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‘Farming 4.0’: In Space-Starved Hong Kong, The Future of Agriculture May Be In High-Rise Buildings, And Hi-Tech
An old factory building in Tai Po is using ‘vertical farming’ to turn a 10,000 sq ft space into one the size of a football field.
By replacing shovels and hoes with computers and drones, the operation only needs four farmers
21 December 2018
A hi-tech vegetable farm in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district is thriving inside a converted factory building, and produces four tonnes of lettuce, wild rocket, endive and cabbage for salads each month.
HONG KONG NEWS
At Farm66, workers in their 20s and 30s tend to neat rows of racks, each 30cm tall and 10 tiers high, filled with potted greens lit by low-energy light-emitting diode (LED) lamps and connected to fish tanks on the floor.
Instead of shovels and hoes, they work with computers and drones.
“We farm with technology, not ploughs,” said the vertical farm’s co-founder, Gordon Tam Chi-ho, who is in his 30s. “This is farming 4.0.”
The 20,000 sq ft space is air conditioned and fitted with sensors which check the temperature, humidity and height of the vegetables to make sure the environment is kept stable for the growth of greens.
Once a day, a drone flies over the racks to inspect the vegetables. If some are too short, a technician in a control room will adjust the racks remotely to move the plants closer to the LED lamps.
The plants are watered automatically using the fish tanks. Carp reared in the tanks produce the waste that becomes organic fertiliser for the vegetables.
Farm66 offers a glimpse of the future of farming by harnessing technology and using less space than traditional farming, long regarded a sunset industry in Hong Kong.
Primary industries, mainly comprising farming, fishing, mining and quarrying, accounted for HK$502 million (US$64 million) last year, a tiny fraction of the city’s total gross domestic product of HK$2.65 trillion.
But Tam, who is optimistic about the prospects for aqua-farming, said: “Hong Kong is a service-based city, but we still need healthy food. This is a viable business in Hong Kong because of demand for healthy produce and the growing awareness of food safety.”
Tam had been troubled by allergies to metals and pesticides in vegetables when he and his two partners – Billy Lam Chi-yeung and Terry Chau Tak-hung – founded Farm66 in 2013.
They started in an old industrial building in Chai Wan before moving in June this year to premises 10 times larger at Tai Po Industrial Estate. The current property is part of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation’s revitalised precision manufacturing centre.
Setting up the vertical farming project cost more than HK$10 million, Tam said, with investment coming from an undisclosed angel fund.
The farm currently uses about half of its available space. When fully operational, output is expected to rise to about 16 tonnes a month, or 200 tonnes a year.
As the vegetables are grown in a tightly controlled ecosystem, they grow faster than outdoors, do not need pesticides and are ready to eat upon harvesting.
Tam, who trained as an architect in the United States and studied sustainable urban development in Hong Kong, said innovation had made farming more viable and less labour intensive.
Vertical farming using tiered racks means 10,000 sq ft of space can expand to become an area the size of a football field.
“We apply computer science and technology to the growing process, and that’s why we have only four people handling operations,” he said.
The future of farming: Japan goes vertical and moves indoors
Technology also allows the company to overcome the lack of sunlight indoors. The farm uses different types of LED lamps of varying wavelengths – for example, red LED light to help the plants grow taller and blue to encourage thicker, bigger leaves.
“Our biggest enemies are bacteria and insects – that’s why the growing areas are restricted areas and we keep track constantly of the data collected by our sensors,” Tam said.
Funding and space remain challenges too. “Raising angel funds and finding a sizeable space in Hong Kong are not easy,” he said. Rent accounted for 40 per cent of costs, labour 30 per cent, research and development 10 per cent and the rest went on utility bills.
To make the business more financially viable, he decided not to grow mass market greens such as choi sum or bak choi, which sell for about HK$12 for two catties (1.2kg).
Instead, the farm grows higher-priced salad greens which it packages in boxes sold for between HK$25 per 30 grams to about HK$68 for 120 grams.
Its vegetables, which are on sale at City’super, will soon also be available in other supermarkets and about 10 vending machines to be set up in residential clubhouses and office buildings.
Playing "Happy Families" To Understand Urban Agriculture In France
We hear a lot about urban agriculture, but what is it exactly? How is it different from traditional agriculture? What is the difference between rural farms and urban farms?
11 December 2018
Agnès Lelièvre, lecturer in agronomy at AgroParisTech, Baptiste Grard, postdoctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Agroecosystems (AgroParisTech/INRA), Christine Aubry, head of the Urban Agriculture research team at AgroParisTech, and Véronique Saint-Ges, economist at INRA, tell us about the different forms of urban agriculture.
We hear a lot about urban agriculture, but what is it exactly? How is it different from traditional agriculture? What is the difference between rural farms and urban farms?
New definitions of that concept have emerged in the past few years—including that of Canadian expert Luc J.A. Mougeot (2000) and French experts Paula Nahmias et Yvon Le Caro (2012)—, along with new typologies such as those of Cerema, Exp’AU and IAU. In the present case we will use Mougeot’s definition of urban agriculture:
“A production unit located within a city or metropolis (urban) or in its direct vicinity (peri-urban) that produces, raises, processes and distributes a diversity of food or non-food products by massively (re)using human and material resources, products and services from that urban area and its surroundings, and providing human and material resources, products and services to that same area.”
To depict the different forms of urban farming, we have chosen to use the analogy of “Happy Families”, where each category of urban agriculture is a family. For each family, we will relate the story of its ancestors and parents (the ancient forms) as well as that of its children (the current forms).
Without further ado, let’s get to know all these happy families.
1. The “Feet in the soil” family
This family has historically lived in an urban environment, while staying deeply connected to the soil. In today’s context, this category suffers from two recurring issues: access to land and pollution.
The ancestors of that category were the vegetable gardens of aristocrats, such as the well-known “King’s garden”, established in Versailles during the 17th century to provide fruit and vegetables to Louis XIV’s court.
In this family, the parents are a popular and commercial version of their ancestors. They are, for example, the marais ("swamps") at the heart of Paris, which have led to the French word maraîchage (“market gardening”). These farmers were great initiators and inventors of agricultural techniques that are still being used today. They practiced intensive agriculture on small areas using frames or glass domes to cultivate earlier in the season. Horse manure (which at that time was abundant in the city) and urban mud were some of the resources commonly used. This shows how helpful market gardeners were to city dwellers.
They have a large, varied descent that includes peri-urban farms, often pushed outside of the cities due to urban densification and hygienization. These farmers continue to sell their products to city dwellers, i.e. mainly vegetable produce and small animals (chickens, eggs, etc.). Over the past fifteen years, these farms have become increasingly popular through the development of short, local distribution networks such as AMAPs. These farms usually cover a few hectares each. In 2010, almost half of French farms producing vegetables and honey sold their produce through short distribution networks.
However, some farmers have managed to establish themselves within cities—or to maintain ancestral farms, although this is less common—by diversifying their activities. Some of them do community work, for instance for individuals that have been disconnected from the job market (such as the gardens of association Aurore), others do educational work (Veni Verdi for vegetable production, Bergers urbains for urban pastoralism) or organize cultural events (La ferme du bonheur).
The closest descendants of market gardeners work in production farms (such as Perma G’Rennes), located on former agricultural plots, or in schools or parks with plots from a few hundred m2 to 1 or 2 hectares.
The garden of the Pierre Mendès France college in Paris, overseen by the Veni Verdi association. (Michèle Foin/Vimeo, 2016).
2. The “Rooftop” family
This family has been around for centuries, as plants were already found on rooftop terraces in ancient Egypt, as shown in certain images of the book Palais et Maisons du Caire ("Palaces and houses of Cairo"), on the architecture of the 13th-16th centuries. Today urban honey is harvested from beehives installed on the roof of many public and private buildings.
There has been a growing interest in "green roofs" (i.e. not producing food) since the 1980s. Now the “agricultural descent” of this family includes farm that are community-oriented—to foster social interactions (Culticimes), for educational or experimental purposes (AgroParisTech‘s rooftop) or for event planning (Jardins suspendus). Some roofs also host farms for productive purposes (Aéromate, AgriPolis).
