Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
NIGERIA: Fresh Direct Makes Landless Farming Possible And Appealing For City Dwellers
With about 200 million people to feed, Nigeria is battling with food security and is yet unable to produce all the food it needs
March 9, 2021
With about 200 million people to feed, Nigeria is battling with food security and is yet unable to produce all the food it needs. Coupled with that, farmers still lose a significant percentage of produce from post-harvest losses because of poor roads, lack of storage systems among others.
Most farms are located in rural areas because that is where the land is. The markets, however, are in the urban areas, and in taking the food from where it is harvested to where it is needed, a lot of damages happen to the produce. Studies carried out on post-harvest losses in some Nigerian communities show that as much as 20 – 30% of total grain production, 30 – 50% of root and tuber and a usually high percentage of fruits and vegetables are lost after harvest.
Nigeria produces about 1.5 million tons of tomatoes a year, but over 900,000 tons is lost to rot.
What if farms were located closer to the urban markets and farmers could cut down post-harvest losses by selling to the farm as soon as the produce is ready?
Agritech startup, Fresh Direct, is making this possible through its combination of hydroponics and vertical farming. The company was founded by Angel Adelaja in 2014.
Fresh Direct’s different approach to agriculture
Hydroponics is a soilless technique used to grow crops in nutrient solutions instead of in the soil. Fresh Direct grows different crops in vertical stackable containers and develops its own hydroponic system using technology and locally-sourced materials. This includes the use of metres and sensors to monitor the conditions of the plants in the stacked farm.
Farming with hydroponics
The container farms allow people in urban areas as well as people who have never farmed before to grow agricultural produce directly in places that are closer to the market. By using stackable shipping containers, the volume of crops that can be cultivated on a piece of land is increased exponentially. This allows the farmer to get as much as 10 times more yield using only 7 percent of the land that would be required if traditional farming methods are used.
“It has a lower barrier of entry because you do not need to go find land to start. You do not need a green house. You can start in your kitchen, closet, balcony or backyard.”
Angel Adelaja
Since the planting does not require soil, this system of farming is more appealing to youths because the back-breaking work that characterizes agriculture is absent. However, what this mode of farming removes in stress, it adds in creative thinking.
Suggested Read: From Farmcrowdy to Releaf, Here are the 5 Most Outstanding Agritech Startups of 2020
According to Adelaja, “What you avoid in back-breaking work you face in advanced thinking. It’s a higher level of thinking needed to calculate nutrients needed or design a system”.
The startup does not provide educational materials for city farmers, instead, it organizes periodic training to help farmers and intending-farmers get their footing.
Source: FoundersAfrica
Fresh Direct is gaining traction by involving more youths
Fresh Direct plans to get 10,000 youths interested in its Agritech model of farming. Already, the startup has urban farms in Abuja as well as mini-campuses in Osun State.
Also Read: Kenyan Insurtech Pula Closes $6M Series A to Boost Profits for Small-scale Farmers Across Africa
It teaches people who want to learn about urban farming as well as set up their own vertical farming containers. These teachings are provided in the form of periodic training that are organized by the startup. A training costs between N10,000 and N30,000 depending on how extensive the trainees want to go in urban farming.
After the training, Fresh Direct helps the trainees to get financing for the container farm with a collateral-free micro-loan that is obtained from banks. The problem of access to the market is also removed through the startup’s network of ready off-takers. After the produce is harvested, the city farmer can sell directly to Fresh Direct’s market.
Fresh Direct has raised N3 million in a pre-seed round
Since it started in 2014, Fresh Direct has raised funds from one disclosed round. It raised N1 million naira from Chivas Venture in 2016 in a pre-seed round. It raised an additional N2 million from She Leads Africa.
While players like Farmcrowdy are helping to make funds available for farmers in the country, more lucrative ways of farming like the vertical method and hydroponics can help farmers maximize their production and get more urban dwellers into the agriculture sector.
Indoor Ag-Con Heads To Orlando In October 2021
With safety in mind, the Indoor Ag-Con management team has pushed the dates for its previously announced May 2021 agriculture trade show and conference for the indoor and vertical farming industry to October 4-5, 2021
Premier Trade Show & Conference for
Indoor Vertical Farming Industry To Host In-Person Edition
October 4-5, 2021 at Hilton Orlando in Florida
(MARCH 11, 2021) -- With safety in mind, the Indoor Ag-Con management team has pushed the dates for its previously announced May 2021 agriculture trade show and conference for the indoor and vertical farming industry to October 4-5, 2021. In addition to the date shift, Indoor Ag-Con will also move from its former Las Vegas location to the Hilton Orlando in Florida for 2021, with plans to return to Las Vegas and co-locate with the National Grocers Association | NGA Show in 2022.
“By moving our event to October, we feel we’re better aligned with the expanding Covid-19 vaccine rollout and growing confidence levels in travel and attendance at live events," says Brian Sullivan, co-owner, Indoor Ag-Con. "With safety of our audience as priority one, we also wanted to find a new location and venue that offered easy accessibility, cost-effective accommodations, as well as area activities – both indoor farming as well as entertainment-related. Orlando checked all the boxes.”
“Our 2021 move to the East Coast, coupled with Orlando’s appeal and convenience, also gives us the opportunity to expand our reach and attract new audiences of growers and start-ups from the region, too,” adds Nancy Hallberg, co-owner, Indoor Ag-Con.
Registration for the 2021 edition will open in May. All attendees will be required to adhere to safety protocols and the Indoor Ag-Con team will be closely following the government guidelines issued by the CDC , state and local officials for the 2021 edition in Orlando.
Indoor Ag-Con, launched in 2013, provides exhibitors and attendees with the latest technology and business strategies for growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic techniques, bringing together growers, investors, chefs, produce buyers, academics, policymakers, industry suppliers and advocates.
The 2021 edition will feature an expanded exhibit floor, new networking opportunities and some of the industry’s top innovators and business leaders presenting keynote addresses and participating in a range of panel discussions.
Centrally located to all major theme parks and attractions and just minutes from the eclectic dining scene and entertainment of International Drive, the Hilton Orlando resort sits on over 26 acres of lush landscaping and tropical inspirations making it a true destination of its own. Guests are immediately welcomed with an upscale feel enhanced with resort-style accommodations and amenities.
In development now, more information on the 2021 edition’s educational offerings, exhibits and networking events can be found at www.indoor.ag
For 2022, Indoor Ag-Con and The NGA Show will co-locate at Caesars Forum Convention Center in Las Vegas, February 27 – March 1, 2022.
About Indoor Ag-Con
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein, and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki, and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. More information is at https://indoor.ag.
