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How Stockholm Wants To Be 'The Green Food Tech Hub of The Future'
At Grönska, 1.3 million plants are grown each year in long rows of racks filled with stacked drawers. This hall in Huddinge in Stockholm county is not just a business premise, but a high-tech vertical farm
Lead Photo: Photo: Stina Stjernkvist / TT
In 2017, the Swedish food retail sector was worth 272 billion kronor. But how can the Nordic nation embrace innovation to make the food chain more sustainable? Several startups and business accelerators are investing heavily in sustainable development in the form of foodtech.
At Grönska, 1.3 million plants are grown each year in long rows of racks filled with stacked drawers. This hall in Huddinge in Stockholm county is not just a business premise, but a high-tech vertical farm. Food is grown locally in a controlled and space-efficient environment.
"Sweden imports 60 percent of its food and a third to a quarter of the emissions in Sweden comes from transporting food," Natalie de Brun, one of the co-founders of the startup, tells The Local.
"Sweden has a short season of three to four months where food can be produced. By producing food in a vertical farm, we do not depend on the climate. We are replicating nature inside and stacking the crops, which is very space-efficient. Each shelf has its own LED lighting and circulating water system. Here we can grow strawberries all year round."
Foodtech is a movement of companies that are trying to change the way we grow, transport and consume food. By combining traditional and innovative technologies, the idea is that food can become more efficient, sustainable and healthier.
Bright LED lights light up the business space in Huddinge. The plants follow an artificial daylight rhythm to grow as efficiently as possible. Delicate plants such as different kinds of herbs and lettuce are growing in stacks of about 20 metres wide and six metres high. Grönska employees are walking around and taking care of the plants.
"Food is something everyone consumes every day, and you can have a direct effect on it yourself," explains de Brun. "We are selling our products to local restaurants, supermarkets and even an airline. Growing the amount of arugula or lettuce we grow in one year would require at least 15 times more space if grown on an open field, and 100 times more carbon emissions from transportation."
The vertical farm located in southern Stockholm is one of Europe's largest. Photo: Lars Pehrson / SvD / TT
In an office in the Söderhallarna building on Stockholm's Södermalm, Sweden Foodtech brings companies together by organizing events and focuses on major themes around the future of food. One of the key questions is simply: How do we manage to feed future generations?
Together with supermarket Coop and impact hub Norrsken, Sweden Foodtech offers support to companies that want to 'reshape the food system'.
"Food is a huge market, from production and transportation to supermarkets and restaurants. But innovation in the sector is very minimal. That's something we would like to change," says Federico Ronca, Innovation Consultant at Sweden Foodtech.
"One-third of all the food in the world is wasted," he adds. "A few big producers are managing the whole food market. We are trying to work with them and convince them to open up to new initiatives and technologies. We're connecting the dots, and creating an 'orchestra of the players'."
The initiative started as a food festival, SMAKA -- Good Food Festival, which grew into one of the biggest food festivals on the planet and developed into Sweden Foodtech. Ronca sees Sweden and Stockholm as perfect places for foodtech projects.
"There is a large tech sector and a great digital infrastructure. Sweden and the Nordics are the best in sustainable development, they are leading in the world. Sweden also doesn't have a strong food tradition, as France and Italy have. That makes that people are very open-minded about food," he explains.
Stockholm as a hotspot for innovative businesses
The same goals are shared by Stockholm Business Region, the Swedish capital's official promotion agency, which is dedicated to creating a good ecosystem for innovative businesses and hopes to turn the Stockholm into a "leading foodtech hub".
"Stockholm truly is an innovation-driven place. It's full of early adopters", says Irena Lundberg, a business manager at Stockholm Business Region.
"These consumers are aware of their responsibility and like to buy eco-friendly products. There is natural support from the city for all kinds of sustainable projects, and Sweden itself is a very steady environment for starting a business."
The public interest, environmental awareness, Nordic culinary traditions and active tech community in the city make Stockholm the place to be for foodtech initiatives, she believes.
But despite strong ambitions, there are not yet any figures or statistics available to fulfill the hopeful expectations. Stockholm Business Region is currently monitoring 300 businesses in the foodtech industry, and according to Lundberg, expects to see results "in about one year".
At Grönska, we walk along the rows of racks where all kinds of herbs and lettuce varieties are grown. The founders of this vertical farm have experienced the opportunities available to startups in Sweden firsthand.
"Stockholm is a great place to start an innovative business. There is a great startup culture, we really feel empowered and encouraged here. There are a lot of facilitators and enablers that help us grow our business," says de Brun.
In the vertical farm in Huddinge, various herbs and lettuce varieties are grown locally and used in supermarkets and restaurants. Photo: Stina Stjernkvist/TT.
Until now, traditional greenhouse production is the norm. This type of production is less energy effective and has higher transportation emissions. But Grönska sees a big technology shift coming up.
"In the near future we can inexpensively build high tech vertical farms and grow food on a large scale," says de Brun. "This way we can grow our food local and more energy-efficient and people can eat better and healthier. There will be more space for other players in the food market."
But she admits that it will take time to change the food industry.
"We are working with a fresh, organic and alive product," explains de Brun. "It's a complex and established industry. Everyone needs food every day, you can't change that system overnight. There's a lot going on, and it's cool to be part of that wave. Food is key."
Lettuce Scare Spurs Sales At Superior's Bay Produce
Recent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses have generally been bad news for lettuce growers nationwide, but one greenhouse operation in snowy Superior reports its sales actually have been bolstered as consumers search for healthy alternatives to field-grown greens
Written By: Peter Passi | Dec 21st, 2019
Greenhouse with a mission delivers safe greens to the local market.
Rich Fisher, Bay Produce's head grower, checks the pH level of the water in flats growing butterhead lettuce at Bay Produce in Superior. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
Recent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses have generally been bad news for lettuce growers nationwide, but one greenhouse operation in snowy Superior reports its sales actually have been bolstered as consumers search for healthy alternatives to field-grown greens.
Bay Produce, located next door to the Mariner Retail and Business Center, has found a strong market for the red and green butterhead lettuces it grows in the wake of a national lettuce scare.
"It seems like any time there's a lettuce recall, our sales go up," said Don Gitz, a specialist for Bay Produce.
Most recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to avoid eating romaine lettuce harvested in California's Salinas Valley — a prolific agricultural region often referred to as the nation's salad bowl. This latest E. coli outbreak resulted in more than 100 reported cases of illness in 23 states. But regulators advised people that there was no reason to avoid hydroponic and greenhouse-grown lettuce.
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The silver tube at the center of the photo houses a high-intensity ultraviolet light used to kill pathogens in the water at Bay Produce in Superior. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
Bay Produce fits that bill to a T. It grows lettuce, basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and eggplant inside a 1 1/2-acre greenhouse equipped with hydroponics.
Rich Fisher, Bay Produce's head grower, said the greenhouse uses Superior city water that has been treated with ultraviolet light, rendering it "99.9% microbe-free."
He contrasted the sterile greenhouse setting at Bay Produce to farm fields where lettuce is often grown on plots adjacent to livestock "where they really have almost no control over runoff."
In addition to producing a consistently safe and tasty product, Bay Produce also has a story to sell. The greenhouse is operated by Challenge Center Inc., an organization established by Catholic Charities 50 years ago to serve children and adults with developmental disabilities. The greenhouse is staffed with 10 Challenge Center staff members and up to about 40 clients at any given time.
Challenge Center Director Mark Kroll said the greenhouse provides a sheltered work setting that can accommodate clients' unique needs, whether that's a short two-hour shift or one accompanied by a job coach.
"We provide sheltered employment for folks with disabilities," Kroll said. "It's an amazing program we have here. So, we already have a lot of local folks looking for our projects anyway, because they support our mission. But this provides a little extra push for us. It's one more reason for folks to look for Bay Produce products."
Bay Produce has enjoyed a safety edge over larger growers in regard to other products, too. For instance, earlier this summer people across the nation were sickened with cyclosporiasis from contaminated basil grown in Mexico. Again, Bay Produce offered a safe alternative.
"It's amazing how things that happen on a national scale that make the national news can really affect local growers," Kroll said.
Bay Produce distributes its products exclusively in the Northland through grocers and restaurants as far north as Grand Marais and as far east as Ashland. Because its produce isn't traveling great distances, Kroll said they are able to deliver a product that's ripe and ready to eat the moment it hits the shelves or lands on a restaurant's sandwich.