Interview of Louise Doulliet, co-founder of startup Aéromate. (Supbiotech/YouTube, 2017).
These “rooftop farms” have specific requirements as they have limited space compared to regular land farms. Today, rooftop vegetable gardens can be seen as a solution to issues related to land access and soil pollution, to the point that in a growing number of cities, new constructions anticipate their presence. Yet many questions remain unanswered, including about their design and the growing medium used.
3. The “Vertical” family
Growing produce on walls may seem risky... Yet Montreuil’s peach walls were renowned worldwide during the 19th century for the quality of their production: the fruits were exported as far as the Russian Tsar’s court. Vines have also been climbing on small walls and all kinds of arbors since antiquity.
Whether in museums, hospitals or malls, living walls designed for decorative purposes have become increasingly popular since the 90’s and 2000’s. Today living walls producing vegetables or hop are also found next to urban microbreweries. Farms specializing in event planning also use walls on rooftops. This family is less common than the two previous ones.
Paris hops will grow on the walls https://t.co/6XSGvftnTJ — Le Parisien | Paris (@LeParisien_75) 18 février 2018
4. The “Greenhouse” family
Greenhouse farming extends the production period of fruit and vegetables. The aristocracy was the first to reap its benefits through orangeries and winter gardens. During the 19th century, greenhouses were built in Auteuil and Paris’s Jardin des plantes to ensure the conservation of varieties and species constituting plant collections.
Today, greenhouses are extensively used in agriculture—including in the well-known Dutch production units—but also in cities for productive purposes (Skygreen) or on rooftops (Les Fermes Lufa, The New Farm). They can also be used to educate or experiment on social reinsertion and food therapy (such as in the Cité maraîchère in Romainville).
Greenhouse kale crops in Montreal’s Loufa farms. Les Fermes Lufa Facebook page
Aquaponics is another form of greenhouse farming that combines raising fish and growing vegetables. Although this type of production can be done in tanks based on a living substrate (with fertilizing power for the plants), it is usually based on a neutral substrate in hydroponic systems where the necessary elements for plants—and fish, if any—are provided through water. This type of production is currently being studied as part of a national research project.
5. The “Shade” family
The ancestors of this family developed underground, in mushroom and endive farms. They are known as produits de cave (“basement products”) and are commonly found in the greater Paris area. The parents haven’t diversified their products, yet they have developed new production systems. The children took over the family business by diversifying the offer, through micro-sprouts in particular, and by reusing new types of waste generated by the city, such as coffee grounds. It is mostly production-oriented (Boîte à champignons, La Caverne).
The Boîte à champignons (mushroom box). Agnès Lelièvre
A high tech “parent” has appeared in the last few years with growth in a controlled environment (light, atmosphere, etc.) thanks to recent progress in spatial research. Its children are using existing buildings or recycled containers (Agricool, Farmbox). This family is strongly developing in some countries with high population density or facing intense climatic stress. In France, it has been used as an opportunity to reuse areas such as abandoned parking lots, and in certain cases, to establish mobile farms.
6. The “Sunday gardening” family
The ancestor of the individual garden has led to private gardens, but also to group gardening with allotment gardens, which emerged at the end of the 19th century.
The children of this family continue to maintain private gardens on balconies, terraces and actual gardens, which can be produce high yields. They also practice collective gardening which covers shared gardens, family gardens and multiple hybrid experiments. While private gardening is aimed at growing vegetables, collective gardening also has a social and educational purpose.
This family has grown a lot since the 20th century and it has become increasingly popular, especially in the case of collective gardening. There are over 1,000 collective gardens in Île-de-France, covering at least 900 hectares, in a context where professional vegetable production covers 5,000 hectares. It is a great success, even though obtaining a plot to cultivate in the city or its surroundings remains difficult, as evidenced by the long waiting lists to access a family or collective garden.
Family gardens in the Lilas public park in Vitry-sur-Seine (94). Agnès Lelièvre.
7. The “Self-service” family
Inspired my movements such as Guerrilla gardening, which, in the 70s, started reclaiming land that had been built and abandoned, this is a family of creative, conquering activists.
It has given birth to active offspring seeking to establish plant production in public spaces for everyone to enjoy. It includes international initiatives such as the Incredible edibles, as well as initiatives launched by cities themselves such as permis de végétaliser ("license to plant") and the reintroduction of fruit trees in public parks. Although still discreet, this family has a bright future, as it is an inspiration to local communities.
The original version of this article was published on The Conversation.
Gulf Region, UAE: $1.2bn GCC Vertical Farming Boom Seen By 2021
New research says a growing importance is being given to vertical farming across the Gulf region
The UAE is leading the vertical farming change and has upcoming projects facilitated by the government as well as private players to help increase food security in the region.
A growing importance is being given to vertical farming across the GCC and is generating interest and increased investments from regional and overseas players, according to a new report.
Orbis Research said the region's vertical farming market is expected to reach $1.21 billion by 2021 at a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 26.4 percent from only $380 million in 2016.
It said the UAE is leading this change and has upcoming projects facilitated by the government as well as private players to help increase food security in the region.
These include the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment allotting space for 12 vertical farms to be built by Shalimar Biotech Industries, and the world’s largest vertical farm for Emirates Airlines by Crop One Holdings Inc.
With around 90 percent of food being imported in the UAE, territorial problems of water scarcity and small percentages of arable land, vertical farming is becoming increasingly vital to ensure food security within the region, the report added.
Mariam Al Mehiri, Minister of Future Food Security, also plans to create a "Food Valley" or a technology hub, dedicated to the development of food and farming automation.
The report comes ahead of AgraME 2019, a platform for the latest technology to be showcased to the regional agribusiness market.
Henry Gordon-Smith, founder and managing director of Agritecture who will be speaking at AgraME 2019, said: “The potential is certainly there to transform what has historically been a relatively small traditional farming industry into perhaps the most technologically advanced agriculture industry in the world.
"This means economic development, increased production of nutritious local produce, and lowered food costs, all with minimal water consumption and increased resilience to climate change and foreign markets.”
Samantha Bleasby, exhibition director of AgraME added that the show, which takes place in Dubai from March 5-7, is attracting key players in the industry such as Certhon, Agrotonomy, Veggitech, Wuxi, iGrowths Technology Co Ltd, Ozorganic Urban Farming and Van der Hoeven.
For all the latest tech news from the UAE and Gulf countries, follow us on Twitter and Linkedin, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.
What's Wrong With Today's Food Supply Chain And How Do We Fix It?
The new year is just around the corner and we continue to radically rethink today's agricultural landscape - in Germany and abroad
Worldwide it is estimated that approximately 1.8 billion people engage in agriculture and most use pesticides to protect the food and commercial products that they produce. Every year over 5.6 billion pounds of pesticides are used worldwide. Among them are highly toxic substances, harming not only nature but the farmers and humans who get in touch with these substances. It has been estimated that as many as 25 million agricultural workers worldwide experience unintentional pesticide poisonings each year.
Why all the stats? The heavy use of pesticides is one reason, why we have the conviction to revolutionize the urban food supply through our indoor cultivation. With Dryponics we protect our environment, using zero pesticides and only a fraction of the water and fertiliser that other cultivation methods require.
Producing hyper locally allows us to deliver freshness and nutrients, instead of low quality produce that travels thousands of miles. In short: we combine the benefits of the best local farms with advances made possible by technology to grow produce you can feel good about eating.
We still have a long way to go but with our ambitious vision, our diverse team and strong partners we get closer to achieving our goals day by day. We want to thank everyone who has believed in us and supported us so far. We are looking forward to an eventful new year and are excited to announce that we are expanding to the Middle East in 2019.
While our Dryponics farm in Hamburg is up and running since 1.5 years, we are ambitious to increase our impact by producing greens in dry regions where food imports are an even bigger challenge. Stay tuned for more details coming up soon!
Producing hyper locally allows us to deliver freshness and nutrients, instead of low quality produce that travels thousands of miles. In short: we combine the benefits of the best local farms with advances made possible by technology to grow produce you can feel good about eating.
We still have a long way to go but with our ambitious vision, our diverse team and strong partners we get closer to achieving our goals day by day. We want to thank everyone who has believed in us and supported us so far. We are looking forward to an eventful new year and are excited to announce that we are expanding to the Middle East in 2019.