###
Indoor Ag-Con, 950 Scales Road, Building #200, Suwanee, GA 30024, United States
US: NEW YORK - Well-Known Investors Water Ellicottville Greens With $1M In Growth Funding
The Series A round of funding will support construction of mobile vertical farming facilities, built inside reused shipping containers, along with the acquisition of Vertical Fresh Farms, an established indoor farming operation in Buffalo.
By Dan Miner
Reporter, Buffalo Business First
March 8, 2021
Ellicottville Greens continues to push forward on its ambition with $1 million in new funding, led by well-known local investors.
The Series A round of funding will support construction of mobile vertical farming facilities, built inside reused shipping containers, along with the acquisition of Vertical Fresh Farms, an established indoor farming operation in Buffalo.
It is a natural progression for the company, which was founded in 2018 by Sal LaTorre and Gabe Bialkowski and seeks to take advantage of the national consumer drift toward locally grown, organic produce.
“We decided to go after a new round of funding because we have a lot more demand coming in than we have capacity to grow right now,” Bialkowski said. “We are focusing on growing the product and sales and that will help define everything else.”
The round was led by Scott Friedman, chairman of Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman law firm, and Andrea Vossler, a partner at that firm. The duo run Varia Ventures, an investment vehicle and management consultancy aimed at startups in Buffalo. A group of angel investors based in Buffalo participated as well.
Ellicottville Greens raised $250,000 in seed funding last year from Launch NY and other local investors.
Ellicottville Greens has thus far established four shipping containers: three at its Ellicottville home base and one on the Eastern Hills Mall property in Clarence. It sells its products to homes and restaurants through web-based marketplaces that include Produce Peddlers and Off the Muck.
Produce Peddlers is itself a local startup founded by Gary and Gina Wieczorek.
In the long-term, Bialkowski says Ellicottville Greens has a repeatable business model that could be attractive to supermarkets since the company could set up shop nearby and deliver produce at the peak of possible freshness.
He said the firm is set up at the intersection of nationwide consumer shifts in how people consume food.
“People want to buy healthy local products,” Bialkowski says. “They’re getting more health-conscious and they want to know where their food comes from.”
Ellicottville Greens is the third local startup to announce a growth-oriented round of private funding this year. The others include Torch Labs ($25 million) and Circuit Clinical ($7.5 million).
Lead photo: Ellicottville Greens' storage containers
IN THIS ARTICLE
Towards Greater Profitability And Scale In CEA And Vertical Farming
The virtual Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit on June 24-25 will gather the world’s leading farm operators, retailers, food companies, investors, seed companies, and technology providers to meet, network, and cultivate new commercial partnerships
The virtual Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit on June 24-25 will gather the world’s leading farm operators, retailers, food companies, investors, seed companies, and technology providers to meet, network, and cultivate new commercial partnerships.
350+ attendees from the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia will participate in live-stream sessions, join roundtable discussion groups and connect directly through 1-1 video meetings and group chats.
By sharing best practices from around the globe, and facilitating new connections and collaborations, the summit offers an invaluable platform to develop new business and accelerate projects across the Indoor AgTech ecosystem.
2021 Key Themes
· Hands-Free Cultivation: Latest developments in robotics, automation and AI
· New Crops: Mapping a pathway to mass production
· Retail Insights: Understanding the drivers behind consumer demand
· Seed Optimization: Breeding a competitive advantage
· Financial Models: The investment models scaling the industry
· Advanced Growing Environments: Blurring lines between lighting and genetics
· Profitability at Scale: The technology driving down OPEX
· Food Systems: Bringing food into urban planning
· Direct to Consumer Business Models: Scaling beyond a city
· Energy Efficiency: Driving down the costs of optimum operations
All participants can schedule video 1-1 meetings with potential partners and clients throughout the summit, and for an extended period before and after the sessions.
By sharing best practices from around the globe, and facilitating new connections and collaborations, the summit offers an invaluable platform to develop new business and accelerate projects across the Indoor AgTech ecosystem.
Summit website: https://indooragtechnyc.com/
Registration:
One Summit Pass: Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit (June 24-25, 2021)
Super Early Bird Price: $195
Register before April 2
Early Bird Price: $295
Register before May 7
Standard Price: $395
Two Summit Pass: Indoor AgTech (June 24-25, 2021) and Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins (June 22-23, 2021)
Super Early Bird Price: $445
Register before April 2
Early Bird Price: $595
Register before May 7
Standard Price: $695
https://indooragtechnyc.com/register/
![[Webinar] Airing It Out: Clean Production Room Environment](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57c8695d5016e11e71be1d83/1614852225134-U5ZX1JATVG2JIDZ6OD9G/unnamed.png)
[Webinar] Airing It Out: Clean Production Room Environment
You won't want to miss our next Indoor Ag-Conversations webinar session as our expert panel talks about creating a healthy environment for people and plants
JOIN OUR NEXT CONVERSATION
MARCH 24, 2021 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM EDT
You won't want to miss our next Indoor Ag-Conversations webinar session as our expert panel talks about creating a healthy environment
for people and plants
MODERATOR:
Dr. Nadia Sabeh, Ph.D., President|Founder, Dr. Greenhouse
PANELISTS INCLUDE:
Trent Thiel, Industrial Molecular Filtration Product Manager for North and South America, Camfil Americas
Jeremy Shechter, Director of Cultivation, Buckeye Relief
During the program, our panelists will touch on:
Air Filtration
Sanitation Best Practice
Covid Safety
Much More!
LEARN MORE & SAVE YOUR FREE SPOT!
SPECIAL THANKS TO INDOOR AG-CON MEDIA ALLIES, EXHIBITORS & SPONSORS
Indoor Ag-Con, 950 Scales Road, Building #200, Suwanee, GA 30024, United States
Women In CEA
Are you a woman in CEA, or do you know someone who is? Let us know, we love learning about growers who are working to bring fresh, local produce to their communities!
Are you a woman in CEA, or do you know someone who is?
Let us know, we love learning about growers who are working to bring fresh, local produce to their communities!
You can reach us by email at info@amhydro.com,
or by phone at 1.800.458.6543
Find AmHydro Online, on Facebook, and on Instagram!
Advanced Container Technologies, Inc. Joins Clean Food Initiative
Through the use of the company’s GrowPods, ACTX can provide farmers, community groups, investors, and non-profit agencies with a turnkey system to grow ultra-clean and nutritious food that can not only benefit the ecology of the planet and bolster community food security but can also provide new jobs and economic opportunities
March 03, 2021 | Source: Advanced Container Technologies Inc.
Company joins movement toward sustainable alternatives to traditional food production.
CORONA, Calif., March 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advanced Container Technologies, Inc. (Ticker: OTC:ACTX) stated it is joining the Clean Food Initiative and intends to become a leading force in the drive toward sustainable agriculture.