Gardening Could Be The Hobby That Helps You Live To 100
Australian researchers following men and women in their 60s found that those who regularly gardened had a 36% lower risk of dementia than their non-gardening counterparts
Many of the world's centenarians share one common hobby: gardening. Could you extend your life and drop your stress by taking up the pursuit, too?
By Jamie Feldmar
10th December 2018
Dan Buettner has studied five places around the world where residents are famed for their longevity: Okinawa in Japan, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Icaria in Greece, and Loma Linda in California and Sardinia in Italy.
People living in these so-called “blue zones” have certain factors in common – social support networks, daily exercise habits, and a plant-based diet, for starters. But they share another unexpected commonality. In each community, people are gardening well into old age – their 80s, 90s and beyond.
Could nurturing your green thumb help you live to 100?
Mood elevator
It is well-known that an outdoor lifestyle with moderate physical activity is linked to longer life, and gardening is an easy way to accomplish both. “If you garden, you’re getting some low-intensity physical activity most days, and you tend to work routinely,” says Buettner.
He says there is evidence that gardeners live longer and are less stressed. A variety of studies confirm this, pointing to both the physical and mental health benefits of gardening.
Okinawa in Japan has one of the world's highest concentration of centenarians (Credit: Getty Images)
In a recent Dutch study, researchers asked participants to complete a stressful task, then split them into two groups. One group read indoors and the other gardened outdoors for 30 minutes. The group that read reported that their mood “further deteriorated”, while the gardeners not only had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol afterward, they also felt “fully restored” to a good mood.
Australian researchers following men and women in their 60s found that those who regularly gardened had a 36% lower risk of dementia than their non-gardening counterparts.
Australian researchers following men and women in their 60s found that those who regularly gardened had a 36% lower risk of dementia than their non-gardening counterparts
And preliminary studies among elderly people suffering from cognitive issues (such as dementia and Alzheimer’s) report benefits from garden settings and horticulture therapy. Sunlight and fresh air, for example, help agitated elders feel calmer, while the colors and textures of various plants and vegetables can improve visual and tactile ability.
There is no panacea for growing old but, the science suggests, gardening does appear to improve our quality of life as we age.
Let nature nurture you
It’s not just about health effects, either: the social benefits of gardening can also increase longevity. Dr Bradley Willcox of the University of Hawaii studies centenarians in Okinawa, which has the world’s highest ratio of centenarians, at approximately 50 per 100,000 people. Many residents maintain small personal gardens well into old age.
Some research, including studies conducted in France, have shown farmers are healthier than non-farmers (Credit: Alamy)
He says that gardening helps with other essential, if somewhat more ephemeral, factors in increasing longevity. “In Okinawa, they say that anybody who grows old healthfully needs an ikigai, or reason for living. Gardening gives you that something to get up for every day.”
On top of that, explains Willcox, Okinawans value the concept of yuimaru, or a high level of social connectedness. “Getting together at a local market, bringing your produce and sharing your latest creations from the garden is a big social activity,” he says. “That certainly helps people feel grounded and connected.”
Doctors in Scotland can now prescribe a walk in nature to treat a variety of ailments, including reducing blood pressure and anxiety, and to improve overall happiness
A sense of connection to other people is important, but so too is the individual connection to nature. One Harvard University study showed that people who were surrounded by lush greenery lived longer, with a lower chance of developing cancer or respiratory illnesses.
Doctors in Scotland can now prescribe a walk in nature to treat a variety of ailments, including reducing blood pressure and anxiety and to improve overall happiness. Gardening – even on a small plot in an urban area – is a simple way to incorporate more nature into your daily life.
Finally, there is also a dietary component to longevity that gardening can help with. Researchers have demonstrated a link between the “Mediterranean diet” – rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish and olive oil – and slower aging.
Willcox says the fundamental principle of eating an abundance of fresh vegetables, ideally from local gardens and markets, is important to longevity, whether the diet is technically Mediterranean or not. In Okinawa, for example, most people grow vegetables such as bitter melon and sweet potatoes in their gardens.
“When you eat vegetables that you’ve grown yourself, it changes everything – they taste more delicious, and it really makes a difference in the health qualities (vitamins, minerals, phytoactive compounds etc.) of the food itself,” says Willcox. Buettner, the “blue zones” expert, recommends a diet of “90% plants, especially greens and beans”, and points out a simple truth: gardeners are more likely to plant what they want to eat.
Farming for a longer life?
If gardening is good, is farming even better? Many of the lifestyle factors associated with longevity – such as living in the country and getting lots of exercises – apply to farmers as well.
Some evidence suggests that farming is one of the healthiest occupations. One Australian study showed that farmers were a third less likely to suffer from a chronic illness, and 40% less likely to visit a GP than non-farm workers. Researchers from the US compared mortality rates among farmers against rates for the general population and found farmers less likely to die from cancer, heart diseases or diabetes. And studies in Sweden and France have also shown farmers are healthier than non-farmers.
Dr Masahiko Gemma of Waseda University in Tokyo studied self-employed farmers in the central province of Saitama, who were found to have a longer life expectancy that non-farmers and work later into life. Many of Gemma’s respondents were part-time farmers or retirees, and he describes many of their responsibilities as “similar to the work of maintaining a garden”.
Researchers from the US compared mortality rates among farmers against rates for the general population and found farmers less likely to die from cancer, heart diseases or diabetes
“Small family farms are common in Japanese agriculture,” says Gemma, explaining that his survey did not include farmers working for large-scale corporate operations. He found that self-employed farmers enjoyed statistically significant and positive changes in psychological and physical conditions before and after engaging in light farming activities. “Our guess is that farming work contributes to the maintenance of good health and spirits,” he says.
Researchers have demonstrated a link between a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish and olive oil with slower aging (Credit: Alamy)
Reality check
Although Gemma’s findings are heartening, not all farming resembles the traditional, low-tech Japanese model he describes. Agriculture is an industry in most of the Western world, and farmers can experience difficult or dangerous working conditions, high debt and increasingly automated processes.
“The reality of what agriculture is like, at least in America, is staring at a computer for as long as everyone else, running systems for broiler houses or hog containment facilities, or sitting in your air-conditioned combine watching videos while you go across monotonous GPS precision-guided fields,” says Thomas Forester, a New York-based food policy consultant to research organisations and UN agencies.
It’s difficult, then, to view farming as a magic bullet against aging.
Neither farming nor gardening will ultimately guarantee a longer lifespan. But some of the lifestyle factors associated with both – namely going outside, engaging in light physical activity and eating a healthy plant-based diet – just might.
In the end, it’s all about balance.
“I use the analogy of a chair,” says Willcox. “Diet, physical activity, mental engagement and social connection are the four legs. If you don’t have one of them, you fall out of balance, and it can shorten life expectancy. Longevity isn’t about one single factor – it’s about not working too hard to share a constellation of them all.”
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Superior Fresh Expanding Their Aquaponics Operation
Superior Fresh utilizes aquaponics to raise seafood and leafy greens for retailers across the Midwest.They are now expanding their greenhouse footprint from six acres to 13 acres and their aquaculture center from 40,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet
Mike Beiermeister
Hixton, Wis. (WXOW) — Superior Fresh utilizes aquaponics to raise seafood and leafy greens for retailers across the Midwest.
To View The Video, Please Click Here
They are now expanding their greenhouse footprint from six acres to 13 acres and their aquaculture center from 40,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet.
“Most people wouldn’t think that you could grow organic vegetables in the middle of Wisconsin in the middle of the winter,” said Brandon Gottsacker, president of Superior Green.
The company was founded back in 2011. Since the creation, Superior Fresh has become the first indoor Atlantic Salmon farm in the United States. They are also able to grow leafy greens year-round thanks to their aquaponics system and sustainable practices.
“You know you’re doing something for not just us, for the rest of the world and leading the harvest of the first Atlantic Salmon in the United States, right here,” said Kyle Woolever, aquaculture manager for Superior Fresh.
Aquaponics integrates fish and plant growth to create a symbiotic environment. Superior Fresh utilizes these practices to produce around 4,000 pounds of leafy greens per day and around 4,000 pounds of Atlantic Salmon each week. By this time next year, they plan to produce 25,000 pounds of Atlantic Salmon each week. Right now, they have 200,000 Atlantic Salmon swimming in their tank.
