are leading the project on behalf of the municipality of Eindhoven. What does your job involve precisely?
“As a civil servant working on urban water matters for the municipality of Eindhoven, I am both a project leader and an advisor. That covers the sewage system, the underground water and the surface water. As a result of the changing climate, we have to deal with drought, torrential rain and extreme heat stress. The question is: how do you deal with all of this? Greenery is a solution for many climate problems. Greenery can be used to cool the city. In turn, greenery is also dependent on water. Since this project is about climate adaptation, I have become the leader of this European project for the municipality of Eindhoven. The De Dommel WaterBoard and the province are also indirectly involved. But they are not a partners in the project. Eindhoven University of Technology is however.”
Project leader Luuk Postmes from the Eindhoven council
In what way is TU Eindhoven involved?
This is due to the participation of Lighthouse [a division of TU Eindhoven that specializes in sharing smart urban solutions, ed.], which is led by Rianne Valkenburg and Elke den Ouden. They are responsible for drawing up roadmaps for the process that should make the city more climate-proof. They also work together with the Following Cities as part of the EU project and are developing a vision for the future in this area.
Why is Eindhoven a demonstration city and other cities are called ‘Following Cities’?
“We [the three demonstration cities of Eindhoven, Tampere and Genoa, ed.] had been working for some time on making the city climate more adaptive, among other things by making it greener. The Following Cities of the EU project – Stavanger, Cannes, Prague, Castellon, Başakşehir – are a bit further along in this trajectory. They are keeping an eye on things with us.”
Why is Eindhoven participating in this experiment?
“The subject resonates very well with what we are doing in Eindhoven. If such a European project is of interest to us, we will apply for it and make a proposal. Then it remains to be seen whether it will be selected.
Which projects is Eindhoven currently carrying out?
“Some projects have already been concluded. We are still working on others. We have arranged green spaces in several streets because these were completely paved. This is how we tackled the Wagenstraat and the Bilderdijkstraat. By using less pavement, less water is channeled into the sewerage system. For instance, we are working on greening the Vestdijk. This involves looking at different types of vegetation. We are working on the design of a greener Clausplein, which is currently completely paved over. The Victoria Park is already located at the back of a former Philips building nicknamed the Witte Dame on Clausplein. The Gender river will come through there the back of there as well. The area will have a park-like layout where residents will be able to enjoy the peace and quiet and the greenery around them. We are also experimenting with greenery that can be mowed and which has a positive effect on biodiversity. Another method for increasing biodiversity is to mow the grass only once a year. This way you get tall grass that attracts insects and the subsoil is better able to absorb water. What you see is that if you mow less often, there will also be more and more different types of flowers and shrubs. You can see this happening on Parklaan, for example.”
But is that innovative?
“This is something that we, as a city, are pioneering. Other cities are following us. You can see in some foreign cities that they are often paved over an incredible amount. Everything is sealed with stones, concrete or asphalt. You can even see that when there is a tree on the pavement, the ground around it is completely covered in asphalt all the way up to the trunk. In Eindhoven we are looking for the best ways to make the city greener. What kind of plants should you choose? Should you choose plants that are better able to withstand drought? Or should we water plants when there is a prolonged drought? Are there any possible changes that can be made in their management that will help them cope with climate change and which will increase biodiversity? We try to answer these kinds of questions. We are also investigating how we could create more green space in places where there is limited space. One example is Eindhoven city center. It will be redeveloped in the next few years with more green space. We are trying in particular to encourage private-sector initiatives.”
What problems will these projects resolve?
“Initially, the disruption caused by heavy rain will be reduced. We will automatically be able to improve biodiversity by opting for a greener approach. That’ s a bonus for this project.”
How much money is the EU investing in it?
“The total budget is more than 10 million euros. Each of the three demonstration cities will receive approximately 1.7 million euros. The rest of the money will go to the other partners, including the Following Cities.”
The EU wants the results of the projects to be quantifiable. How are you going to measure them?
” It is still a struggle to figure it all out. But some results are fairly easy to measure. You are able to count how many species of bees and butterflies that have been added to a project site. Along with what the distance is between residents and green spaces and how many cool, green spaces have been added to the city. I have made a proposal to measure the heat stress sensitivity in the city using satellite images. In order to measure the effect on water management, we measure the soil infiltration capacity of areas with long grass. We compare the rates with those of areas where the grass is shorter. It turns out that the lawnmower compresses the subsoil. Consequently, water seeps into the ground less quickly if the grass is short, making it more difficult for it to soak into the soil.”
When will the project be finished?
“We have about three years for the implementation of the projects and two years for the monitoring. However, we won’t be able to achieve that for all of these projects. The main reason for this is that they conflict with the planning of other projects and processes. You can’t overhaul the entire city center all at once. The process may therefore take longer as a result.”
What are they doing in Tampere and Genua?
