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LumiGrow Brings Smart Horticultural Lighting to Cultivate'17
Cultivate ’17, North America’s largest horticultural tradeshow is set to use the entirety of the newly expanded and renovated Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC). AmericanHort’s Cultivate’17, July 15-18 in Columbus, OH, is the horticulture industry’s renowned professional development event with the largest all-industry trade show. AmericanHort estimates about 10,000 attendees, more than 125 educational sessions and close to 700 exhibitors.
LumiGrow Brings Smart Horticultural Lighting to Cultivate'17
LumiGrow Lights Up Farming at Cultivate ’17 Tradeshow
Greater Columbus Convention Center, Ohio – July 14, 2017 – Cultivate ’17, North America’s largest horticultural tradeshow is set to use the entirety of the newly expanded and renovated Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC). AmericanHort’s Cultivate’17, July 15-18 in Columbus, OH, is the horticulture industry’s renowned professional development event with the largest all-industry trade show. AmericanHort estimates about 10,000 attendees, more than 125 educational sessions and close to 700 exhibitors.
Trade show attendees interested in learning about lighting strategies, LED applications and spectral science research are invited to visit the Discovery Café Smartfarm, attend the LumiGrow Cultivate Live session and stop by the LumiGrow exhibit booth.
As part of the $140 million conference center expansion and renovation, the GCCC will showcase a new onsite indoor vertical farm. The newly constructed indoor Smartfarm at the center’s Discovery Café is lit with LumiGrow LEDs and utilizes a hydroponic farming system built by Bright Agrotech, a vertical farming company. Restaurant chef’s will exercise their culinary creativity with hyperlocal ingredients grown from the Smartfarm.
Tradeshow attendees looking for a grower’s perspective on LED lighting strategies are invited to attend the LumiGrow Cultivate Live session on Monday July 17 between 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM. Steve Stasko, Orangeline Farms, and Marco de Leonardis, Freeman Herbs, will discuss how they use adjustable spectrum technology to apply advanced LED lighting strategies to positively impact profits for their greenhouse operations.
Growers, operators and industry professionals looking for a deeper conversation about smart horticultural lighting strategies are invited to visit LumiGrow at exhibit booth 2326.
Cultivate ’17 is set to define the green industry’s upcoming trends, technology and business best practices in horticulture.
About LumiGrow Inc.
LumiGrow, Inc., the leader in smart horticultural lighting, empowers growers and scientists with the ability to improve plant growth, boost crop yields, and achieve cost-saving operational efficiencies. LumiGrow offers a range of proven grow light solutions for use in greenhouses, controlled environment agriculture and research chambers. LumiGrow solutions are eligible for energy-efficiency subsidies from utilities across North America.
LumiGrow has the largest horticultural LED install-base in the United States, with installations in over 30 countries. Our customers range from top global agribusinesses, many of the world’s top 100 produce and flower growers, enterprise cannabis cultivators, leading universities, and the USDA. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, LumiGrow is privately owned and operated. For more information, call (800) 514-0487 or visit www.lumigrow.com.
Media Contact
Brandon Newkirk
bnewkirk@lumigrow.com
510-709-4437
Berlin Startup To Plant Mini Vertical Farms In Supermarkets
The idea of growing fresh local produce in supermarkets has seen a large amount of progress – it was announced earlier in April that Europe’s first commercial vertical farm had begun construction in Dronten.
Berlin Startup To Plant Mini Vertical Farms In Supermarkets
Berlin based startup Infarm intends to distribute smart vertical farming systems to supermarkets, providing customers with the option to hand-pick fresh vegetables and herbs, whilst simultaneously reducing food mileage and transport emissions.
The idea of growing fresh local produce in supermarkets has seen a large amount of progress – it was announced earlier in April that Europe’s first commercial vertical farm had begun construction in Dronten.
Infarm’s hydroponic vertical farms are adaptable and self-regulating – they can be stacked according to space requirements, and they are also monitored to ensure optimal conditions for the plants.
Additionally, these hydroponic systems not only decrease agricultural water usage, but they also reduce wastage and minimise energy usage from transportation and refrigeration, making them an incredibly sustainable option.
Vertical farming allows for the locating of food production close to, and within, urban areas, where food consumption is concentrated.
Infarm, who recently raised €4 million in funding, have already planted their modular vertical farms in a Metro Cash & Carry, and plan to install them in German supermarket chain EDEKA.
Investors are increasingly interested in approaches to growing fresh food locally, and smart startups such as Infarm are proving a good place to start.
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40-foot Shipping Container Farm Can Grow 5 Acres of Food With 97% Less Water
The 40-foot containers house hydroponic farms that only draw on five to 20 gallons of water each day to grow produce like lettuce, strawberries, or kale.
40-foot Shipping Container Farm Can Grow 5 Acres of Food With 97% Less Water
by Lacy Cooke
Communities that have to ship in fresh food from far away could start getting local produce right from their parking lots or warehouses thanks to Local Roots‘ shipping container farms. The 40-foot containers house hydroponic farms that only draw on five to 20 gallons of water each day to grow produce like lettuce, strawberries, or kale. Popping up all around the United States, these scalable farms “grow far more produce than any other indoor farming solution on the market” according to co-founder Dan Kuenzi. Local Roots is even talking with SpaceX about using their farms in space.
Local Roots’ 40-foot shipping container farms, called TerraFarms, grow produce twice as fast as a traditional farm, all while using 97 percent less water and zero pesticides or herbicides. They can grow as much food as could be grown on three to five acres. They’re able to do this thanks to LED lights tuned to specific wavelengths and intensities, and sensor systems monitoring water, nutrient, and atmospheric conditions.
Related: Pop-up shipping container farm puts a full acre of lettuce in your backyard
The process from setup to first harvest takes only around four weeks. TerraFarms can be stacked and connected to the local grid. CEO Eric Ellestad said in a video 30 million Americans live in food deserts, and their farms could be placed right in communities that most need the food.
Los Angeles is already home to a farm with several shipping containers, and a similar one will be coming to Maryland this year. It could offer local food like strawberries in January.
And Local Roots’ technology could one day allow astronauts to consume fresh produce in space. Their growing systems could offer a food source on long-term, deep space missions. Ellestad told The Washington Post, “The opportunities are global and intergalactic at the same time.”
Vine to Cart: Grocery Stores Use New Tech To Create In Store Farms
Vine to Cart: Grocery Stores Use New Tech To Create In Store Farms
July 13, 2017
While the demand for organic and sustainable agriculture is growing across the globe, the future of fresher produce might be picking it right at the supermarket.
A startup out of Berlin called Infarm is currently working on an “indoor vertical farming” system with the capacity to grow any kind of fruit, vegetable or herb. Multiple sensors monitor the plants’ health and connected data lets the system know when to irrigate and feed the crops, creating individual ecosystems. In addition to creating idyllic growing environments for each plant, the system is smart, providing the opportunity for experts to analyze and collect data to optimize growth and flavor and potentially predict problems in the future.
“We are able to develop growing recipes that tailor the light spectrums, temperature, pH, and nutrients to ensure the maximum natural expression of each plant in terms of flavor, colour, and nutritional quality,” Osnat Michaeli, co-founder of Infarm, explained in an interview with TechCrunch.