“We’re probably the most sustainable farm on the planet when you talk about how many pounds of fish and produce were producing on the volume of water,” said Gottsacker.
The company uses the bulk of summer sun to shed light on their produce with the help of diffused glass. They use LED lighting for winter months. Their produce is pesticide-free, non-GMO, and constantly controlled for perfect growing.
“Our goal is to locate these farms all over the world, so in theory, you could build a facility like this in the desert, you could build it right outside of a city where food is scarce, or it has travel really far to get there,” said Gottsacker. “Our goal is to provide really good, high quality, safe, healthy food for everyone.”
Mike Beiermeister
WXOW Weekend Anchor and Reporter
AeroFarms' Eco-Friendly Indoor Farms For Minimal Environmental Impact
As the population continues to grow, there will be increased farmland competition as more space is needed for housing, schools, and hospitals to accommodate the rising number of people
By Sarah Moore
December 16, 2019
AeroFarms has developed eco-friendly aeroponic technology to take vertical farming to the next level. Image Credit: Morinka/Shutterstock.com
Exponential population growth is putting pressure on many factors of human life. The world has a limited potential to generate resources, and as the population grows, our demand for resources comes close to the maximum output the world can produce. Recent figures estimate that in just two decades, the population will have grown to 9.7 billion, growing from the current estimated 7.7 billion. The number of people in the world who do not have adequate nutrition is close to one billion, with statistics estimating that just under 800 million people are failing to access enough food.
As the population continues to grow, there will be increased farmland competition as more space is needed for housing, schools, and hospitals to accommodate the rising number of people. This problem of malnutrition will worsen unless we make fundamental changes to the face of agriculture.
Another growing pressure on the agriculture sector is the urgency of addressing the reduction of emissions to combat climate change. The latest figures attribute 8.4% of US emissions to agricultural activities.
The agricultural industry is challenged not only to innovate a way to grow more food in a reduced space but to also reduce emissions. A recent innovation in agriculture could provide a solution.
Population Growth, Global Emissions, and Looming Food Crisis Sparks Farming Revolution
Over the last decade, significant development has been made in the area of controlled environmental agriculture in tall buildings, also known as vertical farming. The concept is that rather than growing crops on a single layer, as is done in conventional farming, it makes use of vertical space, growing crops upwards and minimizing the ground area required for farming.
The innovation, which utilizes the technology of aeroponics, will help to create eco-friendly farms that rely significantly less on water and energy. Further developments are required to enable it to fully support environmentally friendly agriculture.
The establishment of vertical farming projects will likely prove vital to solving the increasingly pressing challenge of providing enough food for the population while addressing climate change issues.
What is Aeroponics?
The establishment of vertical farming has been achieved thanks to the development of a farming technique known as aeroponics. The method accommodates the growth of crops in vertical-stacked plant beds, using artificial techniques to assume the roles of natural sources of light, water, and soil.
Aeroponics allows for the specific growing conditions to be controlled for each crop type, maximizing crop yield and growing more crops per square foot of land without accounting for the vertical stacked space.
One vertical farming project in New Jersey, US, believes it can grow up to 70 times more produce than conventional farms.
How Vertical Farming Reduces Environmental Impact
Other than tackling the looming food crisis, the main aim of vertical farming is to lessen the impact that conventional farming has on the environment in several ways. Firstly, because significantly less land is required to achieve the same crop output, experts argue that a significant switch towards vertical farming will allow more land that has previously been dedicated to farming to be returned to its natural state. This will allow diverse ecosystems to thrive in the absence of destructive modern farming techniques.
Data has also confirmed that this form of environmentally-friendly farming uses up to 90% less water than conventional farms. This benefits the environment by reducing the energy used to pump the water, which leads to emissions and contributes to greenhouse gases. It also means that fewer chemicals are used because less wastewater is being produced that requires chemical treatment.
Because vertical farming projects are usually set up in urban areas, such as in abandoned factories or similar buildings, produce doesn’t have to travel as far as it would when grown on farms to reach urban populations. This means that there is a reduced need for transportation, indirectly reducing carbon dioxide emissions by decreasing the need to transport produce.
However, vertical farms still require large amounts of energy to run, and this needs to be addressed to further add to the advantages of this revolutionary farming method. To power the artificial conditions produced for its crops, a significant amount of energy is required. Some argue that it counteracts the environmental benefits of a vertical farm, limiting its virtues as an eco-friendly farming example.
While development is needed before vertical farming can be widely adopted, some companies in the sector are already contributing significant advancements, helping the technology to move forward.
AeroFarms: Taking Vertical Farming to the Next Level
AeroFarms was recently named as one of Fast Company’s most innovative companies in the world in the data science category. The company has developed award-winning aeroponic technology that constructs tailored conditions to meet the needs of each crop species. The technology also boasts the benefits of being minimal in terms of its environmental impact.
Data science is the foundation of the success of AeroFarm’s method. The company has created patented vertical farming technology that utilizes data to maximize the efficiency of crop growth. AeroFarms considers itself to be industry-leading in terms of how it has developed an understanding of plant biology which it uses to increase the productivity of its eco-friendly farms.
Combining revolutionary technology in the form of machine learning and machine vision, alongside the integration of the internet of things, which helps to incorporate data collected from sensors, has led the company to success in growing over 500 million plants to date, of more than 300 varieties.
The company is capitalizing on partnerships with influential market leaders, such as Dell Technologies, to advance its competency at automation and analysis of data, helping to increase plant health, growth and yield.
Video Source: Stories/YouTube.com
The Impact of Eco-Friendly Farming
The model that has been demonstrated by AeroFarms will likely be influential in informing how the agriculture sector will develop in the future. Its innovative use of data and technology to grow crops vertically, minimizing the use of ground space and reducing the impact of farming on the environment, will need to be adopted by future agricultural companies to address the growing food crisis and meet emissions targets.
References and Further Reading
AeroFarms Named to Fast Company’s 2019 Most Innovative Companies, AeroFarms, https://aerofarms.com/2019/02/20/aerofarms-named-to-fast-companys-2019-most-innovative-companies/
Is vertical farming really sustainable?, EIT Food, Tessa Naus, https://www.eitfood.eu/blog/post/is-vertical-farming-really-sustainable
Latest agriculture emissions data show rise of factory farms, IATP, Ben Lilliston, https://www.iatp.org/blog/201904/latest-agriculture-emissions-data-show-rise-factory-farms
What You Should Know About Vertical Farming, The Balance Small Business, Rick Leblanc, https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-you-should-know-about-vertical-farming-4144786
World's largest vertical farm grows without soil, sunlight or water in Newark, The Guardian, Malavika Vyawahare, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/14/world-largest-vertical-farm-newark-green-revolution
5 Startups That Prove Tech Can Solve The World’s Biggest Problems, AeroFarms, https://aerofarms.com/2018/08/30/5-startups-that-prove-tech-can-solve-the-worlds-biggest-problems/
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.
Written by: Sarah Moore
After studying Psychology and then Neuroscience, Sarah quickly found her enjoyment for researching and writing research papers; turning to a passion to connect ideas with people through writing.
Green Life Farms’ Baby Leafy Greens Now Available in Stores Across Southern Florida
Premium produce from Green Life Farms, an innovative commercial-scale hydroponic grower in Lake Worth, is now available in grocery stores across the east and west coasts of southern Florida, including in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Hollywood, Miami, Naples, and Sanibel
Premium produce from a state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse in Lake Worth is grown free from GMOs and contaminants
Lake Worth, FL (December 5, 2019) – Premium produce from Green Life Farms, an innovative commercial-scale hydroponic grower in Lake Worth, is now available in grocery stores across the east and west coasts of southern Florida, including in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Hollywood, Miami, Naples, and Sanibel. Green Life Farms cultivates, harvests and packages its produce in a food-safety-focused environment to create the freshest, cleanest greens with no GMOs or contaminants.
Green Life Farms’ sustainably grown products include Baby Spinach, Baby Arugula, Baby Kale, Baby Romaine, Red Romaine Mix, Southern Style Greens, and Gourmet Asian Blend.
“For Florida consumers seeking another healthy option, we provide premium baby leafy greens, grown without soil in an enclosed environment, year-round,” said Elayne Dudley, Sales Director, Green Life Farms. “Customers will taste the difference when they try our fresh baby leafy greens because our produce is grown around the corner, not across the country, and they will rest assured that the delicious greens are free of harmful contaminants.”
