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The Loss of a Solid Manufacturing Base Has Left Connecticut Trapped With Long-Term, Structural Economic Problems.
Companies like Trifecta Ecosystems in Meriden and Ideal Fish in Waterbury are pioneers of an entirely new industry: aquaponics, recirculating aquaculture, and controlled-environment growing.
By Brian Filipowich, Eric Pedersen, and Spencer Curry
The loss of a solid manufacturing base has left Connecticut trapped with long-term, structural economic problems.
But there is an elegant solution: tap into the state’s technological pedigree, agricultural past, and unused infrastructure to manufacture something different – world-class produce and fish.
Companies like Trifecta Ecosystems in Meriden and Ideal Fish in Waterbury are pioneers of an entirely new industry: aquaponics, recirculating aquaculture, and controlled-environment growing. Aquaponics is a method of growing fish and plants in a closed system in which nutrient-dense fish water provides nutrients for hydroponic systems that grow produce all year long.
Already, Trifecta Ecosystems in Meriden has a total capacity to feed 200 families their weekly veggies all year round, in addition to 600 lbs. of fish protein grown per year. Trifecta also helps more than 20 schools and non-profit organizations from around the state grow food for themselves using aquaponics.
Ideal Fish has tapped into the Brass City’s robust industrial infrastructure that includes high-quality manufacturing space, electrical power, water, waste water treatment, and transportation infrastructure. From Cleveland to Detroit, aquaponic farms are springing up in old factories.
The most advanced aquaponic growers in the nation, like Superior Fresh of Wisconsin, are growing sushi-grade salmon and over ten thousand units of greens per day in multi-acre controlled-environment greenhouses. These growers provide a vision for Connecticut’s future.
We can no longer rely on shipping our food thousands of miles. Mounting environmental challenges and the demand for local food will force us to grow with these new efficient methods.
And aside from the produce itself, there will be thousands of jobs in agriculture technology, equipment, and training.
Why doesn’t Connecticut become an Aquaponics Center of Excellence? It sits between New York City and Boston, the largest food market in the U.S. It has the untapped or underutilized physical infrastructure, academic resources, and manufacturing expertise. With world-famous agricultural institutions like UConn Agriculture Extension and UConn’s new Hartford campus, could farming be the answer to Connecticut's economic woes?
September 21-23, the national Aquaponics Association’s annual conference Putting Up Shoots will be at the Hartford Hilton.
The world’s top aquaponics growers will be presenting their work and discussing the potential for aquaponics.
This is a great opportunity for the state of Connecticut to invest in an entirely new industry. Click here for conference info: http://bit.ly/2NZ4WTV
Spencer Curry, CEO
Trifecta Ecosystems, Meriden, CT
Eric Pedersen, CEO
Ideal Fish, Waterbury, CT
Brian Filipowich, Chairman
Aquaponics Association, Washington, D.C.
The World’s First “High-Tech Eco Village” Will Reinvent Suburbs
A half-hour commute from Amsterdam, a piece of farmland is slated to become a new kind of neighborhood. Vertical farms, along with traditional fields and orchards surrounding homes, will supply food to people living there. Food waste will turn into fish feed for on-site aquaculture. Houses will filter rainwater, but won’t have driveways. A “village OS” tech platform will use AI to simultaneously manage systems for renewable energy, food production, water supply, and waste.
The 50-acre neighborhood, which will be nearly self-sufficient as it collects and stores water and energy, grows food, and processes much of its own waste, was initially planned for construction in 2017. The developers, called ReGen Villages, struggled with red tape–the area, on a piece of land that used to be underwater but was reclaimed in the 1960s when a seawall was constructed–has regulations that make it difficult for someone other than an individual homeowner to build on land that is mostly used for farming now. But after the project finally got government approval this month, it’s ready to take its next steps.
![[Photo: ReGen Villages]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57c8695d5016e11e71be1d83/1534760237080-2520TS7R23O8T7ZR9D2M/eco+village-2.jpg)
[Photo: ReGen Villages]
“We can connect a neighborhood the way it’s supposed to be connected, which is around natural resources,” says James Ehrlich, founder of ReGen Villages. If the project raises the final funding needed to begin construction, what is now a simple field will have new canals, wetlands, and ponds that can soak up stormwater (the area is seven meters below sea level, and at risk for flooding) and attract migrating birds. The land will be planted with trees, gardens, and food forests. Vertical gardens inside greenhouses will grow food on a small footprint. The 203 new homes, from tiny houses and row houses to larger villas, will provide needed housing in an area where the population may double in 15 years. The houses range in cost from 200,000 to 850,000 euros.
As cities become increasingly expensive and crowded, Ehrlich believes that this type of development may become more common. “In the last few years, we’ve really seen that the market has shifted and that there’s a hollowing out of cities,” he says. “They are really expensive and the quality of life is going down, and as much as millennials or younger people really want to be in the city, the fact is that they can’t really afford it . . . the trends are really moving toward this kind of neighborhood development outside of cities.”
![[Photo: ReGen Villages]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57c8695d5016e11e71be1d83/1534760323234-E8PYCK6PT7ZLEV48UXZ5/eco+village-3.PNG)
[Photo: ReGen Villages]
There’s also a need to rethink infrastructure so it works more efficiently, with a lower environmental footprint. The new development considers everything–from electricity to sewage–as an interconnected system, and software links the pieces together. Electric cars, for example, which will be parked on the perimeter of the neighborhood to keep streets walkable, can store some of the extra power from the neighborhood’s solar panels and other renewable energy.
The neighborhood works differently than most. Because of the expected arrival of self-driving cars in coming years, and to encourage walking and biking, the houses aren’t designed with parking; a new bus line along the edge of the neighborhood, with a dedicated bus lane, can take residents to the town of Almere or into Amsterdam. (As in other parts of the Netherlands, separated bike paths also connect to the city.) Water will come primarily from rain collection. The on-site farming, including raising chicken and fish, will supply a large portion of the local food supply. If neighbors volunteer for the community–to garden, or teach a yoga class, or provide elder care, for example–the community will use a blockchain-based time bank to track their hours, and then provide a discount on their HOA fees.
![[Photo: ReGen Villages]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57c8695d5016e11e71be1d83/1534760367146-N6LO14QFMR1T625FFX3A/eco+village-4.jpg)
[Photo: ReGen Villages]
A “living machine,” a system that uses plants and trees to filter sewage, and a separate anaerobic digester, can handle the neighborhood’s sewage and provide irrigation or water reused in energy systems. A system for processing food and animal waste will use black soldier flies and aquatic worms to digest the waste and create both chicken and fish feed. Other household waste–like cans and bottles–will be handled by the municipal recycling system, at least initially.
It’s a design that Ehrlich believes is feasible elsewhere, though it may not easily fit into existing regulations, and it would need political support. (Some other “agrihoods,” neighborhoods with built-in farming, do already exist, like Kuwili Lani in Hawaii, which also uses renewable energy and harvests some rainwater.)
“We know that governments around the world are in a desperate situation to build probably over a billion new homes around the world,” he says. “It’s a terrible housing crisis. At the same time, they wrestle with a number of things: the commercial interest of farmers, the commercial interests of traditional real estate developers, material companies who have a way of doing things that they’ve been doing for 100, 150 years. Most of the rules on the books relate to this district-scale thinking–of grid-based electricity, of district-scale water, of district-scale sewage.”
Financing is another challenge: While typical real estate developers look for large rates of return and quick exits, ReGen Villages plans to stay involved in its developments and get long-term, single-digit returns. The company is still raising the last round of money needed for the new development. Because Almere has regulations that don’t allow for high density, the initial development will also be more expensive. But once it’s built–something that Ehrlich expects to happen in 2019–others can follow more quickly. “We have access to a lot of really big money that’s waiting for us to finish the next pilot, and so we need the proof of concept,” he says.
The company has plans to build future developments near cities like Lund, Sweden, and Lejre-Hvalso, Denmark, and it ultimately hopes to bring a low-cost version of the neighborhoods to developing countries. “We can imagine going to rural India, sub-Saharan Africa, where we know the next 2 [billion] to 3 billion people are coming to the planet, and where we know that hundreds of millions of people are moving into the middle class,” he says. “And [we want] to get there as quickly as we can to provide new kinds of suburbs, new kinds of neighborhoods.”
Mariculture or Marine Farming, Algae and Aquaculture: Revolution In Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)
Internet | Registration | Programme | Conference Leaflet (PDF) | Future Protein Award
1-2 October 2018, Maritim Hotel Cologne, Germany
++ Almost final programme online ++ Almost 100 participants from 19 countries registered ++ More than 500 leading international experts and 40 exhibitors are expected to attend the conference ++
New concepts of sustainable aquaculture that dissolve the borders between land and ocean. The conference “Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)”, Cologne, 1-2 October 2018 will show recent innovation concepts and technology developments towards the longevity and sustainability of this industry. The ocean has much more to offer than traditional fish farming and, as of today, we use only a fraction of its potential.
The REFAB conference will present four examples of modern aqua- and mariculture solutions to answer most relevant questions on the potential of mariculture for the future food security and the application of the existing technologies, such as modular floating farms, aquaponics and production of diverse foods from algae and seaweeds. Please see below the companies and research institutes, that will provide insights at REFAB.
1 October 2018:
Sustainability revolution in food and biomass production based on nine innovation pillars
Early Bird Discount!
Early Bird Discount of 30% valid by end of August!
Register now!
Exhibition opportunities & Future Protein Award
The price of a booth (table, chair, pin board, power connection, 6qm) is 750 EUR (excl. 19% VAT). Further information here.
Acknowledgment
The nova-Institute would like to acknowledge BIOCOM AG (DE) and Dr. Bronner's for supporting the conference as Bronze Sponsors and the Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. (FNR, DE) as Premium Partner of the conference. Become a sponsor now!
Join the revolution, visit the conference, meet the leading entrepreneurs of the new industry!
See you in Cologne.
Kind regards,
Michael Carus
CEO nova-Institute
"You’re Never Too Young to Make a Difference"
Rikalize Reinecke goes to school, just like the average kid in their late teens. But unlike them, she has an unusual side business. In January 2014, when she was just 12 years old, she started her own aquaculture and aquaponics farm just outside Pretoria, South Africa. And the inspiration came from the movie Dolphin Tale.
The movie inspired her to start her own fish farm, but there was more to it: "At more or less the same time that I watched the movie Dolphin Tale, we learned at school about all the natural resources that are being depleted, and that in a few years’ time, there will not be any fish left in the sea", she tells us. "When I saw the dedication of the people at the oceanarium, working with the dolphins, and helping them, that changed my life forever.
"I realised two things: I would like to have a similar experience one day, and that I had to do everything I can to prevent fish from becoming extinct."
From aquaculture to aquaponics
Rikalize started with a pure aquaculture farm. However, she found that ammonia and harmful impurities in the water grew to such an extent that the fish started to die. This and the fact that her capital input was very limited, meant that aquaponics was her only option.
"Aquaponics quickly solved the problem of reducing the high and dangerous water impurities and also provided me with a small constant income." Although her passion is fish, and she would choose aquaculture any time, aquaponics "opened doors for me as an inland resident, with a very limited water supply, to farm with fish in a sustainable way", she says. "Aquaculture would be my first choice, but I realize the value of aquaponics especially in the DAPS application that I developed."
From lettuce to leek, and strawberries to spring onion
Rikalize and her team grow a wide variety of crops in the aquaponic systems: "About 22 varieties, from various lettuces, spring onion, leek, celery, cucumber, rock melon, peppadews, green peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, baby marrows to various herbs, etc."
Most of that produce ends up at the shop she opened late last year, and is sold directly to the public. "I also sell fish to wholesale distributors and chef schools. Previously we would deliver to restaurants and lodges and mini supermarkets, but now all of them can buy and collect from my shop."
And she's constantly looking to expand that range, with a section where they do research and feasibility studies and grow produce to determine if it can be grown successfully in the aquaponics set-up.
With two and a half years of school still left, schoolwork comes first for Rikalize, but she is engaged in high level discussions on expanding production and acreage. "Offtake agreements are one of the ways we are looking at currently and that is the short term expansion. I can say that I am in the process of constructing a new Catfish Hatchery based on a brand new mobile and modular principle to be rolled out over Africa, the first POC will be ready end of July."
Spreading the word on aquaponics
Rikalize tells us that the aquaponics industry in South Africa has grown a lot since she took up farming three years ago. "One of my aims is to put a lot of effort into creating public awareness and hence grow the industry." And it hasn't gone unnoticed. "Aquaponics is now like the next best thing," she says.
One of the ways Rikalize is spreading the word is through the development of an app, which is now in the final testing phase before being rolled out on public platforms. "The team that worked on the design did a great job. The roll out date will be announced soon." She also provides training courses. "Training is the base of knowledge and education. As long as I need to build systems there will be training."
Her ultimate vision is to roll out the modular aquaponics system in Africa and all around the world, to equip people with the opportunity to have a job and provide food to their families. "Aquaponics is the most sustainable farming method of the new century," she says. "This system gives you the opportunity to process food in your backyard and generate a small income. One system can feed a family of 4-6 people sustainably."
And for all the young growers out there, Rikalize has a special message: "You’re never too young to make a difference."
For more information:
La Pieus Aqua
Publication date: 7/12/2018
Author: Jan Jacob Mekes
Copyright: www.hortidaily.com
See What’s Powering Indoor Agriculture at Electrification 2018
The Following Content Is Sponsored By The Electric Power Research Institute
How can the electrification of indoor agriculture impact water usage, transportation emissions and the elimination of soil and additives?
EPRI’s Electrification 2018 Conference will provide a forum to dig deeper into the key benefits that electricity provides the indoor agriculture industry and how emerging electric technologies are powering the future of sustainability.
Explore the Indoor Ag Industry
- Explore the Industrial Electrification - Technologies and Implementation conference track to learn how indoor agriculture is solving food and sustainability issues—from improving food safety and reducing food waste to growing more nutritious food for a planet with declining resources.
- Understand the electric technologies powering the industry, including electric lighting and thermal and sensing controls.
- See our agenda of breakout sessions and featured speakers for more information.
Experience Expert Insights at Panel Sessions Including:
- Advancing Agriculture and Food Production with Electricity
- The Promise and Potential of Indoor Agriculture
- Smart Cities: Connecting Buildings, Transportation, Indoor Ag, and More
What is EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute)?
EPRI conducts research, development, and demonstration projects for the benefit of the public in the U.S. and internationally. Our R&D evaluates electricity's potential in powering the technologies of today and tomorrow, and how electricity could transform indoor agriculture and other industries where power is a key input. We invite you to join us in this journey at Electrification 2018 and explore the various R&D underway now to understand the benefits, costs, and opportunities associated with efficient electrification.
We Hope To See You In Long Beach In August!
Sincerely,
Electric Power Research Institute
MEET. LEARN. ELECTRIFY.
REGISTER NOW
In the meantime, stay informed on EPRI and Electrification.
Subscribe to the Electrification 2018 updates and Electrification newsletter to get the latest industry news.
Growing Food With Fish Poop: How These 'Farmers of The Future' Are Feeding Toronto Ripple Farms Is Bringing The Farm To The City, One Shipping Container At A Time
The pair co-founded Ripple Farms, an agri-tech startup, in 2016 after graduating from Seneca College's green business management program. "Both of us were looking at something that we could apply our knowledge or expertise into to help make the world a better place," Hebor, the company's chief operating officer, said.
Growing Food With Fish Poop: How These 'Farmers of The Future' Are Feeding Toronto
Ripple Farms Is Bringing The Farm To The City, One Shipping Container At A Time
Julia Whalen · CBC News ·Mar 26, 2018
Brandon Hebor, left, and Steven Bourne founded agritech start-up Ripple Farms in 2016. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
When you ask Brandon Hebor and Steven Bourne what they do for a living, don't expect an average answer.
They grow food with fish poop.
The pair co-founded Ripple Farms, an agri-tech startup, in 2016 after graduating from Seneca College's green business management program.
"Both of us were looking at something that we could apply our knowledge or expertise into to help make the world a better place," Hebor, the company's chief operating officer, said.
The way they decided to do that was tackling the issue of food insecurity.
"Bring the farm to the city to reconnect people with food," Hebor said. "That was our starting point at Ripple Farms: how can we bring the farm to the city and engage people with agriculture in a way that they've never interacted before?"
'Undying passion for agriculture'
Bourne, the company's chief executive officer, says he had Ripple Farms in the back of his mind for a while, but it wasn't until he met Hebor that the pieces of the business puzzle started to fall into place.
Hebor is the science part of the duo. He graduated from McMaster University with a degree in environmental science and has been a hobby farmer ever since he planted his first seed at eight years old in his grandparents' garden in Etobicoke.
"But how do you grow up in the city of Toronto and think that you may even be a farmer?" Hebor said. "It's just this concrete jungle — or an asphalt farm, in the nicest sense — but I had this sort of undying passion for agriculture."
Bourne, on the other hand, has a brain for business. He was 10 years old when he first started making money by shoveling driveways, and went on to get a bachelor of business administration at Trent University in Peterborough.
Leafy greens are Ripple Farms' specialty, including kale, lettuce, swiss chard and mint. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
It only took one meeting in the summer of 2016 to plant the Ripple Farms seed. Hebor and Bourne took their idea to Secena's on-campus incubator, HELIX, to get some business coaching, and it took off from there.
"We were two guys with a piece of paper and a dream," Hebor said.
They focused their business plan on the idea of using aquaponics to grow food in urban areas. The practice is a combination of aquaculture — raising fish — and hydroponics, which uses water instead of soil to grow plants. The men decided they would use a shipping container with a greenhouse on top for their operations.
Forty-five tilapia swim in this 150-gallon tank, located in the bottom floor of the shipping container. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
They started small, pouring their own money into a preliminary pilot project that secured them several partnerships. Then they inked a deal to set up the pilot at Toronto's Evergreen Brick Works in November 2016.
By the following January, they had food growing on site.
The pair used the 160-square-foot vertical farm at Evergreen as a research project, capturing data and understanding how a small-scale operation works. They custom designed the system inside, first growing 365 plants, then scaling up to nearly 600.
The 160-square-foot vertical farm sits on Seneca College's Newnham campus. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
When temperatures hit -27 C during their first winter in the steel shipping container, the greenhouse remained at a relatively balmy 14 C.
Bourne said they learned a lot using a from-the-ground-up approach. By starting small and allowing operations and technologies to progress as they went, they felt ready for the next step: a second farm on Seneca College's Newnham Campus.
How it works
The aquatic ecosystem is in the bottom of the shipping container. Forty-five tilapia swim in one 150-gallon tank, while a second tank holds 80 fish.
Hebor explains the science behind Ripple Farms. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
Hanging above the 150-gallon tank is a shelf containing seedlings planted into a small amount of soil. Warm, moist air rises up from the fish tank, going into the root system of plants like kale, lettuce, Swiss chard and mint.
They use tilapia not only because the fish are hardy, but because they are a tropical fish. Warmer water evaporating from the tanks means warmer moisture for the plants' roots, making them grow faster.
As well, all of their operations are certified by Ocean Wise, which means they are a sustainable seafood option.
The entrepreneurs use tilapia because they are resistant to changes in water chemistry. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
A perforated pipe draws water from the centre of both fish tanks, cleaning out sediment, uneaten fish food and fish poop. It then travels to a radial filter that brings sediment to the bottom to ensure it doesn't clog the rest of the system.
Finally, the water travels to a bioreactor, where the naturally-occurring nitrobacteria converts toxic fish poop into healthy plant food.
It takes about three weeks for a seed's roots to penetrate the soil. When that happens, it's time for the seedling to move upstairs to the greenhouse where it will spend another month or so before it's ready to be harvested.
Biomedia helps transform toxic fish poop into healthy plant food. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
Ripple Farms uses what's called a Deep Water Culture system, which means the seedlings sit in holes in Styrofoam instead of being planted into soil. The water is constantly flowing through the system from downstairs, meaning the water is full of nutrients and is also being aerated in the process.
Right now, the food produced at the farm on Seneca's campus is harvested every week and goes directly into the cafeteria's smoothie and salad bars. The goal is to develop Ripple Farms into a large-scale operation.
"It's always been our dream, to get to that large scale — feeding as many people as we can," Bourne said.
Plants sit in a kind of Styrafoam raft in water rather than being planted into the soil. (Petar Valkov/CBC)
'A workforce in the future'
Bourne and Hebor say one of their favourite parts of owning the business is the engagement piece. They do educational workshops for children and adults alike to teach them about aquaponics, agriculture, and why Ripple Farms matters.
"If we go into a presentation and Steve and I say, 'We're farmers of the future,' people are like, 'Well, what does a farmer of the future look like?'" Hebor said.
"At the end of the day, we're trying to inspire people to get into agriculture," Bourne added. "The younger generations are so passionate about it. I always say it selfishly, but we need a workforce in the future."
"If we can inspire just one per cent of this population to get into this, that's a win in our books."
Start-Up City is CBC Toronto's five-part digital video series that spotlights some of the GTA's most innovative start-ups.
Julia has been working in journalism since 2012 — first as a newspaper reporter in Moncton, before making the move to Toronto to work for CBC. She's particularly interested in social issues, health and the creative community, and is a proud Maritimer and dedicated fundraiser for type 1 diabetes research.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia Whalen
Associate Producer, CBC Toronto
Using Space-Age Technology For Down-to-Earth Agriculture
Astronauts and polar explorers can grow fresh foods in space and Antarctica. Now, it’s time for rural communities to get into the greenhouse game. Similar to what Matt Damon portrayed in the movie The Martian, astronauts can successfully grow enough food to sustain themselves in orbit or on another planet.
Using Space-Age Technology For Down-to-Earth Agriculture
Posted by Scott Elliott, National Institute of Food and Agriculture in Research and Science
Mar 30, 2018
University of Arizona students work in the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center vertical farming facility for research, education and outreach. (Photo courtesy of Austin Smith)
Astronauts and polar explorers can grow fresh foods in space and Antarctica. Now, it’s time for rural communities to get into the greenhouse game.
Similar to what Matt Damon portrayed in the movie The Martian, astronauts can successfully grow enough food to sustain themselves in orbit or on another planet. Researchers in Antarctica have been doing the same since 2004 in an environment where the average yearly temperature is minus 56 F. One of the researchers involved in these extreme environment success stories says that local communities can also benefit from controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
Dr. Gene Giacomelli, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at the University of Arizona, leads an internationally recognized, one-of-a-kind research and education program at the university’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC). Their studies and applications focus on the technical, and practical and business development aspects of designing, monitoring, managing, modeling and optimizing crop production.
Giacomelli and other researchers at CEAC have received grants from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study sustainable indoor growing systems (click on the video’s “Dr. Giacomelli” tab).
“We recognize the momentous historical change that CEA promotes for a non-famer without land who may now become a significant producer of food as never before possible,” he said. “This is a renaissance time for production agriculture.”
According to Giacomelli, the renaissance began in 2006 with increased use of “high tunnels” – low-cost, uncontrolled environments that extend growing seasons and produce more, high-quality crops. “The market brought demand, which created new businesses, or renovated older farm businesses,” he said.
In addition to growing food, greenhouses have the potential to become a social magnet for communities by bringing people together for planting and harvesting activities. More advanced greenhouses create a need for non-seasonal jobs that require knowledge-based training in biology and engineering.
Giacomelli said greenhouses can become the center of commerce for rural communities or communities that have fallen on hard economic times.
“Greenhouses production can be as diverse as the local user desires, extending beyond simple edible plant crops to include fish (aquaculture), fish and plants (aquaponics), or other tradable products, including flowers, seedling starter transplants, medicinal crops, oil crops, animal feed and pharmaceuticals.”
Developing an environment that can support growth in space or Antarctica may be beyond the reach of most folks, but advancing from backyard gardener to creating a sustainable CEA or hydroponics system need not be. Giacomelli says education is the key – he recommends taking classes and workshops and working with Master Gardeners and local county Cooperative Extension offices to get hands-on experience.
Category/Topic: Research and Science
Tags: National Institute of Food and Agriculture NIFA Arizona greenhouse Controlled Environment Agriculture aquaculture hydroponics rural communities University of Arizona
How Developers Plan To Convert A Dead Maine Paper Mill Into 1 Salmon Point
BUCKSPORT, Maine — A little more than three years after losing their paper mill, the most vital piece of their town’s economic engine, Bucksport residents got glimpse of their next big industry — salmon.their first
How Developers Plan To Convert A Dead Maine Paper Mill Into 1 Salmon Point
By Nick McCrea, BDN Staff • March 21, 2018
BUCKSPORT, Maine — A little more than three years after losing their paper mill, the most vital piece of their town’s economic engine, Bucksport residents got their first glimpse of their next big industry — salmon.
In February, Whole Oceans announced its plans for an indoor salmon farm that would produce 50,000 tons of salmon per year on the banks of the Penobscot River.
More than 200 locals took a seat in Bucksport Middle School’s auditorium Tuesday night for their first chance to ask questions and hear directly from company officials who want to breathe new life into the shuttered mill site.
The company plans to secure a new name for its address — 1 Salmon Point, a fitting name considering this river once had the most dense Atlantic salmon population on the planet, said Whole Oceans CEO Robert Piasio.
“I would say we looked at every possible site up and down the Maine coast,” Piasio told the audience. “Bucksport and Salmon Point blew everything else away.”
Just a month before Whole Oceans’ announcement, a Norwegian aquaculture firm, Nordic Aquafarms, revealed its plans to build another massive indoor salmon farm in Belfast. Maine suddenly found itself at the forefront of a budding U.S. land-based fish farming industry.
Because wild Atlantic salmon are a protected species, it’s illegal to catch and eat them. If an American is eating Atlantic salmon, it’s effectively guaranteed to come from a farm. More than 95 percent of Atlantic salmon consumed in the U.S. comes from foreign offshore pens, primarily in Norway, Chile and Canada.
As the price of recirculating aquaculture systems technology falls, companies are building larger farms, and the industry is starting to spread to the U.S. after decades of experience in Europe. Another large-scale indoor farm is in the works in Florida.
The most common questions from locals were related to wastewater discharge. The system will recirculate 99 percent of the water that enters the tanks, but there will still be about 4 million gallons discharged each day. That’s about one-fifth of what the paper mill discharged when it was operating.
There are already discharge pipes stretching into the middle of the Penobscot River that was used by the mill.
Whole Oceans expects the pollutants released to be significantly lower than what the mill produced, though the nitrogen will be about on par, given the amount 20,000 tons of salmon would produce. Discharge limits will be set and monitored as part of the permitting process through the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The company also says it’s aware of the mercury contamination in the river, caused by the former HoltraChem facility upriver in Orrington, and will filter out all metals before the water flows into the tanks.
Other questions ranged from expected fish mortality rates — likely in the 3 percent to 11 percent range at the smolt stage — to how the fish would be killed — likely with percussive stunning or striking the fish, according to Whole Oceans. Percussive stunning is believed to be among the quickest and most humane ways to harvest fish, according to the European Food Safety Administration.
Whole Oceans expects to start preparing the site for construction this fall. Developers hope to have foundations poured and the shell of the 8½-acre building up by winter, so work can continue inside the building. Construction will last 12 to 16 months, then the first salmon eggs will be brought in.
The eggs will be shipped in from a foreign company, possibly based in Iceland. Ultimately, Piasio said, he’d like to source eggs locally, but there isn’t a year-round supply available yet. It takes about two years to grow a salmon from egg to harvesting size.
The building will hold more than 60 tanks of varying sizes, with the largest about 60 feet in diameter and 25 feet deep.
The Belfast project will take a little longer to get started because Nordic Aquafarms and the city need to complete a lengthy land rezoning process before the company can start seeking necessary permits and approvals.
Nordic hopes to start construction in 2019, and expects to produce about 33,000 tons of salmon once it’s operational.
Piasio said Whole Oceans wants to be open about its work and invite the public into the facility to learn more about how it will operate. That might involve an information center, or even an enclosed catwalk above the tanks so people can look down at the schools of salmon and get a sense of the vast scale of the operation.
“We prefer you judge us by what we do, not by what we say,” Piasio told the crowd. “We are genuine and want to be part of this community for the long term.”
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.
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Photos Courtesy of Whole Oceans | BDN
Computer renderings of Whole Ocean's indoor salmon farm, slated for construction at the former Verso paper mill site in Bucksport. Work on the site is expected to start in August.
Courtesy of John Gutwin of Pepperchrome | BDN
Computer renderings of Whole Ocean's indoor salmon farm, slated for construction at the former Verso paper mill site in Bucksport. Work on the site is expected to start in August.
Gabor Degre | BDN
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the projected salmon production at the Bucksport aquaculture site. It’s expected to produce 50,000 tons of salmon per year.
Notice of Public Meeting For The Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture
Notice of Public Meeting For The Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture
A Notice by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture on 01/29/2018
Publication Date: 01/29/2018
Agencies: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Dates: The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 20, 2018 from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. local time (Pacific Time).
Document Type: Notice
Document Citation: 83 FR 4026
Page: 4026-4027 (2 pages)
Agency/Docket Number: Docket No. NIFA-2018-001
Document Number: 2018-01577
AGENCY:
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.
ACTION:
Notice of public meeting for the Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture of the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council.
SUMMARY:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is publishing this notice on behalf of the Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture (IWGA) of the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council to announce a public meeting of this group. This public meeting provides an opportunity for the IWGA to discuss ongoing and planned activities in support of aquaculture development in the United States with stakeholders. In turn, this meeting provides an opportunity for the stakeholders to discuss issues of relevance to the IWGA members in attendance.
DATES:
The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 20, 2018 from 1:30 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. local time (Pacific Time).
ADDRESSES:
The Aquaculture America 2018 Conference will take place at Paris Las Vegas Hotel, 3655 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
IWGA Chair and Aquaculture National Program Leader Dr. Gene Kim, USDA NIFA; email Gene.W.Kim@nifa.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture (formerly known as the Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture) was created by the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-362, 94 Stat. 198, 16 U.S.C. 2801, et seq.) and is chaired by the Department of Agriculture, with vice-chairs from the Department of Commerce and Department of the Interior. The IWGA reports to the Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council. The purpose of the coordinating group is to increase the overall effectiveness and productivity of Federal aquaculture research, transfer, and assistance programs. In fulfilling this purpose, the coordinating group:
(1) Reviews the national needs for aquaculture research, technology transfer and technology assistance programs;
(2) Undertakes planning, coordination, and communication among Federal agencies engaged in the science, engineering, and technology of aquaculture;
(3) Collects, compiles, and disseminates information on aquaculture;
(4) Encourages joint programs among Federal agencies in areas of mutual interest relating to aquaculture; and
(5) Recommends specific actions on issues, problems, plans, and programs in aquaculture.
The IWGA addresses issues of national scope and importance and may form national task forces or special projects to facilitate a coordinated, systematic approach to addressing critical issues and needs. More information is available at http://www.ars.usda.gov/ iwga.
This notice invites the public to participate in this IWGA meeting. The location is at the Aquaculture America 2018 Conference venue, which allows for stakeholder interaction at what likely is the largest gathering of U.S. aquaculture research, extension, and private sector representatives. Attendance or response to this notice is voluntary. We are not requesting information as part of an ongoing regulatory process. Although this will Start Printed Page 4027be a discussion of stakeholder issues of concern, will not be considered formal public input on regulations, as the IWGA is not a regulatory body. Responses to this notice may be used by the government for program planning on a non-attribution basis. Information obtained from the discussions occurring during this meeting may be used for program planning and federal coordination among Federal agencies, and may guide future Federal agencies' activities that are national in scope. USDA requests that no business proprietary information or copyrighted information be submitted in response to this notice. No registration or fee is needed to attend this IWGA meeting. Please note that there will be no other method for interaction for this meeting, aside from in-person attendance. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to email their contact information to the email address below for planning purposes: Dr. Maxwell Mayeaux, Aquaculture Program Specialist, USDA NIFA at: mmayeaux@nifa.usda.gov.
The agenda for this meeting is as follows:
Agenda
I. Overview of Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture Activities
II. Reports on Federal Interagency Initiatives
a. Agency updates on regulatory reform
b. Overview of national aquaculture statistics reporting and the Census of Aquaculture
c. Interagency collaboration on research, extension and outreach activities
d. Other Agency Updates
III. Public questions and discussion on IWGA activities
Done at Washington, DC, on January 19, 2018.
Sonny Ramaswamy,
Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2018-01577 Filed 1-26-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P
Organic Industry Debates Certification of Aeroponic Systems
Organic Industry Debates Certification of Aeroponic Systems
At its fall public meeting, the National Organic Standards Board heard testimony about hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponic operations.
Feb 05, 2018
On Jan. 25, 2018, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service released an update on the status of organic hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.
At its fall public meeting, the National Organic Standards Board heard testimony about hydroponics, aquaponics and aeroponic operations.
What is the status of hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponic operations?
Certification of hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic operations is allowed under the USDA organic regulations and has been since the National Organic Program began. For these products to be labeled as organic, the operation must be certified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent, and maintain compliance with the USDA organic regulations.
The NOSB has recommended prohibiting aeroponic systems in organic production. USDA will consider this recommendation; aeroponics remains allowed during this review.
What is the Organic Farmers Association saying about this certification?
The Organic Farmers Association is raising concern with USDA’s recent statement that “Certification of hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic operations is allowed under the USDA organic regulations, and has been since the National Organic Program began,” labeling this action as revisionist history, and an incorrect interpretation of the organic law.
“The USDA has several times in the past sought guidance from the National Organic Standards Board on the advisability of allowing hydroponic production to be certified organic,” said Francis Thicke, OFA policy committee chair, and outgoing NOSB member. “This issue is far from settled.”
The association pointed out that in 2010 the NOSB, in a 14 to 1 vote, recommended that hydroponic production not be allowed to be certified organic, stating “systems of crop production that eliminate soil from the system, such as hydroponics or aeroponics cannot be considered as example of acceptable organic farming practices…due to their exclusion of the soil-plant ecology intrinsic to organic farming systems and USDA/NOP regulations governing them.”
The USDA National Organic Program did not follow through on that NOSB recommendation. However, most USDA-accredited certifying agencies have avoided certifying hydroponic operations because of the long-standing requirement—rooted in the Organic Foods Production Act —that organic production must be in the soil.
“There are no federal standards for certifying hydroponic production as organic,” said Jim Riddle, OFA steering committee chair and former NOSB member.
Organic Farmers Association said OFPA—the enabling legislation that created the National Organic Program—indicates that organic production must be soil-based. Quoting the Act, “An organic plan shall contain provisions designed to foster soil fertility, primarily through the management of the organic content of the soil through proper tillage, crop rotation, and manuring.”
Further, Organic Farmers Association asserts that no legal justification accompanied USDA’s recent position of unconditional allowance for organic certification of hydroponic production.
Aquaculture And Urban Farming Key To UAE Food Security
Aquaculture And Urban Farming Key To UAE Food Security
More than 40 innovations to be exhibited at Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture
February 1, 2018
Binsal Abdul Kader, Senior Reporter
Abu Dhabi: The UAE will promote innovations in aquaculture and urban farming to ensure food security, a top official told Gulf News on Thursday.
“Aquaculture and urban farming have a lot of potential in the UAE,” said Mariam Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food Security, on the sidelines of a press conference to announce the details of a global conference on food security to be held in Abu Dhabi next week.
“We are working on [aquaculture projects] and will announce the target [in this sector] soon,” she said.
Aquaculture is the farming of fish and other aquatic organisms in controlled conditions, even in the desert.
Al Muhairi said technologies are available in the market and some private companies in the UAE have already proven the viability of aquaculture. “We can now start looking into the commercialization of these technologies,” she said.
The minister said she was looking forward to the innovations in aquaculture and urban farming to be exhibited at the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) that opens on Monday at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).
She said urban farming also has a lot of potential in the UAE as food can be grown in closed environments. “People need to know what urban farming is,” she said.
The minister plans to instill this idea in people so they can do it in their homes. “We can conduct awareness campaigns and ensure it is implemented,” Al Muhairi told Gulf News.
The organizers of the GFIA said more than 40 innovations in the agriculture sector will be on display at the event to be held under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (Adfca).
Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, commented that the UAE companies can learn about the latest innovations and technologies in the agriculture sector at the forum.
Suhail Mohammad Faraj Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy and Industry, commented that it is an opportunity to discuss global best practices to achieve water and energy sustainability.
Saeed Salem Al Ameri, director-general of Adfca, said Shaikh Zayed’s vision and values of promoting sustainability would be reflected at the GFIA.
Khalifa Ahmad Al Ali, director-general of Abu Dhabi Food Security Centre, said leading public and private sector leaders and experts would analyze the performance of local food production sector and come up with a practical roadmap to accelerate growth.
GFIA this year also includes the region’s first International Conference of Arab Beekeeping Organisation. Dr. Ahmad Al Ghamdi, chairman of Arab Beekeeping Organisation, said the initiative would help develop the bee industry in the Arab world.
Thamer Al Qasimi, chairman of the GFIA 2018 Organising Committee, said GFIA is based on the notion that the ongoing drive for innovation in the agriculture sector is the only way to feed nine billion people sustainably by 2050.
Understanding Humidity and Temperature
Want to maximize your knowledge on humidity and temperature? Here are six topics that are sure to help.
Introduction:
In order to maintain the A1 environment for plants to grow in a controlled setting with artificial lighting, it is essential for you to understand the nature of the environmental influences and how to measure and evaluate them. This blog describes the physical and chemical resources of the following environmental components and their calculations: humidity, temperature, CO2 concentration, air flow rates, and number of air exchanges per hour. In addition, the basic concepts of energy balance, radiation, and heat conduction and convection are outlined in detail.
Temperature, Energy, and Heat:
Temperature is an indicator of the realistic heat energy content of an object or a substance. Many plant physiological processes are affected by plant temperature, which is controlled by the transfer of heat between plant tissues and the surrounding environment. That being so, monitoring and controlling the air temperature is critical for managing plant physiological activity and response. In an indoor environment, air temperature is often controlled at a comparatively constant level, resulting in constant plant temperature and, as a result, consistent physiological activity.
Energy Balance
Any object with a temperature above 0 K (absolute zero) emits thermal radiation, including the plants themselves and their environment. Energy received by plants includes absorbed radiant energy from lights and the absorbed infrared irradiation from the environment. Energy leaving microgreens includes energy lost through emitting infrared radiation, heat convection, heat condition and heat loss thru evaporation. The heat by conduction and convection from leaves is referred to as sensible heat, and that connected with the evaporation or condensation of water as latent heat. Microgreens leaves have high absorption in the photosynthetically activity radiation (400 to 700 nm), but the chemical energy fixed by photosynthesis is inconsequential small compared to the total energy of the plant. Leaves of nearly all species have a low absorption in the close by infrared scale (700 to 1500 nm) because those wavelengths are transferred through or reflected from the leaf. In difference, absorption is high (roughly 95%) in the far infrared waveband (1500 to 30,000 nm), that can contribute notably to the thermal energy load on the plant.
Radiation
Radiation in the far infrared wavebands is essentially blackbody radiation discharged by environment objects. Objects of higher temperature discharge larger quantities of far infrared radiation than objects at a lower temperature. The main source of radiation energy in indoor environments are lights and reflectors. Conventional lights for indoor grow rooms and greenhouses, such as high-pressure sodium lights and metal halide lights, have exterior temperatures of over 212ºF and emit large amounts of far infrared radiation. This radiation is absorbed by plants, causing increased plant temperature regardless of environment air temperature, through hindering control over plant physiological activity. In an indoor environment, this challenge is compounded by the small interval between lights and plants that is advantageous for maximizing space use efficiency and plant productivity. So, it is preferable to use light sources that emit much less far infrared radiation, such as LEDs (30ºC/86ºF) and fluorescent lights (40ºC/104º).
Heat Conduction and Convection
Energy is managing between a plant and its environment at the molecular level. Energy is transferred by conduction from the leaf cells to the air molecules in contact with the leaf. Conductive heat moves the interface between leaf and air is restricted without convective motion due to the low thermal conductivity of air. Conductive heat interchange can also happen between plant parts and other solid or liquid media. However, the impact of this conductive heat interchange on the plant's energy blueprint is small, because plants do not have physical contact with solid objects or liquid media. Controlling leaf and air temperatures evenly at every growing level is important in indoor grow rooms. If air circulation in a grow room is inadequate, air temperatures at the higher growing levels will be warmer than lower levels, causing the leaves in the higher canopy to also be warmer. by providing air movement in the whole grow room, the vertical air and leaf temperature inclines can be minimized, as well as differences within each horizontal canopy.
Humidity
Water vapor is the gases state of water and humidity is a measure of its content in the air. The amount of climatic water vapor can range from nearly zero up to 4% of the total mass of air. Absolute humidity, or humidity ratio, is a measure of the real water vapor content in the air and is communicated as the ratio of the mass of water vapor to the mass of dry air for a defined volume of air. The air can hold on to more water vapor at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures. Relative humidity is temperature dependent and used to communicate the water vapor content of air found on the maximum amount of water the air can hold for a given temperature and pressure. It is almost all expressed as a percentage or ratio of the given water vapor content to the maximum at a given temperature. As a blueprint, if the air temperature becomes less with no change in water vapor content, the maximum water holding volume of the air drops, resulting in a higher relative humidity. Water vapor is produced by evaporation from open water surfaces and evaporation from wet surfaces such as soil and plants. In a indoor environment, plants are constantly adding water vapor to the air through transpiration, which is the evaporation of water from plant surfaces to the environment. Well, actively growing plants can transpire a large amount of water, resulting in a rapid increase in the water vapor content and humidity in a semi-closed indoor environment. When the air conditioning system is operating, humidity is kept under control because water vapor condenses on the cooling coils, dropping the moisture content, and thus humidity, of the air. For that reason, one approach to controlling humidity in an indoor environment is to alternate the functioning of the lights to generate heat and cause the air conditioner to run, resulting in concurrent cooling and dehumidification of the grow room.Dehumidifiers can be installed in the indoor environment that do not rely on the operation of air conditioners. These units may be used in indoor environment applications that require day/night cycles when turning on the lights for dehumidification would be undesirable. They can also be used to avoid operating lights and air conditioners during peak hours use periods, lower energy cost.
Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD)
Relative humidity is commonly used as a measure of air humidity, it supplies no direct information about the driving force of transpiration and evaporation. Instead, the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is a measure of the driving force, meaning that transpiration and evaporation rates are proportional to VPD. VPD is the difference (deficit) between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture it can hold when it is saturated at the same air temperature and is expressed in units of pressure. While water vapor content increases, water molecules apply more force on each other, resulting in a higher vapor pressure. Because air can hold more water vapor at higher temperatures, the maximum water vapor pressure is higher at higher temperatures. When the VPD is too low, transpiration will be reserved and can lead condensation on leaves and surfaces inside the indoor environment. Also, when the VPD is high, the plant will draw more water from its roosting an effort to avoid wilting. If the VPD gets too high, plants close stomata and shut down the transpiration altogether in an effort to prevent excessive water loss. In indoor environment, the idea range for VPD is from 0.8 kPa to 0.95 kPa, with an optimal setting of around 0.85 kPa.