While our Dryponics farm in Hamburg is up and running since 1.5 years, we are ambitious to increase our impact by producing greens in dry regions where food imports are an even bigger challenge. Stay tuned for more details coming up soon!
Producing hyper locally allows us to deliver freshness and nutrients, instead of low quality produce that travels thousands of miles. In short: we combine the benefits of the best local farms with advances made possible by technology to grow produce you can feel good about eating.
We still have a long way to go but with our ambitious vision, our diverse team and strong partners we get closer to achieving our goals day by day. We want to thank everyone who has believed in us and supported us so far. We are looking forward to an eventful new year and are excited to announce that we are expanding to the Middle East in 2019.
While our Dryponics farm in Hamburg is up and running since 1.5 years, we are ambitious to increase our impact by producing greens in dry regions where food imports are an even bigger challenge. Stay tuned for more details coming up soon!
Producing hyper locally allows us to deliver freshness and nutrients, instead of low quality produce that travels thousands of miles. In short: we combine the benefits of the best local farms with advances made possible by technology to grow produce you can feel good about eating.
We still have a long way to go but with our ambitious vision, our diverse team and strong partners we get closer to achieving our goals day by day. We want to thank everyone who has believed in us and supported us so far. We are looking forward to an eventful new year and are excited to announce that we are expanding to the Middle East in 2019.
While our Dryponics farm in Hamburg is up and running since 1.5 years, we are ambitious to increase our impact by producing greens in dry regions where food imports are an even bigger challenge. Stay tuned for more details coming up soon!
Producing hyper locally allows us to deliver freshness and nutrients, instead of low quality produce that travels thousands of miles. In short: we combine the benefits of the best local farms with advances made possible by technology to grow produce you can feel good about eating.
We still have a long way to go but with our ambitious vision, our diverse team and strong partners we get closer to achieving our goals day by day. We want to thank everyone who has believed in us and supported us so far. We are looking forward to an eventful new year and are excited to announce that we are expanding to the Middle East in 2019.
While our Dryponics farm in Hamburg is up and running since 1.5 years, we are ambitious to increase our impact by producing greens in dry regions where food imports are an even bigger challenge. Stay tuned for more details coming up soon!
Urban Farms Could Be Incredibly Efficient—But Aren’t Yet
In some ways, hyper-local food is a counterculture movement, focused on growing herbs and vegetables in the same dense urban environments where they will be eaten. It trades the huge efficiencies of modern agriculture for large savings in transportation and storage costs. But is urban farming environmentally friendly?
Casual Farmers Overwork, Buy Fertilizer, And Use Municipal Water.
JOHN TIMMER - 12/27/2018
The green revolution that transformed modern agriculture has generally increased its scale. There's tremendous potential for efficiencies in the large-scale application of mechanization, fertilization, and pesticide use. But operating at that level requires large tracts of land, which means sources of food have grown increasingly distant from the people in urban centers who will ultimately eat most of it.
In some ways, hyper-local food is a counterculture movement, focused on growing herbs and vegetables in the same dense urban environments where they will be eaten. It trades the huge efficiencies of modern agriculture for large savings in transportation and storage costs. But is urban farming environmentally friendly?
According to researchers at Australia's University of New England, the answer is pretty complex. Within their somewhat limited group of gardeners, urban agriculture is far more productive for the amount of land used, but isn't especially efficient with labor and materials use. But the materials issue could be solved, and the labor inefficiency may be a product of the fact that most urban farmers are hobbyists, and are doing it for fun.
Urban ag
The researchers—Robert McDougalla, Paul Kristiansena, and Romina Rader—defined urban agriculture as taking place within a kilometer of a densely built environment. Working in the Sydney area, they were able to find 13 urban farmers who were willing to keep detailed logs of their activity for an entire year. Labor and materials costs were tracked, as was the value of the produce it helped create. The energetic costs of the materials and labor were also calculated in order to assess the sustainability of urban farming.
The plots cultivated by these farmers were quite small, with the median only a bit over 10 square meters. Yet they were extremely productive, with a mean of just under six kilograms of produce for each of those square meters. That's about twice as productive as a typical Australian vegetable farm, although the output range of the urban farms was huge—everything from slightly below large farm productivity to five times as productive.
For the vast majority of crops, however, the urban farms weren't especially effective. They required far more labor than traditional farms and as a result the total value of the inputs into the crop exceeded the income from selling it. In other words, the urban farmers were losing money, at least by traditional accounting measures. And the farms weren't especially sustainable, with only about 10 percent of all the inputs coming from renewable resources. Again, labor was a major culprit, as it's not considered very renewable, and urban farming is very labor-intensive.
So that all sounds like a bit of a disaster, really. But as mentioned above, things quickly get complex. The urban farmers, as it turned out, bought compost and fertilizer, and used the municipal water supply. Cities, as the authors note, produce large quantities of organic waste that could be used to make compost. While it would require additional labor and land space, it would be easy to make the care of the crops far more sustainable. Combined with the use of collected rainwater, these could get the percentage of renewable contributions up to roughly 40 percent.
Laborious
Then there's the issue of the time spent on labor. The urban farmers don't seem to be especially efficient compared to regular farm laborers, and by all indications they don't necessarily want to be. For many of them, it's more a hobby than career; they put in more labor because they enjoy it or find it relaxing. If you start reducing the labor costs to reflect this, things start changing dramatically. If only the material costs of urban farming is considered (meaning labor was set to $0), then the apparent efficiency improves dramatically.
Not surprisingly, ignoring labor costs also makes a big difference financially, with the profit-to-cost ratio going from a mean of 0.62 up to 2.8, indicating that these urban farms would generally be quite profitable.
Labor also makes a big difference in terms of energy use. As they're now operating, these urban farms aren't very different from rural farms, which means they're not sustainable. Shifting to local sources of materials, like rainwater and compost, would drop the energy use dramatically, shifting the farms into territory that's typically considered sustainable. Eliminating labor considerations on top of that would make urban agriculture among the most efficient means of growing vegetables presently studied.
There are two obvious caveats to this work: the small number of farms sampled and the fact that they were all in a single urban area. This sort of study will obviously need to be replicated in other locations before we can start generalizing about hyper-local produce. But the role of labor in this sort of analysis makes conclusions difficult to generalize. Is it reasonable to discount some fraction of the labor costs when people are doing the farming for pleasure? Do we start considering a tomato plant on a balcony part of an urban farm?
While many of the details are unclear, the overall conclusion seems solid: while urban farms aren't yet there in terms of sustainability and energy use, the potential for them to outpace their larger urban cousins is definitely there. But it will take an entire sustainable support infrastructure for them to truly arrive.
PNAS, 2018. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1809707115 (About DOIs).
How The Farm Bill Impacts Greenhouse And Indoor Growers
December 28, 2018
Photo taken by Allison Kopf
When President Trump signed the Farm Bill last week, it was the first time that indoor farmers have been included in the act’s provisions since its birth in 1933.
The Farm Bill, which will allocate $867 billion of federal money over the next ten years came about in reaction to the dust bowl years of the 1930s. That era of climate variability and unsustainable farming techniques left American farmers vulnerable, which the first farm bill attempted to help with. Today, facing our own era of climate change, Congress has begun to take an interest in how it can help indoor farmers. Here are four parts of the bill that we’re really excited about:
Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Section 12302 of the bill opens a new office to aid urban and indoor farmers. The newly created Office of Urban Agricultural and Innovative Production will “ encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices.”
We’ll have to wait and see what that encouragement and promotion actually means, but it’s certainly a plus for indoor and greenhouse growers to have a federal office learning where it can have the government add value to the indoor ecosystem.
Micro-Grants
Good news for farmers in food insecure places: the government wants to help. In order to feed citizens with real, healthy foods, provision 12616 of the bill authorizes small grants for farmers who want to build hydroponic and aeroponic farms.
A Census
In order to get a grasp on the indoor farming landscape, the government will conduct a census of existing indoor, rooftop, greenhouse, and hydroponic farming operations in both urban and rural areas.
This is great news. We’ve been conducting our own survey for a few years now since the ag census previously didn’t do much for highlighting indoor growers. We’re excited to see where this goes.