“In Tampere, Finland, they are focusing on two housing projects, one of which is on a former industrial estate. The most important focus point here is maintaining the water quality of the surrounding lakes. They have to take the shorter days and the lower temperatures in winter into account more. One experiment concerned the purification of water through the use of algae. The question was whether this would also work at those extremely low temperatures during winter. Which is what did transpire. The experiment was a success. In addition, they are also conducting experiments involving the construction of green roofs. In Genoa, Italy, they are converting an old barracks site into a park-like environment where you will be able to stay and enjoy leisure activities. In particular, they are looking at the use of greenery as a means of regulating water management.”
SUPPORT US!
Innovation Origins is an independent news platform, which has an unconventional revenue model. We are sponsored by companies that support our mission: spreading the story of innovation. Read more here.
On Innovation Origins you can always read articles for free. We want to keep it that way. Have you enjoyed this article so much that you want to contribute to independent journalism? Click here:
Share this article!
NEXTEDEN-ISS: Substantial vegetable harvest in Antarctica
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lucette Mascini
Meet Tigris, Our Largest Farm to Date
Plenty brought the farm indoors to create a better future for people and our planet. We need to triple the production of fruits and vegetables if we want to provide a healthy diet to everyone on the planet
August 2nd, 2019 By Plenty Farms
PLENTY - TIGRIS FARM
Plenty brought the farm indoors to create a better future for people and our planet. We need to triple the production of fruits and vegetables if we want to provide a healthy diet to everyone on the planet. This is an eye-opening statistic based on a Harvard study and data from the United Nations. Decades of research and development in outdoor farming have solved primarily for calories through yield gains while largely neglecting nutrients and flavor. This has led to the predominant global diet being low in nutrients and high in calories, driving the global pandemics of obesity and diabetes.
Farmers have relatively little control over the crops they grow. They select which seed, when to plant, and when to harvest. They can apply water, fertilizers, and chemicals to encourage growth and fend off pests. For crops to be profitable, they are typically chosen and grown to survive travel on trucks and for easy storage. Crops from different climates are shipped thousands of miles to customers. The end result is expensive, lower quality, and less delicious fruits and vegetables.
Plenty’s goal is to grow the best possible produce and to make it more accessible than ever before. We want to sustainably offer people the healthiest, happiest lives possible. Our new farm, code named Tigris, represents our largest and most ambitious leap forward. It demonstrates our ability to grow delicious produce using less than 5% of the water and less than 1% of the land compared to outdoor farms. By developing reliable, indoor, vertical farms that control everything our plants experience, we can reach people around the world with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables that consumers will actually crave.
In order to change consumers expectations and to compete with flavorful processed foods, we grow the most delicious version of every crop that we sell. Can kale be decadent? Can mustard greens create the same binge response that we find in a bag of Doritos? Can we do this without genetic modification or pesticides? The short answer is a resounding yes. If you control the growing environment, you can find the world’s most delicious varieties and remove geography and seasonality as limitations.
Strawberries are more delicious in California because California is one of five Mediterranean climates in the world that has the ideal environment in which to grow produce. The Italian tomato isn’t the best because Italian farmers are magical, but because Italian tomatoes benefit from the most perfect tomato-growing environment in nature. Inside the walls of our indoor farms, Plenty is able to create the perfect environment for almost anyfruit or vegetable to create the perfect flavor. We can build local farms and replicate the ideal environment near any city in the world. By eliminating long-distance transportation, we can harvest and put these foods in consumer’s hands the same day.
Most importantly, Plenty can grow produce that people want to eat. The human brain evolved to associate flavor with nutrients. Many processed foods are engineered to have the flavors our brains crave, but lack the nutrients that our bodies need. The intense artificial flavors don’t actually satisfy our bodies and our cravings drive us to eat more calories than we need. There are many communities around the world where there is enough food, but without balanced nutrition the result is excess consumption that leads to obesity and related diseases. Plenty is reestablishing the connection between flavor and nutrients to put an end to this cycle.
Building a new form of agriculture at a scale that can impact people around the world while using fewer resources and delivering mind-blowing flavor and nutrition is incredibly difficult. At Plenty, we have assembled an amazing team of the world’s leading Plant Scientists, Flavor Experts, Hardware and Software Engineers, Growers, Operations experts, and people from many related fields. We have built dozens of farm prototypes to attack this challenge from every angle. We have grown hundreds of varieties of plants to find the highest yielding plants with flavors that will change expectations. Tigris isn’t just a story about robots or climate control or LED lights or hydroponics. It is the first instance of a new way of feeding people that can deliver on the promise of each of these individual technologies when every detail is optimized.
Inside Tigris is the technological opportunity to revolutionize human health. We give plants the perfect environment to be the best and most craveable versions of themselves, so that we can all be the best, most nourished versions of ourselves. I hope people enjoy the photos and videos of Tigris, but I really can’t wait for people to taste our amazing produce.