Although vertical farming is already a familiar concept to agriculture, what makes Infarm so unique is their ability to do small-scale vertical farming in customer-facing situations. The company has already found major success after placing systems in Metro Group locations, one of the biggest wholesalers in Europe, and are now being approached by other grocers that want to do the same. Instead of growing produce outside on traditional farms and dealing with the supply chain to deliver it to each store, grocers could invest in InFarm and allow customers to harvest food right from the vine. In an era where grocery stores are trying to remain more relevant to consumers who often shop online for dry goods, InFarm helps grocers turn into a next gen farmers market with fresh from the plant produce.
Investors have also noticed the potential within Infarm as the company recently closed a €4 million funding round which included Berlin’s Cherry Ventures, Impact investor Quadia, London’s LocalGlobe, Atlantic Food Labs, design consultant Ideo, Demand Analytics and others.
Philips Lighting Develops a New Growth Recipe to Reach Seven Times The Average "Vitamin C" Content in Arugula
Philips Lighting (Euronext Amsterdam ticker: LIGHT), a global leader in lighting, today announced that its GrowWise Research Center has produced a vitamin C-rich arugula with seven times higher vitamin C[1] content than the published USDA value of 15 mg/100 gr.
Philips Lighting Develops a New Growth Recipe to Reach Seven Times The Average "Vitamin C" Content in Arugula
July 10, 2017
Eindhoven, The Netherlands – Philips Lighting (Euronext Amsterdam ticker: LIGHT), a global leader in lighting, today announced that its GrowWise Research Center has produced a vitamin C-rich arugula with seven times higher vitamin C[1] content than the published USDA value of 15 mg/100 gr. The vitamin C-rich arugula was grown in a trial in collaboration with the Dutch Wageningen University and Research, and Maastricht University, using a new growth recipe under Philips LED lighting in a vertical farming environment with no daylight.
The results of this trial prove that it is possible to add functional ingredients to a food like arugula in a natural way by simply growing it differently. Retailers and growers can apply specific Philips growth recipes using LED technologies to meet the growing demand for functional foods from health-conscious consumers. Since vitamin C is one of the markers of shelf life, the higher vitamin C levels in the arugula at harvest may also help retailers extend the green’s shelf life. In addition to vitamin C, other healthy compounds are shown to be influenced by the growth recipe.
“The results of this trial reveal that not only can we boost the yield of a crop, but we can also influence the taste and growth characteristics of a crop by changing the growth recipe. A Philips growth recipe provides parameters for growing a crop that include the light level, spectrum, intensity, required uniformity, position and time, as well as climate conditions like temperature, humidity, CO2 levels and nutrition,” said Udo van Slooten, business leader for Philips Lighting’s horticultural lighting business. “This achievement confirms the tangible benefits that our research at Philips GrowWise Center is delivering for growers and retailers as they look to meet specific consumer needs like optimized smell, taste and flavor to differentiate themselves in their markets.”
Light Influences Nitrate Level
The arugula grown under the LED lighting with the new Philips growth recipe showed a very low nitrate level while having a high yield. Lower nitrate levels also have higher sugar levels and a milder taste. The leaves grown under the LED lighting scored between five and eight on the Brix index, which correlates with a higher perception of sweetness in sensory tastes. The low nitrate levels achieved in this trial are considerably lower than those set by the European Union, which range from 7000 mg/kg to 6000 mg/kg). This low-nitrate arugula would help retailers in Poland, Russia and Finland, specifically, meet the growing demand for low-nitrate foods from consumers in these countries. By using another growth recipe, it is also possible to grow a high vitamin C arugula with a high nitrate content for consumers willing to use high rich nitrate content as a health benefit without affecting the production of other nutritious compounds.
The trial was carried out at the Philips GrowWise Center in Eindhoven, the largest vertical farming research facility of its kind, in cooperation with Wageningen University and Research for plant science and shelf life, and Maastricht University on Health Food innovation, both in the Netherlands. The arugula crop was tested in four different lighting situations with three different LED lighting combinations and one artificial light source that mimicked the sun and/or HPS lighting. The effects of high blue and high far red wavelengths were also studied to determine their impact on shelf life and nutrient content of the harvested greens.
For a comprehensive guide on how to grow arugula, at home, click here:
For further information, please contact:
Philips Lighting, Horticultural LED Lighting, Nederland
Daniela Damoiseaux
Tel: +31 6 31 65 29 69
E-mail: daniela.damoiseaux@philips.com
www.philips.com/horti
Farmers Grow A New Stream of Revenue Through Vertical Farming
Farmers Grow A New Stream of Revenue Through Vertical Farming
Combining hydroponic techniques with new timer control innovations
In January, the open fields of Harvard, IL, a far northwestern suburb of Chicago, are biting and bone-chilling. Inside Kirk Cashmore’s barn, it is a fair 72 degrees F, the perfect temperature for producing leafy heads of lettuce through vertical hydroponics, the practice of water-based gardening with vertically stacked shelving in a controlled environment.
Since 2011, Kirk Cashmore has been the only for-profit vertical hydroponic farmer in Northern Illinois. His pesticide- and chemical-free lettuce is served at a popular, Green-certified restaurant, Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen, in nearby Crystal Lake, IL, and sold at biweekly basket drops along the North Shore and in the Madison, WI metro area.
“Working for my grandfather as a big acre farmer for many years taught me how things worked. I always knew I wanted to be a farmer, but wanted to take a different approach to it. I didn't have the capital or the money to buy big acres to start a traditional farm, so I went around the Midwest and looked at farms that were growing hydroponically and figured out how to start my own,” said Cashmore.
A Growing Industry
According to a recent market research report, the vertical farming market is estimated to be valued at 5.8B U.S. dollars by 2022, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 24.8% between 2016 and 2022. Factors driving growth of the vertical farming market include generating high quality food without the use of pesticides, less dependency on the weather for production, a growing urban population, an increase in the year around production of crops, and reduced impact on the environment.
“The beauty of hydroponic farming is there really is no downtime… I have assets throughout the whole winter and am the only game in town when it comes to winter production of lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, and all the small greens that can be harvested hydroponically,” he remarked. None of his yield is ever wasted. Unsold, yet still edible, greens are donated to a local food pantry and wilted or damaged heads are sent to the compost bin.
Inside Cashmore’s 3,500 square foot building, three vertically stacked shelves, built from recycled materials, provide room for up to 4,000 heads of lettuce. Each shelf grows approximately 1,200 heads, or about five heads per square foot, which Cashmore reports is the number to beat in the world of vertical hydroponics. With room in his barn to still expand out- and upwards, Cashmore has the potential to harvest nearly 8,000 heads.
Plants are seeded in rockwool, a lava-like medium that allows for more oxygen than does soil or water, and an ebb and flow pumping system supplies water to the roots. Cashmore checks pH levels daily.
Winter in the Midwest means long periods of grey, cloudy skies. An electronic timer ensures lights remain on based on the amount of sun, typically 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. Relying on the timer to turn lights on and off as needed gives Cashmore – a one-man show – the freedom to tend to other business without worrying. “Timers are very important for turning lights and fans on and off,” stated Cashmore. “Having an electronic timer makes this an automated sport, so I can have more time with my family and friends. It gives me more time to not have to work.”