Green Life Farms’ process combines technology with agricultural best practices to grow premium baby leafy greens. Its flavorful produce is cultivated without soil in clean, nutrient-rich oxygenated water, using natural sunlight and airflow in state-of-the-art greenhouses. The greens are harvested hands-free and packaged in a controlled environment to create the freshest, cleanest greens all year round. Green Life Farms grows approximately 700,000 pounds of premium leafy green produce annually in Lake Worth, with more farms planned.
Green Life Farms products are currently available in more than a dozen grocery stores. For a complete list of locations see below or visit the Find Us Locally section of Green Life Farms’ website:
A.J. Seabra Supermarket, Deerfield Beach
Aroma Market (Kosher), Boca Raton
Bailey's General Store, Sanibel
Bay Supermarket, Miami Beach
Bravo, Coral Springs
Bravo, Mirimar
Bravo, Hollywood
Broward Meat & Fish, Pembroke Pines
Don Victorio's Market, West Palm Beach
Laurenzo’s Farmers Market, Miami
Palm City Farms Produce & Market, Palm City
Presidente Supermarket #38, West Palm Beach
Price Choice, 1851 NE 2nd Ave, Miami
Sabal Supermarket, Miami
Victoria Green Market, Palm Springs
Wynn’s Market, Naples
For more information about Green Life Farms, visit GreenLifeFarms.ag. Please contact Elayne Dudley at Elayne@GreenLifeFarms.ag for sales and Raymond John at Ray@GreenLifeFarms.ag for investor relations.
glf - produce.jpg
Caption: Premium produce from Green Life Farms, an innovative commercial-scale hydroponic grower in Lake Worth, is now available in grocery stores across southern Florida. Green Life Farms cultivates, harvests and packages its produce in a food-safety-focused environment to create the freshest, cleanest greens with no GMOs or contaminants.
glf - sunset.jpg
Caption: Premium produce from Green Life Farms, an innovative commercial-scale hydroponic grower in Lake Worth (pictured above), is now available in grocery stores across southern Florida. Green Life Farms cultivates, harvests and packages its produce in a food-safety-focused environment to create the freshest, cleanest greens with no GMOs or contaminants.
Local Produce for the Masses | The Kalera Vision
The Kalera Vision: Affordable Local Produce For the Masses
The Golden Question: “What’s the price?”
“We don’t want to be exclusive or elitist. We want to deliver fresh & local lettuce at a price where people don’t have to break the bank to buy it.”
Kalera’s CEO, Mr. Daniel Malechuk
Such is the vision painted by Kalera’s new CEO, Mr. Daniel Malechuk, in his exclusive interview with iGrow News.
Mr. Malechuk went further, expounding a vision of food production coming full circle. He spoke of a technological evolution that has enabled humans to enjoy avocados in Michigan, or more generally, to consume massive amounts of food thousands of miles away from where it was produced.
The technology of today however is enabling the return of a simpler, time-tested model. Tersely put: local farms are making a return.
Mr. Malechuk spoke further on Kalera’s undergoing transition. In their past, they helped build the beautiful HyCube at the Orlando World Center Marriott, — in the future he sees the company perfecting their own production processes in their new state of the art facility. His goal: local produce at a price affordable to the masses.
Kalera’s Beautiful Indoor Vertical Farm at the Orlando World Center Marriott
An iGrow News Exclusive
Written by Spencer Hoff
Netled Partners Up With Contain Inc.
Netled announced that they have started a financing collaboration with US-based company Contain Inc. Contain Inc. will start offering financing services for Netled’s customers in North America
Netled announced that they have started a financing collaboration with US-based company Contain Inc. Contain Inc. will start offering financing services for Netled’s customers in North America.
Contain Inc. works with private lenders facilitating leases for indoor growers and creating custom insurance solutions. The company organizes financing for all indoor farming, for example, LED, growing systems and greenhouses.
The partnership will further strengthen Netled’s position in the US market and offers new possibilities for their customers. Netled International Sales Manager Niko Kurumaa comments: “Netled offers a fully integrated large-scale vertical farming system Vera, which highlights automation and productivity. We always try to find a comprehensive solution for our customer’s needs, and now with Contain, we can offer a solution for customer financing, which is often a crucial part of the sales process.”
For more information:
Netled
netled.fi
Publication date: Thu 5 Dec 2019
U.K Aeroponic Start-Up LettUs Grow: 'Not Everyone Is Sold on Vertical Farming Initially'
Thankfully, the image of vertical farming is changing rapidly. Nowadays, aeroponic technology "is recognized more as a business plan rather than a pipe dream," said Langley. Indoor farming has also been getting loads more attention
December 05, 2019
Farmers across the globe are searching for sustainable, tech-savvy alternatives as climate change increasingly impacts agriculture's profitability.
LettUs Grow, a Bristol-based aeroponics tech company that provides technology to farms in the U.K., thinks it may have a solution.
The vertical farming tech provider gave us a glimpse into the future of aeroponics and an overview of its innovation.
Overcoming challenges in vertical farming
"There's a perception about vertical farms - not everyone is sold on it initially," LettUs Grow's India Langley told FreshFruitPortal.com.
The company's greatest challenge has been public perception. Oftentimes people imagine that their produce comes from local, small scale farms. However, the reality is that most farms are industrial entities - at least in the U.K. - explained Langley.
Thankfully, the image of vertical farming is changing rapidly. Nowadays, aeroponic technology "is recognized more as a business plan rather than a pipe dream," said Langley. Indoor farming has also been getting loads more attention.
So, the task aeroponics tech companies face is "educating people that the food is just as nutritious".
As vertical farming becomes more mainstream, companies like LettUs Grow have seen more demand for their products.
What, then, does the technology do and what will the future of vertical farming look like?
LettUs Grow walked us through its technology's evolution and the benefits it provides to today's agriculture industry.
The idea for LettUs Grow arose when three Masters students at the University of Bristol - Ben Crowther, Jack Farmer and Charlie Guy - developed a table-top aeroponics system. This in-home model worked so well that the group decided to scale it up.
"We started out solely making hardware, so the physical grow beds," Langley said. The company then began crafting software it calls Ostara - which reduces energy costs up to 15%.
Founders saw that traditional aeroponics - which use high pressure - were inefficient. Old methods, which involved firing liquid through a nozzle to create aerosols, lead to clogging and system failures. In order to reduce waste, LettUs Grow sought alternatives.
To do this, it got rid of nozzles entirely. It also developed a new way of making aerosols. These innovations allowed the platform to be scaled up.
"What the three founders thought was that if they were seeing this increase in growth rate in these home-kits and their main goal was to reduce waste, they would do much better taking this technology and applying it to farm-scale applications."
The result was an aeroponics system that reduces food miles, increases food freshness and "helps farmers keep farming".
According to Langley, there is big problem in the U.K. with farmers needing to diversify. Climate change has posed a risk to farmers' income and vertical farming provides a solution, she said.
She specified that "one of the things that indoor growing does is that it protects the crop" and ensures that farmers profit regardless of weather conditions.
Benefits of aeroponics and LettUs Grow's advice
When asked about the benefits of aeroponics versus other indoor farming methods, Langley said "aeroponics has been an improvement" on hydroponics. This is because it gives the plants better access to "free gas exchange".
In short, it provides the "ideal environment" to grow, claimed Langley. Aeroponics "holds plant roots out of water" and sprays plants with an aerosol. Plants in aeroponics grow 70% faster than in hydroponics, she stated.
She went on to explain the strategic benefits and challenges faced by farmers.
"The main thing that holds you back is whether or not there's a business case for it," said Langley.
"We always advise people who are working with us to think really carefully about what they grow."
LettUs Grow suggests farmers plant crops like microgreens, quick growing crops, and tender crops that struggle to be transported. While the company has tested "dozens" of different plants at its two farms, it encourages farmers to plant profitable crops like basil.
Looking forward, the future of the company
LettUs Grow continues growing as demand for its technology increases. While farms all around the world have requested the company's products, it says plans for expansion into Europe - and eventually, worldwide - are in the works for upcoming years.
Currently, it only provides technology to farms in the U.K.
It seems a lot of demand from countries that face resource issues. Places that contact LettUs Grow tend to be dry regions like the Middle East or regions with less sunlight. Additionally, it is gaining popularity in "places where there's not as much land" in more developed countries like the U.S.