The Clean Food Initiative is focused on bringing clean, fresh, healthy food to children throughout the world, that is free from pesticides, herbicides, or harmful chemicals. Along with the practice of implementing Sustainable Agriculture Systems (SAS), the aim is to develop a global food system that uses half the water and half the soil as it does today – yet produces twice as much food.
Through the use of the company’s GrowPods, ACTX can provide farmers, community groups, investors, and non-profit agencies with a turnkey system to grow ultra-clean and nutritious food that can not only benefit the ecology of the planet and bolster community food security but can also provide new jobs and economic opportunities.
GrowPods are automated indoor micro-farms that can provide a sustainable supply of affordable safe, clean, nutritious food, while also providing jobs at a local level by promoting the growth of a skilled agricultural workforce in non-traditional settings.
Doug Heldoorn, CEO of Advanced Container Technologies, Inc., said the company’s objectives are to make agriculture sustainable, investable, manageable, scalable, and transparent.
“There is a substantial difference between meeting basic food requirements and meeting optimum nutrition requirements,” he said. “People need access to high quality foods that are rich in nutritional value. Future generations deserve access to a healthy and sustainable food supply, not a diet filled with preservatives, pesticides or chemicals.”
SAS and the Clean Food Initiative represents one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, as well as a tangible investment opportunity with sound business growth prospects and consistent annual income generation.
“There are few problems facing mankind that are as massive as our need to change our methods of food production and distribution,” Mr. Heldoorn stated. “Fortunately, there are innovative solutions to these challenges, and we are extremely proud to be a vital participant in this agricultural and social evolution.”
For more information, call (951) 381-2555 or visit: www.advancedcontainertechnologies.com.
About Advanced Container Technologies, Inc.
Advanced Container Technologies, Inc. is in the businesses of selling and distributing hydroponic containers called GrowPods; and designing, branding, and selling proprietary medical-grade containers that can store pharmaceuticals, herbs, teas, and other solids or liquids, and can grind and shred herbs; as well as selling other products and accessories, such as humidity control inserts, odor-proof bags, lighters, and plastic lighter holders; and provides private labeling and branding for purchasers of the Company’s containers and the other products. For more information visit: www.advancedcontainertechnologies.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes predictions or information considered "forward-looking" within securities laws. These statements represent Company's current judgments but are subject to uncertainties that could cause results to differ. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on these statements, which reflect management's opinions only as of the date of this release. The Company is not obligated to revise any statements in light of new information or events.
Company Contact:
(951) 381-2555
info@advancedcontainertechnologies.com
Investor Relations:
Stuart Smith
SmallCapVoice.Com, Inc.
512-267-2430
ssmith@smallcapvoice.com
Related Articles
More articles issued by Advanced Container Technologies Inc.
More articles related to: Product / Services Announcement Food
CubicFarms Appoints Former Microsoft GM As New Chief Technology Officer
“I want to use my experience to help make a meaningful impact on the world, something that my children and future generations will be proud of
As CTO, Edoardo De Martin will support the Company’s innovative growing technologies and an ambitious goal to feed a changing world
VANCOUVER, B.C., March 2, 2021 – CubicFarm® Systems Corp. (TSXV:CUB) (“CubicFarms” or the “Company”), a local chain agricultural technology company, announced today that Edoardo De Martin has joined its senior leadership team as Chief Technology Officer.
Prior to joining CubicFarms, De Martin spent 10 years at Microsoft working in various roles including General Manager of the Microsoft Vancouver Development Centre, as well as driving innovation as GM of Dynamics Mixed Reality Applications on HoloLens.
As a proven technology leader with more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, De Martin will bring significant experience to advancing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and mixed reality technologies supporting the Company’s innovative growing technologies and an ambitious goal to feed a changing world.
“I want to use my experience to help make a meaningful impact on the world, something that my children and future generations will be proud of. I was inspired by the world of AgTech through my role as a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab in Vancouver,” De Martin said. “The path then led me to CubicFarms where I was blown away by their innovative solution to indoor automated growing. In my opinion, this company has really focused on what is the most important: understanding what growers need. My job will be creating the digital technology to further accelerate innovation and scale. I am excited to start this next journey in my career.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Edo De Martin, a strong Canadian technology leader, as our CTO. Under Edo’s leadership, we’re confident that he will accelerate the growth of our systems and create the next generation of indoor growing technologies,” said Dave Dinesen, CEO, CubicFarms.
De Martin’s broad software experience across video games, holographic, and enterprise solutions, coupled with his leadership ability in leading technical innovation teams, will bring a unique perspective to Ag-Tech.
A graduate of Simon Fraser University, De Martin began his career in telecommunications before transitioning to roles in the video game industry where he is known for creating highly sought-after games. He delivered Need for Speed Underground, the franchise-leading, number-one selling game worldwide, and earned back-to-back ‘Best Company’ honours for operational excellence at Next Level Games, which was recently acquired by Nintendo.
In 2010, De Martin joined Microsoft to lead an innovation studio in Victoria, B.C. for HoloLens, the world’s first holographic computer.
In his role as General Manager of Microsoft Vancouver, De Martin grew the development centre from 400 to 1,200 employees onsite. He played a key role in global operations as well, overseeing site strategy and heading up a Dynamics 365 product team focused on Mixed Reality applications for frontline workers. As an advocate for British Columbia’s tech industry, he has served on the board of BC Tech, Cascadia Innovation Corridor, and was Co-Chair of the Canadian Digital Supercluster.
“With visionaries like Edo, we’re continuously attracting the best talent in the world to our team,” continued Dinesen. “We’re committed to building an exceptional team with people who are passionate about revolutionizing agriculture now, and for future generations.”
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
About CubicFarms
CubicFarms is a local chain, agricultural technology company developing and deploying technology to feed a changing world. Its proprietary ag-tech solutions enable growers to produce high quality, predictable produce and fresh livestock feed with HydroGreen Nutrition Technology, a division of CubicFarm Systems Corp. The CubicFarms™ system contains patented technology for growing leafy greens and other crops onsite, indoors, all year round. CubicFarms provides an efficient, localized food supply solution that benefits our people, planet, and economy.
For more information, please visit www.cubicfarms.com.
Media Contact:
Andrea Magee
T: 236.885.7608
E: andrea.magee@cubicfarms.com
Investor Contact:
Adam Peeler
T: 416.427.1235
E: adam.peeler@cubicfarms.com
BONAFIDE Will Continue To Develop It's Concept On Decentralized Agriculture And Food Supply Systems
The trend for decentralization is growing all the time and we trust that agricultural policies will follow suit to support local farmers and a new generation of young entrepreneurs that find their ideology in creating new markets
Over the last 6 years, we have seen technology advance to facilitate urban vertical farming embracing entrepreneurial opportunities, the supply of fresh food daily, and secure cultural kitchens requirements for raw materials anytime anywhere.