He also believes that ensuring a good supply of oxygen is absolutely vital to growing success. Floating rafts of lettuce -- or any system where roots are permanently soaked in water -- offer little available oxygen since the solubility of oxygen in water is remarkable low. Cashmore monitors how much oxygen his roots have and uses an ozone system to kill bacteria, control oxygenation, and keep the water sanitized. This has eliminated the need to use chemicals such as chlorine or hydrogen peroxide.
“I find that if something is worth doing, it's worth doing right. As a father of three little girls, I have no tolerance for chemicals going home and into my kids’ mouths. I want to make the best produce that I can for my family, my clients and my friends,” he explained.
Organically Grown Produce That’s Bug-Chemical-and Pesticide-Free
One of the biggest benefits of hydroponic farming is the superb quality of the produce. Plants don’t spend any time outside in the wind, dirt or the rain; they grow in a controlled environment that is bug-, chemical- and pesticide free. This creates greens with an unmatched body and texture. As more and more people buy organic and seek out locally grown produce, demand is certain to grow. Cashmore envisions remaining profitable and productive by adding more capacity to double or triple lettuce headcount and growing a variety of other vegetables in the winter.
“From school field trips to other farmers and private citizens, there’s an increasingly large interest in my hydroponics facility. I hope to see more vertical hydroponic farms popping up in the area over the next decade.”
Do you have a budding interest in vertical hydroponic farming? Learn more with an in-depth look at Kirk Cashmore’s farm.
Vertical Farming – The Latest Trend For Producing Food !
Vertical Farming – The Latest Trend For Producing Food !
Nowadays, agriculture and food production are under great risk. The major factors for this are as follows
- The land under food cultivation is dwindling so as to give way for real estate activities owing to increase in urban population and their standards of living.
- Climate change is making our food systems vulnerable. Weather has become unpredictable and as a result farmers, especially small and marginal ones suffer from huge crop losses. At some places there are droughts due to delayed or scanty monsoon. At others there are more cyclones and untimely rains flooding the farms.
- The traditional agricultural techniques and practices are getting lost. Aspiring for more profits, farmers are doing mono-cropping and using chemicals in the form of fertilizers and pesticides extensively. This has taken a toll on our soils and has rendered it infertile. Moreover the crop thus raised is harmful for consumption.
Health conscious urban dwellers are switching to organic crops. Few others have gone to the next level of growing their own veggies in their rooftop or kitchen gardens. Demand for healthy and organic food is growing. To cope up with the limitation of land resources and the unpredictability of the weather conditions, scientists and entrepreneurs are developing modern agricultural techniques and technologies. One such innovation is Vertical Farming which is a type of precision farming. The goal of precision farming is to optimize returns on inputs while preserving resources. Vertical farms can produce more crops in less space with minimal environmental damage.
The Characteristics of Vertical Farming Are
- It involves producing crops in vertical stacks of plant beds one above another. This reduces the need for more land and eliminates the need for tilling.
- It is done indoors and environmental conditions are controlled, thus effectively isolating it from the outdoor weather conditions.
- This soil less farming is achieved either by hydroponics or aeroponics. Hydroponics uses water as medium for conveying nutrients to the roots. Mineral nutrients are dissolved in water, pumped and fed directly to a plant’s root system without any involvement of soil. In aeroponics, the roots are exposed to nutrient rich mist. The benefits associated with these technologies are quicker growth, faster harvest, higher yield and low nutrient and water wastage.
- Here, sunlight is replaced by light from LEDs. When plants photosynthesize they convert light of certain wavelength into chemical energy which is not necessary to come from sun. LEDs which are having high acceptance in replacing traditional lights, have been evolved to provide optimum electromagnetic spectrum for photosynthesis, consume less energy and have minimal heat signatures which keeps the energy requirement for temperature maintenance at a minimum.
Crops generally grown in this method are green leafy vegetables. The vertical farming market is estimated to reach USD 3.88 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 30.7% between 2015 and 2020.
In some developed countries, vertical farms are on the verge of starting the next green revolution. The first ever commercial vertical farm was setup in Singapore in 2012. The world’s largest vertical farm is coming up in Newark, New Jersey by a company called Aerofarms which aims to produce about two million pounds of leafy greens a year using aeroponics techniques.
In Japan vertical farm technology gained traction after the Fukushima nuclear meltdown exposed the susceptibility of arable land getting contaminated. Closer home, start-ups such as Futurefarms based in Chennai has setup such farms and has begun promoting it.
Vertical farms can be setup in abandoned factories or warehouses. It promises to create more jobs and attracts public-private investment. The vegetables can be locally grown and thus the cost and emissions due to their transportation can be significantly cut down. These farms also give us the option of year-round harvest. And of course, huge swathes of land can be returned to their natural state by reforestation.
Nevertheless, some scientists are sceptical about this technology. They consider it to be a factory rather than a farm almost like a broiler producing plant. Further, the whole system is vulnerable due to human error and technological malfunction. Considering that these systems use huge number of LED lights, motors and sensors the demand for power increases substantially which can make it unsustainable. Detailed research work has to be done before it gets commercialised in India.
Does Vertical Farming Make Sense?
Does Vertical Farming Make Sense?
With increased urbanization, vertical farms are often advertised as the food production method of the future. But can we feed the world with fancy lettuce? This, and many other topics provided food for thought at yesterday's Vertical Farming Conference in the Netherlands. A broad audience with architects, horticultural suppliers, growers, retailers and breeders came together at the Brightlands Campus to discuss the next generation farmer.
Vertical farming has become a much discussed topic at horticultural events and summits. While plenty of both commercial, research and institutional vertical and indoor farms are being opened (and closed) at a rapid pace lately, the new industry is struggling to find its place in the market. A good reason for the organizers of the Innovative Food-Agri Event to incorporate a special program dedicated to this pioneering industry.
The Vertical Farming Conference was organized in conjunction with the 3D Food Printing Conference. Both of these new industries advocate that they will provide us the food of the future. In order to highlight the opportunities and underline these potentials, the conference brought in several interesting speakers who shared their success stories, but who also did not shy away to deliver critical side notes.
Lisa J. Newman, AeroFarms, currently wrapping up funding to expand their farm concept worldwide
The day was kicked off by Lisa J. Newman, the COO of AeroFarms who explained how her group ventured one of the largest commercial vertical indoor farms in North America. The 76,000 square foot aeroponic plantfactory of AeroFarms in Newark, NJ, produces a variety of leafy greens, year round. Employing about 120, the company daily harvests and ships its 'Dream Greens' branded produce to major food services like The Compass Group, ShopRite, WholeFoods and FreshDirect.
Newman explained that making profit by growing commercially is not easy, complex and takes a multi disciplined approach. Their vertical farming concepts allow them to be and ag tech centric company that greatly depend on sensors and data to make informed decisions, but they also have invested a lot of time in things like a HACCP food safety plan and other policies and procedures. "We conduct a lot of R&D to adapt new technology and improve our grow cycles. There is a lot more we would like to do within the imaging space, for example by using machine vision to understand the in and outside of plants."
AeroFarms is a good example how a combination of extensive knowledge and dedication towards technology and marketing can be translated into, according to Newman, a profitable business model.