Other urban farming schemes like startup Bowery, Gotham Green and Fifth Season have been gaining steam in U.S. cities.
To meet the needs of diverse farms that request its technology, Lettusgrow plans to continue expanding its product line.
In the past, its implementation of Ostara farm management software allowed it to offer a platform that collects data on plants, oversees irrigation and traces crop history.
Most recently, it has partnered with Octopus Energy to create "vertical power software". The new technology platform reduces energy costs for farmers, making operations more efficient.
It does this by changing the price of energy throughout the day and minimizing costs during peak hours. This both saves customers money and incentives farmers to have more sustainable operations, detailed Langley.
Headline photo: LettUs Grow, Jack Wiseall
Aquaponics Food Safety Statement November 2019
Aquaponics is a food production method integrating fish and plants in a closed, soil-less system. This symbiotic relationship mimics the biological cycles found in nature. Aquaponics has been used as a farming technique for thousands of years and is now seeing large-scale viability to feed a growing global population
Click here: Click here: Sign the Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
November 15, 2019
Aquaponics Food Safety Statement
Established Science Confirms That
Aquaponic Fish and Produce Are Food Safe
Aquaponics is a food production method integrating fish and plants in a closed, soil-less system. This symbiotic relationship mimics the biological cycles found in nature. Aquaponics has been used as a farming technique for thousands of years and is now seeing large-scale viability to feed a growing global population.
Benefits of aquaponics include dramatically less water use; no toxic chemical fertilizers or pesticides; no agriculture discharge to air, water or soil; and less food miles when systems are located near consumers where there is no arable soil.
Aquaponics has consistently proven to be a safe method to grow fresh, healthy fish, fruits, and vegetables in any environment. Governments and food safety certifiers must utilize the most current, accurate information to make food safety decisions about aquaponics at this time when our food systems adapt to a growing population and environmental concerns.
Food Safety Certification for Aquaponics
For years, commercial aquaponic farms have obtained food safety certification from certifying bodies such as Global GAP, USDA Harmonized GAP, Primus GFS, and the SQF Food Safety Program. Many aquaponic farms are also certified USDA Organic. These certifying bodies have found aquaponics to be a food-safe method for fish, fruits, and vegetables. As far back as 2003, researchers found aquaponic fish and produce to be consistently food-safe (Rakocy, 2003; Chalmers, 2004). Aquaponic fish and produce continue to be sold commercially across North America following all appropriate food safety guidelines.
Recent Certification Changes Based on Unfounded Concerns
Recently Canada GAP, a food safety certifier, announced that it will phase out certification of aquaponic operations in 2020, citing concerns about the potential for leafy greens to uptake contaminants found in aquaponic water.
Correspondence with Canada GAP leadership revealed that the decision to revoke aquaponics certification eligibility was based on research and literature surveys related to the uptake of pharmaceutical and pathogenic contaminants in hydroponic systems. However, these concerns are unfounded based on established evidence.
First, the Canada GAP decision assumes that aquaponic growers use pharmaceuticals to treat fish and that these pharmaceuticals would be taken up by plants causing a food safety risk.
In fact, pharmaceuticals are not compatible with aquaponics. Aquaponics represents an ecosystem heavily dependent on a healthy microorganism community (Rinehart, 2019; Aquaponics Association, 2018). The pharmaceuticals and antibiotics referenced by Canada GAP would damage the beneficial microorganisms required for aquaponics to function properly.
Second, the CanadaGAP decision misrepresents the risk of pathogenic contamination. Aquaponic produce – like all produce – is not immune to pathogenic contamination. However, aquaponics is, in fact, one of the safest agriculture methods against pathogenic risk. Most pathogenic contamination in our modern agriculture system stems from bird droppings, animal infestation, and agriculture ditch or contaminated water sources. In contrast, commercial aquaponic systems are “closed-loop” and usually operated in controlled environments like greenhouses. Almost all operations use filtered municipal or well water and monitor everything that enters and leaves the system.
Aquaponics and Food Safety
If practiced appropriately, aquaponics can be one of the safest methods of food production. The healthy microbes required for aquaponics serve as biological control agents against pathogenic bacteria. (Fox, 2012) The healthy biological activity of an aquaponic system competitively inhibits human pathogens, making their chances for survival minimal. This is, in effect, nature’s immune system working to keep our food safe, rather than synthetic chemicals.
The Government of Alberta, Canada, ran extensive food safety tests in aquaponics from 2002 to 2010 at the Crop Diversification Centre South (CDC South) and observed no human pathogens during this entire eight-year period (Savidov, 2019, Results available upon request). As a result of this study, the pilot-scale aquaponic operation at CDC South was certified as a food-safe operation in compliance with CanadaGAP standards in May 2011 (GFTC OFFS Certification, May 26, 2011). Similar studies conducted by the University of Hawaii in 2012 in a commercial aquaponic farm also revealed no human pathogens. (Tamaru, 2012)
Current aquaponic farms must be able to continuously prove their food safety. The U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act requires farms to be able to demonstrate appropriate mitigation of potential sources of pathogenic contamination as well as water testing that validates waters shared with plants that are free from contamination by zoonotic organisms. So, if there is a food safety concern in aquaponics, food safety certifiers will find and document it.
Conclusion
The recent certification decision from CanadaGAP has already set back commercial aquaponic operations in Canada and has the potential to influence other food safety certifiers or create unfounded consumer concerns. At a time when we need more sustainable methods to grow our food, it is essential to work on greater commercial-government collaboration and scientific validation to ensure fact-based food safety standards.
In order to expand the benefits of aquaponics, we need a vibrant commercial sector. And for commercial aquaponics to succeed, we need reliable food safety certification standards based on established science.
Consumers can feel secure knowing that when they purchase aquaponic fish and produce, they are getting fresh food grown in one of the safest, most sustainable methods possible.
Sincerely,
The Aquaponics Association
[ Click here: Sign the Aquaponics Food Safety Statement]
References
Chalmers, 2004. Aquaponics and Food Safety. Retrieved from http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travis/Aquaponics-andFood-Safety.pdf
Filipowich, Schramm, Pyle, Savage, Delanoy, Hager, Beuerlein. 2018. Aquaponic Systems Utilize the Soil Food Web to Grow Healthy Crops. Aquaponics Association. https://aaasociation.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/soil-food-web-aug-2018.pdf
Fox, Tamaru, Hollyer, Castro, Fonseca, Jay-Russell, Low. A Preliminary Study of Microbial Water Quality-Related to Food Safety in Recirculating Aquaponic Fish and Vegetable Production Systems. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
Rakocy, J.E., Shultz, R.C., Bailey, D.S. and Thoman, E.S. (2003). Aquaponic production of tilapia and basil: comparing a batch and staggered cropping system. South Pacific Soilless Culture Conference. Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Rinehart, Lee. Aquaponics – Multitrophic Systems, 2019. ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture. National Center for Appropriate Technology.
Tamaru, Fox, Hollyer, Castro, Low, 2012. Testing for Water Borne Pathogens at an Aquaponic Farm. Publication of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii, February 1, 2012.
A Tale of Two Crops
We applaud two current initiatives in agriculture that show how farming can be sustainable and can also build on unique local characteristics to gain a competitive edge
Business Day editorial
November 14, 2019 | Melanie Waithe
A variety of black, white and pink sorrel, which is grown by farmers Sharon Rosella Roopsingh and her husband, Renison. - ROGER JACOB
We applaud two current initiatives in agriculture that show how farming can be sustainable and can also build on unique local characteristics to gain a competitive edge.
What’s notable about the Cube Root farming model, which was featured in last week’s edition of Business Day, is how it repurposes an object that is traditionally not associated with agriculture and turns it into a means of farming without extensive acreage. Literally taking us out of the box, Cube Root proposes the use of containers as indoor farms. These containers can be carefully controlled to widen the range of products under cultivation, giving farmers a degree of flexibility they would not have if they took to the land. In light of the ongoing debate on land use, particularly with agricultural land being often diverted to meet other pressing needs such as housing, it’s an approach that is worth considering on a large scale.
A balance may be possible with container farming and similar initiatives which do not require expansive acres of often deforested land, with the run-on problems of chemical use, seepage into groundwater sources and the domino effect on local flora and fauna, especially in Nariva, the current food basket centre of the nation.