CO2 Concentration
CO2 is a naturing occurring chemical compound. It is a linear covalent molecule and is an acidic oxide, and reacts with water to give carbonic acid. CO2 is a nonflammable, colorless, odorless gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in earth's atmosphere at this state as a trace gas. Atmospheric CO2 concentration varies with time of day and location depending on adsorption and respiration of plants and animals, and human activity. CO2 is produced from the combustion of coal or hydrocarbons, the fermentation of liquids, and the respiration of humans, animals, and fungi.
Air Current Speed
Air current speed is defined as distance air travels over a specified period of time, such as one meter per second. Air velocity is the term used when the direction of air current speed is specified. Inadequate air current speed around plants suppresses gas diffusion in the leaf boundary layer, which later on reduces rates photosynthesis and transpiration and hence plant growth. Maintaining suitable air speeds indoor environment creates small turbulent eddies around the leaf surface that facilitates gas exchange between the plants and the surrounding environment, promoting plant growth. Low airspeeds can cause variations in air temperature, CO2 concentration, and humidity inside the plant canopy, resulting in inconsistent growth on leaves and other surfaces in the grow room, helping to prevent unwanted growth of bacteria and molds. Fans can be used to circulate air movement and control airspeed within the plant canopy in the grow room. To achieve exact airspeed control, special calculation and design master plans regarding the location, number, and capacity of fans are required when an indoor grow room is built.
Number of Air Exchange Per Hour
Number of air exchange per hour is a measure of how many times the air within a defined space is replaced by new air, which is defined as the ratio of hourly ventilation rate divided by volume of room air. If possible the number should be small for the purpose of controlling the environment and preventing entry of pathogens and pest. But, a minimum air exchange rate should be maintained to prevent the accumulation of ethylene in a indoor grow room, which can cause damage to the plants.
What am I missing here? Let me know in the comments and I'll add it in.
Next week I'll post about lighting.....
Tags: humidity temperature hydroponic specialists urbanagriculture indoorenvironment
High Schoolers Spawn Fish, Grow Lettuce on NYC School Rooftop
Philson Warner leads a tour through the hydroponics greenhouse and aquaculture facility at the Food and Finance High School in New York City.
High Schoolers Spawn Fish, Grow Lettuce on NYC School Rooftop
By Jon Craig
October 27, 2017
Jason Koski/University Photography
Philson Warner works with Teishawn W. Florostal Kevelier, a 2012 graduate of Food and Finance High School. Kevelier is now a 4H youth development associate and 4H research assistant.
Atop a roof overlooking Manhattan’s skyline at sundown Oct. 25, more than 300 public officials and proud parents of Food and Finance High School students toured a first-of-its-kind aquaponics greenhouse.
Philson A.A. Warner, founding director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension – New York City (CUCE-NYC) Hydroponics, Aquaculture, Aquaponics Learning Lab, offered lively, personal tours of the newly opened greenhouse. The structure is used to grow lettuce and fish through a natural process that conserves energy and the environment.
“The youngsters learn to do more with the sciences,” Warner said of his teenage students, whom he called “Cornell colleagues.”
Eight computers monitor “the weather situation above us,” to help control indoor temperatures, moisture and ideal humidity for growing vegetables, Warner said.
“This is what we call a green, green, green greenhouse,” he said, noting it produces “clean, safe, fresh foods. ... Nothing goes to waste.”
Even its solar panels are producing surplus energy that is fed into the grid.
Heads of lettuce that can take up to 10 weeks to grow outdoors are cultivated in just three weeks at the school on West 50th Street. About 8,000 pounds of tasty fish spawned monthly are another benefit of the scientific project.
As part of the greenhouse’s grand opening ceremony, dozens of high school students greeted guests and served crab cakes, vegan meatballs, fancy desserts and other hors d’oeuvres that they cooked in the school’s kitchens.
Jennifer Tiffany, Ph.D. ’04, executive director of CUCE-NYC, heaped praise on everyone who helped produce the hands-on learning environment and thanked the “brilliant students” who served as caterers and provided warm hospitality for the event.
“What an amazing, amazing community of young people,” Tiffany said during the ceremony.
Warner designed the 1,664-square-foot greenhouse, which is now part of the New York City Department of Education’s Park West Educational Campus. The project was financed through private donations, the New York City Council and the Manhattan Borough President’s Office.
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer said she was very proud to have been instrumental in approving and helping secure public and private funding for the project. “You are training people for the future,” she said.
“You could be in the Bronx and they are talking about the fish” produced at the Manhattan high school, Brewer gushed. “Without Cornell, this would not have been possible. This is a very exciting project.”
The Food Education Fund, a nonprofit foundation, also has been a key partner in developing and sustaining the learning labs. Nan Shipley, chair of the board of the Food Education Fund, proudly pointed out that the Food and Finance High School has a 91 percent graduation rate, with most of its students advancing to college or full employment in related fields.
About 400 students are enrolled at Food and Finance High School. The school’s curriculum includes paid internships at restaurants and other food service businesses. The opening of the greenhouse marked the latest expansion of ongoing learning lab programs in a long-standing partnership with Cornell University.
Jon Craig ’80 is a writer based in New York City.
STORY CONTACTS
George Lowery
Why Eating Local Produce Just Got More Innovative
Why Eating Local Produce Just Got More Innovative
November 10, 2017 | HOUSTON, TX
When Dish Society restaurant owner Aaron Lyons prepares his food for patrons, he knows that 75 percent of what's on the plate is from the Houston area.
"Locally sourced ingredients taste better, they're more nutritious, and we like to support the local economy," said Lyons.
His lettuce vendor is Sustainable Harvesters in Hockley.
"I love the fact that it's - the whole procedure is better for the environment," Lyons explained.
Sustainable Harvesters grow their produce in a greenhouse without the use of chemicals or pesticides.
"We're in about 12,000 square feet of space, that's a quarter of one acre of land. In that quarter acre, we can produce up to 7,000 heads of lettuce a week. That's a tenth of the land required for a traditional farm outdoors, but not only a tenth of the land. We use a tenth of the water," explained Sustainable Harvesters Co-Founder Matthew Braud.
They also save on labor.
"This entire system is run by a greenhouse manager and greenhouse technician," said Braud.
So, how is it possible to run an entire farm with only two people? It's because of the aquaponics technique they use.
"Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture, or raising fish in a controlled environment, and hydroponics, which is growing plants in a soil-less environment," Braud said.
The process starts with over 2,000 tilapia in each tank fed a high-protein diet.
"That food ultimately gets consumed by the fish and converted into a waste product that we can use through filtration as a concentrated form of nitrate for them to take up," explained Braud.
The water then flows into two filters.
"From these filters, the water flows below these plants and gets consumed by the roots and then ultimately cleaned before that water flows back into the fish tank as a clean source of water," he explained.
Then, the lettuce is delivered to vendors with the root still intact. Even when Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area, the torrential rain and floods didn't affect their farm.
"This structure keeps us safe from not only floods, but also rain, bad weather including wind, and especially pests," said Braud.
So, for them, even after Harvey, it was business as usual, producing the freshest of lettuce so restaurateurs like Lyons could dish out the best-tasting entrees.
"It's a better product. It's a better quality product," said Lyons.
Kappa Farms to Open Loudoun Aquaponics Facility
Kappa Farms
Kappa Farms to Open Loudoun Aquaponics Facility
Urban farming company Kappa Farms will invest $865,000 and hire 21 people to open an aquaponics operation in Sterling.
According to the office of Governor Terry McAuliffe, the company will build a closed-loop nutrient cycle aquaponics facility which will produce certified organic baby lettuces and arugula using water and nutrients derived from fish waste. The company will produce more than $7 million worth Virginia-grown lettuces over the next three years, which it will then sell to customers and restaurants in the Washington, DC, metro area.
“It is an incredibly exciting time to be involved in agricultural technology,” stated Schuyler Milton, who co-founded Kappa Farms with Keith Born. “Environmental challenges, changes in economics, and advances in materials and technology have all come to a point at which supplying locally grown and organic produce is both more vital and more feasible than ever before. We’re very privileged to have been born and raised in Virginia, and we’re very happy to be able to help bring this new industry to Virginia, in no small part thanks to Governor McAuliffe and Loudoun County.”
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Loudoun County and Chrysalis Vineyards to land the business. McAuliffe approved a $40,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, which the Loudoun government will match.
“The success of Virginia’s agriculture industry is a testament to the diversity and quality of our products, as well as our outstanding reputation in the global economy,” McAuliffe stated. “… We will continue to support projects and products that diversify our agriculture industry, build the new Virginia economy and contribute to the Commonwealth’s reputation as the best place to do business around the world.”
Virginia is the nation’s third largest seafood producer and the largest on America’s Atlantic coast, according to the governor’s office. Virginia is ranked 10th nationally in aquaculture production. Virginia’s watermen harvest 50 commercially valuable species from 620,000 acres of water, including sea scallops, blue crabs, striped bass, summer flounder, croaker, spot, clams and oysters. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science reported the annual economic impact of Virginia’s seafood industry to be over half a billion dollars.
“Aquaculture production represents an opportunity for Virginia to capitalize on the need to feed a growing population with limited resources,” said Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Basil Gooden. “We are lucky to have an innovative company like Kappa Farms as a member of the agriculture community in Virginia.”
“We’re proud to welcome Kappa’s expansion into Loudoun County,” said Loudoun Economic Development Executive Director Buddy Rizer. “Theirs is the type of unique, science-based innovation that sets Loudoun businesses apart.”
“I applaud Kappa Farms for their investment and expansion in Sterling,” said Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D-33). “Loudoun’s agricultural community will be elevated by Kappa’s innovative agricultural technology and I look forward to seeing their products in the homes and restaurants in the 33rd District and beyond.”
What Are Novel Farming Systems?
What Are Novel Farming Systems?
AUGUST 29, 2017 | LOUISA BURWOOD-TAYLOR AND EMMA COSGROVE
Novel farming systems are new methods of farming living ingredients, many of which are traditionally grown outdoors.
Consumers are scrutinizing the agrifood industry more than ever for its widespread use of natural resources such as water and arable land, and for its negative impact on the environment. The agrifood sector is neck and neck with heating and cooling as the global industry producing the most greenhouse gases. Industrial farming can also have a damaging environmental impact with the application of chemicals and fertilizers contributing to soil degradation, drinking water contamination, and run off harming local ecosystems.
As a planet, we are also faced with the challenge of increasing food production despite decreasingly nutrient-dense soil and a warming planet. While some are attempting to lessen the extractive nature of conventional farming in soil, or to create seeds and crops that can thrive in these new conditions, others are working on removing land and soil from the equation altogether.
To alleviate these pressures, startups and innovators are finding new ways to produce food and ingredients with novel farming systems in the hope of doing so more sustainably, using fewer natural resources.
Further, many novel farming systems focus on the farming of fish, insects, and algae which have the potential to alleviate the environmental pressure of increasing global demand for protein, where cattle farming is bearing the majority of the burden.
Novel farming systems have also emerged as a captivating solution in the eyes of the public and investors precisely because they could change the paradigm of traditional agriculture so dramatically. Though, as we will explore in our upcoming agrifood tech investing report, public and media excitement are not always met with equal investment.
Novel farming systems, as a category of agrifood tech, includes:
- Indoor farms — growing produce in hi-tech greenhouses and vertical farms
- Insect farms — producing protein alternatives for animal and aquaculture feed and for human food
- Aquaculture — producing seafood and sea vegetables including algae
- New living ingredients such as microbes for use in food, as well as for other industries and applications
- Home-based consumer systems using the technology of any of the above
Here is a closer look at the components of our novel farming systems category of startups ahead of the AgFunder MidYear AgriFood Tech Investing Report.
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) or Indoor Agriculture
The concept of farming indoors in not new; greenhouses have been around for centuries. But in recent years, greenhouses and more insulated indoor spaces like warehouses and shipping containers are rapidly picking up pace as a means to grow food closer to consumers, remove many of the unpredictabilities of outdoor agriculture, and drastically reduce the inputs necessary for outdoor farming.
There are only a few key ingredients needed to grow food: light, water, and nutrition. By growing food in a controlled environment, indoor farmers aim to give plants the perfect amount of each, reducing waste, but also maximizing yields. They can also manipulate the doses of each of these ingredients to impact flavor, color, and texture.
Tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, leafy greens, herbs, flowers, and cannabis are all frequently grown in controlled environments. Greenhouses specifically are also an important part of the tree crops industry as most rootstock starts in a greenhouse.
By some estimates, there are more than 40,000 indoor farming operations in the US alone, producing food worth more than $14.8 billion in annual market value. These numbers exclude the cannabis industry, which brings in an additional $6.7 billion in sales.
The different configurations of CEA include greenhouses and indoor vertical farms, and within these two categories, there is much variation in terms of physical growing structures and architecture, delivery systems for light, water, and nutrients, light source, growing medium, automation, data collection, and environmental controls.
Greenhouses
Greenhouses are covered structures made of glass or plastic that allow sunlight to get in but offer varying degrees of temperature control. They have been used commercially to grow fruits and vegetables for decades, but there are various ways greenhouse technology is being used today beyond its simplest form of growing plants under glass in pots of soil.
Soilless hydroponic growing systems — where the plants are grown in a watery medium as opposed to soil — have been used in greenhouses for more than a decade by major growers like Village Farms and Backyard Farms. And today, computer vision, artificial intelligence, automation, and precision agriculture techniques are arriving at the greenhouse. Some greenhouses are fully kitted-out with sensors using machine learning to detect disease, facilitate efficient use of space, and identify anomalies both within the environment and with individual plants.
Some greenhouse technology has come a particularly long way, with incidences of hybrid greenhouse and indoor operations growing cannabis, like Supreme Pharmaceuticals, as well as innovative locations — like Gotham Greens above Whole Foods in Brooklyn, New York — and business models.
Main greenhouse crops today include lettuces and, leafy and micro greens, tomatoes, peppers, and cannabis.
Vertical Farms
Ranging from as small as a shipping container to as large as an airplane hanger, indoor vertical farms are growing steadily in number, although some have already failed in what’s a capital intensive field.
Most operating vertical farms today are growing only leafy greens and microgreens due to the short growing cycles and high yields. There are a few growing strawberries such as Japan’s Ichigo Company.
Vertical farms use LED lights for photosynthesis and some form of hydroponics for water and nutrition. The fairly simple equation is nutrient-enriched water, moved either in a mist or through channels or tanks around the roots of plants. The roots are planted in various media ranging from spun concrete to coconut husks to cloth, which are submerged in the water or mist.
Every one of the elements involved in growing the plants can be manipulated precisely to influence the outcome — such as lighting wavelengths, timing, the types of nutrients, and so on. This can be particularly effective if sophisticated data collection and analytics are in place; many farms claim that their own internally-created software and hardware tools enabling this are their main differentiator.
The largest vertical farms by capital raised include AeroFarms, Bowery Farming, and Plenty which are all starting to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to manage their plants and boost yields.
Robotics are also slowly making their way into indoor agriculture, though they are currently only used for crops that grow in containers such as rootstock for apple, cherry, and almond trees, and in these cases, the robots move the containers as opposed to more complicated tasks. But fruit-picking and sorting robots are on the way with several startups in the space making advancements and raising funding. (Stay tuned for our Farm Robotics deep-dive article coming soon!)
Aquaponics
Aquaponics is a smaller subset of indoor farming where farmers grow vegetables integrated with, and on top of, fish farms, so that the waste generated by the fish can fertilize the plants. The technology set up is very similar to a vertical farm, but the monitoring of the input composition and the physical layout differ greatly from operations purchasing plant nutrition. Aquaponics operations, like Edenworks in New York and Organic Nutrition in Florida, sell both vegetables and fish.
Aquaculture
Aquaculture is the cultivation of sea creatures and vegetables for human and animal consumption.
According to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization data from 2010, aquaculture makes up half of the seafood consumed by humans today. This includes the farming of all varieties of fish, along with oysters, scallops, shrimp, mussels, and other shelled creatures. Most of the innovation in this space is currently geared towards fish feed for farmed fish rather than the technology used at the farms themselves. Fish feed is a particularly crucial challenge as currently 30 million tons of wild caught fish per year are used to feed farmed fish, which is a third of global wild fish harvest. With global stocks of wild fish declining, and some sources pointing to the crash in some forage fish populations, this is an unsustainable source of food for farm-raised fish long-term, even with increasingly sustainable practices employed by the fishmeal and fish oil industry. This problem, valued at $100 billion, will likely be solved at least in part by some of the other types of novel farming systems listed here, especially insect farming.
Algae farming represents an underdeveloped sector within novel farming systems but has great market potential. It has been estimated that the algae market will reach $45 billion by 2023 and algae, especially macro algae like edible seaweeds, are farmed in most cases completely without technology or digitalization. Macroalgae can be grown in open water as well as in tanks while most microalgae, which are single-celled, must be grown in a controlled setting. Algae farming startup EnerGaia is growing spirulina (microalgae) on rooftops in Bangkok, Thailand.
Microbe farming
Microbe farming is another emerging field with various applications. Ginkgo Bioworks, for example, genetically engineers microbes for partner companies in the flavor, fragrance and food industries. These microbes are primarily forms of yeast or bacteria that can be designed to replace a natural alternative; rose oil, for example, would be expensive for some companies to manufacture as an ingredient given that roses are not a commodity crop. But Ginkgo can manufacture that fragrance or flavor in-house by writing new DNA code to re-program the genome of a microbe to have it do what customers want. These DNA designs are proprietary to Gingko, as well as the robotics and other technology the company uses to culture the microbes, mostly through a fermentation process. Zymergen and Novozymes are other startups growing microbes, in these cases to make agricultural inputs.
Insect & worm farming
Insects and worms are set to become an increasingly important protein source for both animals and humans with demand far outpacing supply. Insect farming is mainly touted as a more sustainable alternative to animal protein, particularly as the quality of the protein insects offer is actually quite high. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), “insects have a high food conversion rate, e.g., crickets need six times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broiler chickens to produce the same amount of protein.” Further, insects require very little land or energy to produce, and they can be produced quickly and all year round, unlike other animal feedstock such as soybeans. Insects can serve as a protein-rich substitute for the aforementioned wild-caught fish that are often used as aquaculture inputs, potentially turning aquaculture into a sustainable solution to overfishing. Netherlands-based Protix makes animal and fish feed as well as fertilizer from black soldier flies.
Crickets, fruit flies, grasshoppers, and mealworms are all also being cultivated for inclusion in consumer products in this nascent industry. Grasshopper farms like Israel’s Hargol, are racing to get their production capacity up since the demand for alternative proteins for both animals and humans remains much higher than current supply. While very secretive about their designs, many insect farming groups claim to have very high-tech operations using robotics, to create automated insect farming factories, such as Ynsect in France.
Consumer growing systems
Home paramours for almost every novel growing system exist, whether or not they’ve gone mainstream (yes even insect farms). Tabletop hydroponic systems like Plantui, aquaponic systems that have decorative fishtanks topped with produce like Grove, and even mini refrigerator-sized growing towers like Hydro Grow, are available for the shortest farm-to-table experience out there.
Walker Celebrates Opening Of Aquaponics Facility
Walker Celebrates Opening Of Aquaponics Facility
Gov. Scott Walker Thursday joined employees of Superior Fresh LLC. to celebrate its grand opening.
Owners say the 3.75-acre aquaponics facility will produce more than 2 million pounds of fresh Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and leafy green vegetables annually.
“The complexity of the farm, ranging from automation to water chemistry and biology, has created some very exciting, high-end jobs,” said Walker.
The facility combines aquaculture and hydroponics whereby waste from fish will be used to supply nutrients for plants grown hydroponically. 99 percent of the purified water is recirculated.
Owners, Todd and Karen Wanek stated, “We want to lay the groundwork for sustainable food production, not by reinventing the wheel, but by refining processes and lessons learned to create a one-of-a-kind business.”
Superior Fresh has partnered with UW-Madison, UW-Stevens Points, UW-La Crosse, and UW-River Falls for research opportunities for students. The facility includes the first indoor Atlantic salmon farm in the United States and a 123,000-square foot greenhouse. The company employs nearly two dozen people and plans to expand operations throughout the world once the Northfield facility becomes fully operational.
Dole To Move Farming Operations Out of California
Dole To Move Farming Operations Out of California
Dole Food Co. in Westlake Village will shrink its Oxnard berry operations as part of a plan to move its farming operations out of Southern California, the company said in a recent letter to the state.
The agriculture business told the state’s Economic Development Department, in a notice required by law when there will be large layoffs, that it plans to lay off 172 workers at 5701 W. Gonzales Road and cease pre-harvest and cooling operations there. That is part of a broader effort to close some of its berry operations in Southern California, Dole wrote.
The workforce reduction will be effective as of Oct. 6, according to Dole, which said it was operating through its subsidiaries, Dole Berry Co., DB South and Dole Fresh Vegetables. Dole will also not be hiring the seasonal workers it usually does for the pre-harvest and harvesting of its berries.
According to Dole federal filings, the grower owns about 1,600 acres of land in California, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona and Ohio relating to vegetable and berry operations, and leases another 19,000 acres in California, other states and Mexico. It also owns cooling, distribution and processing facilities in Oxnard, other cities in California and other states.
Ventura County’s agriculture industry was worth $2.2 billion in 2015 with the leading crop in value being strawberries, which accounted for $618 million in sales in 2015, down by $10 million compared to the previous year.
Source: sfvbj.com
Publication date: 8/29/2017
Urban Farming Won't Save Us From Climate Change
In places such as New York and Boston, the appeal of the self-sustaining rooftop farm is irresistible. If only enough unused space were converted to fertile fields, the thinking goes, local kale and spinach for the masses could be a reality, even in the most crowded neighborhoods.
Urban Farming Won't Save Us From Climate Change
Community gardens serve many purposes. Slowing climate change isn't one of them.
By Deena Shanker | June 21, 2017
In places such as New York and Boston, the appeal of the self-sustaining rooftop farm is irresistible. If only enough unused space were converted to fertile fields, the thinking goes, local kale and spinach for the masses could be a reality, even in the most crowded neighborhoods.
Proponents claim that city vegetable gardens are a solution to nearly every urban woe, providing access to healthy foods in neighborhoods that lack it, as well as economic stimulation, community engagement, and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. But a new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology says that in colder climates such as the Northeast's, the emissions reductions are minimal.
"Urban farming advocates tend to focus on the distance from farm to fork, equating local food with environmentally sustainable food, oversimplifying the complexity of food sustainability to a single aspect," the researchers write. In reality, the carbon reductions made possible by urban farming are much smaller than many had assumed. In the best case scenario, urban farming would only reduce a Northeastern's city's food-related carbon footprint by 2.9 percent, the study found.
The study's authors used Boston to prove their point.
They first established the city's food-related environmental impact baseline by combining publicly available dietary information with data on the burden required to supply that food. Next, they determined the space available for urban farming, including both ground lots and usable rooftop space. Finally, they used data from several farms in Boston and New York to understand the resources used, including fossil fuel-based power, the vegetables they yield, and their overall environmental impact. Ultimately, the researchers found the environmental gains from urban farming to be "marginal."
The reason is that while city-grown vegetables can have a slightly lower environmental impact than those grown thousands of miles away, horticulture has never been the real problem. It's not apples and tomatoes that are responsible for most of the diet's greenhouse gas emissions; it's animals. Meat and dairy products contribute 54 percent of the American diet's potential impact on climate change. If city residents really want to lower their carbon footprints, they should become vegan. For bonus points, they can turn their roofs into solar gardens instead of vegetable ones.
There are many reasons to embrace urban agriculture. Greater access to produce could help improve the diet of city residents, and replacing pavement with soil could help abate water runoff, for example. But slowing climate change isn't one of them. The potential economic benefits of urban farming are also less promising than proponents had hoped, the study found. Even if Boston-grown vegetables were sold within the larger metropolitan area, the value would still be less than .5 percent of regional gross domestic product. And while some of that growth would go to low-income neighborhoods, the majority would flow to areas with poverty rates below 25 percent.
"I am positive about urban agriculture," says Benjamin Goldstein, of the Technical University of Denmark and the lead author of the study. "I just want to make sure it's done for the right reasons."
Grow Your Own All Organic Food With The Permacube
Grow Your Own All Organic Food With The Permacube
90% of Americans used to grow at least some of their own food. Now, this number has dropped to 10%. The consequences of this shift are detrimental. Here is one company that is trying to change this.
Over the last 100 years, American society has quickly transitioned from an agrarian society to an industrial one. Our environment, wallets, health, and independence are feeling the negative effects of this change.
PermaCube helps people take back control of their food and energy needs by bringing independence in the form of the world’s most efficient, sustainable food and energy production system. PermaCube offers an all-in-one structure that provides fresh, organic, non-GMO food that a family requires — right from the backyard.
It is nearly impossible to sustainably supply food around the country and world. People have begun to rely more on local markets as sustainability has become more important. Yet, most of the food in local grocery stores are still shipped in from around the globe, meaning we are still not receiving the best, freshest produce, and the majority of it is not 100% organic or GMO-free.
The PermaCube system contains everything needed to meet the food and energy requirements of a four to six person family. Powered by solar energy and merging aquaculture and hydroponics, PermaCube offers an off-the-grid source of sustainable, locally produced, 100% organic food and clean water.
The design is comprehensive and holistic. Each PermaCube contains enough room for 72 square feet of growing space, while also having room for 12 chickens and 50-70 fish. All of the components of PermaCube work in tandem in a aquaculture and hydroponics — a hydroponics grow system requires fertilizer, and fish waste that would otherwise build up in a pure aquaculture system works perfectly.
A filtration system and atmospheric water generator ensure you will always have clean, potable water available. Together, vegetables from the hydroponic garden, fish, chickens, and their eggs provide between $1200 and $1400 of 100% organic, GMO-free food each month — straight from your personal self sustaining farm.
Food production is an integral aspect of every human life. Putting organic, non-GMO foods in our body sustains not only the earth, but also our health.