At the same time conflicts, natural resource competition, and climate change have had adverse effects on food security that local production using new technology can alleviate.
The trend for decentralization is growing all the time and we trust that agricultural policies will follow suit to support local farmers and a new generation of young entrepreneurs that find their ideology in creating new markets.
thomas.tapio@gmail.com
Thomas Tapio (LION) • Consultant (retired)
Strasbourg 27th February 2021, 🇫🇷🇪🇺
AmplifiedAg Introduces Indoor Farm Platform And Disruptive Technologies, Positioning Company For Rapid Expansion
"AmplifiedAg is on a trajectory to change how the world is feeding itself. Through the adoption of our core technologies and scalable farm platform, we're providing secure food sources and influencing a global shift to indoor farming, which will play a key role in providing food to a growing planet," said Don Taylor, CEO of AmplifiedAg, Inc
News Provided By AmplifiedAg
Mar 03, 2021
CHARLESTON, S.C., March 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With a mission to provide global access to safe food, AmplifiedAg, Inc. introduces its indoor farming platform which includes vertical farms, hydroponic systems, and its proprietary operating system with disruptive seed-to-sale SaaS-based technologies. For the past five years, AmplifiedAg has demonstrated its unparalleled ability to sustainably grow produce to scale at the highest yield, quality and nutritional value, while operating directly at the point of consumption.
AmplifiedAg, Inc. wholly-owns Vertical Roots, the largest hydroponic container farm in the world. Vertical Roots indoor farm production operates with AmplifiedAg's holistic indoor farming platform.
AmplifiedAg's compact farm design operates directly at the point of consumption, maximizes growing space, and is easily scalable in food deserts and space-limited areas. The company's proprietary OS gives farmers total transparency and control of horticulture, food safety, production and business management.
AmplifiedAg deploys indoor farms 70% faster than other CEA implementations, and directly at the point of consumption.
AmplifiedAg rapidly deploys fully functioning farms 70% faster than other CEA implementations, and at cost, that is 50% of the required capital per production pound. The company upcycles shipping containers into controlled agriculture environments with vertical hydroponic systems, LED lights, and electronics, and integrated with AmplifiedAg's proprietary operating system.
AmplifiedAg's indoor farm platform produces 86 times more crop yield per acre compared to traditional farmlands and provides reliable crop production with 365-day farming, regardless of climate and resources. The compact design maximizes the growing space and provides easy mobility and scalability in food deserts and space-limited areas.
But the heartbeat of the operation is AmplifiedAg's proprietary Operating System that features industry-exclusive traceability which tracks every detail of an individual plant's journey from its growth to distribution. This gives farmers total transparency and control of horticulture, food safety, and business management.
Farm containers' resilient architecture and segmentation minimizes the risk of crop loss due to pest and pathogen infestations. SaaS-based technologies provide real-time tracking analytics and 24/7 access for farmers to mitigate risk, control the farm environment and optimize plant growth.
AmplifiedAg's ability to quickly place farms directly in communities and distribution points drastically reduces emissions. Sustainably-focused, the farms don't use soil or pesticides and utilize up to 95% less water than traditional farming.
Wholly-owned by AmplifiedAg, Vertical Roots is the company's proofpoint and has set industry-breaking records in less than five years. Vertical Roots is the largest hydroponic container farm in the U.S., growing nutritious leafy greens with products in over 1,200 grocery stores across the Southeast.
With a proven concept for leafy greens, AmplifiedAg's horticulture expansion plan includes varied nutrient and protein-rich foods to feed the world's growing population.
Increasing threats to the planet's food production fueled Taylor, a 30-year software industry veteran, to found AmplifiedAg in 2016.
"With a growing population, less arable land, water supply and food contamination issues, climate change and environmental disasters," said Taylor, "Our planet is on a path to grow less food for more people while continuing to accelerate the degradation of the earth's fragile ecosystem. Exasperating our already critical food access issues on the planet. The only way we're going to get ourselves out of this situation is with technology. We need to grow safer food in greater volumes closer to the point of consumption while conserving and restoring the environment."
"That is what is driving all of our development and innovation, and ultimately the demand we are seeing from indoor farmers and communities across the world," concluded Taylor.
AmplifiedAg, Inc. was founded in 2016 as the parent company of Vertical Roots, Boxcar Central, a SaaS platform supporting third-party logistics companies and breweries, and Tiger Corner Farms, a CEA farm manufacturing company. AmplifiedAg has absorbed Tiger Corner Farms and Boxcar Central operations as the company presents its mobile indoor farm platform to the market.
About AmplifiedAg, Inc.
AmplifiedAg, Inc. is an ag-tech industry visionary on a mission to provide global access to safe food. The company manufactures indoor vertical farms, hydroponic systems, and disruptive seed-to-sale SaaS-based technologies. Unlike other indoor ag operations, AmplifiedAg provides holistic indoor farm solutions to grow and distribute food anywhere in the world.
AmplifiedAg owns and operates Vertical Roots, the largest hydroponic container farm in the World. Learn more at www.amplifiedaginc.com. Growing Food for a Growing World.
SOURCE AmplifiedAg
Related Link
VIDEO: Signify Celebrates Five Years Anniversary of GrowWise Research Center
Over the past five years, we have helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and pioneers all over the world discover how they can feed tomorrow’s cities and grow plants faster, in a more sustainable way."
Five Years of Feeding Tomorrow’s Cities
Ellis Janssen, Director city farming at Signify explains: “At the GrowWise Center, we believe in vertical farming. Over the past five years, we have helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and pioneers all over the world discover how they can feed tomorrow’s cities and grow plants faster, in a more sustainable way."
Jarno Mooren, Signify's plant specialist vertical farming with tomato crops cultivated at the GrowWise Center
"We work closely with our customers and partners, looking at all aspects of the business case: whatever a grower’s needs are, we can translate them into a dedicated recipe for growth. To achieve this, our team of plant specialists, application engineers and key account managers look at the most important aspects that determine the set-up of a farm so they can give the grower dedicated advice in making the best decisions," Ellis states.
Ellis Jansen, director of city farming at Signify
She adds, "We have learned a lot over the past five years, and as we are evolving our customers are evolving as well. They want the best solutions for their specific needs. At the GrowWise Center, we support them wherever we can. The world continues to change, and we will change along with it. Through this all, and by combining the latest technology, business insights and plant expertise, we can help growers make their business successful and future-proof."
Jarno in between strawberry crops
"At the GrowWise Center, we are proud of all that has been accomplished in vertical farming over the past five years, and we are excited to see where we can take the dreams and ambitions in vertical farming in the future," Ellis notes.