If there is anything Cube Root has achieved it is to remind us that creative thinking can help us get around some of the challenges we face when it comes to bolstering our food production, reducing our food import bill and securing our ability to sustain our population. Their product should be viewed as an important litmus test for the appetite for novel thinking within agriculture, the kind of thinking that will draw new, more diverse segments of society to this sector.
Meanwhile, there is an urgent need to generate income and foreign exchange, a matter which agricultural initiatives could assist in addressing. Being able to grow crops that might otherwise only grow in temperate climates not only helps us rely less on food from these zones but opens the door to newer export territories, spreading risk. It’s a process, however, that must be strategic of our exports are to have any chance of standing out in the crowded international market where other countries have long advanced their techniques of agricultural production.
Which is where Sharon Rosella Roopsingh and her husband Renison are in the pink. Their foray into sorrel production is inspiring, finding new tones and re-igniting interest in a seasonal favourite. As noted in last week’s edition as well, while sorrel is usually red, dark red or black – varieties all of which Roopsingh grows – she also grows a pink version which as attracted the attention of many people.
“We found it unusual and exotic and we went with it,” she says. It’s an example of turning something fortuitous to one’s advantage. Which is the perfect embodiment of what the sector as a whole needs to do if agriculture is to reap even bigger rewards.
Bowery Farming's $50 Million Financing Tops Recent Funding News In New York
New York-based agriculture company Bowery Farming has secured $50 million in Series B funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the city’s recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced Nov. 6th
Photo: Paul Arps/Flickr
November 12, 2019
New York-based agriculture company Bowery Farming has secured $50 million in Series B funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the city’s recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced Nov. 6.
According to its Crunchbase profile, "Bowery is the modern farming company growing the purest produce imaginable. We are on a mission to grow food for a better future by revolutionizing agriculture. By combining the benefits of the best local farms with advances made possible by technology, our indoor farms create the ideal conditions to grow post-organic produce you can feel good about eating."
The four-year-old startup has raised three previous funding rounds, including a $90 million Series B round in 2018.
The round brings total funding raised by New York companies in food and beverage over the past month to $55 million. The local food and beverage industry has seen 65 funding rounds over the past year, securing a total of $786 million in venture funding.
In other local funding news, lending and point of sale company Octane Lending announced a $45 million Series C funding round on Nov. 4, led by Valar Ventures.
According to Crunchbase, "Octane Lending is a point of sale financing platform focused on niche consumer lending markets. They are currently focused on the recreational market (motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, personal watercraft, boats, RVs and snowmobiles). Their web-based platform helps dealers save time by eliminating the need to re-key customer information and helps move more units by opening dealerships to more prime/subprime lending sources."
Founded in 2014, the company has raised 11 previous rounds, including a $50 million debt financing round earlier this year.
Meanwhile, cloud data services and recruiting company Papaya Global raised $45 million in Series A funding, announced on Nov. 5. The round's investors were led by Insight Partners.
From the company's Crunchbase profile: "Papaya Global is a global HRIS that transforms global payroll, payments, and workforce management. Papaya Global's automated platform helps companies hire, onboard, manage and pay people in more than 100 countries. The cloud-based solution is easy to use and scale ensures full compliance and provides industry-leading BI and analytics."
Papaya Global last raised $3 million in funding in 2018.
Also of note, innovation management company Eight Sleep raised $40 million in Series C funding, announced on Nov. 6 and led by Founders Fund.
From Crunchbase: "Eight Sleep is the first sleep fitness company. It leverages innovation, technology, and personal biometrics to restore individuals to their peak energy levels each morning. Backed by leading Silicon Valley investors including Khosla Ventures and Y Combinator, it was named by Fast Company in 2018 as one of the Most Innovative Companies in Consumer Electronics."
The company previously raised $14 million in Series B funding in 2018.
Rounding out the city's recent top local funding events, rental property company SquareFoot raised $16 million in Series B funding, announced on Nov. 6 and led by DRW Venture Capital.
From Crunchbase: "SquareFoot serves companies that are looking for their next office and care deeply about finding the right next home. Growing companies require flexible lease options, a stress-free process, and transparency throughout the leasing journey. SquareFoot provides a seamless experience supported by easy-to-use technology and a highly responsive team of real estate professionals working to match specific client needs with a strong knowledge of what the market has to offer at any given moment."
The company previously raised $7 million in Series A funding in 2018.
VIDEO: Growing Up: How Vertical Farming Works | The B1M
Shedding the restrictions of seasonal weather patterns, overcoming transportation challenges and enhancing yields - the growing trend of “vertical farming” could herald the future of food production
March 6, 2019
Shedding the restrictions of seasonal weather patterns, overcoming transportation challenges and enhancing yields - the growing trend of “vertical farming” could herald the future of food production. For more by The B1M subscribe now: http://ow.ly/GxW7y
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7 of The Best Crops For Vertical Farming
Along with a number of other key factors — including a good location and an appropriate pricing strategy — smart crop choices play an essential role in helping vertical farms keep costs down and ensuring that farmers are able to sell the majority of what they grow
One of the biggest decisions that can make or break a vertical farm is the question of which crops to grow. Along with a number of other key factors — including a good location and an appropriate pricing strategy — smart crop choices play an essential role in helping vertical farms keep costs down and ensuring that farmers are able to sell the majority of what they grow.
According to a recent blog post from ZipGrow, a leading provider of vertical farming equipment and services, the following are two of the most important points to consider when choosing crops for a vertical farm:
Economic viability — ZipGrow and many other experts in the vertical farming industry are quick to remind aspiring farmers that just because something can be grown, this doesn’t necessarily mean it should be grown. With the right resources, it’s technically possible to grow just about anything in a vertical farming facility, but not all crops are economically viable. Some crops just aren’t able to make money when they are vertically farmed because their production costs are too high (for example, the crop requires hotter temperatures or more light relative to other crops), or simply because there is a lack of market demand for the crop. To make smart crop choices, vertical farmers need to be realistic about balancing likely costs with projected profits.
Timing and liability — The time period that elapses between a seedling entering the farm’s system and a mature plant being harvested and sent to market is known as a “turn.” In general, successful vertical farmers find that focusing on crops with fast turns, like salad greens and some herbs, helps to minimize their liability. This is because fast-turn crops mature so quickly that farmers are rarely more than about six weeks away from production, which limits the amount of resources that will be lost in the event that the crop fails. However, this doesn’t mean that there is no place in a vertical farm for slow-turn crops: some of these, like fruiting crops, can offer higher margins than fast-turn crops, potentially making them a good proposition depending on local market conditions (of course, while the profits may be higher, so is the risk).
What are some of the best crops for vertical farms?
While ZipGrow recommends that the process of choosing crops should be part of a comprehensive feasibility study undertaken by aspiring vertical farmers before launching their operations, the company does offer a basic guide to some of the most successful and popular crops currently being cultivated in vertical farms. These include the following:
Lettuce — Lettuce and other leafy greens are by far the biggest crop grown by indoor farmers (according to the Agrilyst 2017 State of Indoor Farming Report, 57% of indoor farms, including vertical farms, produce leafy greens). It’s not difficult to understand the popularity of the humble lettuce: it’s quick and easy to grow, inconsistent demand all year round, and available in dozens of different varieties so that farmers can switch up their product from time to time without having to change to a whole new crop.
Kale — Despite the predictions of some naysayers, the booming popularity of kale is showing no signs of decreasing. Not only is kale a nutrient powerhouse — ounce for ounce, cooked kale is richer in iron than beef — it’s also delicious, incredibly versatile and, like lettuce, available in many different varieties. A great choice for vertical farmers serving health-conscious markets, kale is fairly easy to grow, although farmers must take some care when harvesting in order to get the highest yield.
Chard and collard greens — These dark, leafy green vegetables are not quite as popular as kale, but they come close. Like kale, they can grow quite large in the proper conditions, and they can be partially harvested multiple times, each time growing back with a larger yield.
Basil — In many ways, basil is an ideal crop for vertical farming. Basil is sensitive to cold temperatures — when grown conventionally in soil, basil is only available for a few months each year — so it responds very well to the climate-controlled conditions of a vertical farming facility. In addition, some studies indicate that hydroponically-grown basil is richer in flavor than field-grown basil because it contains 20–40% more oils. Finally, compared to most other crops, basil can command a very high dollar amount per pound, and because it is an important ingredient in a great deal of restaurant cooking, it can often be sold in larger amounts to local restaurants or other institutions rather than by the ounce to individual customers.