Help From the Government
Information from that census will help the government aid farmers in a couple ways under section 11122 of the bill. One of them is that the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation will research insurance plans to help farmers, particularly those in small-scale production to offer policies that are most beneficial. Currently, the government offers subsidized insurance for farmers in case of drought or hail or if prices fall. The primary crops covered under insurance are the most basic staples of American agriculture, such as wheat and corn. For indoor farms, the elements would not affect yield as they would outside, but there are still plenty of variables, including the price of crops, the cost of electricity, and others, which could benefit from some type of federal insurance.
We believe that greenhouse and indoor farming is the future of farming, and we’re glad to see that the U.S. government is thinking ahead and moving in the same direction. The farming industry faces some challenges before it. With climate changes, the patterns of planting will vary more and more, and extreme weather will become more normal. As our cities continue to support more people, it’s becoming more of a challenge to provide fresh, wholesome food to the neighborhoods that need it. The provisions in the farm bill provide the beginnings of some solutions for meeting those challenges, and for leading to a farming industry that’s equitable, sustainable, and healthy!
New York City School Opens Greenhouse Classroom
On a snowy November morning Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, students, teachers, School Construction and other community members celebrated City As School High School new Greenhouse Classroom.
The fundraising efforts were led by City As School teacher and Alum Naima Freitas who will be using NY Sun Works curriculum with experiments and research that connect science to math, social studies and art. “I am especially excited about using this classroom as a demonstration site for local elementary and middle schools,” said Freitas, “and will be working with my students to plan Pay What You Can Farm Stands and Cooking Demos with their hydroponic harvests”
Guests enjoyed fresh mint tea, kale chips and pesto made by the students using their first harvest.
The greenhouse classroom will expand far beyond the educational auspices of the Urban farm: Students will learn about the science of sustainability and how to grow food with cutting edge technology. They will also learn about contamination, pollution, biodiversity, and conservation while understanding how their actions have an impact on the environment.
“In-school hydroponics labs are a great innovation that make real-life, hands-on, project-based science education a day-to-day part of students’ lives,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “Research and common sense both tell us that experiential education opportunities produce deeper learning and more meaningful experiences for students, and I’m thrilled we could fund and complete this project through my office’s urban agriculture initiative. Whether it’s hydroponics, aquaponics, greenhouses, kitchens, media labs, or recording studios, giving our students the facilities they need to do more than just memorize and recite is always the right thing to do.”
The Borough Presidents funding allowed for a complete gut renovation by NYC School Construction Authority to transform the previous space into a fully functioning urban farm in collaboration with NY Sun Works.
Meet The Designer Putting Rooftop Gardens On Cars in NYC
By placing lightweight “green” roofs composed of plant life on the tops of cars and buses, Marco Castro Cosio’s Bus Roots aims to unlock an extra 1,000,000 square feet of green space in New York City
Following up on their NYC Is Green content series, Mercedes-Benz EQ and arts-focused media production company Created Here are placing the spotlight on sustainability advocate and NYC-based interactive designer Marco Castro Cosio. After taking us behind-the-scenes with visual artist Zaria Forman, who creates large-scale paintings of arctic and ocean landscapes to raise awareness for climate change, and highlighting Dan Barasch, a community developer building a fully underground park in NYC, Mercedes-Benz EQ is capping their content series by featuring the innovative work of Castro Cosio.
As an innovation consultant with residencies at Columbia, NYU, and TED, and as the mind behind Bus Roots, an initiative that installs “green” roofs on the tops of vehicles, Marco Castro Cosio represents the environmental ingenuity NYC Is Green stands for.
By placing lightweight “green” roofs composed of plant life on the tops of cars and buses, Marco Castro Cosio’s Bus Roots aims to unlock an extra 1,000,000 square feet of green space in New York City. Castro Cosio’s contribution would generate more plant life in NYC – which helps to provide refuge to the city’s wildlife and pollinators – and his green roofs would serve as a natural coolant for the sweltering New York summers. Watch the video above to learn more about Marco Castro Cosio’s green roofs, his commitment to NYC sustainability, and more.
France: "Local Cultivation Is More Than The Right Postal Code"
Le Maraîchers du Mont Saint-Michel
"The French market is a very good market to cultivate for. There is a demand for a clean, sustainably cultivated quality product: the tomatoes must be red and of good taste." This is what Jean Marc Paimblanc from the French tomato nursery Le Maraîchers du Mont Saint-Michel is saying. Recently, Havecon completed the company's 17 hectare greenhouse.
Upscaling
The greenhouse is up and about, the heating system and the water systems are completed. At the end of January, the first plants will be moved into the greenhouse and next year Le Maraîchers du Mont Saint-Michel (the growers of the Mont Saint-Michel) hope to get the first tomatoes from their new greenhouse. There will be quite a lot of them: already in their first year, there will be cultivation on 17 hectares. "That's new for the French market, where the average nursery has an acreage of a few hectares," confirms Jean Marc Paimblanc, director of the company. "Customers would like to cooperate more intensively with cultivation companies. That is where this size fits: it allows you to deliver in a customer-specific way."
Diffuse glass
The greenhouse is divided into three blocks of almost 6 hectares each and is equipped with diffuse glass to make optimum use of the available sunlight. The construction photos of Havecon, which is realizing the entire project in collaboration with the French CMF, show very well how the light is spread. At the company a processing room has been realized to have the tomatoes packaged to size and delivered to the customer. Also a number of CHPs have been installed.
"The people in France remain very modest but this really is a state of the art construction project in beautiful Normandy", according to Ramon Bol, responsible for the sales in Europe within Havecon.
Location
Le Maraîchers du Mont Saint-Michel are focusing on the local market. "The demand for local product is rising", says Jean Marc. "It is not only about the postal code of the company. A French tomato also ought to have the right quality and provide the right experience: the consumer wants a cleanly grown, red and tasty tomato, cultivated by a company from the region. All this gives value to the concept of local."
Although the postal code of the company may not be the most important for the sales, the location is of course important: the company is unique in the region, has a strong sales market here and even has the metropolis of Paris, at less than 300 km distance in a straight line. The fact that this location is less than twenty kilometers away from the well-known Mont Saint-Michel, is really a great advantage. There is a reason why they have incorporated the French icon into their company name. "The Mont Saint-Michel is a household name domestically and outside of France", Jean Marc concludes. "They receive thousands of tourists a day - only the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower attract more visitors. And in this region, no comparable tomato nursery has been established yet, so that is a great opportunity. In the coming years we hope to supply regional parties with our local production."
For more information:
Havecon
Lorentzstraat 8
2665 JH Bleiswijk
Netherlands
Tel. +31(0)10 266 32 70
Fax +31(0)10 266 32 71
info@havecon.com
www.havecon.com
Developer Plans $33 Million Indoor Farm, Microgrid Project In Former Paper Mill
DECEMBER 20, 2018
Arcadia Energy Corp. wants to transform the former Florelle Tissue Corp. plant, pictured here in 2010, into an up to $33 million indoor farm and energy complex.
WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES
BROWNVILLE — A Rochester microgrid developer plans to build an up to $33 million indoor hydroponic farm and energy complex in a former paper mill on the Black River.
Acadia Energy Corp. wants to repurpose the 100,000-square-foot mill that once housed Florelle Tissue Corp., which closed in 2013, for a vertical farm and a microgrid.
John Bay, CEO of Acadia Energy, said for the farm, which would occupy only 10,000 square feet, he envisions growing produce like lettuce, tomato and arugula in bins of seven to 15 feet with rotating trays. The microgrid would produce electricity and thermal energy using natural gas, although Mr. Bay said he wants to transition to using hydroelectric and solar to generate power down the road.
“We’re very excited about this opportunity. This marketplace is an up-and-coming marketplace,” Mr. Bay said. “We’re excited to work with and serve people in the greater Watertown area.”
The state awarded Acadia Energy $415,000 through the Regional Economic Development Council program Tuesday, which will help fund the vertical farm.
The firm has already secured preliminary commitments from banks to finance the overall project, which would include about $3.5 million for the farm and $20 million to $30 million for the energy complex. Mr. Bay said, however, the firm must take several more steps before opening the complex, including purchasing the building, updating it and finishing the engineering designs.