Global Marcom Manager Horticulture at Signify
Daniela Damoiseaux
Tel: +31 6 31 65 29 69
E-mail: daniela.damoiseaux@signify.com
About Signify
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings, and public spaces. With 2020 sales of EUR 6.5 billion, we have approximately 38,000 employees and are present in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We achieved carbon neutrality in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for four consecutive years and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018, and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, Linked In, and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.
LEDs Light the Way to Efficient Urban Farming
The global pandemic has turned the world upside down, bringing unprecedented change to the way we live, work and play. But the crisis has also paved the way for important new innovations
By Mike Martens, Senior Manager, Illumination Marketing at Osram Opto Semiconductors, North America
The global pandemic has turned the world upside down, bringing unprecedented change to the way we live, work and play. But the crisis has also paved the way for important new innovations. For instance, massive disruption to the global supply chain is now compelling many nations to ramp up their indoor and urban farming efforts to secure their food supply and feed their people.
Take the desert nation of the United Arab Emirates. Amid the ongoing pandemic, the country is experiencing something of a food crisis. That’s why it recently announced a $100 million investment in cutting-edge indoor farming facilities that can help feed its population. The effort will include the creation of the world’s largest vertical farm to help solve the challenge of local food production.
A key component of vertical farming is LED technology. In places across the globe where farmland is limited, innovative LED lighting solutions offer a major advantage because they can provide the exact light composition that various plants need for ideal growth or to develop certain characteristics. Plants can also be grown in a very space-saving manner and with considerably higher yields thanks to these lighting solutions.
LEDs are more efficient
For decades, traditional high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps were commonly used for greenhouses and other horticultural purposes but they bring with them many challenges. They have a short lifespan and are often only suitable for top lighting in greenhouses due to their high heat output.
This is a big problem for greenhouse owners because efficient energy use is essential to economic production. In traditional greenhouse and urban farming setups, HPS lights are often inefficient. They do provide light for plants, but it is often not the most efficient wavelength range because the lamps cannot be customized to provide ideal growing conditions for different types of plants.
HPS lights often generate a lot of heat , causing considerable evaporation and ultimately limiting crop yield. What’s more, due to this heat production, HPS fixtures often cannot be placed very close to plant canopy, preventing more efficient vertical-farm setups. After all, you don’t want to singe your produce.
The good news is that innovative LED technologies can alleviate many of these concerns. For starters, LEDs produce almost no radiated heat, allowing for the light fixtures to be placed closer to plants and for plants to be stacked much higher, enabling farmers to grow more produce in smaller spaces while simultaneously reducing water costs.
LED lights also offer customizable wavelengths for different plants’ needs, allowing greenhouse operators and urban farmers to grow specific plants in their optimal conditions. For instance, LEDs can be tailored to supply light with a higher amount of red or blue content, generating exactly the wavelengths the plant, such as iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and basil need for optimal growth.
Urban farming is not a new phenomenon, but LEDs have the power to take it to the next level and more efficiently feed the world. In terms of sheer numbers, LEDs have an average lifespan of 50,000 hours compared to 8,000 hours for HPS lamps, making LEDS much more economical (and better for the environment). Indeed, vertical farms that leverage LED technology can achieve 40% energy savings compared to traditional lighting methods like HPS lamps. And due to the optimized light spectrum at 450, 660 and 730 nanometers, LEDs can provide the perfect lighting for all types of plants, allowing growers to adjust the lighting exactly to the needs of various crops.
LEDs grow healthier produce
LED are the most efficient lighting technologies to date for growing produce. They not only help produce fresh food in smaller spaces without the use of pesticides, they also make it easier for consumers in urban areas to obtain fresh and healthy food quickly, a must, considering the planet’s ever-growing population and ever-decreasing farmland.
Consumers in urban areas often rely on produce grown in faraway places that is brought to them on trucks using fossil fuels. This produce is often grown with pesticides to keep insects away, as well as fertilizers, so plants can be grown throughout the year, even in suboptimal conditions. All of these factors contribute to climate change and more polluted water sources. With horticultural LEDs, these issues can be mitigated.
LEDs also provide optimal growing conditions in any environment with minimal water waste, while reducing the need for pesticides in indoor growing environments. Communities then have the ability to grow produce closer to home, which allows consumers to learn more easily what exactly goes into their food and greatly reduces the fossil fuel usage to get produce from the (urban) farm to their tables. Urban farming has great potential to make positive impacts on local environments and communities. It’s more sustainable and decreases communities’ reliance on foods shipped in at great cost from around the globe.
LEDs light the way
As we grapple with the many concerns facing our modern society, it is imperative to invest in efficient and time-saving technology of all types. LEDs are one of these technologies. Indeed, they light the way to the farms of the future. They will have an enormously beneficial impact on agriculture by dramatically increasing crop production and putting food on every table more efficiently.
Infarm Heralds The Next Generation of Cloud-Enabled Farming
Infarm Heralds The Next Generation of Cloud-Enabled Farming
Infarm introduces its new high-capacity, cloud-connected Growing Centers - a major step in the company's efforts to accelerate the benefits to people and planet by building a scalable, sustainable and resilient global farming network
NEWS PROVIDED BY Infarm
Feb 23, 2021
Berlin, Germany -- February 23, 2021, Infarm, the world's fastest-growing urban farming company already available in 10 countries and 30 cities in thousands of stores, continued the rollout of its vision for a global interconnected, sustainable, and highly efficient farming ecosystem.
©Infarm
Infarm, the world’s fastest-growing urban farming company, has introduced its new high-capacity, automated, modular Growing Center - a local farm and distribution center in one, that can generate the crop-equivalent of up to 10,000 m2 of farmland, with up to 400 times higher efficient food production than soil-based agriculture. The cloud-connected, high-yield centers join Infarm’s expanding global network of self-learning farms that improve plant yield, taste, and nutritional value while reducing the use of natural resources. Credit: Infarm/diephotodesigner.de (PRNewsfoto/Infarm)
As part of its goal to drive innovation within the USD 3 trillion global fruit and vegetable market[1], Infarm today introduced its new high-capacity, automated, modular Growing Center - a local farm and distribution center in one, that can generate the crop-equivalent of up to 10,000 m2 of farmland, with up to 400 times higher efficient food production than soil-based agriculture.
The cloud-connected, high-yield growing centers join Infarm's expanding global network of self-learning farms that improve plant yield, taste, and nutritional value constantly, while further reducing the use of natural resources. With 50,000 m2 of farming facilities and hundreds of farms in store locations, Infarm is already providing fresh produce to 50% of the world's largest food retailers. The rapid deployment capability of the new high-yield Growing Centers will drive additional global growth and scalability to match the needs of retailers of any size in any location, with the goal of growing the network to 500,000 m2 by 2025.