Chives and mint — These two herbs are some of the best crops for new vertical farmers to start with. Chives and mint alike are easy to care for, have very quick turns, and are easy to harvest due to their dense, grass-like growing structure. Their distinctive flavors also make them very popular with customers.
WRITTEN BY Mark Crumpacker
Mark Crumpacker is a passionate marketing specialist with years of creative storytelling experience.
Vertical Farming Bootcamp
Want to learn more about Vertical Farming, Aquaponics and the technology behind it? Do you have a business model in mind and need to learn the components to execute it? Were you unable to attend last time? Now is your chance! Sign up for our Vertical Farming Bootcamp
Our VERTICAL FARMING BOOTCAMP is BACK!
We Are Excited To Announce Our Second Vertical Farming Bootcamp In Partnership With Seneca College!
Want to learn more about Vertical Farming, Aquaponics and the technology behind it?
Do you have a business model in mind and need to learn the components to execute it?
Were you unable to attend last time? Now is your chance!
Sign up for our Vertical Farming Bootcamp!
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2019
Time: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
Location: Seneca College - Newnham Campus
Click the link to sign up:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/vertical-farming-bootcamp-tickets-73285576131
Vertical Farming Firm Secures £4m In Seed Funding
London FoodTech firm Vertical Future has secured £4m in a seed round designed to power its sustainable food production technology. The firm’s technology allows for the growing of primarily baby leaf vegetables and herbs in a controlled, indoor environment
The London Company Uses Technology To Grow Plants In A Technique
Known As ‘Vertical Farming’
Alistair Hardaker 8th Oct 2019
An example of a 'vertical farm'
London FoodTech firm Vertical Future has secured £4m in a seed round designed to power its sustainable food production technology.
The firm’s technology allows for the growing of primarily baby leaf vegetables and herbs in a controlled, indoor environment.
The method has been developed with a vision to improve health and reducing CO2 emissions in ‘plant factory’ sites in London Fields and Mayfair, with a new development in its existing Deptford site.
Its new funding will support the first phase of the firm’s growth strategy – increasing crop production at these sites, with a target of a ten-fold increase in its B2B restaurant business alongside expansion into a B2C model under its MiniCrops brand.
Its more than 100 existing clients include Chop’d, Tom’s Kitchen and Mindful Chef.
Jamie Burrows, founder and CEO of Vertical Future, said the raise follows several years of hard work.
“Today’s raise validates our growth strategy and strong position in the London market, furthering our mission to improve the food and health of urban inhabitants, starting in London,” he said.
Ben Prior, CEO of Earthworm, added: “Vertical farming offers huge potential in solving one of the biggest issues of our time – how to feed a growing population sustainably.
“We are really impressed with Jamie’s vision and work ethic, and the team at Vertical Future has a very special business poised for growth.”
The technique’s popularly was recently bolstered after Ocado invested £17m into its own vertical farming venture.
Fish Poop Keeps Family Farming Together
As he tossed freeze-dried crickets into a pool of eager bluegill, Andrew Mueth explained this was how he and his five brothers could farm together and preserve the 160-year-old Illinois family farm legacy. The family raises a wide variety of lettuce using an aquaponic system that was erected in a decades-old straw storage shed
September 20, 2019
Andrew Mueth and his five brothers use aquaponics to produce lettuce that is sold at farmers markets in the St. Louis, Mo. area.( Sonja Begemann )
As he tossed freeze-dried crickets into a pool of eager bluegill, Andrew Mueth explained this was how he and his five brothers could farm together and preserve the 160-year-old Illinois family farm legacy. The family raises a wide variety of lettuce using an aquaponic system that was erected in decades-old straw storage shed.
“It’s a way we could work together on a family farm and it’s a lot cheaper than getting into row crops,” Mueth says. His family still owns 300 row-crop acres, but they’re rented to other farmers.
From fish poop to food
Because each of the six brothers has a full-time job, they endured late nights and long weekends to convert their shed into a working aquaponics system. One half of the shed serves as a home for the fish, currently, bluegill caught on their farm pond, and the other half a greenhouse.
Each fish "tank" holds 3,500 gallons of water. C: Sonja Begemann
Aquaponics is a combination of fish and plant production using aquaculture and hydroponic systems, according to USDA. The Mueths run fish waste through a multi-part filtration system to save water, extract as much nutrient-filled waste as possible, and convert it into a form that is safe to apply to plants. Too much ammonia, for example, will damage and even kill the plant.
This filtration system processes about 1,000 gallons of fish waste per hour. C: Sonja Begemann
In about three hours the biofiltration system can completely filter the 3,500-gallon fish tank, extracting valuable nutrients along the way. After filtering the waste in its ammonia-rich form, it’s converted to nitrites and then nitrates. Once filtered, the nutrients are added to water that is piped into vertical towers at a rate of 30 gallons per hour.
The brothers harvest two towers each week, or about 900 heads of lettuce. C: Sonja Begemann
After about eight weeks the lettuce is ready to harvest, Mueth says. The family harvests around 900 heads weekly that are sold to local restaurants or at farmer’s markets. The lettuce is sold in pre-mixed bags with multiple varieties to enhance taste and texture.
The concept is simple, but the carryout is tedious. The family put in about 5,000 hours of labor to convert the shed and set up the fish tanks, Mueth says. Altogether it cost less than $100,000, but he admits that the number would be higher if they paid themselves for the labor.
After just one year, so in a few months, the family will be back in the green from their startup costs. “But, we don’t pay ourselves for our work,” he says.
Statista: Global value of Aquaponics
C: Statista
Because they were fished out of a family pond, the only costs associated with the fish is their food. However, they plan to switch fish with the seasons and will soon pay for their newest breed, tilapia.
As for the bluegill?
“I think we’ll have a fish fry,” Mueth says.
How To Avoid Calcium Deficiency In Controlled Environment Food Crops
Tipburn and blossom end rot are symptoms of calcium (Ca) deficiency. Sometimes the first thought when a nutrient deficiency occurs is to add the nutrient that appears to be required to solve the issue
Tipburn and blossom end rot are symptoms of calcium (Ca) deficiency. Sometimes the first thought when a nutrient deficiency occurs is to add the nutrient that appears to be required to solve the issue. This isn’t always the best way to resolve the issue.
Calcium has a very important role in plant cell wall formation. If calcium cannot reach new cells in adequate time, cell wall formation cannot be completed. This can result in necrotic (dead) tissue in the leaves (tipburn) and fruit (blossom end rot) as consequence of cell death. This is why calcium uptake from roots to leaves is a very important process.
Calcium movement in plants
The main force moving calcium through plants is water. When plants transpire calcium moves. Calcium will only be present in plants when water is moving. Most cases of calcium deficiency in greenhouse crops is due to environmental conditions, not a nutrient deficiency directly related to the nutrient solution being applied.
Calcium deficiency triggers
There are several environmental conditions that can trigger calcium deficiency. The most common factors include:
Low relative humidity. When plants are exposed to low relative humidity levels, small pores in leaves called stomata close. Stomata are responsible for transpiration. Calcium movement depends entirely on stomata behavior. It is important to know optimum relative humidity levels for each crop and to keep the humidity levels as uniform and consistent as possible. The humidity in a greenhouse can be increased by running water through the evaporative cooling pads and/or by installing a fog system if necessary.
Lack of airflow over the crop. There needs to be air movement around the leaves to ensure continuous gas exchange. The airflow velocity around the plant leaves can be reduced as a result of the friction between the leaf surface and the moving air. This creates a boundary layer which is a layer of heavy air that can decrease gas exchange in plants. This reduction in gas exchange can impact calcium uptake by the plants.
This reduction in calcium uptake is common in greenhouse lettuce. Lettuce has a very tight leaf canopy. New leaves are usually exposed to a very dense boundary layer. Good airflow over the crop canopy is required to avoid tipburn. Installation of vertical fans is usually recommended to improve airflow in lettuce greenhouses. It is also important to maintain proper airflow in vertical farms. A 1 meter per second air velocity rate in each vertical layer is recommended for leafy greens.
High light intensity in vertical farms. With indoor farm production, there are many variables that need to be controlled to ensure good crop performance. Two variables that together can trigger tipburn are light intensity and the boundary layer. When plants are located close to the grow lights, the light intensity tends to increase and space for airflow decreases.