“It’s been probably three years in the process and we’re probably another 12 to 18 months before we bear fruit,” Mr. Bay said. “We’re not certain at this point if we’re going to own the hydroponics (farm) or put somebody in as a tenant.”
Building the farm and energy complex inside the former Florelle Tissue mill is not Arcadia Energy’s first north country project. The firm, which has an office in the Watertown Center for Business and Industry, has also been designing the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency’s microgrid to supply electricity to tenants in the Jefferson County Corporate Park.
“One reason we’re down there is the welcome we got from the county and town” of Watertown and Hounsfield, Mr. Bay said about his project in the mill.
Brooklyn's Diversity Shines Through Urban Agriculture And Retail Trends
As part of the 2018 New York Produce Show schedule, FreshPlaza attended the Brooklyn Retail and Urban Agriculture Tour on December 13. The tour visited five different places in various parts of the borough, showing the diverse range of produce activities happening now in Brooklyn. From an urban greenhouse to an open air market, there are a lot of dynamic developments here, which could make Brooklyn a barometer for the future of the American produce landscape.
Urban greenhouse strives to attract young people into agriculture
Urban greenhouses are becoming less of a novelty and more of an accepted option for locally-grown produce. This is certainly the case in Brooklyn, with a number of urban greenhouses popping up in recent years. One of these is Square Roots, which was the first stop on the tour. Square Roots is located in a former Pfizer factory in the Williamsburg district and grows primarily herbs along with other greens in shipping containers that have been climate controlled and fitted out with grow lights, water systems and atmosphere control.
The company uses plenty of technology to help it operate and delivers within the local area to stores and restaurants. One of the primary drivers of the company is to draw in more young people into agriculture. "The average age of the American farmer is 58," noted tour leader Karsten Ch'ien of Square Roots. "Growing produce in an urban greenhouse attracts more young people with a passion for farming. A combination of high-tech equipment, the fact that more young people live in large cities with limited land area, and the interest in healthy and locally-grown food has helped drive the growth of urban greenhouses. Square Roots offers training programs and skill building in agriculture to give young people with a passion for fresh produce an opportunity to be a farmer."
On-the-go and convenience prominent
As a busy metropolis in its own right, the trend of convenient, on-the-go produce has established itself firmly in Brooklyn. Two of the stores visited as part of the tour, City Acres in Williamsburg, and Brooklyn Fare in the downtown area, were heavily stocked with a range of pre-packaged salads, healthy meals as well as juices and other healthy drinks.
In City Acres, along with a significant range of organic options, was a section devoted to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in clamshells. They were all common produce items such as watermelons, cantaloupe, broccoli, cauliflower, and many others, cut up in store to serve the busy patrons. Brooklyn Fare offered cut vegetables and prepared salads by the pound. Each store had a large organic section as well as offering a diverse range of exotic and on-trend fruits and vegetables.
Traditional style open-air markets still have a place
After visiting the gentrified Williamsburg area, the tour continued to the southwest of Brooklyn to one of the few remaining open-air markets in New York City - Three Guys From Brooklyn. Established in 1975, the store never closes and despite the wintry conditions, the array of fruits and vegetables displayed brought a burst of color into the grey day. Here the owners have kept their traditional method of selling high-volume, low-cost fruits and vegetables to serve the local community, from which many nations are represented.
"This is a very diverse neighborhood and our customers prefer the traditional feel and experience of purchasing fruits and vegetables," explained Philip Penta of Three Guys. "Although the cut and prepared market is a growth point, we also focus on growing our wholesale business with local restaurants and hotels. When modernizing, we are careful what we add to make sure we retain the character of the market while also keeping up with modern trends like loyalty cards and home deliveries."
Running this type of market comes with its challenges, but Penta said it is working well for them. "It's very difficult to remain open 24/7 every single day of the year. However, we need to have staff overnight to accept deliveries so we might as well stay open. 25 percent of our business occurs between 10pm and 6am which is remarkable to think about."
New York City's only mushroom farm
After having lunch at Wholefoods and observing the Gotham Greens greenhouse on the store's rooftop, the tour continued towards the Navy Yard to a simple red brick building with no other sign than "No Parking" on the garage. Inside was an entirely different world as we stepped into not only the only organic farm in New York City, but also the only mushroom farm - Smallhold. Not only that, but this farm operates very differently to the traditional grow and sell method. As the name suggests, Smallhold sets up micro-mushroom farms on customers' premises, to offer what is described as "hyper-local" produce. From there, Smallhold maintains control of the farms from its Brooklyn office and workshop.
"We provide a service whereby stores and restaurants can grow their own mushrooms right on the premises," explained co-founder Adam Carter. "If it's a store, they can sell the mushrooms to customers, or in the case of a restaurant, use them in dishes. We nurture the mycelium from which the mushrooms grow until they are ready to grow, then deliver them to the customer's climate-controlled mushroom farm which we set up. Smallhold maintains control of all systems, including airflow, CO2, and temperature. We currently grow ten different mushroom varieties, with oyster being the most popular."
Brooklyn's diversity offers many opportunities
With modern produce trends, customers are seeing more convenience and on-the-go offerings in stores. But Brooklyn is home to many different cultures and backgrounds and therefore the traditional high volume, low-cost, open-air markets are still thriving. The tour also demonstrated there are many young people and other urban dwellers with a passion for agriculture and they have embraced urban farming as a way in which "locally-grown" will have a viable future in big cities.
Vertical Farm Company Raises $90 Million To Grow More Veggies In The Middle Of New York City
December 15, 2018
Senior Editor, UK | Contactable via charlotte@livekindly.co
Vertical farming company Bowery has closed a $90 million fundraising round, allowing it to grow even more veggies in the middle of New York City. Google Ventures led the round, which was also participated in by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi.
According to Venture Beat, First Round Capital, General Catalyst, GGV Capital, and Temasek also participated in the round, which follows the $27.5 million the business raised in June; the total amount raised by Bowery now stands at $117.5 million.
Founded in 2017, Bowery intends to revolutionize the agriculture industry. The company currently has two farms in New York, but thanks to the new funding, in 2019, it plans to open two more, in cities that are currently unnamed. It also hopes to advance company tech and innovation with the funding.
According to Bowery, indoor farms provide a solution to impending water scarcity and don’t require the use of harmful pesticides. The farms are unaffected by the weather or season changes, and they allow scientists to closely monitor the crop-growing process, enabling them to give the plants no more than exactly what they need. Bowery currently grows crops such as baby kale, arugula, and butterhead lettuce and supplies them to vegan-friendly restaurant chain Sweetgreen and Whole Foods stores.
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Speaking to Fortune earlier this year, Bowery’s CEO Irving Fain said, “We’re growing post-organic produce, it’s the next evolution. It’s a better product for us and better way of growing and less destructive to the earth, we’re using technology to grow the purest food possible.”
He continued, “At Bowery, we’re re-thinking what agriculture looks like in a world where water is scarce, people live in cities, and we’re waking up to the dangers of pesticides and other chemicals.”
Growing Demand For Indoor Vertical Farms
As populations rise around the world and climate change looms, the need for indoor farming facilities is growing. Companies are striving to minimize their carbon footprint by purchasing sustainable produce from farms that are close by.
Bowery isn’t alone in satisfying this demand, indoor farming company Farm.One – based underneath a New York Michelin-starred restaurant – delivers its produce to the best eateries in the city via bike or subway.
In Las Vegas, Oasis Biotech recently set up its first indoor vertical farm, and In August, Plenty attended its first-ever event, Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco, selling its vertically grown kale and arugula.
Image Credit: Farm.One
Federal Farm Bill Expected To Benefit Urban Farmers In New Jersey
Eyewitness News
December 17. 2018
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) --
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez paid a visit to a farm in Newark Monday to discuss how the federal farm bill passed by Congress last week would benefit the Garden State.
Menendez said the bill would produce "major wins" for urban farmers while creating jobs and new economic opportunities for New Jerseyans.
Menendez said until now, urban farmers have been excluded from federal programs and funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that have been designed for traditional farming.
He said he cosponsored a provision included in the 2018 Farm Bill to correct this disparity.
The remarks came during a visit to Aero Farms the world's largest indoor vertical farm, growing organic produce all year, every day.
"This is about how we transform agriculture," said Mark Oshima, co-founder of AeroFarms. "This is about how we can bring the farming indoors and be able to grow with greater efficiency."
AeroFarms has five facilities in Newark and hires most of its workers from the city. The company is expanding and says the new farm bill is expected to make that easier.
"Companies like AeroFarms are proving that agriculture can thrive not only in our beautiful farmlands but here in the midst of our bustling cities," said Menendez.
Urban farms were not eligible to participate in federal programs that offered money, low interest loans and other business assistance that traditional farms have had access to. But this new growth industry will now, under the farm bill.
"As farming moves to urban farming centers we should be able to take advantage of that, the jobs that it's creating," said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
Beyond jobs, AeroFarms hopes to make a local impact on the nutritional habits and choices in urban communities. It has hydroponic farms in two Newark schools and a dietician on its staff.
IKEA and Tom Dixon Announce Urban Farming Collection
The project aims to motivate and enable a healthier and sustainable lifestyle for people in cities by making "homes the new farmland".
Gunseli Yalcinkaya | 29 November 2018 4 comments
IKEA has teamed up with British designer Tom Dixon to launch an urban farming project that encourages city-dwellers to grow food locally.
Dixon and the homeware brand are developing a series of gardening products and tools that can be used by individuals in cities to grow their own food and medicinal plants at home, available in IKEA stores globally in 2021.
Collaboration aims to encourage growing food at home
The project aims to motivate and enable a healthier and sustainable lifestyle for people in cities by making "homes the new farmland".
It also aims to build awareness of where food comes from and show the ways in which growing produce can be introduced into the home. "Food is a crucial part of everyday life, and IKEA wants to inspire and enable a healthier and more sustainable life," said IKEA.
Renders of the two planned levels at the Tom Dixon and IKEA RHS Chelsea Flower Show installation in May 2019
"If more greens were to be grown in homes, it would have a positive impact on the planet with fewer transports, lower water usage and less food waste."
Presentation at Chelsea Flower Show will demonstrate possibilities
An experimental model for growing plants in urban environments will be presented in May 2019 at the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show in Chelsea in London.
It will feature a garden that is divided into two levels. The base garden will include a "horticultural laboratory" where hydroponic technology will be used to grow "hyper-natural" plants.
The raised level – described as a "botanical oasis" – will have a canopy-like ecosystem of trees and plants chosen for their medicinal, health and environmental properties.
The installation aims to explore the difference between natural and technology-driven approaches to farming. "Gardening is unique in its universal appeal and its transformational power," said Dixon.
"Although we are not traditional garden designers, we think we can demonstrate ways that anybody could make a small difference and broadcast not only the beauty but also the functional importance of horticulture through both traditional knowledge and the latest in growing innovation," he explained.
IKEA builds on previous urban gardening products
This is not the first time IKEA has branched into urban farming products. In 2016, the Swedish brand launched an indoor gardening product, intended to bring home hydroponics to a larger market.
"For IKEA, this collaboration is about challenging the way society looks at growing in general and addressing that it’s both possible and rewarding to have a place to grow your own plants in the city," said James Futcher, creative leader at IKEA Range and Supply.
"Food is key to humanity and design can support with better solutions. Because at the end of the day we need people to feel inspired to grow and harvest their own edibles within their homes and communities."
IKEA and Tom Dixon's previous project together was a bed that launched earlier this year with a distinctive furry cover and modular elements that allowed customers to modify the product for their own needs.
Jenny Quiner Brings Local Produce To Des Moines With DogPatch Urban Gardens
In the fall of 2015, Jenny Quiner launched Dogpatch Urban Gardens (DUG), the only for-profit farm inside Des Moines city limits.
In the fall of 2015, Jenny Quiner launched Dogpatch Urban Gardens (DUG), the only for-profit farm inside Des Moines city limits.
Before starting the farm, Quiner was a high school science teacher for six years.
“It was a great gig, but in those six years I had three little boys and was just feeling compelled to do something else in my life,” said Quiner.
Just a few years later and Quiner has wrapped up her third successful season and Dogpatch Urban Gardens has become a well-known name within the Des Moines food scene.
The garden’s biggest source of revenue comes from its onsite farm stand, Quiner told Clay & Milk. The DUG FarmStand is a seasonal onsite locally-sourced store that sells DUG products as well as other items from growers and producers throughout the state of Iowa. DUG also sells products to the Iowa Food Coop, local restaurants and through a subscription service called “Salad Subscription”.
In addition to selling food, the farm also contains an Air BnB called the “Urban FarmStay.”
Dogpatch Urban Gardens is located in the middle of Des Moines and has turned an acre of land to a garden and farm stand selling other local producers goods. (Photo courtesy of DogPatch Urban Gardens).
An expensive roadblock
Earlier this year, county officials told Quiner that the farm stand operates more like a commercial business and would need to make changes in order to follow commercial business requirements.
The unplanned costs and changes forced the Quiners appeal for help from supporters with a Kickstarter campaign.
“We raised around $27,000 and our goal was $15,000,” Quiner said. “We were very excited with how the community rallied and supported us.”
Looking ahead
Quiner recently took part in the Fall 2018 cohort of Venture School to help her better understand who her primary customers are.
“It’s been fabulous connecting with other entrepreneurs in the area. I’ve really enjoyed the program,” Quiner said. “It has really allowed me to better get to know my customers and helped me pinpoint who I need to target my marketing towards.”
Next season, Quiner plans to start holding events to the farm including farm-to-table dinners and wellness workshops.
“We’ve also just added a commercial kitchen space,” Quiner said. So next season we’re going to be focusing in on grab and go options like ready-to-eat salads and sandwiches that people can come and by at the farm stand.”
Urban Harvest: Holyoke Freight Container Home To High-Tech Produce Farm
By GRETA JOCHEM
Staff Writer Friday, December 07, 2018
HOLYOKE — Two 40-foot shipping containers sit in an empty lot in the middle of downtown Holyoke on Race Street.
A passerby may not think twice about them, but inside one container an acre of lettuce is growing hydroponically, without the use of soil.
The inside of Holyoke Freight Farms looks more like a futuristic science lab rather than a farm. Sleek containers of romaine and butterhead greens hang vertically from the ceiling in neatly packed rows. The space is just big enough for a handful of people to stand inside with the plants.
The farmers have a lot of control: an electronic panel allows them to change the temperature and dispense nutrients, while lights can be turned on to give the plants a “daytime,” said Claire McGale, an intern with Holyoke Freight Farms and a sustainability studies student at Holyoke Community College. Inside the container she pointed out piping on the ceiling that helps deliver water to the plants.
It takes about eight weeks to grow the plants from seeds, and the container farm can produce 500 lettuce plants weekly, McGale explained.
MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative, which aims to spur economic growth in the state’s Gateway Cities, provided funding for the project. Holyoke Community College is leading the project; other partners include the City of Holyoke and the grassroots urban agriculture organization Nuestras Raíces. The refurbished shipping container is from the Boston-based company Freight Farms, which sells growing systems it has nicknamed “Leafy Green Machines” all around the world.
Some produce is sold to Gateway City Arts just down the street, and they are currently working to get more customers, said Alina Davledzarova, farm manager and a HCC alumna. Right now, she said, growing is happening in one of the two containers until demand picks up.
Roughly 10 percent of the produce will be donated to the college’s food pantry. “It’s the first time they’ve had fresh produce in the pantry,” said Insiyah Bergeron, Holyoke Innovation District manager and a fellow at MassDevelopment.
The project is also educational. “This is meant to be a training project,” Bergeron said, “to train interns from HCC and the community in the basics of hydroponic food production.”
The plan, Bergeron said, is to soon bring in a few Holyoke residents in an apprenticeship program to work in the freight containers and learn skills for a job in hydroponic growing.
“It’s also to get people to think about what farming could look like beyond the limited growing season,” she added.
In Holyoke – a city without a lot of farmland – the growing containers are useful, McGale pointed out. Plus, she added, they are not affected by erratic weather and storms. For example, farm fields have been dumped with a heavy rain this year and this fall was one of the rainiest on record for several areas around New England.