A Growing Center is comprised of dozens of modular farming units, each standing between 10 and 18 meters high, occupying a 25 m2 ground footprint and requiring just six weeks to build, yielding the crop-equivalent of 10,000 m2 of farmland. This modular, data-driven, and distributed approach -- a combination of big data, IoT, and cloud analytics, in addition to rapid growth at a global scale -- sets Infarm apart from any other farming solution.
"Access to fresh, local, and sustainable food is a growing challenge, as people shift towards cities and climate change accelerates," explains Erez Galonska, co-founder and CEO of Infarm. "Today we're adding speed to scale with new technology that allows us to deploy a Growing Center to any city in the world in a fraction of the time, space and capital investment of most large-scale farming solutions today. Both the farms and the software that powers them were designed to make fresh food more accessible for everyone, everywhere."
Many of the world's leading food retailers are already taking part in Infarm's farming network, including Empire Company Ltd (Safeway, Sobeys, ThriftyFoods), Whole Foods Markets, Marks & Spencer, Kroger, Kinokuniya, Aldi, Amazon, Auchan, Casino, E.Leclerc, Edeka, Intermarché, Irma, Kaufland, Metro, Migros, Selgros, Summit and in Germany, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States and Switzerland.
Growing a new food system for people and the planet
"The entire Infarm network is connected to a central farming brain that gathers more than 50,000 growth, color, and spectral data points through a plant's lifetime," explains Guy Galonska, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Infarm. "We've collected more than 300 billion data points throughout our farming network to date. These data enable us to perfect our growing recipes and improve yield, quality, and nutritional value while reducing the production price constantly."
The large-scale Infarm Growing Centers integrate farming units that can each save up to 10,000,000 liters of water per year, compared to soil-based agriculture for similar crops, while contributing up to 40% energy savings over previous Infarm technologies.
By 2025 Infarm plans to establish 100 Growing Centers - equivalent to 1.5 million m2 of farmland and producing 450,000,000 plants across its network, including expanding to new markets. This year, 15 Infarm Growing Centers are already planned/or under construction in major urban centers, including London, Paris, Copenhagen, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle and Tokyo.
Additional features of the new Infarm technology:
An automated mechanical farming system that is cloud controlled;
Environmental settings like CO2, temperature, light, pH and growth cycles can be set, monitored, analyzed online across all farms;
Recirculates 20 liters of water condensation per hour and, saving more than up to 10,000,000 liters of water per year compared to soil-based agriculture for similar crops;
Smart LED management supports energy efficiency offering contributes up to 40% energy savings & up to 25% savings on initial investment.
Infarm uses 95% less water, 90% less transport and zero chemical pesticide than soil-based agriculture with the majority of electricity use throughout the Infarm network coming from renewable energy. To date, the Infarm network has saved more than 40,000,000 liters of water and 50,000 square meters of land.
[1] Wyman, O. (2021). Disruption in fruit and vegetable distribution - Fruit Logistica Trend Report 2018 [Ebook] (p. 12). Berlin, Germany: Fruit Logistica, Messe Berlin GmbH. Retrieved from https://www.oliverwyman.com/content/dam/oliver-wyman/v2-de/publications/2018/Feb/Fruit_Logistica_Trend_Report_2018.pdf
About Infarm
Infarm was founded in Berlin in 2013 by Osnat Michaeli and the brothers Erez and Guy Galonska. Passionate to become self-sufficient and eat better, they were growing their own food, enjoying all the flavor and nutrients, without the chemical pesticides and transport kilometers. With the aim to share the goodness of own-grown produce with everyone, they developed a smart modular farming system, that allows distribution of farms throughout the urban environment, growing fresh produce in any available space and fulfilling any market demand. Today, with cutting edge R&D, patented technologies, and a leading multi-disciplinary team, Infarm is growing a worldwide farming network helping cities become self-sufficient in their food production, while significantly improving the safety, quality, and environmental footprint of our food.
With a multinational team of more than 800 people globally, Infarm has partnered with more than 30 major food retailers including Aldi Süd, Amazon Fresh, Auchan, Casino, E.Leclerc, Edeka, Empire Company Ltd (Safeway, Sobeys, ThriftyFoods), Farmdrop, Intermarché, Irma, Kaufland, Kinokuniya, Kroger, Marks & Spencer, Metro, Migros, Selfridges, Selgros, Summit and Whole Foods Market in Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States and Switzerland, deployed more than 1200 farms in stores and distribution centres, saved more than 40,000,000 liters of water and 50,000 square meters of land.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1442283/Infarm.jpg
SOURCE Infarm
Also from this source
Whole Foods Market partners with Infarm to offer a more...
Little Leaf Farms Raises $90M to Grow Its Greenhouse Network
Massachusetts-based Little Leaf Farms has raised $90 million in a debt and equity financing round to expand its network of hydroponic greenhouses on the East Coast. The round was led by Equilibrium Capital as well as founding investors Bill Helman and Pilot House Associates. Bank of America also participated.
by Jennifer Marston
Image from: Little Leaf Farms
Massachusetts-based Little Leaf Farms has raised $90 million in a debt and equity financing round to expand its network of hydroponic greenhouses on the East Coast. The round was led by Equilibrium Capital as well as founding investors Bill Helman and Pilot House Associates. Bank of America also participated.
Little Leaf Farms says the capital is “earmarked” to build new greenhouse sites along the East Coast, where its lettuce is currently available in about 2,500 stores.
The company already operates one 10-acre greenhouse in Devins, Massachusetts. Its facility grows leafy greens using hydroponics and a mixture of sunlight supplemented by LED-powered grow lights. Rainwater captured from the facility’s roof provides most of the water used on the farm.
According to a press release, Little Leaf Farms has doubled its retail sales to $38 million since 2019. And last year, the company bought180 acres of land in Pennsylvania on which to build an additional facility. Still another greenhouse, slated for North Carolina, will serve the Southeast region of the U.S.
Little Leaf Farms joins the likes of Revol Greens, Gotham Greens, AppHarvest, and others in bringing local(ish) greens to a greater percentage of the population. These facilities generally pack and ship their greens on the day of or day after harvesting, and only supply retailers within a certain radius. Little Leaf Farms, for example, currently servers only parts of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
The list of regions the company serves will no doubt lengthen as the company builds up its greenhouse network in the coming months.
New Freight Farms CMO Shares 4 Reasons Why He Moved From Sportswear To AgTech
After an amazing experience and professional success, James felt that he needed a change: a new challenge, a new industry, a new way to make an impact
Former Senior Director Global Marketing at Reebok shares his reasons for joining Freight Farms C-Suite
James Woolard spent the last 14 years at Reebok, heading up everything from regional Sports Marketing and Brand to Global Marketing for the brand’s Running and Style units. After an amazing experience and professional success, James felt that he needed a change: a new challenge, a new industry, a new way to make an impact. His search brought him to the world of AgTech and Freight Farms, where he saw the huge potential of both the company and the industry and knew it was just what he had been looking for. Today, James shares the four big reasons why he was so drawn to the AgTech industry, and how he believes his previous experience will help propel Freight Farms forward.