If plants are exposed to the same photoperiod during the entire production cycle, the total daily light integral (DLI) tends to increase with time. Recent research demonstrated that in indoor vertical farms when plants are exposed to a DLI that exceeds 17 moles of light per square meter per day (mol·m-2·d-1) for more than three days tipburn is triggered.
Excess humidity. Some crops including tomato show tipburn under high relative humidity environments. Transpiration from roots to leaves increases under high relative humidity levels. When the relative humidity is too high for tomato calcium uptake goes directly from the roots to the leaves bypassing the fruit. This is why sometimes blossom end rot (calcium deficiency in fruit) occurs in tomato fruit but no deficiency symptoms appear on the leaves.
Avoiding calcium deficiency
When calcium deficiency is seen in plants make sure to check that the fertigation system is operating properly. If the fertilizer stock solution is maintained in multiple tanks, check all reservoirs to ensure the same solution levels so that all nutrients are being delivered uniformly to all crops.
But remember to always monitor environmental conditions before adding calcium to any crop. Excess calcium can cause other nutrient deficiencies. If the decision is made to apply foliar calcium, then this treatment is required during the whole production cycle to avoid calcium deficiency. Foliar calcium applications to prevent calcium deficiency might be avoided if the production environment is properly controlled.
Sustainable Farming On The Rise In UAE
We import a huge amount of goods, and need to find ways of being not only more sustainable but more self-sustaining as well, meeting local demand through local production," said Mustafa Moiz, managing director of Uns Farms, a local indoor hydroponic farm growing fresh, locally produced leafy greens with no chemicals or preservatives
8/31/2019
(MENAFN - Khaleej Times)
Vertical farming is boosting the UAE's crop-producing capacity, helping the country build a sustainable future.
According to statistics, the UAE imports 80 per cent of its food, which is a major challenge for the country's food security. To address the situation, steps are being taken to restructure the food supply chain.
Vertical farming, a practice of growing local fruits and vegetables with minimal resources, is currently making waves.
"Vertical farming is the future of sustainable agriculture in the UAE. We import a huge amount of goods, and need to find ways of being not only more sustainable but more self-sustaining as well, meeting local demand through local production," said Mustafa Moiz, managing director of Uns Farms, a local indoor hydroponic farm growing fresh, locally produced leafy greens with no chemicals or preservatives.
"We're able to offer a wide variety of salad leaves, kale leaves, various types of lettuce and basil leaves at 30 to 40 per cent less than the cost of imported produce. Once the 30,000 sq-ft facility reaches its full capacity, we'll be producing about 1.5 tonnes per day and, therefore, meet the growing demand in the country," added Moiz.
Agrotech company VeggiTech, on the other hand, focuses on addressing the key challenges of traditional farming - soil, temperature and water - through its design of "protected hydroponics" and "grow-light-assisted hydroponics".
The company has over 15 hectares of farms in the UAE with protected hydroponics and 4,500sqm indoor vertical farms that use grow-light-assisted hydroponics. "The UAE currently produces between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of its food locally. We are committed to expanding the local farming footprint in a sustainable manner," said Hemant Julka, co-founder and COO of Veggitech.
A VeggiTech-designed hydroponics greenhouse is functional at GEMS Modern Academy in Nad Al Sheba, offering a hands-on curriculum that teach students, parents and teachers sustainable farming techniques.
"The adoption of thermal insulation material used in Veggitech greenhouses allows farms to be operational 12 months a year. Hydroponics is a growing technique that consumes 75 per cent to 95 per cent less water, as compared to traditional farming methods. Soil-less farming means there is no need for pesticides, thus providing safe products to consumers," said Julka.
Radical measures like harvesting water with alternative energy sources have also yielded positive results. Erik Smidt, agricultural counsellor from The Netherlands, said: "The state of agriculture in the UAE is rising. The Netherlands is extending assistance in horticulture through techniques that allows one to produce vegetables with almost no water and with the use of alternative energy resources (solar, wind).
"Circular agriculture is a new priority in The Netherlands. As the world population is growing, set to reach 9.5 billion by 2050, we need to produce more. For this, we need to produce food using all available materials and minimise waste. The Netherlands is willing to assist the UAE in implementing this concept," he added.
National strategy
Aside from promoting sustainability, the UAE's food security strategy also aims to ensure access to safe and nutritious food.
This is why organic farming - a method that doesn't rely on synthetic fertilisers - has also been gaining traction.
"I have seen a huge evolution, from not being able to find organic produce to seeing a wide array of companies in the market. There is a rise in the demand for organic produce. And many of the farms have grown significantly over the last few years to meet this demand," said Ripe founder Becky Balderstone, who has been in Dubai for the past 13 years. Ripe works with farms that follow strict organic farming procedures and have organic certification from the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology.
The availability of these local crops has also encouraged more residents to adopt a healthier lifestyles.
Harvest water from the air
Dutch firm SunGlacier has been selected to design a new and innovative 'solar-powered' unit that can generate water for the Dutch Pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai. The unit shall harvest an average of 800 litres of freshwater per day from the surrounding desert air.
The SunGlacier team is maximising a new and natural configuration of sunlight, air and gravity that can produce potable water from air nearly anywhere on the planet, even in hot and dry desert areas.
Quinoa: Most promising crop for UAE farmers
It may be surprising to hear, but one crop that is showing a lot of promise in the UAE is quinoa, according to scientists at the agricultural research-for-development centre International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA). The number of farmers cultivating quinoa in the UAE has been steadily increasing since 2016, with ICBA scientists distributing quinoa seeds to 12 pioneer farmers in Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Sharjah, and Fujairah.
Established in 1999 by the UAE and the Islamic Development Bank, the ICBA has been working with farmers in the UAE to introduce crop varieties and technologies that have performed well during trials under local conditions.
Dr Ismahane Elouafi, director-general, ICBA, said: "The UAE has improved its ranking on the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) from 33rd in 2017 to 31st in 2018, based on three core categories of affordability, availability and quality and safety. However, its rank is fifth within the Mena region based on the country's commitment to food security."
Different organisations based in the UAE, including ICBA, are supporting the great initiative for the sustainable food production in the region with innovative technologies like growing crops that need less water or can thrive with the brackish water or producing nutritious food (like quinoa and millet) from marginal lands with poor quality water.
"The UAE must further invest in innovation and science to develop and adopt new food systems that can fulfil their national targets," added Elouafi.
The UAE has appointed a Minister of State for Food Security to strategically address food security and nutrition challenges. The country ranks fourth in food affordability, but 50th in availability, hence a large amount of the food security is based on the import of food products.
Harsh desert climate and scarce freshwater resources have been considered major challenges
Sandhya D'Mello
Journalist. Period. My interests are Economics, Finance and Information Technology. Prior to joining Khaleej Times, I have worked with some leading publications in India, including the Economic Times.
The History of Hydroponics
The history of hydroponics has been around since Ancient times. The worlds rice crop has been grown hydroponically in Ancient time to modern day. The first known of water based hydroponics is in the hanging gardens of Babylon
The history of hydroponics has been around since Ancient times. The worlds rice crop has been grown hydroponically in Ancient time to modern day. The first known of water based hydroponics is in the hanging gardens of Babylon.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The hanging garden of Babylon is growing beside the river Euphrates and is one of the 7 wonders of the world.The garden was hand watered using a chain system to water the garden.
The Aztecs gardened on Chinampa which were fertile land that were surrounded by water on shallow lake. Chinampas are located where Mexico City is today.
The Aztecs gardened on Chinampa
Chinampas are artificial islands that were created by interweaving reeds with stakes beneath the lake’s surface, creating underwater fences.
A buildup of soil and aquatic vegetation would be piled into these “fences” until the top layer of soil was visible on the water’s surface.
These agricultural lands received this nickname due to the illusion they caused. The bodies of land appeared to be islands.
Mexico valley is Mexico city now.
The earliest published work on growing terrestrial plants without soil was the 1627 book Sylva Sylvarum or ‘A Natural History’ by Francis Bacon, printed a year after his death. Water culture became a popular research technique after that.
The earliest modern reference to hydroponics (last 100 years) was by a man named William Frederick Gericke. While working at the University of California, Berkeley, he began to popularize the idea that plants could be grown in a solution of nutrients and water instead of soil.
The earliest food production in greenhouses was possibly the growing of off-season cucumbers under “transparent stone” for the Roman Emperor Tiberius during the first century. The technology was rarely employed, if at all, during the following 1500 years.