Another advantage: Greens can be grown all year.
“How many people can say that they’re farming an acre of lettuce in New England year-round and giving it to people down the street?” asked Davledzarova.
It is a lot of work though, Davledzarova and McGale agreed. The inside of the freight container needs to be kept very clean to avoid issues like algae growth and plants need to be handled with gloves and protected by hairnets.
How do the hydroponically grown greens taste? Said McGale of the lettuce: “My daughter eats spinach now … she’s seven.”
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com
Hydroponic Farming Lets You Grow Your Food Indoors
By Kristine Wen | Published on Friday, December 7, 2018
Urban farming is hardly a new concept. Watch “Edible City,” and you’ll discover the trend was really taking root (see what we did there?) around 2008. But today, tonier restaurants on both coasts have gone beyond simply growing mint on the roof or kale next to the patio. Indoor farming, or sometimes called vertical farming, a highly technological, grow-your-own-indoors method, has been having a moment the last couple of years.
Glass-paneled hydroponic vertical farms, often doubling as interior designporn or art pieces, grow fresh produce—think butter lettuce, wasabi, cucumbers—in soil-less containers next to where your Manhattan is being made. Water and nutrients are delivered directly to a plant’s roots, allowing food to be grown in perfectly controlled conditions inside.
Former college roommates Andrew Carter and Adam DeMartino started their own indoor farming business called Smallhold in 2016, with the aim of growing hard-to-find mushroom varieties they knew chefs were on the hunt for. Smallhold grows a dozen different mushroom varieties, from coral-like pink oyster clusters to the cloud-shaped formations of young lion’s mane, in shipping containers in Bushwick. (Similar to fellow Brooklynite indoor farm Square Roots.) Before they are ready to harvest, the mushrooms are distributed to customers in what Smallhold dubs “minifarms,” which house the fungi in climate-controllable encasements as they continue to grow. Like the custom installations of Melbourne’s Farmwall, Smallhold’s minifarms are designed and built to match their customers’ aesthetic needs. At New York’s beloved Mission Chinese, for example, the minifarm’s display of amorphous, brightly-colored mushrooms is part art installation, part fresh mushroom vending machine.
Smallhold
It sounds complicated, but that’s kind of the point. “Our customers don’t have to understand how to grow mushrooms,” says Carter. “With our technology, we’re able to tell what’s going on, on a shelf-by-shelf basis in each of our minifarms. We can also run programs depending on the species we put in—changing the humidity, the CO2 levels—to create the best growing conditions for each type of mushroom,” adds DeMartino. All chefs and vendors have to do is pick the mushrooms when they’re ready to harvest, serving food that’s grown-to-order.
So why only mushrooms? “Restaurants like Bunker Vietnamese and Mission Chinese are looking for quality produce first and foremost,” says DeMartino. “It’s really hard to get high-quality mushrooms. You might start out with high-quality harvested mushrooms, but by the time they’ve gone through the harvesting and shipping processes, their taste and appearance have deteriorated quite a bit.”
And when you’re ready to try these grown-to-order mushrooms yourself, DeMartino has a few suggestions. “You can’t go wrong with the Mission Chinese mushroom fried rice,” he says. “And one of the best chefs in New York, Tara Novell of Honey’s, makes a tempura from the lion’s mane mushrooms we grow. The lion’s mane is perfectly encapsulated in the batter. You can taste the full mushroom, but with that tempura crunch.”
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Europe's Largest Vertical Farm Is Out To Crack The Hydroponic Puzzle
Vertical farming isn’t new, but now that it’s reaching industrial scale, farmers need to get their business model right
Vertical farming requires skills from many different sectors. For business models to work, there needs to be knowledge transfer between farming and technology
Holly Challinor
Tuesday 4 December 2018
Hairnet-equipped, white coverall zipped up, lab boots on and hands both washed and disinfected: Paul Challinor, the co-founder of the Jones Food Company (JFC), is all set. He is about to enter the germination room of the hyper-clean facility in North Lincolnshire where, four weeks ago, JFC started growing its first crops. This is Europe’s largest vertical farm, with crops soaring up over 17 storeys high. And there’s not a spot of soil in sight.
JFC’s vertical farm is built in an old cold store, which high ceilings let crops grow over 17 storeys. The 5,000 square-meter production site is one of the largest in the world | Holly Challinor
All the crops at JFC are grown hydroponically. Plants are fed the necessary nutrients, diluted in water, with the effect of sunlight created by the eerie, artificial glow of pink-hued, LED lights.
Before he walks in, Challinor still needs to spend a couple of minutes standing in what he calls an “air shower”, to blow off any dust that might be lurking on his exposed hair and skin. “It is crucial that we ensure that our crops don’t get contaminated,” Challinor says, “so that we optimise our production, and provide the highest-quality plants on the market at an industrial scale.”
The site is kept to the highest standards of cleanliness to avoid germs to contaminate the crops. This means that crop yield is optimised compared to traditional methods of farming | Holly Challinor
In the 5,000 square-metre production site – previously a cold store, with high ceilings that provide a perfect setting for a vertical farm – JFC are claiming that they will be able to deliver 420 tonnes of plants per year once the farm reaches full capacity. At this scale, it’s not just the largest vertical farm, it’s right up there with some of the largest in the world, coming close to rivalling AeroFarm’s 6,500 square-metre facility in the US.
Growing underground: the hydroponic farm hidden 33 metres below London
The reason that we need to convert farming from landscape to portrait mode? Food security. The UK’s population is steadily growing at about 0.6 per cent a year – while the country is expected to face a shortfall of two million hectares of farmable land by 2030. Add Brexit into the mix and food security is a significant cause for concern.
In these circumstances, farming methods that don’t rely on traditional agriculture, with its risk of bad harvests because of uncontrollable weather, become very attractive. Last summer, for example, UK consumers saw fruit and vegetable prices rise because farmers struggled to grow crops in high temperatures. The heatwave caused lettuce yields to plummet 25 per cent, while prices went up 22 per cent.
Vertical farms, on the other hand, can produce the same quantity and quality of crops all year round. And they have a significant advantage over greenhouses, too: they take up less space. In theory, they could even operate right at the centre of our cities. Dickson Despommier, professor of public health at Columbia University, draws an apt analogy: “In the context of a densely-populated city, vertical farming is the equivalent of apartment-houses, and greenhouses are similar to single-family houses,” he says.
One of the main advantages of vertical farms is that they take up less space than traditional farming or green houses. They could be built right in the centre of our cities | Holly Challinor
JFC is one of only a few operational vertical farms in the UK, alongside Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) in Scotland and the Growing Underground project, which grows crops in a converted air raid shelter below Clapham Common in London.
Neat in theory, vertical farming is more difficult in practice. Plenty of vertical farming projects have gone bust around the world. Podponics and Farmed Here are just two examples of the many projects that failed in past years. Experts say there are plenty of reasons why vertical farms are struggling commercially - and fail.
Rhydian Beynon-Davies, head of novel growing systems at horticultural research organisation Stockbridge Technology Centre (STC), explains previous failures: “Startups come into the industry with too little knowledge of it,” he says. “There isn’t enough knowledge transfer between different sectors. So they aren’t capable of building appropriate business models”.
Vertical farming is an integrated system with different variables, he continues. You have to think of lighting, humidity, air flow, irrigation, and many more. To manage all of those, many skills from different sectors have to be brought together.
STC’s goal is to attract those different skills and bridge between them. The centre has two small vertical farms, where developers can trial and test their technology. “We can generate data about the efficiency of different systems,” says Beynon-Davies. “The ultimate goal is to have a visible supply chain, to make business planning much easier.”
Peter Lane, the founder of CEAR&D, a research and development firm dedicated to controlled-environment agriculture, concurs. “There is a lack of understanding of the complexities of vertical farming,” he says. “It’s like trying to build a house only with a plumber. The plumbing work may be perfect, but the rest will fall apart.”