In the past, I have always resisted “building a social presence” as a result of a (very British) suspicion of people’s real motives and my own laziness in maintaining it. In truth, the former reason is an easy cover story for the latter. However, in this case, my aversion to online social platforms has been overruled by a greater feeling that I want to share: Gratitude.
I am grateful for the experiences I have had, the people I have been fortunate enough to meet, and excited by all the opportunities in the future. However, most recently I am grateful for the opportunity to become the Chief Marketing Officer of Freight Farms. There were several small reasons to make the switch–but they all scaffold up to four somewhat big reasons:
Creating a Simple Solution for a Complex Problem
A pioneer of indoor agriculture and a leader in hydroponic container farming, Freight Farms has a suite of products and technology that can revolutionize access to hyper-local fresh grown produce. Our products reflect a level of complex design and engineering on which far cleverer people than me tirelessly work; yet the solution we are creating is incredibly simple — A 2.5-acre smart farm in a 40ft freight container that can go anywhere in the world to provide food security. With already over 300 of our farms around the world, we are building a tech-connected network of farmers who are simultaneously solving food access issues in their own communities and building a new global food system–all powered by Freight Farms technology.
1 in 6 people in the world relies on food imports to feed them daily. This number is set to reach 3 in 6 by 2050.
9 counties–mostly in California–are responsible for most of the food supply within the U.S. Any disruption (fires, drought, etc) can be catastrophic to the whole system.
In the U.S., 19 million people currently live in food deserts with limited access to healthy and nutritious fresh foods.
2. Leveraging Cross-Category Experience
In addition, I am incredibly grateful to my former colleagues at Reebok and Adidas. I was lucky enough to have a robust education in the UK Sports industry and be part of and learn from an amazing Adidas leadership team. I was fortunate enough to come to the US, understand firsthand the dynamics of a global business, and meet a diverse range of interesting people. And I got to set up my family in Boston.
Now it is time to apply this experience to Freight Farms. Why the move from sports to Agtech you might ask? Yes, I needed the change and new challenge. And yes I would be lying if I said I targeted Agtech but sometimes you find what you need without realizing it. I am still a sports fan at heart — and when I first walked into the offices I walked into a locker room full of energy and talent. I was intrigued and hooked early on. I met Jon — who a decade earlier had looked at a Freight container and thought “why can’t I put a farm in there and build a business helping people anywhere in the world access fresh, hyper-local food”; I met a team of people (young, purposeful, talented ones) like Caroline, our Director of Marketing and Community Relations, with huge potential and authenticity who wanted to learn and grow; I met a new CEO in Rick and CTO in Jake with pedigree and passion; I saw a set of investors led by Ospraie Management and Spark Capital backing this all with capital.
3. Driving Profits for Company & Customers
At Freight Farms, I saw the impact I personally could have on the business. We have a thriving community of customers who have been essential in building Freight Farms’ success. The stories are inspiring, and I am eager to apply my experience to help Freight Farmers achieve their own individual success with the best possible support from our company. At the end of the day, we can’t be shy about saying “people need to make money”, because that’s the only way our mission to build a global infrastructure of local farms can succeed. I am here to embrace this and say ‘how can we create a return on investment for every stakeholder’? This is how we will grow.
4. Saying ‘No’ to Greenwashing and ‘Yes’ to Tech for Good
I am conscious of the perceived need to be on trend with “sustainability”, of the danger of falling into buzzwords and jargon that are of the moment. There is a business model and story myriad people are chasing. This is all happening parallel to a degradation of our trust in technology; as a society, we recognize it’s time to direct it towards something good. With three girls under 12 (all over using screens in Covid times), I see the benefits and dangers. We all see the power of the big brands and how algorithms are driving division. I believe people want to see positive expressions of technology beyond driving up their 401k. Combined, these two factors unlock our greatest brand strength in 2021: we already do leverage technology and data to create a truly sustainable product. There’s no need to spin, exaggerate, or greenwash. We can carry on doing exactly what we are doing with confidence that we’re creating the kind of positive impact the world needs.
That’s what is most exciting about entering the ‘Agtech’ industry: the moniker actually means something — the former (Agriculture) consistently driving change throughout history, and the latter (tech) acting as the most rapid accelerator of that change in my lifetime. It’s exhilarating, and I can’t wait to see how far we can take it.
Learn more about Freight Farms.
Freight Farms
Empowering anyone to grow food anywhere. Freight Farms makes local food accessible in any climate with the Greenery™ container farm.
Follow
3
USA - LOS ANGELES: Indoor Urban Farm Planned For Century City
Planet to Plate’s proposal at Century City could bring renewed momentum to the business park after Strauss Brands’ proposal for a $60 million facility became mired in controversy in 2019
Feb 19, 2021
New York-based Planet to Plate Inc. wants to operate an urban farm within an industrial building in Milwaukee’s Century City business park.
The company’s plans consist of spending $150,000 to renovate a portion of the industrial building at 3945 N. 31st St. for an indoor growing operation, according to a permit recently filed with the city.
The industrial building is owned by an affiliate of Good City Brewing, which has offices and distribution operations in the space. Planet to Plate operations would be confined to an approximately 8,900-square-foot space within the building, said Christopher Corkery, Planet to Plate chief executive officer.
Planet to Plate aims to bring hyper-local fresh greens to the Milwaukee market, allowing food businesses to reinvest in “food deserts” and improve the socio-economic conditions of these areas,” according to a building code variance and commercial alterations permit filed with the city.
“Really the goal is to create supply chain resilience in food systems and create new jobs in food tech,” Corkery said, adding that because of the coronavirus pandemic, food security has never been more relevant.
Planet to Plate at Century City would be operational by this spring pending city approval, Corkery said.
Planet to Plate’s proposal at Century City could bring renewed momentum to the business park after Strauss Brands’ proposal for a $60 million facility became mired in controversy in 2019. Strauss Brands withdrew its proposal days after Ald. Khalif Rainey, whose district includes Century City, pulled his support for the project due to public pressure.
The Century City Business Park is located at the former site of the A.O. Smith and Tower Automotive manufacturing complex, which once employed thousands of workers. After Tower Automotive shut down the operation in 2006, the site was acquired by the city, which has spent years converting it into a business park.
While Spanish train maker Talgo Inc. and Good City Brewing have established operations in Century City, efforts to attract more companies to the area have been slow in-part because of location challenges including crime, facility security, employee safety, and its distance from the freeway.
Last year, Planet to Plate received special use permits from the city to operate an urban farm at the Cecilia Annex building and an adjacent vacant parking lot near the northwest corner of West Wells Street and North 27th Street on Milwaukee’s west side.