LEDs Deliver Opportunities
If you talk indoor farming, you're talking LEDs. Because growing indoors requires supplemental light and traditional lamps like HPS and HID generate too much heat and electricity related problems when growing indoors. Therefore Celine Nicole of Philips and Stiina Kotiranta ofValoya provided some insights in using LEDs to improve more than just plant growth. They explained how vertical indoor farming allows for more control of the growing environment and enables LED technology and their extensive spectra to have full control of the crop's nutritional compounds, shelf life or taste. "It's a revolution that provides opportunities for human health".
Challenges
Okay, enough about the positive side of vertical farming. Now let's talk about the real challenge; how can a vertical farm solve the world food issue? Can we feed the world with just leafy greens and culinary herbs? An interactive room discussion gave some insight into the public opinion. Participants shared for example an opinion that a wider variety of crops need to be grown in order to make vertical farming a game changer.
And what about the high electricity cost and operational costs of a vertical farm? Does that really make them as sustainable and profitable as often advertised?
According to Jan Westra of Priva, it is very important to determine a certain goal to have a business case. "What do you want to achieve? Do you want to start an urban farm from a social point of view or to deploy a real state strategy and give a new impulse to an existing building? Or do you want to grow food in an impossible location like the south pole? Vertical farming does allow you to grow practically anywhere, but there are a huge amount of factors that will determine whether you have a profitable business case or not. From local utility costs towards marketing situations."
Furthermore, Westra stressed that the new vertical and indoor farming industry is a blue ocean which could learn a lot from the existing greenhouse industry and vice versa. "It is two different industries with a lot of overlap, they should cooperate more often to avoid pitfalls."
Martin Veenstra, Certhon, spoke about the gray area between a greenhouse and an indoor farm.
Pinkhouse
This was also affirmed by the presentation of Martin Veenstra of Certhon. He showed a picture of Jardin de Rabelais, a French greenhouse grower with an LED-lit semi closed greenhouse. When this tomato grower has its screens and vents closed, he is basically growing in a completely controlled environment. "In fact, this is a big indoor farm. So what is the exact definition of an indoor or vertical farm. There is a gray area in between both."
Also Veenstra stressed that vertical farming creates a lot of possibilities. But what about the feasibility? With the right technology and knowledge, basically anything is possible. Growing bell peppers without daylight?Possible. Growing lettuce in a shipping container? Possible. The options are limitless. But does it make sense? Does it make any sense (and more important: money) when your competitor is growing them next door in a traditional greenhouse with daylight at 50% of the cost? "The purpose of the type of cultivation should be determined. When vertical farming allows you to grow a fresher, local product that you can market with a premium it makes sense, go for it. The goal is then to grow local and a vertical farm allows you to achieve this goal. Growing in a vertical farm simply because it is vertical may never be the goal."
Publication date: 6/30/2017
Author: Bryan Spalinger
Copyright: www.freshplaza.com
South African Urban Agri Summit To Showcase Vertical Farming
South African Urban Agri Summit To Showcase Vertical Farming
International experts, regional authorities, investors and stakeholders from the agriculture sector will gather on September 7-8 in Johannesburg, South Africa for the inaugural Urban Agri Summit 2017. The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
Dr Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, Food Security Fellow with New Voices, The Aspen Institute and previously Mentor for Agriculture at the Clinton Global University Initiative (CGI U), said, "I believe it is about time Africa has the conversations about vertical farming and other innovative urban agriculture practices. With the urban population expected to rise for most of the African cities, there will be the need for innovative approaches to feed the urban population. I do believe that Africa’s farms have to start going vertical."
Various initiatives have already been undertaken by South Africa to spur innovation in its agriculture sector. Together with other Sub-Saharan African cities in Nigeria and Kenya, South African metropolises are following in the footsteps of many global cities to introduce sustainable urban indoor farming. Africa has unique opportunities for vertical farms and Controlled Environment Agriculture. Vertical farming (including its variations) is one of the most innovative approaches that can be tapped as part of an effort to grow fresh, healthy, nutritious and pesticide-free food for consumers.
Jana Jordaan, Sustainable Agriculture Analyst at GreenCape said: “We are very excited that the Urban Agri Summit will be taking place in Johannesburg this year. Our 2017 Agriculture Market Intelligence Report has shown that there are significant opportunities for farmers, investors and businesses in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the region. The Urban Agri Summit is a great platform where international experiences and ideas are shared, influencing opportunities and overcoming barriers to the growth of the CEA market. We believe the summit is a great opportunity to not only support the growth of the CEA market in South Africa, but also support South Africa’s transition to a more resilient green economy."
Highlights of the Summit include insightful presentations and engaging panel discussions by international organisations and experts from Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the USA, combined with a technology showcase.
This industry event is supported by the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) and by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
The AVF's Stephane Razzon said, "The event presents an opportunity for the African continent to be introduced with the most cutting-edge technologies in agriculture. Controlled Environment Agriculture, Vertical Farming and advanced greenhouse methods are bound to completely transform food systems in developing countries and developed countries alike. We at the AVF believe the global Vertical Farming market is now ready to make a notable impact on the agricultural sector in Africa. It will require from us all to be in the right place and in the right time, which is clearly at the Urban Agri Summit 2017.
For more information:
Jose Carpio
Tel: +65 6846 2366
www.magentaglobalevents.com
Publication |date:7/3/2017
These Kale Farming Robots In Pittsburgh Don't Need Soil Or Even Much Water
These Kale Farming Robots In Pittsburgh Don't Need Soil Or Even Much Water
AARON AUPPERLEE | Monday, July 3, 2017, 12:09 a.m.
Brac Webb, CIO, Danny Seim, COO, Austin Webb, CEO, Austin Lawrence CTO, of RoBotany, an indoor, robotic, vertical farming company started at CMU sells their products at Whole Foods in Upper Saint Clair,
Friday, June 30, 2017.ANDREW RUSSELL | TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Robots could grow your next salad inside an old steel mill on Pittsburgh's South Side.
And the four co-founders of the robotic, indoor, vertical farming startup RoBotany could next tackle growing the potatoes for the french fries to top it.
“We're techies, but we have green thumbs,” said Austin Webb, one of the startup's co-founders.
It's hard to imagine a farm inside the former Republic Steel and later Follansbee Steel Corp. building on Bingham Street. During World War II, the plant produced steel for artillery guns and other military needs. The blueprints were still locked in a safe in a closet in the building when RoBotany moved in.
Graffiti from raves and DJ parties once held in the space still decorate the walls. There's so much space, the RoBotany team can park their cars indoors.
But in this space, Webb and the rest of the RoBotany team — his brother Brac Webb; Austin Lawrence, who grew up on a blueberry farm in Southwest Michigan; and Daniel Seim, who has pictures of his family's farm stand in Minnesota, taped to the wall above his computer — see a 20,000-square-foot farm with robots scaling racks up to 25 feet high. This farm could produce 2,000 pounds of food a day and could be replicated in warehouses across the country, putting fresh produce closer to the urban populations that need it and do it while reducing the environmental strain traditional farming puts on water and soil resources.
“It's the first step in solving a lot of these issues that are already past the breaking point,” Austin Webb said.