To try and avoid this pitfall, JFC struck a partnership with Current – a division of General Electric – to manage the LED lighting technology. Current’s lighting solution is only used in one other vertical farm in the UK – and that’s one of the two facilities at the STC. “At the moment Current is ahead of other systems,” says STC chief executive Graham Ward. Current claims that its system generates 33 per cent less heat than competitive products, which means the cooling process is less energy-greedy.
In an industry where energy use is estimated to make up for 20 to 30 per cent of the total production cost, that’s key. “We learned before going into this that the main reason for companies going bust was electricity,” says James Lloyd-Jones, JFC’s managing director. That’s why the farm also uses solar panels to reduce its electricity bills; it is currently 20 per cent carbon neutral and aims to become entirely self-sufficient.
The JFC team is confident that the site is set to become a commercial success – but you shouldn’t expect JFC-made tomatoes or cucumbers anytime soon. The farm is currently growing herbs and leafy greens, like most vertical farms. Technically it’s possible to grow any plant – but basil, dill, chives and the like are a lot more financially viable, mostly because they are smaller and can be grown at scale.
To get started, JFC is focusing on crops that are financially viable – namely, herbs and leafy greens. But it hopes that it can increase crop diversification in the future | Holly Challinor
“The market is built for certain products that we wish to focus on,” says Challinor. “This is the first stage. Only once we have a viable and consistent business, will we look at growing more consumer crops.”
It’s clearly not just the technology that’s a challenge for vertical farms; getting the business model right is a heavy lift too. For Lloyd-Jones, however, it’s only a matter of time: in ten years, he says, we could see vertical farms completely replace greenhouses.
German University Conducts Research On Urban Farming In Growtainer
Mobile Greenhouse Is Financed By Gemüsering Thüringen
The Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences received a growtainer at the beginning of the year, intended for research and teaching purposes. The "Gemüsering Thüringen" company is financing the mobile greenhouse for a period of ten years. This is a fully insulated container that has been specially modified to create optimal production conditions for vertical planting systems, regardless of the environment and climate.
Since that time, the growtainer has been put into operation and is now used in particular for research projects in the field of "urban farming". Prof. Dr. Heike Mempel heads the project group of the same name, dealing with scientific questions on possible advantages and disadvantages of a closed indoor farm without sunlight.
Indoor-Farming
Horticultural engineer Ivonne Jüttner is involved in the project "Product Quality and Resource Efficiency in Plant Production in Indoor Farming Systems" with an economically and ecologically meaningful cultural selection and the development and optimization of the associated procedures in a completely closed culture area. It compiles input/output balances of all material and energy flows, evaluates them with regard to sustainability and with the overriding goal of resource conservation. The project is funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
Another experimental setup examines the transpirational behavior of the growing plant. In the closed environment of the container, this parameter plays a key role. The transpiration flow through the plant is the driving force for nutrient and water uptake by the roots and it affects plant growth. At the same time, perspiration leads to increased humidity in the enclosed culture area. This must be removed by technical means, after which it is returned to the irrigation system in order to maintain the water cycle. This in turn results in an important advantage of indoor farming systems: water consumption is reduced enormously. The water absorption of the plant also influences the consequent dry matter of the products and thus their quality. Ivonne Jüttner is currently working on recording and visualizing the temperature and humidity distributions, as well as the air movement caused by the two incorporated fans.
LED lighting
The culture system and the design of the container significantly affect the climate in Growtainer. The homogeneous and exactly controllable culture guidance in closed systems with LED exposure in particular is a decisive advantage over conventional culture systems. The ability to precisely adjust the climate and growth conditions influences growth and ingredients in a targeted manner. These freely adjustable conditions allow a year-round and consistent production on site. In the coming year, a scientific assessment of the functionality of the Growtainers will be created. As soon as any weak points have been identified, the technical equipment can be optimized as the project progresses.
Using modern measuring and sensor technology, data on resource consumption and plant growth are recorded over the entire project period. Despite the use of energy-saving LEDs and good insulation of indoor farms, scientific studies show that energy use is the most critical factor compared to traditional culture methods. Nevertheless, the entire resource efficiency is mainly due to a reduced use of water and pesticides as the major advantage of indoor production. A comprehensive scientific analysis of the possible uses and limitations of closed indoor farming concepts using the example Growtainer, with subsequent practical evaluation of the results, in any case will be an important prerequisite for opening up application areas and fields of activity for horticulture in this innovative segment.
Smart Greenhouse Management System
The combination of the findings from the "Process Simulation based on Plant Response (Prosibor)" project, with project results from the Growtainer trials, will make it possible to compare indoor systems against conventional greenhouse production. Through the "Prosibor" project, a sensor-based intelligent greenhouse management system will be developed in cooperation with the Humboldt University of Berlin and the company RAM from Herrsching. Ivonne Jüttner will also develop a comprehensive analysis of potential plants that could be of interest for cultivation in pure artificial light systems. A special focus will lie on the potential added value that cultivation with artificial lighting systems could offer over cultivation under glass.
The added value can be a result of the increase in desired ingredients, the year-round production of, for example, flowers or fruits, production without the use of pesticides, or other criteria. As part of the study "Substance Use of Crops for the Chemical Industry", the HSWT, together with the State Research Center for Agriculture and other project partners, had already analyzed potentials for regional cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants and evaluated initial approaches to indoor production.
Photosynthesis
In one of the two compartments of the Growtainers, students of the 5th Horticulture semester will carry out the first plant experiments in the greenhouse module. For example, they are investigating the suitability of different LED lights for the culture of Asian lettuces. The plants are hydroponically cultivated on several layers, one above the other. The energy required for the photosynthesis of plants is provided via LED modules at each shelf level. These immerse the interior of the Growtainer in a purple light; a combination of the blue and red spectral ranges. This light combination is used very efficiently for photosynthesis by the plants. To the human eye, however, it is rather uncomfortable, which is why any activity within the Growtainer is restricted to the use of safety goggles or with the LEDs switched off. In this exposure, the leaf colors of the plants might also not be judged correctly, which complicates an assessment of the nutritional status of the plants.
Findings from the already completed project "Energy Saving and Increased Efficiency in Horticultural Production with LED Exposure Systems" also show that for most plants an even broader spectrum of light, in addition to blue and red, optimizes the product quality: a supplement of yellow and green light, for example. This spectrum then appears white to the human eye, and the plants growing under the LED lights will have a natural green color, which facilitates not only positive growth effects but also the necessary work being done in the Growtainer. The determination of the ideal light spectrum for different plant species and their stages of growth is also an important issue in the research of the Growtainer.
For more information:
Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf
Am Hofgarten 4, 85354 Freising
Tel: +49 (0)8161 71-3416
Fax: +49 (0)8161 71-4402
www.hswt.de
Publication date : 12/7/2018
JD.com Opens High-Tech Indoor Farm In Beijing
Chinese E-Commerce Group In Strategic Tie-Up With Mitsubishi Chemical
SHUNSUKE TABETA, Nikkei staff writer
December 7, 2018
BEIJING -- China's No. 2 e-commerce operator JD.com has opened a hydroponic vegetable factory in Beijing, seeking to win over the growing ranks of middle-income families worried about food safety.
JD.com said Thursday that the factory, built by Mitsubishi Chemical, is part of a strategic partnership with the Japanese company.
The $3.56 million factory, situated in Beijing's Tongzhou district, is one of the country's largest at some 11,000 sq. meters and can produce vegetables in a clean and controlled environment. With annual capacity of about 300 tons, it will grow lettuce and about five other leafy vegetables. JD.com will begin online sales soon.
After beginning the growing process with artificial light, produce is grown on the pesticide-free farm with solar light. Temperature and humidity are controlled and water is purified with treatment equipment. Crops will be ready to ship in five weeks, the company said.
JD.com will lean on its e-commerce and logistics expertise to bring safe and fresh foods to consumer tables, said Xiaosong Wang, the head of the company's food businesses.
JD.com will assess the needs of safety-focused consumers and share the data with the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings unit so that the Japanese partner can update the factory with the latest technology. The Chinese company will also encourage its partner farm owners to adopt the same technology, seeking to build a domestic network of 10 such factories.
Mitsubishi Chemical has so far delivered 18 farming facilities in China. The company aims to set up 10 a year in the country, said Hitoshi Sasaki, managing executive officer. It seeks to double Chinese sales by 2020.