However, due to the scale of the project and coronavirus-related challenges, Planet to Plate has shifted its focus to the smaller Century City proposal, which Corkery said will be a more immediate response to local food systems disrupted by the pandemic.
“It’s something we (still) hope to do but obviously that’s a grander project and COVID certainly disrupted much of the business community,” Corkery said. “We hope to continue on (the Cecilia Annex building) project in the future.”
Brandon covers startups, technology, banking, and finance. He previously worked as a general assignment and court reporter for The Freeman in Waukesha. Brandon graduated from UW-Milwaukee’s journalism, advertising and media studies program with an emphasis in journalism. He enjoys live music, playing guitar, and loves to hacky sack.
USA - MICHIGAN: Indoor Agriculture Receives $100,000 Grant From MDARD
The indoor agriculture program is a new major brought to NMU which focuses on hands-on learning of indoor agriculture, sustainable farming practices, urban farming models, environmental infrastructure systems, helping solve the global food crisis, and more
NMU’s new indoor agriculture program recently received a $100,000 grant on Feb. 12 from Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to help offset the costs for a self-contained growing center.
According to MDARD’s page, the grants are to help “promote the sustainability of land-based industries and support infrastructure that benefits rural communities”.
MDARD received over 139 proposals, totaling over $11 million. The program only accepted 20 proposals, which totaled to roughly $1.7 million. This included NMU’s proposal for a self-contained growing center.
The indoor agriculture program is a new major brought to NMU which focuses on hands-on learning of indoor agriculture, sustainable farming practices, urban farming models, environmental infrastructure systems, helping solve the global food crisis, and more.
Last fall was the first semester that the program took off.
“One of the biggest challenges of growing a program is finding space, and even though there is some available around campus, and in the Jacobetti Center in particular, it still costs a lot of money to retrofit that space and make it usable for the intended purpose.” Evan Lucas, assistant professor of technology and occupational sciences, said. “We targeted this grant specifically to help alleviate the cost impact of adding space for our labs.”
Lucas went on by saying that the program submitted the idea of purchasing one to two shipping containers to enhance the curriculum. The shipping containers, depending on size and capability would be used to add growing space and diversity the type of growing space.
The program hopes that with the grant money they will be able to grow, and in turn create more space for students to work. Sarah Cormier, a junior in the indoor agriculture program, has exciting hopes for the grant money.
“I’d hope it’d encourage others to look into the program and think about food production differently,” said Cormier. “We are limited in our labs with the number of seedlings we can tend to, but with more systems we would be able to monitor more plants simultaneously.”
In turn, having more space means having room for more students. After quick shutdowns and pack-up times, last semester was hard for the program. However, Cormier felt that the experience this semester has been more straightforward.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, the program had to cut back on the amount of students able to register. This left many students on waiting lists, unable to participate in the brand new program.
“We were unfortunately not able to open up more than we did without sacrificing the hands-on aspect of growing, which we weren’t really willing to do as that kind of defeats the main purpose,” Lucas stated.
However, Lucas was quick to say how integral Kim Smith Kolosa, another assistant professor of technology and occupational sciences, was to the program.
“She has done an amazing job taking this program from literally non-existent to exceptional in no time, and we couldn’t ask for anything better at this time,” Lucas said.
TAGS: grant, indoor agriculture, news
Creating A Whole New Fresh Food Experience Category | Q & A With Fifth Season CEO Austin Webb
In this Q & A Austin shares more about the company's mission, unique approach, and plans for the future
Fifth Season has been making headlines in recent weeks. In addition to a feature story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, other outlets have covered the vertical-and-robotic-farming pioneer's expanded distribution partnership with food retailer Giant Eagle Inc, and its designation as "Official Greens" provider for the NHL 2020-2021 season of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
These stories follow many others that have tracked the company'simpressive innovations and accomplishments over the last year. Indoor Ag-Con had a chance to catch up with Fifth Season CEO Austin Webb, who co-founded the Pittsburgh-based company with brother Brac Webb (one of this week's Indoor Ag-Conversations panelists!) and Austin Lawrence. In this Q & A Austin shares more about the company's mission, unique approach, and plans for the future.
READ Q & A WITH AUSTIN WEBB
Meet The Advisory Board - Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit, June 24-25
The virtual Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit on June 24-25 will explore how controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming can reach greater profitability and scale, both in the US and globally
The virtual Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit on June 24-25 will explore how controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming can reach greater profitability and scale, both in the US and globally.
Demand for fresh, local, nutritious and pesticide-free production has never been higher. But how can growers drive down energy consumption as they scale up to meet this demand? Which new crops can be optimized for an indoor environment? And how do we bridge the gap between producer and consumer?
We're putting together a powerful two days of interactive sessions and breakout discussion groups, steered by our valued Advisory Board of internationally recognized farm operators, food retailers, investors, seed companies, and technology providers.
MEET THE ADVISORY BOARD
More than 30 of the biggest names in the indoor agriculture and CEA community are helping to shape this June’s program:
SEE OUR ADVISORY BOARD
OUR EXPERTS SAY
"Indoor agriculture is booming as consumers continually demand the quality, variety and flavor that indoor-grown produce can bring. I look forward to the summit bringing together thoughtful content and expertise in the world of Indoor AgTech."
Liliana Esposito
Chief Communications Officer
WENDY'S, USA
"It's time for growers and the sales community to support the data and technology requirements throughout the supply chain that will enable complete product transparency and timely traceability. Data aggregation as in GS1 and technology such as QR codes on packaging have proven to be value-added for growers, distributors, and consumers."
Sean Walsh
North America Director of Fruits, Vegetables, and Dairy
GORDON FOOD SERVICE, USA
"Our capabilities are increasingly driven by AI, machine learning, internet of things, and blockchain, which all enable greater visibility and clarity on how to improve our products and services. We look to intentionally combine human and technological capabilities, so that our tech investments empower our employees and all our partners and customers along the supply chain."
Elyse Lipman
Chief Strategy Officer
LIPMAN FAMILY FARMS, USA
"I'm interested to see a significant dispersion of the food systems so quality produce becomes more affordable by removing all the friction between the producers and actual consumers. This will resolve a significant level of problems and issues we face such as food wastage, supply chain issues, food safety, and costs."
Jessica Naomi Fong
General Manager & Co-Founder
COMMON FARMS, HONG KONG
The program is coming together quickly, so if you’d like to be involved by showcasing your technology or sharing your experiences in a panel discussion, please get in touch with me now!
We look forward to hosting the indoor agtech community again in June.
Best wishes,
Oscar Brennecke
Conference Producer
Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit
oscar.brennecke@rethinkevents.com
+44 (0)1273 789989
SUMMIT PARTNERS
Platinum Partner:
HOSTED ALONGSIDE
Gold Partners: