Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
This Amazing Farm In A Box Can Pop Up On Any City Street
Over the past decade, urban farming and community gardeninghave grown in popularity, with small gardens sprouting on top of skyscrapers – but they can be complicated and require elaborate supplies. EkoFarmer is a 13-meter long farming module that can be installed where there is a water and electrical supply. Containing ecological
soil developed by Kekkilä, EkoFARMER was designed to produce optimal yields and be used for both commercial and scientific purposes.
This Amazing Farm In A Box Can Pop Up On Any City Street
Over the past decade, urban farming and community gardeninghave grown in popularity, with small gardens sprouting on top of skyscrapers – but they can be complicated and require elaborate supplies. EkoFarmer is a 13-meter long farming module that can be installed where there is a water and electrical supply. Containing ecological soil developed by Kekkilä, EkoFARMER was designed to produce optimal yields and be used for both commercial and scientific purposes.
Exsilio is currently on the lookout for co-creation partners that are interested in developing their own farming modules based on their own requirements. Restaurants and institutional kitchens can benefit from EkoFARMER, which can also function as an excellent complementary solution for farmers to expand their traditional greenhouses.
“EkoFARMER is an excellent option for business fields in need of salads, herbs, (edible) flowers or medicinal plants, for example. The social aspect of urban farming is also prominent. For this reason, our solution is suitable for associations wanting to earn some extra income, or societies wanting to offer meaningful activities for the unemployed, for example. This is an opportunity to create new micro-enterprises”, said Tapio.
Vertical Farming in Africa to Boost Growth at September Urban Agri Summit in Johannesburg
Vertical Farming in Africa to Boost Growth at September Urban Agri Summit in Johannesburg
The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
International experts, regional authorities, investors and stakeholders from the agriculture sector will gather on September 7-8 in Johannesburg, South Africa for the inaugural Urban Agri Summit 2017. The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
Dr Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, Food Security Fellow with New Voices, The Aspen Institute and previously Mentor for Agriculture at the Clinton Global University Initiative (CGI U), said, "I believe it is about time Africa has the conversations about vertical farming and other innovative urban agriculture practices. With the urban population expected to rise for most of the African cities, there will be the need for innovative approaches to feed the urban population. I do believe that Africa’s farms have to start going vertical."
Various initiatives have already been undertaken by South Africa to spur innovation in its agriculture sector. Together with other Sub-Saharan African cities in Nigeria and Kenya, South African metropolises are joining the footsteps of many global cities to introduce sustainable urban indoor farming. Africa has unique opportunities for vertical farms and Controlled Environment Agriculture. Vertical farming (including its variations) is one of the most innovative approaches that can be tapped as part of an effort to grow fresh, healthy, nutritious and pesticide-free food for consumers.
Jana Jordaan, Sustainable Agriculture Analyst at GreenCape said: “We are very excited that the Urban Agri Summit will be taking place in Johannesburg this year. Our 2017 Agriculture Market Intelligence Report has shown that there are significant opportunities for farmers, investors and businesses in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the region. The Urban Agri Summit is a great platform where international experiences and ideas are shared, influencing opportunities and overcoming barriers to the growth of the CEA market. We believe the summit is a great opportunity to not only support the growth of the CEA market in South Africa, but also support South Africa’s transition to a more resilient green economy."
Highlights of the Summit include insightful presentations and engaging panel discussions by international organisations and experts from Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the USA, combined with a technology showcase.
This industry event is supported by the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) and by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
The AVF's Stephane Razzon said, "The event holds an unprecedented opportunity for the African continent to be introduced with the most cutting-edge technologies in agriculture. Controlled Environment Agriculture, Vertical Farming and advanced greenhouse methods are bound to completely transform food systems in developing countries and developed countries alike. We at the AVF believe the global Vertical Farming market is now ready to make a notable impact on the agricultural sector in Africa. It will require from us all to be in the right place and in the right time, which is clearly at the Urban Agri Summit 2017.
Contact Info
Jose Carpio - Magenta Global (Singapore)
Block 53 Sims Place
#01-150
Singapore 380053
Phone: +6568462366
Website: http://www.magentaglobalevents.com/urban-agriculture-verticalfarming-cea-africa-summit/
Farm On Wheels Will Deliver Fresh Produce to Indy Food Deserts
Farm On Wheels Will Deliver Fresh Produce to Indy Food Deserts
Maureen C. Gilmer , maureen.gilmer@indystar.com
Published 7:00 a.m. ET June 30, 2017 | Updated 7:09 a.m. ET June 30, 2017
Brandywine Creek Farms Rolling Harvest truck made its debut at the to serve Indy food deserts Circle Up Indy event at IPS School 51 in Indianapolis on Saturday, June 24, 2017. Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar
'I want to see more farmers come together to end hunger'
Jonathan Lawler planted a seed a year ago that has multiplied into so much goodness even he is surprised.
The Greenfield farmer decided last spring to turn a chunk of his livelihood into a nonprofit with the goal to feed the community. Brandywine Creek Farmswas a leap of faith, but its yield is poised to touch all corners of Central Indiana.
"My job as a farmer is to feed the world, and we have people going hungry in my backyard," Lawler said at that time.
Now, he has partnered with two local hospitals to take his farm on the road.
The Rolling Harvest Food Truck, sponsored by Community Health Network, will take fresh, locally produced food into communities where it is scarce, particularly on the city's east side. It will be offered at little to no cost to those it aims to serve.
"Jonathan came to us with his mission of improving access to food for those in food deserts," said Priscilla Keith, the hospital's executive director for community benefit. "But in addition to providing food, he also wants to educate the community, particularly children, about how food is grown, what kinds of food grow here and to let them know fresh food is best if you can get it."
The 30-foot trailer packed with 6,000 to 7,000 pounds of fresh produce harvested at Lawler's Greenfield farm and at an urban farm on the east side will make weekly (or more frequent) stops at four east-side locations: Community Hospital East, 1500 N. Ritter Ave.; Community Alliance of the Far East Side Farmers Market (CAFÉ), 8902 E. 38th St.; The Cupboard Pantry, 7101 Pendleton Pike; and Shepherd Community Center, 4107 E. Washington St.
Eventually, the program could be expanded to the hospital's north and south sites.
Community pitched in $25,000 for some of the pilot program's expenses, while Lawler has invested his time, his expertise and, above all, his heart.
"I've come to the conclusion that hunger is a business for some organizations, and as an American farmer, I want it to be a thing of the past in this country," said the 40-year-old father of three. "I want to see more farmers come together to end hunger because we are the ones who can do it."