Nick Kalayjian
SVP of Engineering, Plenty
Good Food For Planet And Body
There is mounting evidence that plant-based foods have a positive impact on the planet – and the body
7th August 2019
There is mounting evidence that plant-based foods have a positive impact on the planet – and the body.
Oxford University researchers said in a report last year that going vegan is the biggest action individuals can take to minimise their ecological footprint; and a new paper published in the Journal of the American Heart Association this week says that adopting more of a plant-based diet reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke
“Our study does suggest that eating a larger proportion of plant-based foods and a smaller proportion of animal-based foods may help reduce your risk of having a heart attack, stroke or other type of cardiovascular disease,” said lead researcher, Casey M. Rebholz, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
Looking at the data of 10,000 middle-aged Americans between 1987 and 2016, individuals without any cardiovascular issues at the start of the study, the researchers found those who ate the most plant-based foods in their diets were at a 32% lower risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease and were a 16% lower risk of suffering heart attacks, stroke, heart failure and other conditions.
“The American Heart Association recommends eating a mostly plant-based diet, provided the foods you choose are rich in nutrition and low in added sugars, sodium (salt), cholesterol and artery-clogging saturated and trans fats. For example, French fries or cauliflower pizza with cheese are plant based but are low in nutritional value and are loaded with sodium (salt). Unprocessed foods, like fresh fruit, vegetables and grains are good choices,” said Mariell Jessup, M.D., the chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Association.
Lead Photo: Photo by Daniel Hjalmarsson on Unsplash
BREAKING NEWS: Keurig Dr Pepper Withdraws Peñafiel Bottled Water From US For High Arsenic Levels
Keurig Dr Pepper announced it was withdrawing Peñafiel spring water products from the U.S. market because sampling by an independent lab found they contained arsenic levels higher than the 10 parts per billion allowed by the FDA. The company did not say how high the levels were.
AUTHOR Cathy Siegner
June 24, 2019
Keurig Dr Pepper announced it was withdrawing Peñafiel spring water products from the U.S. market because sampling by an independent lab found they contained arsenic levels higher than the 10 parts per billion allowed by the FDA. The company did not say how high the levels were.
All unflavored Peñafiel mineral spring water products in PET bottles, which are imported from Mexico, are being pulled back. Keurig Dr Pepper said it had notified retailers, including Walmart, Target and others. Consumers can return products to retailers for a full refund.
The company noted arsenic is found in nature, including in aquifers where mineral water is sourced, and that levels can vary over time. It also said enhanced filtration systems had been installed at its facilities where Peñafiel is produced, and "the product now being produced is well within regulatory guidelines.":
Problematic arsenic levels in Peñafiel spring water became public several months ago. According to a recent Consumer Reports investigation, this brand and five others tested at 3 ppb or higher in a recent sampling of 130 bottled water brands. The report found that it was able to purchase Peñafiel products on Amazon and at retail stores in two states despite an existing FDA import alert issued in 2015 because the product contained arsenic levels above 10 ppb.
After the report came out, Keurig Dr Pepper told the group it had conducted new tests and found average arsenic levels of 17 ppb in Peñafiel samples. The company then suspended production at its bottling plant in Mexico for two weeks and said it was improving filtration. However, it did not issue either a voluntary withdrawal or a recall at that time.
Although arsenic occurs naturally, consumption over time has been linked to cardiovascular problems, lower IQ scores in children and certain cancers, according to the World Health Organization. On June 3, a California man filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging the company "acted irresponsibly and unlawfully" by selling bottled water containing unsafe levels of arsenic. More lawsuits could be coming since it took the company this long to withdraw the product from market. The complaint referenced the Consumer Reports investigation and stated the company had to have known there were high levels of arsenic in Peñafiel products before the report came out.
It's likely the ongoing controversy — and possibly higher arsenic levels in more recent testing — prompted Keurig Dr Pepper to issue the withdrawal. While Keurig Dr Pepper's core businesses include soft drinks, specialty coffee, tea, water and juice drinks, it's taking the time and money to withdraw the "very limited" Mexican products and invest in enhanced filtration systems, so Peñafiel's sales must be worth the effort.
This episode raises troubling questions about Peñafiel and could cause consumers to wonder whether it's safe to drink. Consumer Reports asserted in April that records it obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show FDA has known about high arsenic levels in the brand's products "since at least 2013." The group is continuing to press the company and the FDA for more action about the problem and is advocating for reducing the federal arsenic level from 10 ppb to 3 ppb.
Meanwhile, Keurig Dr Pepper is working on its consumer-facing image by recently issuing a new corporate responsibility strategy and commitments document. Among pledges involving the environment, supply and communities, the company said it would "partner with leading organizations to accelerate portfolio innovation and transparency for health and wellbeing."
Other manufacturers have faced similar challenges, including Walgreens with acrylamide in cookies and General Mills, Kellogg and Post with acrylamide in cereal. Glyphosate has been found in most wine and beer, Tropicana and Safeway Signature Farms orange juice, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, General Mills' Nature Valley granola bars and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. These incidents can lead to lawsuits, reformulations, new labeling and tightening up on production processes. But this latest case could also mean bad news for all the bottled water companies named in Consumer Reports' investigation, which may want to increase testing around their products.
Companies typically defend products by noting they meet state and federal standards for chemical residues, which is why Consumer Reports and other groups want to see permissible levels revised downward. Still, continuing negative news and withdrawals tend to leave a bad taste for consumers wanting healthier, untainted products.
Recommended Reading:
"If You Wouldn’t Be Comfortable Drinking Your Processed Water, You Shouldn’t Be Comfortable Using It On Produce"
On May 22, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency added a Class 1 (high risk) recall for microgreens – due to listeria contamination – to its Food Recall Report.
"Food recalls are serious business", Jim Shubat with SanEco Tec says. "Producers face heavy financial consequences; consumers are exposed to potential health risks; consumers lose trust in products and companies; and litigation follows. It’s a devastating spiral."
Counting the costs
In 2018, there were 708 food recalls in the U.S. A survey by the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association found that direct costs of a food recall can reach $100 million, with indirect costs growing exponentially in the event of health effects.
Along with direct costs comes, of course, the loss of trust. According to Harris Interactive’s survey, after a recall, 15% of consumers would never buy the product again and 21% would not buy any product by the same manufacturer.
"When the consequences are so grave you’d think the best way to keep money in the bank and consumers on your side is to avoid recalls", says Jim. Isn't that an oversimplification? "Perhaps", he states.
"Except that a major cause of food recalls relates to something as simple as water. Many recalls are due to microbiological contamination from water sources or through unsanitary handling along the supply chain."
'It stands to reason that by proactively taking care of your water – making it your first line of defense, you can reduce the risk of recalls."
Start with the source
Where is your water coming from? What could be influencing its quality?
"Farmers and growers especially have to be careful about the quality of their irrigation water. Source water, whether from a surface or well, can be contaminated by animal fecal matter or sewer overflows and run-offs, which greatly increases the risk of E. coli", says Jim.
"Checking your water a few times a year for E. coli isn’t enough to ensure that your water is safe. Frequent and repeated testing, or better yet, treating your water with a system that combines filtration and disinfection is the best way of preventing microbiological risk", says Jim.
Don’t leave it up to Lady Luck
In Ontario, it is required that “water used for washing and cooling of fresh, ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables must be of potable quality” as determined by the Ontario Drinking Water Quality Standards.
"If you wouldn’t be comfortable drinking your process water, then you shouldn’t be comfortable using it on produce", says Jim.
He explains how AVIVE systems, developed by SanEcoTec® Ltd, are engineered water solutions that combine disinfection, a multi-barrier approach and real-time water quality monitoring and process control for clean, safe and dependable water. AVIVE aims to provide water that is free of microbial contamination, like E. coli and listeria.
"Our Smart Water monitoring system, called SPI®, provides real-time monitoring and analysis, ensuring sanitizers are always at the optimal level", he continues. "This way you can keep eyes on your water with real-time water quality monitoring and process control."
Recently, SanEcoTec received a Letter of No Objection (LONO) from Health Canada for the use of its Clean5, Clean25 and Clean50 sanitizers in process water on fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables. The LONO is a standard form letter in response to a detailed scientific submission expressly stating that Health Canada sees no reason why the sanitizers should not be used. The line of sanitizers is also recommended by HACCPCanada.
Remember your process water
"Bacteria can enter produce through stem, leaf and root, and contaminated water can promote infection on the inside and the outside of fruit."
"Contamination can still happen along the supply chain due to poor hygiene standards among workers or cross contamination, but adopting sanitation measures for your irrigation and process water gives you a good head start."
For more information:
Joy Knowles
SanEcoTec
Joy.Knowles@SanEcoTec.com
T: +1.613.491.0525 x 2620
www.sanecotec.com
Publication date: 5/27/2019
“Growing In Hydroponics Saves 90% Water”
At MedFEL, the company Les Halles Mandar presented aromatic herbs grown in hydroponics and with the label “Zero Pesticide Residue” (ZPR). “The range currently includes four herbs - basil, chives, cilantro and mint - which we started marketing at large retailers in 2018,” explains Camille Le Large, product manager of the company.
Hydroponics, a cultivation technique with many advantages
According to Camille, the cultivation above ground, where roots are permanently immersed in water, presents many advantages. “Hydroponics has the particularity of being able to reduce water intake by 90% compared to traditional cultivation. Additionally, we grow with pesticides or chemical products, because the plant feeds on mineral fertilizers added to the water.”
The consumer will easily be able to recognize the aromatic plants grown in hydroponics. Everything will be explained on the back of the packaging. “The plant cultivated in hydroponics has roots, which have been preserved and are visible under a small pile of substrate. This gives a significant advantage to the product that will stay fresh longer, on the shelves but also after the consumers bring it back home. They have three options. They can put it in a new pot or replant it directly in the ground, or keep it the way it is in the fridge, or even immerse the roots again in water so the herb can continue to grow.”
Alain Pissavy of Les Halles Mandar, at the booth with Camille Le Large, at MedFEL
About Les Halles Mandar
Les Halles Mandar is a family business created in 1973 and specialized in the selection and distribution of fruits and vegetables, as well as aromatic herbs. The company also started producing more than 10 years ago, thanks to its production site in the Loiret. It markets its range of constantly evolving fresh aromatic herbs to restaurant professionals and large retailers.
For more information:
Serge FARUCH
Les Halles Mandar
20 Avenue de la Villette
94637 Rungis Cedex
serge.faruch@mandar.fr
www.mandar.fr
Publication date: 5/21/2019
© HortiDaily.com
Northern Italian Trial Greenhouse To Test Floating Systems In Winter
"Water temperature essential element in growing on floating systems"
"Growers have been using floating systems for years, but not always in the right way. We verified that an essential element is the temperature of water." Speaking is Gian Paolo Menarello with Idromeccanica Lucchini. The company set up a testing area in a company located in northern Italy to grow lettuce using a floating system in winter. "They proved that it is not so much air temperature, but rather the water temperature that determines crop development."
Idromeccanica Lucchini is continuously experimenting with hydroponic cultivation and, specifically, with floating systems.
Non-heated greenhouse
Tests are still being carried out in a non-heated greenhouse (45 meters long, 8 meters wide and 3.5 meters high) protected with a plastic film. A heat exchanger helps maintain the temperature within a suitable range without wasting too much energy, so that the crop can be economically viable.
"Another fundamental aspect is the monitoring of oxygenation. While the floating system technique helps make a better use of the space, it cannot be improvised and all materials must be chosen accurately. For example, supports are made of PVC suitable for young plants."
Lucchini focuses on innovation working alongside entrepreneurs to make sure all steps are verified and all components are checked. For example, while the temperature in tanks must be regulated in winter to obtain sustainable productivity, the environment needs to be cooled down in summer.
"The first winter harvest was excellent and economic results were very positive for growers. Heads were large, weighing around 450 grams each. Thanks to our tests, we proved that, in theory, lettuce could be cultivated throughout the year in northern Italy too, but the cycle becomes too long in central winter months, so it is not worthwhile. Anyway we are also carrying out tests with parsley, celery and endive."
This type of cultivation leads to many advantages: there are no soil fatigue problems, a lot of water can be saved and there is no need to weed or prepare the soil. In addition, producers can make more precise plans and spend less money on labor.
Contacts:
Idromeccanica Lucchini S.p.a.
Via Cavriana 4B
46040 Guidizzolo (MN)
Tel.: (+39) 0376 818433
Fax: (+39) 0376 819498
Email: info@lucchiniidromeccanica.it
Website: www.lucchiniidromeccanica.it
Publication date: 5/8/2019
© HortiDaily.com
Ozone Technology For Greenhouse Water Treatment
"Proper Greenhouse Water Recycling Is The Key To Increasing Your Profitability"
“Proper greenhouse water recycling is the key to increasing your profitability, year after year. Without adequate control of your nutrient feed solution, the entire process of fertigation can prove harmful for your crop’s steady growth.” Speaking is Christopher Labbate with Climate Control. The company offers ozone water treatment to eliminate pathogens spreading through water. “Water recycling has become a popular trend in the agricultural industry. As more greenhouse operations are in need of treating their nutrient wastewater on site. Growers are recognizing that using quality water has substantial benefits in many areas of production, including plant health and quality control.”
Although using a hydroponics system may eliminate soil borne pests, there are other pathogens that spread through water. Pathogens and other water bacteria are a cause for concern in water quality. Most greenhouses today use some type of recycled water treatment in their irrigation systems or use chlorination. Sometimes multiple solutions are combined to answer the problem of crop management.
Climate Control offers Ozone solutions. “Ozone is a powerful oxidant gas that is injected in the water to kill microorganisms, bacteria, and break down other plant pathogens by oxidation. This occurs immediately at point of contact and continues to disinfect your nutrient solution. Some of the ozone reverts back into oxygen in the treated storage tank and this can be a large advantage to growers as it is beneficial to growth”, Christopher explains.
Ozone generators create ozone through an electric discharge of sparking Oxygen (O2) to create Ozone (O3). This can be controlled by software to increase or decrease the concentration of ozone, to output the desired amount for optimal plant health.
“Monitoring and control of pH and Electrical Conductivity (EC) have become standard practice, for improving plant health and quality throughout growers. By measuring these two simple factors, most nutritional problems can be avoided.”
According to Christopher, the measurement of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is also proving to be just as critical to plant growth. “Minimum levels of dissolved oxygen are also required for a healthy plant. Most growers do not have the sensors to read this important quality of the water. Ozone water treatment not only kills 99.9% of bacteria in your irrigation water, but also gives added benefit. By providing dissolved oxygen for the root zone of the plants, you will see a 10% increase in crop yields.”
Ozone is effective in getting rid of odors in the water as well, like from iron and manganese. “It's the gold standard for drinking water, and used in many municipal water treatment plants around the world.”
Currently many growers might doubt between UV Sterilization. This technique inactivates microorganisms and stunts pathogen growth with UV light. Christopher believes this is not sufficient. “This happens while the water is in the UV chamber only, and as long as the water has sufficient contact time. And it’s also interesting to note that UV disinfects the water by sterilizing the contaminants so they can no longer replicate. Whereas ozone will destroy the contaminants completely by breaking them down. Then Ozone dissolves back into oxygen, which is very beneficial to the rootzone of the plant.”
Christian concludes: “Our mission at Climate Control Systems has always been, to help growers stay profitable by offering cutting edge automation and control technology. You can also expect to save 35% on water costs and 40% on fertilizer expenses with this industrial grade ozone water sterilization equipment.”
For more information:
Climate Control Systems
Christopher M. Labbate
1-519-322-2515
Chris@climatecontrol.com
www.climatecontrol.com
Publication date : 2/5/2019
What's In Your Water?
Posted by Zack Foust, Sales Representative on 12/4/2018
One aspect of farming that is often overlooked is the quality of source water being used for crop production. For many greenhouse growers, winter provides a break to clean up and analyze data after a long growing season. Having a sample of your source water analyzed from time to time provides important information for realizing patterns and planning for the next growing season.
Results from a water analysis provide the following information:
Electrical conductivity (expressed in mS) – total concentration of salts dissolved in your water
pH – acidity or alkalinity of your water; pure water has a pH of 7.0
Concentration of ions dissolved in water – narrowed down to essential elements for plant nutrition. Read about these important elements here.
Presence of carbonates and bicarbonates (“hardness” of your water) – concentration of bicarbonates (up to pH 8.2) and/or carbonates (pH of 8.3+) that increase pH buffering capacity
It is important to take action once you receive your results so you could potentially improve your production by:
Adjusting the EC so as not to exceed the set points appropriate for any given time of the year
Meeting nutrient targets for the crop being grown; saving money by switching from a pre-mixed fertilizer to a custom recipe which prevents over-feeding your crop nutrients already found in your source water.
Properly adjusting pH to keep the nutrient solution closer to your set point based on the hardness of your water and the presence of individual ions
Contact CropKing for options to have your water sample analyzed. We also offer an interpretation service for water and tissue samples, and can make recommendations based on the results.
For more information on our custom fertilizer recipes, click here!
Bonus: Sending plant tissue samples to a lab and having them analyzed is also an important step in improving your operation. Tissue analyses provide a breakdown of elements present in the sampled crops. Growers receive the greatest benefit from tissue analyses by:
Sending samples before and after altering fertilizer and/or pH regimes
Provides quantitative data to show how changes affect crop nutrition
Submitting multiple samples throughout the growing season to quickly catch imbalances
Compiling results and identifying patterns to improve future production
Category: News and Updates
United States and Israel Collaborative Research: Safe Recycle of Aquaponics and Hydroponics Water
Scientists from the University of Illinois and Agricultural Research Organization, Israel are collaborating to reduce the use of water in aquaponics and hydroponics.
USA.- Scientists from the University of Illinois and Agricultural Research Organization, Israel are collaborating to reduce the use of water in aquaponics and hydroponics. To prevent plant pathogens from spreading in these soilless environments, water disinfection is required.
The researchers found that disinfection with ozone created lower toxic effects than with chlorine. They also found that lower concentration of disinfectants over a longer exposure time created lower toxicity in the recycled water. The results were presented to aquaponics and hydroponics producers in Illinois.
Humans And Food Are Part of Our Water Cycle
Water is the basis of all life on Earth. Treating and managing water in a sustainable and integrated way helps maintain water quantity and quality for a variety of uses, including agriculture
Water is the basis of all life on Earth. Treating and managing water in a sustainable and integrated way helps maintain water quantity and quality for a variety of uses, including agriculture. This new animation is on YouTube from the CONSERVE Water for Agriculture CAP project at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and regional partners, supported by NIFA, Grant number 20166800725064.
Autogrow Unveils OpenMinderTM – An Open-Source Solution For Water Monitoring
29 August 2018: Global AgTech innovator Autogrow has unveiled an open-source root zone monitor as part of an ‘open-collaboration’ platform.
“OpenMinderTM is a product that someone can build themselves, but more than that it represents where this industry is going with open-collaboration, APIs and a focus on water sustainability,” explains CEO Darryn Keiller.
“Governments and local legislators around the world are tightening the rules for growers when it comes to water usage and run-off. Growers need to use any and all tools at their disposal to ensure they are not only growing sustainably but have the data to back it up.”
OpenMinderTM is an open-source DIY project from Autogrow targeted to technology developers and for application with small growers. Released under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license, OpenMinderTM provides an open-source API used in conjunction with a Raspberry Pi HAT.
“Essentially we are giving away water management technology. There are very few people who understand how to design and build these technologies and, for someone motivated enough, we are providing the hardware schematics and source code to do it.”
“OpenMinderTM is the perfect product for an NGO or government to fund and manufacture for countries whose farmers need a subsidized or free, water run-off or irrigation monitoring system. And from an education perspective, there are high schools all around the U.S. and in other countries introducing classes on hydroponic systems. OpenMinderTM gives them a practical build they can do.”
Autogrow sees OpenMinderTM and other products built with APIs as the future for the industry where tech-savvy growers will demand suppliers work together and provide tools that can integrate seamlessly and give them exactly what they want.
“When I first began shaping the new vision for Autogrow one key realization was to embrace the idea of open collaboration, and this was because the entire tech sector that supported indoor and controlled environment growing was built on closed and proprietary technologies,” says Mr. Keiller.
“Fundamentally, that behavior is a roadblock to accelerating growers and producers’ rapid adoption of new and beneficial technologies. Having polite discussions isn’t changing anything. Robert Stallman, GNU and Linus Torvalds with Linux changed the way that all commercial operating systems got developed by breaking the stranglehold of UNIX, which was dominated by Sun, DEC, and IBM. We are doing the same for agriculture.”
For more information:
OpenMinderTM Getting Started – https://lab.autogrow.com/docs/en/open-source.html
OpenMinderTM Blog post - https://medium.com/the-growroom/monitoring-your-rootzone-with-openminder-fba51b16913
Go to GitHub - https://github.com/autogrow
ENDS
MEDIA QUERIES
Kylie Horomia, Head of Communications
(e) Kylie.horomia@autogrow.com
(m) +6421 733 025
(w) www.autogrow.com https://lab.autogrow.com/ www.cropsonmars.com
Sales queries – Sales@autogrow.com
About Autogrow
Autogrow leverages the power of technology, data science and plant biology to provide indoor growers affordable, accessible and easy-to-use innovation – 24/7, anywhere in the world.
Our hardware, software and data solutions support growers and resellers in over 40 countries producing over 100 different crop types.
We have a depth of experience and passionate, fun people creating original ideas and making them a reality for our growers.
Stories From Around the Food System
How to go from City Living to Urban Farming in Six Months [Northeastern]
Do you know where your leafy greens come from? If you’re dining at a restaurant in Boston, there’s a good chance the salad greens you’re eating have been grown by two friends inside a small apartment in the city’s South End neighborhood.
Urban Farmers Forced Off Land Find New Ground to Grow [Chicago Tribune]
The wind-whipped rooftop of a converted warehouse in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor might be the last place you'd expect to find fertile farmland, unless you're Jen Rosenthal, founder and owner of Planted Chicago.
Urban Agriculture Could Transform Food Security [SciDev.net]
Using science, technology and innovation (STI) could help promote the use of urban agriculture to sustain food and nutrition security in African cities, experts say.
Helping the Homeless Through Farm-to-Table Training [Great Big Story]
There’s a San Francisco garden growing more than just produce. In a city plagued by homelessness, the Farming Hope Initiative offers urban farming and cooking training to those without a place to live.
The Water Wars of Arizona [New York Times]
Attracted by lax regulations, industrial agriculture has descended on a remote valley, depleting its aquifer — leaving many residents with no water at all.
Weird New Fruits Could Hit Aisles Soon Thanks to Gene Editing [Guardian]
Smooth or hairy, pungent or tasteless, deep-hued or bright: new versions of old fruits could be hitting the produce aisles as plant experts embrace cutting-edge technology, scientists say.
Giant Indoor Vertical Farm Launches Just East of Las Vegas [CNBC]
An indoor vertical farm that uses 90 percent less water than conventional growers is about to launch in Las Vegas and will be able to supply nearly 9,500 servings of leafy green salads per day to casinos and local restaurant chains.
Meriden Aquaponics Scores $500K for New Haven Expansion [Hartford Business]
Meriden-based Trifecta Ecosystems, an aquaponics technology company and indoor farm, has received a $500,000 investment to grow its aquatic systems in the New Haven region.
Dubai Will Be Home To the World’s Biggest Vertical Farm [Smithsonian]
An indoor megafarm might be the best way for the United Arab Emirates—a country that imports an estimated 85 percent of its food—to attempt to feed itself
Another Reason For Indoor Farming
Iraq has banned its farmers from planting summer crops this year as the country grapples with a crippling water shortage that shows few signs of abating.
Iraq Bans Farming Summer Crops As Water Crisis Grows Dire
by Philip Issa | AP July 5, 2018
MISHKHAB, Iraq — Iraq has banned its farmers from planting summer crops this year as the country grapples with a crippling water shortage that shows few signs of abating.
Citing high temperatures and insufficient rains, Dhafer Abdalla, an adviser to Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources, told The Associated Press that the country has only enough water to irrigate half its farmland this summer.
But farmers fault the government for failing to modernize how it manages water and irrigation, and they blame neighboring Turkey for stopping up the Tigris and Euphrates rivers behind dams it wants to keep building.
The volume of water flowing in these two vital rivers — which together give Iraq its ancient name, Mesopotamia, the land between the rivers — fell by over 60 percent in two decades, according to a 2012 report by the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
“What’s happened this year is a combination of low rainfall, low groundwater, and the new dam that Turkey has built,” said Paul Schlunke, a senior emergency response coordinator for the FAO in Erbil. “It means there’s no water for the south (Iraq).”
The orders against sowing rice, corn, and other crops this summer came as a shock to the towns and villages in the once fertile plains south of Baghdad, where the local economy depends on farming. Nationwide, one in five Iraqis works in agriculture.
In Iraq’s rice belt, the farmland is cracked and dry.
“I feel as though my very existence has been shaken,” said farmer Akeel Kamil as he surveyed his barren fields near the town of Mishkhab.
His 100 dunams — about 25 acres — last year produced 150 tons of Anbar rice, a strain particular to Iraq that is prized for its gentle, floral aroma. This year, the pumps that would be flooding his fields with water are silent, and the irrigation canal that runs by his property is nearly empty.
Flood irrigation has been used in the area for millennia, though FAO has warned of massive water wastage. It and other organizations are calling on the Iraqi government to revamp its approach to agriculture and promote more efficient methods including drip and spray irrigation. Iraq’s Natural Resources Ministry protests it does not have the budget to do that.
Farmers staged demonstrations against the moratorium. In one instance, they forced the closure of a levee along a branch of the Euphrates River to let the water levels rise for irrigation.
They demand the government secure more water from Turkey, fill the country’s reservoirs, and drill into the nation’s aquifers.
“When we protested, no one listened to us. Then we closed the levee, and the police came and the politicians started calling us vandals. Is this how a government behaves with its people?” said Mahdi al-Mhasen, a 48-year-old farmhand in Mishkhab.
The rumblings here will be heard in Baghdad. South Iraq is the popular base of the Shiite blocs that have led Iraqi governments since Saddam Hussein was deposed in 2003. The rice belt hugs Najaf, Shiite Islam’s holiest city, where theologians and politicians have powerful influence.
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the highest Shiite authority in Iraq, castigated lawmakers, telling the government it must help farmers and modernize irrigation and agriculture.
In response to the pressure, the government said it reversed its ban on rice farming. But Agriculture Ministry spokesman Hameed al-Naief told the AP that only 5,000 dunams (1,236 acres) of irrigated land could be allocated to the crop this summer, less than 3 percent of the area permitted last year.
The impact of waning water resources is clear around Mishkhab. Local divers and river patrols say their branch of the Euphrates is far shallower than it was this time last year. Green scum collects under bridges where the water has stagnated and fishing boats are stranded on the river bed.
Earlier this summer, video on social media showed the water levels of the Tigris River so low that Iraqis in Baghdad were crossing it on foot.
About 70 percent of Iraq’s water supplies flow in from upstream countries. Turkey is siphoning off an ever-growing share of the Tigris and Euphrates to feed its growing population in a warming climate. And it is building new dams that will further squeeze water availability in Iraq.
Syria is expected to start drawing more water off the Euphrates once it emerges from the yearslong civil war.
Turkey started filling its giant Ilisu Dam upstream in June, then paused the operation until July after pleas from Baghdad. Iraq’s Water Resources Ministry says it has enough water behind the Mosul Dam to guarantee adequate flow for a year, but experts say the Ilisu could take up to three years to fill, depending on rains.
The last moratorium on farming rice came in 2009, but that year farmers were permitted to grow other crops to shore up their income. This year, there is no such reprieve. Though it is OPEC’s third-largest oil producer, Iraq, unlike Saudi Arabia, does not distribute revenues to the general population.
Farmers in Mishkhab say they have little to fall back on with the loss of the summer season’s income. Families that depend on credit to cover their expenses during the growing season are afraid their lenders — shop owners, mechanics, even friends — won’t lend to them this year because they know the rice harvest has been cancelled.
“What will happen to our lands?” asked Kamil, the 42-year-old farmer. “Should we leave them? Should we move to the cities?”