RoBotany is a robotics, software and analytics company aiming to bundle its expertise to make indoor, vertical farming more efficient and economical.
Webb left a job as an investment banker in Washington to attend Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business in hopes of founding a startup around food security issues. While in D.C., Webb volunteered at the Capital Area Food Bank and donated to food security causes.
At Tepper, he met Daniel Seim, an electrical and computer engineer pursuing his MBA. Seim connected with Webb on his mission. The pair teamed up with Lawrence, who left a prestigious Ph.D. program at Cornell to found RoBotany, and brought in Webb's brother, a self-described nerd who taught himself to code at age 12 and turned into a software and high tech engineering whiz.
The team speaks the same language when it comes to why they formed RoBotany. The population is growing. Traditional farming degrades soil and pollutes water. Current vertical farming takes a lot work and doesn't use labor and space efficiently.
Austin Webb said RoBotany seeks to solve all of those problems. His brother, Brac, said it must.
“This is probably one of the first problems humanity needs to solve,” Brac Webb said.
The company started in June 2016 with its first farm in a conference room at Carnegie Mellon University's Project Olympus startup accelerator in Oakland.
The first version of the farm was 50 square feet and produced about a pound of micro leafy greens or herbs a day. Once the farm was up and running, RoBotany supplied arugula and cilantro to the Whole Foods in the South Hills under the brand Pure Sky Farms. The team delivered its latest produce Friday.
“The company aligns well with our mission of providing high quality, locally grown produce and we are excited about the success of their vertical growing method for urban environments,” said Rachel Dean Wilson, a spokeswoman for Whole Foods.
In February, the company expanded, big time. The team leased 40,000 square feet of warehouse and office space from the M. Berger Land Co. on Bingham Street. Version two of the farm is taking shape in one corner of the warehouse. It will be 2,000 square feet and produce 40 pounds of food per day. Version three is in the works. The team hopes it will be 20,000 square feet and produce 2,000 pounds of food today.
“It does speak to a different form of agriculture,” Lawrence said.
In a RoBotany farm, robots move up and down high racks moving long, skinny trays of plants into different growing environments. The amount and color of LED lights can be controlled. So can the amount and make-up of the nutrient-rich mist sprayed directly onto the roots of the plants.
The plants — micro versions of leafy greens like kale, spinach and arugula and herbs like cilantro and basil — grow in a synthetic mesh rather than soil. The roots hang freely from the bottom of the trays.
Plants grow two to three times faster than outdoors, Austin Webb said. They use 95 percent less water. And they have the nutritional value and taste to rival any traditionally grown produce, he said.
The company has raised $750,000 to date and hopes to raise $10 million when it closes its first round of financing this summer to begin construction of the big farm. The team hopes to have it up and running by the winter.
Austin Webb anticipates hiring seven to 10 people to work the farm when the full version is running. Another four to 10 people will be needed to run the business end of the company and maintain the robots and software. The robots will do the dangerous work, moving around trays high in the air.
Eventually, RoBotany will expand its crops to include other fruits and vegetables.
“You can't just feed the world on lettuce,” Austin Webb said.
Aaron Aupperlee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at aaupperlee@tribweb.com, 412-336-8448 or via Twitter @tinynotebook.
This Amazing Farm In A Box Can Pop Up On Any City Street
Over the past decade, urban farming and community gardeninghave grown in popularity, with small gardens sprouting on top of skyscrapers – but they can be complicated and require elaborate supplies. EkoFarmer is a 13-meter long farming module that can be installed where there is a water and electrical supply. Containing ecological
soil developed by Kekkilä, EkoFARMER was designed to produce optimal yields and be used for both commercial and scientific purposes.
This Amazing Farm In A Box Can Pop Up On Any City Street
Over the past decade, urban farming and community gardeninghave grown in popularity, with small gardens sprouting on top of skyscrapers – but they can be complicated and require elaborate supplies. EkoFarmer is a 13-meter long farming module that can be installed where there is a water and electrical supply. Containing ecological soil developed by Kekkilä, EkoFARMER was designed to produce optimal yields and be used for both commercial and scientific purposes.
Exsilio is currently on the lookout for co-creation partners that are interested in developing their own farming modules based on their own requirements. Restaurants and institutional kitchens can benefit from EkoFARMER, which can also function as an excellent complementary solution for farmers to expand their traditional greenhouses.
“EkoFARMER is an excellent option for business fields in need of salads, herbs, (edible) flowers or medicinal plants, for example. The social aspect of urban farming is also prominent. For this reason, our solution is suitable for associations wanting to earn some extra income, or societies wanting to offer meaningful activities for the unemployed, for example. This is an opportunity to create new micro-enterprises”, said Tapio.
Vertical Farming in Africa to Boost Growth at September Urban Agri Summit in Johannesburg
Vertical Farming in Africa to Boost Growth at September Urban Agri Summit in Johannesburg
The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
International experts, regional authorities, investors and stakeholders from the agriculture sector will gather on September 7-8 in Johannesburg, South Africa for the inaugural Urban Agri Summit 2017. The two-day event will serve as a springboard to support the successful launch of Vertical Farming, Greenhouse and Control Environment Agriculture across Africa's urban landscape to help address the needs of the continent's rapidly growing populations.
Dr Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, Food Security Fellow with New Voices, The Aspen Institute and previously Mentor for Agriculture at the Clinton Global University Initiative (CGI U), said, "I believe it is about time Africa has the conversations about vertical farming and other innovative urban agriculture practices. With the urban population expected to rise for most of the African cities, there will be the need for innovative approaches to feed the urban population. I do believe that Africa’s farms have to start going vertical."
Various initiatives have already been undertaken by South Africa to spur innovation in its agriculture sector. Together with other Sub-Saharan African cities in Nigeria and Kenya, South African metropolises are joining the footsteps of many global cities to introduce sustainable urban indoor farming. Africa has unique opportunities for vertical farms and Controlled Environment Agriculture. Vertical farming (including its variations) is one of the most innovative approaches that can be tapped as part of an effort to grow fresh, healthy, nutritious and pesticide-free food for consumers.
Jana Jordaan, Sustainable Agriculture Analyst at GreenCape said: “We are very excited that the Urban Agri Summit will be taking place in Johannesburg this year. Our 2017 Agriculture Market Intelligence Report has shown that there are significant opportunities for farmers, investors and businesses in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the region. The Urban Agri Summit is a great platform where international experiences and ideas are shared, influencing opportunities and overcoming barriers to the growth of the CEA market. We believe the summit is a great opportunity to not only support the growth of the CEA market in South Africa, but also support South Africa’s transition to a more resilient green economy."
Highlights of the Summit include insightful presentations and engaging panel discussions by international organisations and experts from Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the USA, combined with a technology showcase.
This industry event is supported by the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF) and by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
The AVF's Stephane Razzon said, "The event holds an unprecedented opportunity for the African continent to be introduced with the most cutting-edge technologies in agriculture. Controlled Environment Agriculture, Vertical Farming and advanced greenhouse methods are bound to completely transform food systems in developing countries and developed countries alike. We at the AVF believe the global Vertical Farming market is now ready to make a notable impact on the agricultural sector in Africa. It will require from us all to be in the right place and in the right time, which is clearly at the Urban Agri Summit 2017.
Contact Info
Jose Carpio - Magenta Global (Singapore)
Block 53 Sims Place
#01-150
Singapore 380053
Phone: +6568462366
Website: http://www.magentaglobalevents.com/urban-agriculture-verticalfarming-cea-africa-summit/
Infarm Wants To Put A Farm In Every Grocery Store
Infarm Wants To Put A Farm In Every Grocery Store
By Steve O'Hear (@sohear)
Imagine a future where you go into a grocery store to buy some fresh basil, and, as you traverse the aisle, instead of polythene bags containing mass-produced snippets of the herb that have been flown in from thousands of miles away, in front of you are a stack of illuminated containers, each housing a mini basil farm.
The plants themselves are being monitored by multiple sensors and fed by an internet-controlled irrigation and nutrition system. Growing out from the centre, the basil is at ascending stages of its life, with the most outer positioned leaves ready for you, the customer, to harvest.
Now imagine no more, because, to paraphrase science fiction writer William Gibson, the farm of the future is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed.
When we presented our idea three or four years ago, people looked at us and thought we [had] lost our mind — Infarm co-founder Erez Galonska
Infarm, a 40-plus person startup based in Berlin is developing an “indoor vertical farming” system capable of growing anything from herbs, lettuce and other vegetables, and even fruit. The concept might not be entirely new — Japan has been an early pioneer in vertical farming, where the lack of space for farming and very high demand from a large population has encouraged innovation — but what potentially sets Infarm apart, including from other startups, is the modular approach and go-to-market strategy it is taking.
This means that the company can do vertical farming on a small but infinitely expandable scale, and is seeing Infarm place farms not in offsite warehouses but in customer-facing city locations, such as grocery stores, restaurants, shopping malls, and schools, enabling the end-customer to actually pick the produce themselves.
“When we presented our idea three or four years ago, people looked at us as though we [had] lost our mind,” says Infarm co-founder Erez Galonska. “We are the first company in the world that has put vertical farming in a supermarket. We did it last year with Metro Group, which is one of the biggest wholesalers in Europe, and now we are facing very big demand from other supermarkets that want to do the same”.
Each farming unit is its own individual ecosystem, creating the exact environment our plants need to flourish— Infarm co-founder Osnat Michaeli
That demand — which has also seen Infarm recently partner with EDEKA, Germany’s largest supermarket corporation — is driven by a change in consumer behaviour in which “people are seeking more fresh produce, more sustainable produce,” says Osnat Michaeli, another of Infarm’s three founders (the other is Guy Galonska, brother to Erez). More generally, she says, the food industry is looking to technology that can help solve inefficiencies in the supply chain and reduce waste.
“Our eating habits have created a demand for produce that is available 365 days a year, even though some varieties may only be seasonal and/or produced on the other side of the globe… The food that does survive the long journey is not fresh, lacks vital nutrients, and in most cases is covered in pesticides and herbicides”.
In contrast, the Infarm system is chemical pesticide-free and can prioritise food grown for taste, colour and nutritional value rather than shelf life or its ability to sustain mass production. Its indoor nature means it isn’t restricted to seasonality either and by completely eliminating the distance between farmer and consumer, food doesn’t get much fresher.
“Behind our farms is a robust hardware and software platform for precision farming,” explains Michaeli. “Each farming unit is its own individual ecosystem, creating the exact environment our plants need to flourish. We are able to develop growing recipes that tailor the light spectrums, temperature, pH, and nutrients to ensure the maximum natural expression of each plant in terms of flavor, colour, and nutritional quality. Weather that be an arugula from Provence, Mexican tarragon or Moroccan mint”.
The Infarm vertical farming system has been designed to enable a “perpetual daily harvest”. Taking inspiration from the petal constellation of the sunflower, the growing trays move plants from the centre to the outer perimeter according to their size and growth. Replenishing the plant food is as simple as changing a cartridge and water supply can also be automated.
In addition, a matrix of sensors collect and record data from each farm so that Infarm’s plant experts and tech team can remotely monitor crops and optimise the plants’ growth in real-time or troubleshoot any peculiarities, such as a change in atmosphere.
“The system is smart. It can guide you where to harvest and can notify you when the produce needs to be harvested, and this is your part in the game,” says Galonska. “Machine learning can help us understand and predict future problems”.
When a new type of herb or plant is introduced, Infarm’s plant experts and engineers create a recipe or algorithm for the produce type, factoring in nutrition, humidity, temperature, light intensity and spectrum, which is different from system to system depending on what is grown.
The resulting combination of IoT, Big Data and cloud analytics is akin to “Farming-as-a-Service,” whilst , space permitting, Infarm’s modular approach affords the ability to keep adding more farming capacity in a not entirely dissimilar way to how cloud computing can be ramped up at the push of a button.
This makes Infarm potentially scalable, both in terms of biodiversity and supply: from a small number of units in-store, where customers can get up close to the produce, to additional capacity at the back of a supermarket, to a large online retailer that may require 1000s of units and grow 100s of varieties.
None of which has gone unnoticed by investors.
The startup has just closed a €4 million funding round led by Berlin’s Cherry Ventures. Impact investor Quadia, London’s LocalGlobe, Atlantic Food Labs, design consultant Ideo, Demand Analytics, and various business angels also participated.
Christian Meermann, Founding Partner at Cherry Ventures, says the distributed nature of Infarm’s system is one of the things that made the startup stand out from other vertical farming companies the VC firm looked at. This, he says, is seeing Infarm create a network of farms that are centrally controlled and monitored from the cloud and do not require the startup to build huge farming warehouses of its own.
Meermann also talked up the machine learning behind Infarm, which he says is enabling it to figure out the most optimum recipe for different plant types to not only significantly enhance flavour but also let crops grow in parts of the world they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
“When we started out, we were looked at as ‘idealistic dreamers’. In part, this might have been because we were self-taught and not many believed that we had the necessary expertise needed to invent a new agricultural solution,” adds Michaeli.
“The challenge [now] is in finding the right partners. Our initial focus is on supermarket chains, online food retailers, wholesalers, hotels, and other food-related businesses, for whom the superior quality and range of produce — with no fluctuation in costs — makes Infarm an attractive partner. In return, we can reintroduce the joy of growing to the urban population”.
Nebullam Develops Aeroponic Technology For Indoor Growers
Nebullam Develops Aeroponic Technology For Indoor Growers
Clayton Mooney and Danen Pool with Nebullam’s prototype.
Traditional agricultural growing methods rely on a growing medium, but Ames, Iowa-based Nebullam is developing an alternative method of growing that doesn’t require a medium.
The company’s mission is to provide the art of future foods now and they’re doing that through the development of aeroponics.
“With high-pressure aeroponics, we use no growing medium. We suspend the plants in what we like to call a ‘root chamber’ and […] then we pressurize nutrients and water, and hit them with a really fine mist,” explained Nebullam co-founder Clayton Mooney. “I like to say that we put the plants on a boxer’s diet. They get exactly what they need, no more, no less.”
Through their advanced growing methods, Nebullam is able to create an indoor agricultural production environment that uses 95% less water than traditional methods and 40% less water than hydroponic methods. Completely controlled growing environments also eliminate the need for pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, and enable a 50% reduction in fertilizer.
“There’s a lot of sustainable proponents that go into our systems,” said Mooney.
From Inspiration To Reality
Mooney said the inspiration for Nebullam came a few years back when co-founder Danen Pool was on a trip to South Africa. Pool began thinking about the issue of food security in growing populations and how someone would go about securing food production in areas where the land isn’t efficient for agriculture.
“When he got back to the states, he started researching different growing methods and eventually came across aeroponics,” said Mooney. “Aeroponics was originally created by NASA in the 80s to essentially figure out how to grow food in space.”
Pool was intrigued by the concept behind aeroponics. He decided to put his background in biology to use and built his own system, initially thinking of it as a hobby. By early 2015 he had grown his first crop of tomatoes and basil and gave them to his coworkers who were impressed with the quality of his produce and the fact that it was all grown during the winter in Iowa.
Automating The Growing Process
Pool began thinking about the possibilities for aeroponically grown produce and thought that maybe he had a business idea on his hands. He reached out to Mooney who has a background in ag technology and the two joined forces on creating an aeroponics company, but something was still missing for them.
Basil roots grown by Nebullam.
“Over the summer of last year, we had the third co-founder join us, Mahmoud Parto,” said Mooney. “Mahmoud’s background is in electronic, mechanical and software engineering and he provided the missing link for us, which is the machine learning aspect.”
Nebullam is now at a stage where its aeroponic growing units are powered by automated software. The software remotely monitors, analyzes, and adapts to current grows, which ensures that Nebullam’s commercial growing partners receive the highest amount of yields and the best quality of outputs with very little human interaction between germination and harvest. The system will be fully automated by 2020.
Joining The Startup Factory
Nebullam is currently a part of the Iowa State Startup Factory’s 2nd cohort which runs January-December 2017. The company is housed in the research park of the Vermeer Applied Technology Hub where they have access to offices, work space, a prototyping area and a teaching team led by Bill Adamowski.
“It’s really unique in the fact that [the Startup Factory] doesn’t try to cram everything into a 90 or 100-day accelerator. It’s a full year of support which we think is very very important,” said Mooney. “We have access to all of the teaching team on a weekly basis and they hold us all accountable.”
The co-founders are using their time at the Startup Factory to focus on getting a paid pilot program up and running with partners. They currently have a pilot program in Nevada and on LongView Farms, a 5th-generation farm in Iowa. The programs act as a proof-of-concept and from there, they hope to transition into a commercial agreement where Nebullam can produce in a large production space.
“We do have other deals in the pipeline right now,” said Mooney. “We’re looking around Iowa in the commercial space for leafy greens and microgreens, and then we are looking at opportunities outside of Iowa as well in Colorado and Oregon for pharmaceutical [production].”
The Startup Factory is also helping to prepare the co-founders for a round of seed funding in the next few months to help grow their teach and reseach capabilities. They’ve already accepted an offer from Ag Startup Engine, an investment group that focuses on ag technologies within the Startup Factory. They’re also delivering a private presentation to potential investors within the next couple of weeks.
Taking Aeroponics From Iowa To Mars
While the co-founders focus on getting the pilot project up and running, they’re also looking ahead at the future and other possible applications for aeroponics. The technology could be used just about anywhere. The biggest factor in whether or not Nebullam can implement their system into a city or region is simply a question of whether or not there is electricity.
“We see application for locations in Western Europe where a lot of the cities, for instance Dublin, are trying to push for smart-city initiatives,” said Mooney. “As far as applications in more developing regions, we think there’s a lot of potential there as well. […] With more and more energy-efficient and energy-focused projects jumping up in developing regions, solar panels are allowing energy in remote regions.”
Perhaps what’s most impressive about Nebullam’s potential is that the company isn’t limited to growing in one region or continent, or even one planet. The aeroponic systems being developed by the company could be used to grow food on Mars when Mars missions become a reality.
“The big thing that I’m personally excited about are the applications for outer space as well. The whole thing originated with NASA and I could see it coming full circle,” said Mooney. “We jokingly say we wouldn’t mind if we end up being the John Deere of agriculture on Mars.”
Christine McGuigan is the Associate Editor of Silicon Prairie News.
Laramie Farming Start-Up Has Plenty More Investors After Merger
Seven years after getting its start in a storage unit in Laramie, the company Bright Agrotech is merging with a San Francisco firm.
Laramie Farming Start-Up Has Plenty More Investors After Merger
By ALANNA ELDER • 6 HOURS AGO
CREDIT BRIGHT AGROTECH; HTTPS://PIXABAY.COM/EN/VERTICAL-FARM-GREEN-WALL-BOK-CHOY-916337/
Seven years after getting its start in a storage unit in Laramie, the company Bright Agrotech is merging with a San Francisco firm.
Bright’s founders developed a technology that allows people to grow food vertically, on indoor towers or exterior walls. Their hydroponic systems nourish plants using nutrient solutions instead of soil. They provide education and equipment to farmers around the world who are interested in this kind of production.
Plenty, the California company, is even newer than Bright, and the two firms have been connected – informally, at least - since the beginning. In 2015, former Bright Agrotech CEO Nate Storey started working part-time for Plenty, and he’s now their Chief Science Officer.
Bright co-founder and current CEO Chris Michael said the two start-ups have been using different strategies to achieve the same goal: making local food available everywhere, despite climate, season, and urban sprawl.
“We’re much more on the local farmer empowerment side, and Plenty was kind of on the field scale implementation of these vertical farms, but the more we progressed throughout our relationship, it made a lot of sense for us to tackle these big problems around giving people really good food together,” Michael said.
Michael said they are not releasing the dollar values of the deal, but Plenty’s investors will allow his company to expand its reach more quickly. Meanwhile, he said, Bright’s experience will help Plenty accomplish their goals. According to Michael, the operations in Laramie aren’t going anywhere.
“There’s a lot of advantages for them to continue to find the workforce that we have available here in Wyoming and put them to a really good use inside the company,” Michael said. “So I think everyone’s really excited about the prospects of staying in Laramie and also continuing to grow the team here.”
Michael says Bright Agrotech’s resources for small farmers will still be available, but with Plenty, they’re hoping to meet more of the demand for quality produce.
Silicon Valley Company Acquires UW Incubator Grad, Continues Local Operation
Silicon Valley Company Acquires UW Incubator Grad, Continues Local Operation
June 26, 2017
Nate Storey, founder of Bright Agrotech, examines lettuce growing in the company’s patented vertical towers. The Laramie company has been acquired by a Silicon Valley firm but will continue operating in Wyoming. (UW Photo)
Nate Storey, founder of Bright Agrotech, examines lettuce growing in the company’s patented vertical towers. The Laramie company has been acquired by a Silicon Valley firm but will continue operating in Wyoming. (UW Photo)
Bright Agrotech, a company developed by a University of Wyoming graduate using UW-licensed technology in UW’s business incubator, has been acquired by a Silicon Valley company that plans to maintain and enhance the Wyoming operation.
Plenty, a field-scale vertical farming company that aims to reshape agriculture to bring fresh and locally grown produce to people everywhere, announced the acquisition earlier this month.
“Plenty grows food for people, not trucks. By making us all one team and formalizing our deep and close relationship, with a shared passion for bringing people healthy food through local farming, we’re positioned in a way no one else is today to meet the firehose of global demand for local, fresh, healthy food that fits in everyone’s budget,” says Matt Barnard, CEO and co-founder of Plenty, in a company media release. “Everyone wins -- the small farmer, people everywhere and Plenty -- as we all move forward delivering local food that’s better for people and better for the planet.”
“Our vision at Bright Agrotech has always been to provide better food for people who want it, with technology and techniques that help anyone anywhere realize the benefits of local food,” says Nate Storey, founder of Bright Agrotech and now Plenty’s chief science officer. “Joining forces with Plenty allows us to run faster toward our goal of making fresh, local food ubiquitous and available everywhere. We’re all really excited about the opportunity and excited to continue operating here in Laramie.”
Bright Agrotech, with 43 employees in Laramie, has developed several products to encourage people to farm. The company’s products include the ZipGrow Tower and ZipGrow Matrix Media. The company’s technology combines the principles of hydroponic systems -- in which crops are grown without the use of soil -- and vertical crop growing to maximize space use efficiency. These hydroponic towers are highly productive, modular and are functional in a variety of plant production settings.
Storey received his doctoral degree in agronomy from UW in 2012. After winning the 2011 UW College of Business $10K Entrepreneurship Competition with business partner Paul Bennick, of Gillette, Storey spent a few more years developing his business with the assistance of UW’s Wyoming Technology Business Center (WTBC). In 2015, the Cheyenne native “graduated” from the WTBC and moved his business operations to the Allsop Inc. warehouse facilities on Commercial Drive in Laramie. And construction is underway on a new, 12,150-square-foot building in the Laramie River Business Park to house the growing company.
“This is another home run for technology-related business development stemming from bright minds associated with the University of Wyoming,” says Bill Gern, UW’s vice president for research and economic development.
He notes that this is the second UW spinout company acquired by a Silicon Valley firm: Firehole Composites, whose origins sprung from UW’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, was acquired in 2013 by Autodesk Inc., which focuses on 3-D design, engineering and entertainment software.
“The university has been instrumental in changing the business landscape in southeastern Wyoming, and Laramie is now truly a tech hub,” Gern says.
Bright Agrotech’s technology and industry leadership, combined with Plenty’s own technology, will help Plenty realize its plans to build field-scale indoor farms around the world, bringing the highest quality produce and healthy diets to everyone’s budget, the company’s media release says. Bright Agrotech has partnered with local farmers for over seven years to start and grow indoor farms, providing high-tech growing systems and controls, workflow design and grower education through Upstart University.
“We’re excited to join Plenty on their mission to bring the same exceptional quality local produce to families and communities around the world,” Storey says. “The need for local produce and healthy food that fits in everyone’s budget is not one that small farmers alone can satisfy, and I’m glad that, with Plenty, we can all work toward bringing people everywhere the freshest, pesticide-free food.”
Storey plans to stay in Laramie and will travel often to California. All 43 local employees will be retained, says Chris Michael, Bright Agrotech’s CEO.
“Plenty is very interested in growing operations in Laramie, and numbers will likely grow as Plenty grows,” Michael says. “We would love to see Laramie continue growing into the controlled environment agriculture technology capital of the U.S.”
Assembly Member Wants To Turn Fallow Land Into An Urban Farm
Assembly Member Wants To Turn Fallow Land Into An Urban Farm
The 15-acre property in question is the former site of the Alaska Native Hospital
By Zachariah Hughes, Alaska Public Media -
June 21, 2017
Officials in Anchorage are taking the first steps to convert a blighted downtown property into an urban farm.
The move comes as an amendment to a five-year management plan for the Heritage Land Bank that’s set to go before the Assembly next week at its June 27th meeting. The 15-acre property in question is the former site of the Alaska Native Hospital, located between Ingra Street and 3rd Avenue. Under the proposal from downtown Assembly member Christopher Constant, the area would first be tested for contamination, then potentially turned into an “urban agriculture center.”
“This doesn’t actually do anything specific toward approval,” Constant said after members of the Assembly’s homelessness committee agreed to move the proposal forward. “It just sends a message to the administration that this is a desirable area to explore.”
Constant represents the area where the potential center site would be.
“The land’s been sitting fallow,” Constant said. “At this point my personal hope is that we’ll do something positive with that land. Let’s put in a farm. And I’m not talking about a garden, I mean a farm.”
Constant would like to see the area grow produce like herbs or greens that can easily be brought to markets and restaurants in Anchorage. One of the eventual goals of the farm idea is creating training and employment opportunities for people living in nearby shelters or on the streets.
“Let’s come up with some ideas that can actually generate revenue to help people be employed,” Constant said. At such an early stage, he said it’s not clear whether it will ultimately be a for-profit or non-profit venture. “I personally lean towards coming up with a for-profit that manages the farm and the non-profit partners that are a part of it.”
Constant said he has started conversations about the project with a number of stakeholders, including partners at the city and area non-profits, as well as with private-sector businesses like Vertical Harvest, which builds hydroponic growing systems inside shipping containers.
Urban Crop Solutions Collaborates With Albert Heijn (Ahold Delhaize) & Bakker Barendrecht
Urban Crop Solutions Collaborates With Albert Heijn (Ahold Delhaize) & Bakker Barendrecht
Climate change, the global lack of arable land and the fact that more and more people are living in cities are a real challenge for the daily supply of fresh and healthy food for retail companies.
As an innovative and progressive retail company Albert Heijn, member of the global retail group Ahold Delhaize, is always seeking to work with partners using the most advanced cultivation methods, for the benefit of their customers. As a major vegetable and fruit supplier for Albert Heijn, Bakker Barendrecht plays a significant role in this process. The past three days Urban Crop Solutions (UCS), a specialist and reference as a global total solution provider in the fast emerging world of indoor vertical farming, teamed up with Albert Heijn and Bakker Barendrecht
Already more than a decade ago Albert Heijn has acknowledged the importance of sustainable cultivation methods. At the same time, their supplier for herbs, Tuinderij Bevelander, has begun to produce chives with hydroponic systems. Nowadays, the customer can still buy these chives produced on water at Albert Heijn. The implementation of this innovative cultivation method is becoming more accessible, due to the increasing technological developments. UCS is playing a key role in making indoor vertical farming systems more accessible. The agtech company develops tailored plant growth installations (PlantFactory), has its own range of standard growth container products (FarmFlex and FarmPro) and has an in-house team of plant biologists which develops plant growth recipes to grow a wide range of crops in these installations.
UCS has joined forces with Albert Heijn and Bakker Barendrecht in order to promote this high-tech method of cultivating. A FarmFlex container was strategically placed in front of the headquarters of Ahold Delhaize in Zaandam (The Netherlands) where the past three days employees could visit this mobile indoor vertical farming system. Global Sales Director, Brecht Stubbe and Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Oscar Navarrete were on-site to provide detailed information.
“The past 3 days were a very intense experience”, explains Brecht Stubbe, responsible for Urban Crop Solutions for this project, “Working together with these well reputed cultivator and retailer group confirms our view that our solutions will definitely be part of the solution to meet with the ambitions of our partners to supply their customers daily with fresh and healthy food.”