Elijah Lawler from the Rolling Harvest truck and Brandywine Creek Farms gives out free tomato and pepper plants during the trucks debut during the Circle Up Indy event at IPS School 51 in Indianapolis on Saturday, June 24, 2017. The Rolling Harvest truck will make weekly stops at east side locations that are being hard-hit by Marsh closings. Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar
Lawler is working with Hancock Health on a similar program dubbed Healthy Harvest, which will travel into Hancock, Madison, Henry and Shelby counties. Hospital CEO Steve Long said the initiative is part of the Healthy 365 movement in Hancock County.
Both harvest trucks will help chip away at food access problems and point people back to the country's agrarian roots through education, Lawler said.
Inside the temperature-controlled Rolling Harvest trailer are vertical growing towers, so visitors can learn how food grows without going to the farm. An educational staffer will be on site at each stop to talk about the benefits of fresh food.
"Food is actually growing in the dirt; it's as fresh as fresh can be," he said. "The towers will be unloaded at every market, and people will be able to see their food growing and harvest it right there."
Keith said the partnership will help address some of the social determinants that affect the health of the hospital's patients and the larger community, and it advances Community's goal of treating patients more holistically.
"We are really encouraged that we have had not just one, but two health partners who now share the philosophy that real food is the best medicine," Lawler said.
Walkscore.com ranked Indianapolis last among major U.S. cities for access to healthy foods in a 2014 study. Only 5 percent of residents live within a five-minute walk of a grocery store. The lack of access to healthy food on the east side has recently become more acute with the closings of the Marsh grocery stores at 21st Street and Post Road and at Irvington Plaza.
This summer, Lawler also is working with Flanner House community center on the northwest side to establish a working urban farm to feed the neighborhood. Flanner Farms sprouted from a dream of center director Brandon Cosby and food justice coordinator Mat Davis to ease the food insecurity that threatened to rob the neighborhood residents of their independence.
"After looking at the food desert issue, we decided to encompass education more into our mission, along with distribution," Lawler said. "Almost everything our society is doing to address hunger is acting as a Band-Aid. I believe that education and local agriculture can be a solution."
More About Urban Agriculture:
This urban farm will feed an Indy food desert
How Hamilton County gardeners are helping feed their hungry neighbors
Call IndyStar reporter Maureen Gilmer at (317) 444-6879. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Singapore Turns Vacant Space Into Urban Farms
ENVIRONMENT | Thu Jun 29, 2017 | 7:27am EDT
Singapore Turns Vacant Space Into Urban Farms
Head of farmers at Citizen Farm Darren Ho poses in front of an urban farm in Singapore June 20, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White
Resource-scarce Singapore is turning vacant pockets of land into space for urban farming as the island city strives to ease its reliance on imported food.
The wealthy Southeast Asian city-state imports more than 90 percent of its food, much of it from neighboring countries, which can leave it exposed to potential supply chain disruptions.
Edible Garden City, a company with a grow-your-own-food message, has designed and built more than 50 food gardens in the tropical city for clients ranging from restaurants and hotels to schools and residences.
One of its projects is Citizen Farm, an 8,000 square meter plot that used to be a prison, converted into an urban farm "where the local community can learn and grow together", according to the project website.
Citizen Farm produces up to 100 kg of vegetables, 20 kg of herbs and 10-15 kg of mushrooms - enough to feed up to 500 people - a day.
It's tiny compared with demand for food in the country of 5.5 million people, but it's a start, said Darren Ho, head of the Citizen Farm initiative.
"No system will replace imports, we are here to make us more food resilient," said Ho, adding that it was "up to the community" to decide how self-sufficient it wants to be.
Government agencies are considering the company's urban farming concept for other parts of the city, including spaces around high-rise public housing.
(Reporting by Fathin Ungku)
Infarm Wants To Put A Farm In Every Grocery Store
Infarm Wants To Put A Farm In Every Grocery Store
By Steve O'Hear (@sohear)
Imagine a future where you go into a grocery store to buy some fresh basil, and, as you traverse the aisle, instead of polythene bags containing mass-produced snippets of the herb that have been flown in from thousands of miles away, in front of you are a stack of illuminated containers, each housing a mini basil farm.
The plants themselves are being monitored by multiple sensors and fed by an internet-controlled irrigation and nutrition system. Growing out from the centre, the basil is at ascending stages of its life, with the most outer positioned leaves ready for you, the customer, to harvest.
Now imagine no more, because, to paraphrase science fiction writer William Gibson, the farm of the future is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed.
When we presented our idea three or four years ago, people looked at us and thought we [had] lost our mind — Infarm co-founder Erez Galonska
Infarm, a 40-plus person startup based in Berlin is developing an “indoor vertical farming” system capable of growing anything from herbs, lettuce and other vegetables, and even fruit. The concept might not be entirely new — Japan has been an early pioneer in vertical farming, where the lack of space for farming and very high demand from a large population has encouraged innovation — but what potentially sets Infarm apart, including from other startups, is the modular approach and go-to-market strategy it is taking.
This means that the company can do vertical farming on a small but infinitely expandable scale, and is seeing Infarm place farms not in offsite warehouses but in customer-facing city locations, such as grocery stores, restaurants, shopping malls, and schools, enabling the end-customer to actually pick the produce themselves.
“When we presented our idea three or four years ago, people looked at us as though we [had] lost our mind,” says Infarm co-founder Erez Galonska. “We are the first company in the world that has put vertical farming in a supermarket. We did it last year with Metro Group, which is one of the biggest wholesalers in Europe, and now we are facing very big demand from other supermarkets that want to do the same”.
Each farming unit is its own individual ecosystem, creating the exact environment our plants need to flourish— Infarm co-founder Osnat Michaeli
That demand — which has also seen Infarm recently partner with EDEKA, Germany’s largest supermarket corporation — is driven by a change in consumer behaviour in which “people are seeking more fresh produce, more sustainable produce,” says Osnat Michaeli, another of Infarm’s three founders (the other is Guy Galonska, brother to Erez). More generally, she says, the food industry is looking to technology that can help solve inefficiencies in the supply chain and reduce waste.
“Our eating habits have created a demand for produce that is available 365 days a year, even though some varieties may only be seasonal and/or produced on the other side of the globe… The food that does survive the long journey is not fresh, lacks vital nutrients, and in most cases is covered in pesticides and herbicides”.
In contrast, the Infarm system is chemical pesticide-free and can prioritise food grown for taste, colour and nutritional value rather than shelf life or its ability to sustain mass production. Its indoor nature means it isn’t restricted to seasonality either and by completely eliminating the distance between farmer and consumer, food doesn’t get much fresher.
“Behind our farms is a robust hardware and software platform for precision farming,” explains Michaeli. “Each farming unit is its own individual ecosystem, creating the exact environment our plants need to flourish. We are able to develop growing recipes that tailor the light spectrums, temperature, pH, and nutrients to ensure the maximum natural expression of each plant in terms of flavor, colour, and nutritional quality. Weather that be an arugula from Provence, Mexican tarragon or Moroccan mint”.
The Infarm vertical farming system has been designed to enable a “perpetual daily harvest”. Taking inspiration from the petal constellation of the sunflower, the growing trays move plants from the centre to the outer perimeter according to their size and growth. Replenishing the plant food is as simple as changing a cartridge and water supply can also be automated.
In addition, a matrix of sensors collect and record data from each farm so that Infarm’s plant experts and tech team can remotely monitor crops and optimise the plants’ growth in real-time or troubleshoot any peculiarities, such as a change in atmosphere.
“The system is smart. It can guide you where to harvest and can notify you when the produce needs to be harvested, and this is your part in the game,” says Galonska. “Machine learning can help us understand and predict future problems”.
When a new type of herb or plant is introduced, Infarm’s plant experts and engineers create a recipe or algorithm for the produce type, factoring in nutrition, humidity, temperature, light intensity and spectrum, which is different from system to system depending on what is grown.
The resulting combination of IoT, Big Data and cloud analytics is akin to “Farming-as-a-Service,” whilst , space permitting, Infarm’s modular approach affords the ability to keep adding more farming capacity in a not entirely dissimilar way to how cloud computing can be ramped up at the push of a button.
This makes Infarm potentially scalable, both in terms of biodiversity and supply: from a small number of units in-store, where customers can get up close to the produce, to additional capacity at the back of a supermarket, to a large online retailer that may require 1000s of units and grow 100s of varieties.
None of which has gone unnoticed by investors.
The startup has just closed a €4 million funding round led by Berlin’s Cherry Ventures. Impact investor Quadia, London’s LocalGlobe, Atlantic Food Labs, design consultant Ideo, Demand Analytics, and various business angels also participated.
Christian Meermann, Founding Partner at Cherry Ventures, says the distributed nature of Infarm’s system is one of the things that made the startup stand out from other vertical farming companies the VC firm looked at. This, he says, is seeing Infarm create a network of farms that are centrally controlled and monitored from the cloud and do not require the startup to build huge farming warehouses of its own.
Meermann also talked up the machine learning behind Infarm, which he says is enabling it to figure out the most optimum recipe for different plant types to not only significantly enhance flavour but also let crops grow in parts of the world they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
“When we started out, we were looked at as ‘idealistic dreamers’. In part, this might have been because we were self-taught and not many believed that we had the necessary expertise needed to invent a new agricultural solution,” adds Michaeli.
“The challenge [now] is in finding the right partners. Our initial focus is on supermarket chains, online food retailers, wholesalers, hotels, and other food-related businesses, for whom the superior quality and range of produce — with no fluctuation in costs — makes Infarm an attractive partner. In return, we can reintroduce the joy of growing to the urban population”.
Greenhouse Pioneer Featured in Canada's 150th Anniversary Celebrations
Greenhouse Pioneer Featured in Canada's 150th Anniversary Celebrations
Celebrating Canada’s 150th also includes celebrating the industry leaders which Canada is known for. This includes the booming greenhouse business in which Canada is a major player. Recently, the National Post, a national news source in Canada, featured a pioneer in the industry, Mastronardi Produce and the Mastronardi family, with anarticle titled “Canada 150: Hunger for tomatoes turns Canada into greenhouse superpower”.
CEO Paul Mastronardi was interviewed for the piece at the company’s test greenhouse in Kingsville, ON. This greenhouse, which houses over 500 tomato varieties, is the largest trial centre in North America. It’s the key to Mastronardi’s success which is based on innovation and flavor. As Mastronardi describes it, “It’s more of a research program. Flavor means repeat sales”.
Mastronardi also explains the evolution of greenhouse growing and his family’s deep history in the field which dates back four generations. His great grandfather, Armando Mastronardi, who immigrated to Canada in the 1920’s, started the family’s produce empire by wisely selecting the country’s southernmost spot which was perfect for farming. In the 1940s, his grandfather, Umberto, evolved this farming by bringing Dutch greenhouse technology to Canada allowing year round growing.
Mastronardi then describes how in the early 1980’s the family became modern farmers, getting out of the dirt and advancing the greenhouse industry by using modern technology and processes. This in turn, minimized environmental impacts while improving yields, working conditions, and overall flavor. The online video titled, “Tomato Zsar” features Mastronardi as he explains the process of modern greenhouse growing and the future of the industry.
“We’re very excited that Canada’s celebrating its 150th and that various media outlets, including the National Post, are highlighting key industries in which Canada plays a leadership role” said CEO Paul Mastronardi. “It’s especially satisfying to have the spotlight on the Canadian greenhouse industry and on the Mastronardi family who have been recognized as greenhouse pioneers. We thank the National Post for visiting our greenhouse facilities to better educate the public on this innovative and growing business.”
For more information:
Daniela Ferro
Tel: +1 519 326 1491
Mob: +1 519 990 6933
danielaf@sunsetgrown.com
sunsetgrown.com
Gussie Green Students Participate in Fresh Future Farm’s First STEAM Based Summer Camp
Gussie Green Students Participate in Fresh Future Farm’s First STEAM Based Summer Camp
Fresh Future Farm and North Charleston Recreation are excited about the first session of urban farm summer camp that started Tuesday, June 27.
Children from the Gussie Greene Community Center will journal, measure, map, cook and sing about eggs, okra and wood fired pizza prepared with ingredients harvested a few feet from where they are sold. The camp was originally planned for ten students, so Germaine Jenkins, FFF co-founder and CEO, recruited extra volunteers and held an online fundraiser to accommodate the Gussie Green’s twenty-five students. An anonymous donor generated excitement that helped the farm achieve its $2800 goal within a week. The camp focuses on STEAM learning (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).
“Forty years ago, a trip to a neighborhood community garden changed my outlook on life and vegetables. I was determined that our neighbors would be the first to experience this hands-on camp.” says Jenkins. “We are humbled to join forces with Karen Latsbaugh of Cities + Shovels (Germaine’s first gardening mentor) and musician Chaquis Maliq and inspire children and families to garden and reconnect with fresh produce. Campers take home recipes and ingredients to recreate meals at home with their families. Who knows, the next BJ Dennis or Will Allen might be mixing fresh parsley and garlic to add to okra soup this summer.” Chef BJ Dennis taught the children about okra’s importance to the Lowcountry and helped campers harvest and prep farm fresh squash blossoms for fresh okra soup. Matt McIntosh of EVO pizzeria will donate dough, cheese and sauce and bake personal pizzas campers prepare with farm herbs and veggies tomorrow, Thursday, June 29.
The farm will host two additional summer camps on July 4-6 and July 25-27 from 8-10:30 am. There are still spaces available in each session. They are still seeking sponsors cover camp expenses – campers from the surrounding area pay $1 per day.
About Fresh Future Farm
Located in the Chicora-Cherokee area, a certified ‘food desert’, Fresh Future Farm uses urban agriculture to improve access to high quality foods in at-risk communities and as leverage to establish socially just economic development. The farm store is also among the small number black operated grocery businesses in the state. All proceeds from sales go back into operating expenses and programming. FFF’s sells fruit, vegetables, herbs and fresh eggs grown on the farm along with a mix of procured produce, fresh eggs, dairy, and basic and specialty grocery staples at fair prices where they are needed most. The farm store accepts SNAP (food stamp) benefits for food, seeds, and plants. Along with the store and now summer camp, the farm offered its first organic gardening class this past spring, and is actively seeking to train residents to help run the operation.
Fresh Future Farm is a non-profit social venture Mrs. Germaine Jenkins, a working class North Charleston resident who was recently recognized as one of the Top 50 Southerners by Southern Living Magazine and is a 2015 Charleston Magazine Community Catalyst award recipient. She created FFF with Growing Power Inc., the national nonprofit urban farm and land trust created by Will Allen, as a model. Fresh Future Farm strives to grow food, healthier lifestyles and the economy in the Charleston Heights area of North Charleston through the following products and services:
Commercial Urban Farm and nNeighborhood Farm Store
Educational farm tours and activities for school youth, families and out-of-town visitors ï Cooking demonstrations and organic gardening classes
Workshops on innovative urban farming techniques
New urban farmer and food entrepreneur incubator
Collaborative community development projects with strategic partners
Fresh Future Farm Mission:
To leverage healthy food and grocery products to create socially just economic development.
For more information about Fresh Future Farm, please visit www.freshfuturefarm.org.
Indoor Farming Plus Made in USA LED Grow Lights: Profile 1.7
Indoor Farming Plus Made in USA LED Grow Lights: Profile 1.7
Green Science and Technology
GREENandSAVE Staff | Posted on Wednesday 28th June 2017
This is one of the profiles in an ongoing series covering next generation agriculture. We are seeing an increased trend for indoor farming across the United States and around the world. This is a positive trend given that local farming reduces adverse CO2 emissions from moving food long distances. If you would like us to review and profile your company, just let us know! Contact Us.
Company Profile: City Bitty Farm
Here is a great example of an urban farm specializing in microgreens and tomatoes.
Here is some of the “About Us” content: City Bitty Farm is a 2-acre diversified urban farm in Kansas City, Missouri. We specialize in growing high-quality microgreens for grocers, restaurants, and special events in our custom-built Four Season Tools high tunnels. We also produce cherry and heirloom tomatoes along with a variety of other vegetables in our outdoor growing plots, as well as transplants for sale. We grow to order, using natural methods to produce the freshest, healthiest, and best tasting food possible.
Designed and built by Greg, greenhouses provide us with space to grow our microgreens, as well as our transplants in the spring. It has many innovative features, including a rainwater capture system, rolling benches, and a bench top hot-water heating system.
Here is the link to learn more: City Bitty Farm
To date, the cost of man made lighting has been a barrier for indoor agriculture. A new generation of LED lighting provides cost effective opportunities for farmers to deliver local produce. Warehouses and greenhouses are both viable structures for next generation agriculture. Here is one example of next generation made in USA LED grow light technology to help farmers: Commercial LED Grow Lights.
Wisconsin Fish Farming Sees Growth After Decade of Stagnation
Superior Fresh, a high tech fish farm and aquaponics facility, overlooks I-94 in the unincorporated town of Northfield. The company claims it will be able to produce 160,000 pounds of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout along with nearly 2 million pounds of leafy greens per year. Rich Kremer/WPR
Wisconsin Fish Farming Sees Growth After Decade of Stagnation
New Aquaculture Businesses Led By New Generation Of Farmers
Monday, June 26, 2017, 3:50pm | By Rich Kremer
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Fish farming in Wisconsin has traditionally centered around raising bait and sport fish for the state's anglers. But after a 10-year lull, the state's aquaculture industry is seeing growth and new farms are raising fish destined for the dinner plate.
There are 2,500 registered fish farms in Wisconsin, but fewer than 350 raise fish as a business. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, sales from Wisconsin fish farms declined between 2005 and 2013.
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point biology professor Chris Hartleb has tracked the state's aquaculture industry for years.
"For the past 10 years or so Wisconsin’s aquaculture industry has kind of been stagnant," Hartleb said. "It hasn’t really lost businesses, but it hasn’t gained any. I would say in the past three years there’s been this kind of resurgence in Wisconsin aquaculture, where not only are new businesses starting to open up but it’s younger generation people starting those businesses."
Superior Fresh
On a hill overlooking the unincorporated community of Northfield, just off Interstate-94 in Jackson County, a green metal building, two acres of Plexiglas and a red barn stand out in the surrounding sea of farm fields. This is the home of Superior Fresh, a multimillion dollar fish farm and aquaponic greenhouse capable of producing 160,000 pounds of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout and up to 2 million pounds of varietal, leaf lettuce per year.
It’s hailed as the first privately owned, indoor, Atlantic salmon farm in America. Currently, there is a combination off around 60,000 salmon and rainbow trout in their early life stages.
Superior Fresh COO Brandon Gottsacker said they hope to ramp up to 75,000 by next year.
Nearly everything these young fish experience is computer controlled. Gottsacker and his team are able to use water temperature and lighting to fool the Atlantic salmon into believing they’ve gone through a winter, which triggers the fish to transition from fresh to saltwater and put on the majority of its weight.
"Inside our building we can grow these fish a little bit quicker than outdoor farms because we give the fish an optimum environment to live in their entire life," Gottsacker said. "So, we avoid winters and super cold water that would slow fishes metabolism down and ultimately their growth."
With this level of control, Gottsacker claims Superior Fresh will be able to grow their fish a year or two faster than in the wild or traditional salmon farms that use net pens in the ocean.
But with nearly 100,000 fish in an indoor facility one would expect fish waste to be a liability. For an aquaponics facility like Superior Fresh it’s part of their business model.
Brunno Cerozi is in charge of recirculating water between the fish house and the 123,000-square-foot greenhouse next door.
Superior Fresh COO Brandon Gottsacker and production manager Brunno Cerozi in the greenhouse where they’re processing leaf lettuce, which gets its water and nutrients from the fish house next door. Photo courtesy of Superior Fresh
"So, we feed the fish. They will take the nutrients that they need to grow and all the nutrients that they don’t use we recycle through the plants," Cerozi said. "So, that in a conventional aquaculture system would be wasted, would be polluting the environment, would be released into our natural water bodies and would be causing major environmental problems."
Standing next to a series of long, shallow pools with floating mats covered with heads of romaine, red leaf and butter lettuce, head grower Adam Shinners said he can grow greens nearly twice as fast as in the field and in a fraction of the acreage.
"I definitely believe that this is the future. The amount of space we utilize here is so much less than traditional agriculture, and we can keep this production going year-round, which is definitely something that’s going to be needed, especially in northern hemispheres," Shinners said.
Changing Regulations
In an effort to spur the growth of more fish farming and aquaponics facilities such as Superior Fresh, state Sen.Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, sponsored a bill easing regulations for the state’s aquaculture industry.
He said under the previous law fish farms weren’t treated as favorably as traditional agriculture.
Tiffany claimed fish farms were subject to similar rules by both the state Department of Natural Resources and the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which drove up costs for producers.
"What we did was we wanted to streamline some of the regulatory functions, not change any environmental standards, but just streamline the process and really give greater opportunity for people in the aquaculture industry because there’s no reason we don’t have a more robust, growing aquaculture industry," Tiffany said.
Tiffany first introduced his aquaculture bill in 2016, but it got a cool reception and was opposed by a number of environmental groups. After being retooled the senator re-introduced the bill this year and it passed unanimously in the state Senate. But it was still opposed by groups including environmental law firm Midwest Environmental Advocates.
Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney Sarah Geers calls Tiffany’s bill, now signed into law, a giveaway of the state’s water resources to the aquaculture industry.
"There are concerns about the waste coming out of all those fish and adding to algae concerns, additional nutrients from any feed given to them," Geers said. "It also raises questions about when fish are brought in from elsewhere creating problems for invasive species and cutting off so much of the water supply from the stream that the native fish population might be threatened."
Whether Tiffany’s bill will spur an aquaculture revolution in Wisconsin remains to be seen, but for the team at Superior Fresh, there is excitement about the future.
If all goes well, Gottsacker said they would considering building a new operation 10 times the size of the facility in Northfield.
This story is part of a yearlong reporting project at WPR called State of Change: Water, Food, and the Future of Wisconsin. Find stories on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, The Ideas Network and online.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2017, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
Nebullam Develops Aeroponic Technology For Indoor Growers
Nebullam Develops Aeroponic Technology For Indoor Growers
Clayton Mooney and Danen Pool with Nebullam’s prototype.
Traditional agricultural growing methods rely on a growing medium, but Ames, Iowa-based Nebullam is developing an alternative method of growing that doesn’t require a medium.
The company’s mission is to provide the art of future foods now and they’re doing that through the development of aeroponics.
“With high-pressure aeroponics, we use no growing medium. We suspend the plants in what we like to call a ‘root chamber’ and […] then we pressurize nutrients and water, and hit them with a really fine mist,” explained Nebullam co-founder Clayton Mooney. “I like to say that we put the plants on a boxer’s diet. They get exactly what they need, no more, no less.”
Through their advanced growing methods, Nebullam is able to create an indoor agricultural production environment that uses 95% less water than traditional methods and 40% less water than hydroponic methods. Completely controlled growing environments also eliminate the need for pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, and enable a 50% reduction in fertilizer.
“There’s a lot of sustainable proponents that go into our systems,” said Mooney.
From Inspiration To Reality
Mooney said the inspiration for Nebullam came a few years back when co-founder Danen Pool was on a trip to South Africa. Pool began thinking about the issue of food security in growing populations and how someone would go about securing food production in areas where the land isn’t efficient for agriculture.
“When he got back to the states, he started researching different growing methods and eventually came across aeroponics,” said Mooney. “Aeroponics was originally created by NASA in the 80s to essentially figure out how to grow food in space.”
Pool was intrigued by the concept behind aeroponics. He decided to put his background in biology to use and built his own system, initially thinking of it as a hobby. By early 2015 he had grown his first crop of tomatoes and basil and gave them to his coworkers who were impressed with the quality of his produce and the fact that it was all grown during the winter in Iowa.
Automating The Growing Process
Pool began thinking about the possibilities for aeroponically grown produce and thought that maybe he had a business idea on his hands. He reached out to Mooney who has a background in ag technology and the two joined forces on creating an aeroponics company, but something was still missing for them.
Basil roots grown by Nebullam.
“Over the summer of last year, we had the third co-founder join us, Mahmoud Parto,” said Mooney. “Mahmoud’s background is in electronic, mechanical and software engineering and he provided the missing link for us, which is the machine learning aspect.”
Nebullam is now at a stage where its aeroponic growing units are powered by automated software. The software remotely monitors, analyzes, and adapts to current grows, which ensures that Nebullam’s commercial growing partners receive the highest amount of yields and the best quality of outputs with very little human interaction between germination and harvest. The system will be fully automated by 2020.
Joining The Startup Factory
Nebullam is currently a part of the Iowa State Startup Factory’s 2nd cohort which runs January-December 2017. The company is housed in the research park of the Vermeer Applied Technology Hub where they have access to offices, work space, a prototyping area and a teaching team led by Bill Adamowski.
“It’s really unique in the fact that [the Startup Factory] doesn’t try to cram everything into a 90 or 100-day accelerator. It’s a full year of support which we think is very very important,” said Mooney. “We have access to all of the teaching team on a weekly basis and they hold us all accountable.”
The co-founders are using their time at the Startup Factory to focus on getting a paid pilot program up and running with partners. They currently have a pilot program in Nevada and on LongView Farms, a 5th-generation farm in Iowa. The programs act as a proof-of-concept and from there, they hope to transition into a commercial agreement where Nebullam can produce in a large production space.
“We do have other deals in the pipeline right now,” said Mooney. “We’re looking around Iowa in the commercial space for leafy greens and microgreens, and then we are looking at opportunities outside of Iowa as well in Colorado and Oregon for pharmaceutical [production].”
The Startup Factory is also helping to prepare the co-founders for a round of seed funding in the next few months to help grow their teach and reseach capabilities. They’ve already accepted an offer from Ag Startup Engine, an investment group that focuses on ag technologies within the Startup Factory. They’re also delivering a private presentation to potential investors within the next couple of weeks.
Taking Aeroponics From Iowa To Mars
While the co-founders focus on getting the pilot project up and running, they’re also looking ahead at the future and other possible applications for aeroponics. The technology could be used just about anywhere. The biggest factor in whether or not Nebullam can implement their system into a city or region is simply a question of whether or not there is electricity.
“We see application for locations in Western Europe where a lot of the cities, for instance Dublin, are trying to push for smart-city initiatives,” said Mooney. “As far as applications in more developing regions, we think there’s a lot of potential there as well. […] With more and more energy-efficient and energy-focused projects jumping up in developing regions, solar panels are allowing energy in remote regions.”
Perhaps what’s most impressive about Nebullam’s potential is that the company isn’t limited to growing in one region or continent, or even one planet. The aeroponic systems being developed by the company could be used to grow food on Mars when Mars missions become a reality.
“The big thing that I’m personally excited about are the applications for outer space as well. The whole thing originated with NASA and I could see it coming full circle,” said Mooney. “We jokingly say we wouldn’t mind if we end up being the John Deere of agriculture on Mars.”
Christine McGuigan is the Associate Editor of Silicon Prairie News.
Laramie Farming Start-Up Has Plenty More Investors After Merger
Seven years after getting its start in a storage unit in Laramie, the company Bright Agrotech is merging with a San Francisco firm.
Laramie Farming Start-Up Has Plenty More Investors After Merger
By ALANNA ELDER • 6 HOURS AGO
CREDIT BRIGHT AGROTECH; HTTPS://PIXABAY.COM/EN/VERTICAL-FARM-GREEN-WALL-BOK-CHOY-916337/
Seven years after getting its start in a storage unit in Laramie, the company Bright Agrotech is merging with a San Francisco firm.
Bright’s founders developed a technology that allows people to grow food vertically, on indoor towers or exterior walls. Their hydroponic systems nourish plants using nutrient solutions instead of soil. They provide education and equipment to farmers around the world who are interested in this kind of production.
Plenty, the California company, is even newer than Bright, and the two firms have been connected – informally, at least - since the beginning. In 2015, former Bright Agrotech CEO Nate Storey started working part-time for Plenty, and he’s now their Chief Science Officer.
Bright co-founder and current CEO Chris Michael said the two start-ups have been using different strategies to achieve the same goal: making local food available everywhere, despite climate, season, and urban sprawl.
“We’re much more on the local farmer empowerment side, and Plenty was kind of on the field scale implementation of these vertical farms, but the more we progressed throughout our relationship, it made a lot of sense for us to tackle these big problems around giving people really good food together,” Michael said.
Michael said they are not releasing the dollar values of the deal, but Plenty’s investors will allow his company to expand its reach more quickly. Meanwhile, he said, Bright’s experience will help Plenty accomplish their goals. According to Michael, the operations in Laramie aren’t going anywhere.
“There’s a lot of advantages for them to continue to find the workforce that we have available here in Wyoming and put them to a really good use inside the company,” Michael said. “So I think everyone’s really excited about the prospects of staying in Laramie and also continuing to grow the team here.”
Michael says Bright Agrotech’s resources for small farmers will still be available, but with Plenty, they’re hoping to meet more of the demand for quality produce.
Silicon Valley Company Acquires UW Incubator Grad, Continues Local Operation
Silicon Valley Company Acquires UW Incubator Grad, Continues Local Operation
June 26, 2017
Nate Storey, founder of Bright Agrotech, examines lettuce growing in the company’s patented vertical towers. The Laramie company has been acquired by a Silicon Valley firm but will continue operating in Wyoming. (UW Photo)
Nate Storey, founder of Bright Agrotech, examines lettuce growing in the company’s patented vertical towers. The Laramie company has been acquired by a Silicon Valley firm but will continue operating in Wyoming. (UW Photo)
Bright Agrotech, a company developed by a University of Wyoming graduate using UW-licensed technology in UW’s business incubator, has been acquired by a Silicon Valley company that plans to maintain and enhance the Wyoming operation.
Plenty, a field-scale vertical farming company that aims to reshape agriculture to bring fresh and locally grown produce to people everywhere, announced the acquisition earlier this month.
“Plenty grows food for people, not trucks. By making us all one team and formalizing our deep and close relationship, with a shared passion for bringing people healthy food through local farming, we’re positioned in a way no one else is today to meet the firehose of global demand for local, fresh, healthy food that fits in everyone’s budget,” says Matt Barnard, CEO and co-founder of Plenty, in a company media release. “Everyone wins -- the small farmer, people everywhere and Plenty -- as we all move forward delivering local food that’s better for people and better for the planet.”
“Our vision at Bright Agrotech has always been to provide better food for people who want it, with technology and techniques that help anyone anywhere realize the benefits of local food,” says Nate Storey, founder of Bright Agrotech and now Plenty’s chief science officer. “Joining forces with Plenty allows us to run faster toward our goal of making fresh, local food ubiquitous and available everywhere. We’re all really excited about the opportunity and excited to continue operating here in Laramie.”
Bright Agrotech, with 43 employees in Laramie, has developed several products to encourage people to farm. The company’s products include the ZipGrow Tower and ZipGrow Matrix Media. The company’s technology combines the principles of hydroponic systems -- in which crops are grown without the use of soil -- and vertical crop growing to maximize space use efficiency. These hydroponic towers are highly productive, modular and are functional in a variety of plant production settings.
Storey received his doctoral degree in agronomy from UW in 2012. After winning the 2011 UW College of Business $10K Entrepreneurship Competition with business partner Paul Bennick, of Gillette, Storey spent a few more years developing his business with the assistance of UW’s Wyoming Technology Business Center (WTBC). In 2015, the Cheyenne native “graduated” from the WTBC and moved his business operations to the Allsop Inc. warehouse facilities on Commercial Drive in Laramie. And construction is underway on a new, 12,150-square-foot building in the Laramie River Business Park to house the growing company.
“This is another home run for technology-related business development stemming from bright minds associated with the University of Wyoming,” says Bill Gern, UW’s vice president for research and economic development.
He notes that this is the second UW spinout company acquired by a Silicon Valley firm: Firehole Composites, whose origins sprung from UW’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, was acquired in 2013 by Autodesk Inc., which focuses on 3-D design, engineering and entertainment software.
“The university has been instrumental in changing the business landscape in southeastern Wyoming, and Laramie is now truly a tech hub,” Gern says.
Bright Agrotech’s technology and industry leadership, combined with Plenty’s own technology, will help Plenty realize its plans to build field-scale indoor farms around the world, bringing the highest quality produce and healthy diets to everyone’s budget, the company’s media release says. Bright Agrotech has partnered with local farmers for over seven years to start and grow indoor farms, providing high-tech growing systems and controls, workflow design and grower education through Upstart University.
“We’re excited to join Plenty on their mission to bring the same exceptional quality local produce to families and communities around the world,” Storey says. “The need for local produce and healthy food that fits in everyone’s budget is not one that small farmers alone can satisfy, and I’m glad that, with Plenty, we can all work toward bringing people everywhere the freshest, pesticide-free food.”
Storey plans to stay in Laramie and will travel often to California. All 43 local employees will be retained, says Chris Michael, Bright Agrotech’s CEO.
“Plenty is very interested in growing operations in Laramie, and numbers will likely grow as Plenty grows,” Michael says. “We would love to see Laramie continue growing into the controlled environment agriculture technology capital of the U.S.”
Gurugram Adopts Soil-Less Farming and Shows How Easy It Is to Eat Chemical-Free!
A project commissioned by the Harayana Department of Horticulture is supplying safe, chemical-free fruit and vegetables to residents of Delhi and Gurugram and encouraging a new generation of urban farmers in India.
Gurugram Adopts Soil-Less Farming and Shows How Easy It Is to Eat Chemical-Free!
A project commissioned by the Harayana Department of Horticulture is supplying safe, chemical-free fruit and vegetables to residents of Delhi and Gurugram and encouraging a new generation of urban farmers in India.
by Lucy Plummer
Residents across Gurugram and Delhi are enjoying the benefits of safe, chemical-free produce grown from a soil-less environment thanks to a project set up by three friends and commissioned by the Haryana Department of Horticulture.
In a system already attracting hordes of India’s new-age farmers, crops are being grown in Panchgaon village, Manesar, without the use of soil, meaning that they are free from pest and disease attacks, chemical-free and nutrient-dense.
The produce is being supplied to residents of nearby cities Delhi and Gurugram through bulk buyers.
A hydroponic set-up. Photo Source: Urban Farm via Facebook
“This is the future of farming and vegetable cultivation. Instead of soil, coconut fibre is used to fill the pots and liquid nutrients are provided in a controlled environment,” Din Mohammad Khan, District Horticulture Officer, told Hindustan Times.
The project was set up in 2015 by three friends, Rupesh Singal, Avinash Garg and Vinay Jain, all IT professionals. It uses indoor farming techniques in a controlled environment. Some of the crops produced on-site include tomatoes, European cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, parsley and rosemary, which all come from locally sourced seeds. The capital investment made has been reported at Rs. 60 lakh with the annual operational cost totalling around Rs. 20 lakh.
“We do not require fertilisers and pesticides as the vegetables are grown in a controlled environment. We use a polythene sheet to shield the vegetables from ultraviolet rays. The plants grow in a safe and healthy environment and produce vegetables and fruits free of chemicals,” Dhruv Kumar, a farmer engaged in the project, told Hindustan Times.
The crops are grown in cocopeat, a fibre made out of coconut husk, and water is pre-treated with essential nutrients.
“We have installed two reverse osmosis (RO) water plants in our farm. The plant capacity is 2,000 litre/hour. We decided to use RO water for farming to have bountiful production and for that it is mandatory the plants must get the required nutrients and minerals in right proportion,” states Avinash.
Tomatoes growing without the use of soil. Photo Source: Sunil Manikpuri via Facebook
The future of India’s food production, Hydroponics?
More than ever, people across the world are becoming more conscious about what they are consuming and better sensitised to how the products they are consuming are being produced. Demands for safer and healthier foods, free from harmful chemicals, are forcing food companies and researchers to come up with new technologies and methods of growing produce, in particular fruits and vegetables, that are safe and healthy for human consumption.
The method of growing soil-less produce is known as Hydroponics. Indoor farming is nothing new, but many of India’s urban dwellers have taken to home farming and using hydroponics as a good solution to space restrictions and worries regarding the safety of their food.
What’s involved?
In a traditional soil-based system of growing produce, a plant wastes most of its energy developing a huge root system for it has to search far and wide in the soil for its food and water. In soil-less gardening, these are directly available to the plant roots by the nutrient rich water that hydroponics uses, thus saving time and space.
The main ingredient for growing soilless plants is adequate sunlight, which is becoming increasingly easier to replicate. Nowadays, the role of LED lighting is being widely investigated and used for promoting photosynthesis and saving energy and many are adopting it in their home practice.
See this guide to home hydroponics by The Better India: Growing Soil-Less With Hydroponics: An Introduction to Innovative Farming at Home
Artificial light helps this plant to grow indoors. Photo Source: Flickr
What are the benefits?
There are many reported benefits of hydroponic plant cultivation. For the urban dwellers, it requires less water, it maximises space as it allows for vertical farming, it requires little space and can even be carried out on windowsills, balconies, rooftops and backyards, it produces safe and healthy crops, free from harmful pesticides and fertilisers and ensures a clean and hygienic environment for crop growth.
There’s a long list of benefits for commercial farmers also; it can help to overcome temporal (seasonal) and spatial (agroclimatic) problems that can lead to failed crops, it produces bigger yields at a faster rate and it produces better quality crops with maximum nutrients.
And some potential drawbacks…
As with anything, it does not come without its potential drawbacks, most notably its costs. Not everyone will be able to handle the costs that come with hydroponic cultivation, which includes the initial capital cost and the cost to run and it can also be high maintenance as it requires constant supervision and management.
As such, in the case of soilless farming methods, it would appear that the next era of farming would be technological, in the hands of India’s urban residents instead of traditional rural farmers, and carried out in multi-storey towers of food and farming, not on soil but from soilless culture.
If you would like to get in touch with the Haryana project, see the contact details below:
Nature Fit
Farm: Village Panchgaon, Manesar, Haryana
Correspondence: 8786, C-8, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi – 110 070
Phone: +91 97173 33242
Email: rupesh_singal@yahoo.com
Assembly Member Wants To Turn Fallow Land Into An Urban Farm
Assembly Member Wants To Turn Fallow Land Into An Urban Farm
The 15-acre property in question is the former site of the Alaska Native Hospital
By Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media -
June 21, 2017
Officials in Anchorage are taking the first steps to convert a blighted downtown property into an urban farm.
The move comes as an amendment to a five-year management plan for the Heritage Land Bank that’s set to go before the Assembly next week at its June 27th meeting. The 15-acre property in question is the former site of the Alaska Native Hospital, located between Ingra Street and 3rd Avenue. Under the proposal from downtown Assembly member Christopher Constant, the area would first be tested for contamination, then potentially turned into an “urban agriculture center.”
“This doesn’t actually do anything specific toward approval,” Constant said after members of the Assembly’s homelessness committee agreed to move the proposal forward. “It just sends a message to the administration that this is a desirable area to explore.”
Constant represents the area where the potential center site would be.
“The land’s been sitting fallow,” Constant said. “At this point my personal hope is that we’ll do something positive with that land. Let’s put in a farm. And I’m not talking about a garden, I mean a farm.”
Constant would like to see the area grow produce like herbs or greens that can easily be brought to markets and restaurants in Anchorage. One of the eventual goals of the farm idea is creating training and employment opportunities for people living in nearby shelters or on the streets.
“Let’s come up with some ideas that can actually generate revenue to help people be employed,” Constant said. At such an early stage, he said it’s not clear whether it will ultimately be a for-profit or non-profit venture. “I personally lean towards coming up with a for-profit that manages the farm and the non-profit partners that are a part of it.”
Constant said he has started conversations about the project with a number of stakeholders, including partners at the city and area non-profits, as well as with private-sector businesses like Vertical Harvest, which builds hydroponic growing systems inside shipping containers.
Urban Crop Solutions Collaborates With Albert Heijn (Ahold Delhaize) & Bakker Barendrecht
Urban Crop Solutions Collaborates With Albert Heijn (Ahold Delhaize) & Bakker Barendrecht
Climate change, the global lack of arable land and the fact that more and more people are living in cities are a real challenge for the daily supply of fresh and healthy food for retail companies.
As an innovative and progressive retail company Albert Heijn, member of the global retail group Ahold Delhaize, is always seeking to work with partners using the most advanced cultivation methods, for the benefit of their customers. As a major vegetable and fruit supplier for Albert Heijn, Bakker Barendrecht plays a significant role in this process. The past three days Urban Crop Solutions (UCS), a specialist and reference as a global total solution provider in the fast emerging world of indoor vertical farming, teamed up with Albert Heijn and Bakker Barendrecht
Already more than a decade ago Albert Heijn has acknowledged the importance of sustainable cultivation methods. At the same time, their supplier for herbs, Tuinderij Bevelander, has begun to produce chives with hydroponic systems. Nowadays, the customer can still buy these chives produced on water at Albert Heijn. The implementation of this innovative cultivation method is becoming more accessible, due to the increasing technological developments. UCS is playing a key role in making indoor vertical farming systems more accessible. The agtech company develops tailored plant growth installations (PlantFactory), has its own range of standard growth container products (FarmFlex and FarmPro) and has an in-house team of plant biologists which develops plant growth recipes to grow a wide range of crops in these installations.
UCS has joined forces with Albert Heijn and Bakker Barendrecht in order to promote this high-tech method of cultivating. A FarmFlex container was strategically placed in front of the headquarters of Ahold Delhaize in Zaandam (The Netherlands) where the past three days employees could visit this mobile indoor vertical farming system. Global Sales Director, Brecht Stubbe and Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Oscar Navarrete were on-site to provide detailed information.
“The past 3 days were a very intense experience”, explains Brecht Stubbe, responsible for Urban Crop Solutions for this project, “Working together with these well reputed cultivator and retailer group confirms our view that our solutions will definitely be part of the solution to meet with the ambitions of our partners to supply their customers daily with fresh and healthy food.”
Nebullam Announces Two New Board Members and Advisor
Nebullam, L.L.C., located in the Iowa State University (ISU) Research Park, announced the appointment of two new members to its board of directors, as well as one new advisor.
Nebullam Announces Two New Board Members and Advisor
June 26, 2017
Contact: Clayton Mooney at c@nebullam.com
AMES, Iowa (June 26, 2017) - Nebullam, L.L.C., located in the Iowa State University (ISU) Research Park, announced the appointment of two new members to its board of directors, as well as one new advisor.
Nebullam, which is currently in the ISU Startup Factory’s 52-week super accelerator program, combines aeroponics and machine learning technologies for crop and micro-green producers. Founded in 2016 by Danen Pool, and ISU alumni Clayton Mooney and Mahmoud Parto, the company is currently conducting paid pilot projects, with plans to transition to commercial agreements by the end of 2018.
The new members of Nebullam’s board include:
David Sheesley
David Sheesley is the owner of Infinite Season, the leading retail hydroponic store in Iowa, serving customers with hydroponic systems, supplies, lighting, and organic products. David Sheesley has over 10 years of experience working with indoor growing technologies, as well as expertise in nutrients and market trends.
Randy Kilburn
Randy Kilburn is the Vice President of Sales for DC Medical LLC, an exclusive distributor of Johnson & Johnson orthopedic implants. Prior to DC Medical, Randy Kilburn served as Vice President of Customer Marketing and Solutions for Johnson & Johnson. Randy Kilburn has spent over 25 years working in the medical devices industry, having advanced through a variety of diverse roles, including global marketing, and manufacturing leadership positions.
The new advisor to Nebullam:
Rahul Roy
Rahul Roy is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota, after having received his PhD in Genetics from Iowa State University in 2016. Rahul Roy has over 10 years of plant science education and laboratory research experience, and his PhD research focused on aspects of root biology, such as lateral root emergence and root responses to gravity, as part of a NASA funded grant. Rahul Roy has an interest in startups, and is an active educator and mentor.
About Nebullam
Nebullam is working to make life easier and yields higher for commercial growers, via High Pressure Aeroponics and machine learning. Nebullam's proprietary technology reduces water usage by 95% when compared with field-farmed crops, and over 40% when compared with hydroponics, while automating each process between germination and harvest. For more information on Nebullam, call 641-201-0651 or visit Nebullam.com
Contact:
Clayton Mooney
Nebullam, L.L.C.
(641) 201-0651
c@nebullam.com
Futuristic Vertical Farming Sprouts Up In Tennessee Greenhouses
Vertical farming is like growing vegetables in a greenhouse on steroids. The industry includes methods like aquaponics, aeroponics and hydroponics. And it's predicted to reach almost $6 billion in revenues within the next five years.
June 26, 2017 | Caroline Leland, Nashville Public Radio
Vertical farming is like growing vegetables in a greenhouse on steroids. The industry includes methods like aquaponics, aeroponics and hydroponics. And it's predicted to reach almost $6 billion in revenues within the next five years.
One of the centers of vertical farming is Tennessee, where the technique is providing locally grown vegetables year-round. Caroline Leland (@CarolineLeland) reports from Here & Now contributor Nashville Public Radio.
This segment aired on June 26, 2017.
Related:
Vertical Growth
Vertical Growth
Vertical farming outfit Intelligent Growth Solutions is looking to complete the construction of its first indoor growth facility James Hutton Institute in Scotland in the next few months. The company then plans to launch a full-scale trial to deliver the UK’s first commercially viable vertical growing environment together with global automation firm Omron.
IGS says it aims to demonstrate that vertical farming is commercially viable by significantly reducing power and labour costs. The initiative is also looking to gain a better understanding of the plant science and types of crops which can be grown best in an indoor farming environment.
“By adopting the principles of Total Controlled Environment Agriculture [a technology-based approach toward food production], a system in which all aspects of the growing environment can be controlled, it is possible to eliminate variations in the growing environment, enabling the grower to produce consistent, high quality crops with minimal wastage, in any location, all year round,” says Henry Aykroyd, CEO of IGS.
Image: Intelligent Growth Solutions
Vertical Funding
Vertical Funding
Image: Bright Agrotech
US-based Newbean Capital has launched an alternative finance arm, Contain, with a focus on providing funding for vertical farmers. The new unit will deliver lease financing for those practising vertical farming and indoor agriculture using hydroponic aquaponic and aeroponic techniques.
Contain recently arranged a five-year lease agreement for Bright Agrotech’s ZipFarm equipment for MyChoice Programs, an East Coast non-profit supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. MyChoice Programs is transforming one of its buildings into a vertical farm that could feed both the residents of its homes and the local community.
Bright Agrotech has just been acquired by vertical farming company Plenty as part of the latter’s efforts to build field-scale indoor farms around the world. Plenty farms combine machine learning, IoT, Big Data, sophisticated environmental controls and heirloom seed stock, and the company reckons it can grow fruits and vegetables, using 1% of the water, less than 1% of the land, and none of the pesticides, synthetic fertilisers or GMOs of conventional agriculture.