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Syngenta Looks To The Future
Syngenta Looks To The Future
June 27, 2017 07:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time
BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Syngenta today announced its new ambition and priorities following the completion of the transaction with ChemChina. The company aims to profitably grow market share through organic growth and collaborations, and is considering targeted acquisitions with a focus on seeds. The goal is to strengthen Syngenta’s leadership position in crop protection and to become an ambitious number three in seeds. Key drivers for the next phase of growth will be further expansion in emerging markets, notably China, the stepping up of digital agriculture offers, and ongoing investment in new technologies to increase crop yields while reducing CO2 emissions and preserving water resources.
Syngenta looks to the future: Our new ambition & priorities following completion of the transaction w/ ChemChina
After being elected Chairman of the Board of Directors on June 26, Ren Jianxin, Chairman of ChemChina, reaffirmed that Syngenta’s operational independence will be maintained and the existing management team will continue to run the company. He said: “We share Syngenta's strategic and long-term vision and look forward to supporting Syngenta's growth, product offering and services. Together with its Board and Management and all its employees, we will work for the benefit of growers and to enhance food security and fight famine around the world - based on principles of technological leadership, environmental safety and sustainability.”
Michel Demaré, Vice Chairman of Syngenta and Lead Independent Director, said: “This transaction is historic for many reasons. Not only is it the largest acquisition ever made by a Chinese company, but also it is a deal focused on growth. All our stakeholders are benefiting from this change of ownership. Jobs have been safeguarded and farmers will continue to have a choice and enjoy the benefits of our investments in technology. Syngenta will continue to be headquartered and to pay taxes in Switzerland, with major manufacturing and R&D sites in the country. Syngenta remains a standalone company, with a new owner who has a long term vision for our industry and will invest accordingly. The company will maintain the highest corporate governance standards with four Independent Directors on the Board. I look forward to working with Ren Jianxin and the rest of the Board to further develop Syngenta leadership in growth and sustainability. Together, ChemChina and Syngenta will make a significant contribution to global food security.”
Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta, said: “We play a vital role in the food chain to safely feed the world and take care of our planet. Our ambition is to be the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture, providing leading seeds and crop protection innovations to enhance the prosperity of farmers, wherever they are. With ChemChina we have a stable new owner who will help us to achieve this ambition. At the same time we will sustain our focus on productivity and on improving the customer experience. We are excited by the global prospects and particularly those in China, where we will utilise and build on our technology and know-how to promote the highest agriculture, food safety and environmental standards, as well as to increase productivity.”
About Syngenta
Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/Syngenta.
About ChemChina
ChemChina, which is headquartered in Beijing, China, possesses production, R&D and marketing systems in 150 countries and regions. It is the largest chemical corporation in China, and occupies the 234th position among the Fortune Global 500. The company’s main businesses include materials science, life science, high-end manufacturing and basic chemicals, among others. Previously, ChemChina has successfully acquired 9 leading industrial companies in France, United Kingdom, Israel, Italy and Germany, etc. To learn more visit www.chemchina.com and www.chemchina.com/press.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
Some of the statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, which involves a number of risks and uncertainties discussed in Syngenta’s public filings with the SEC, including the "risk factors" section of Syngenta's Form 20-F filed on February 16, 2017 as well as the U.S. Offer documents filed by ChemChina and CNAC Saturn (NL) B.V. (“Purchaser”) and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement filed by Syngenta. These statements are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any forward-looking statements. These statements are generally identified by words or phrases such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "will", "may", "should", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "continue" or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results and the timing of events may differ materially from the results and/or timing discussed in the forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these statements. ChemChina, Purchaser and Syngenta disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the period covered by this press release or otherwise.
Contacts
Syngenta International AG
Media Office
Tel: +41 61 323 2323
Fax: +41 61 323 2424
www.syngenta.com
or
Media contacts:
Leandro Conti
Switzerland
+41 61 323 2323
or
Paul Minehart
USA
+1 202 737 8913
or
Analyst/Investor contacts:
Jennifer Gough
Switzerland
+41 61 323 5059
or
USA
+1 202 737 6521
Gurugram Adopts Soil-Less Farming and Shows How Easy It Is to Eat Chemical-Free!
A project commissioned by the Harayana Department of Horticulture is supplying safe, chemical-free fruit and vegetables to residents of Delhi and Gurugram and encouraging a new generation of urban farmers in India.
Gurugram Adopts Soil-Less Farming and Shows How Easy It Is to Eat Chemical-Free!
A project commissioned by the Harayana Department of Horticulture is supplying safe, chemical-free fruit and vegetables to residents of Delhi and Gurugram and encouraging a new generation of urban farmers in India.
by Lucy Plummer
Residents across Gurugram and Delhi are enjoying the benefits of safe, chemical-free produce grown from a soil-less environment thanks to a project set up by three friends and commissioned by the Haryana Department of Horticulture.
In a system already attracting hordes of India’s new-age farmers, crops are being grown in Panchgaon village, Manesar, without the use of soil, meaning that they are free from pest and disease attacks, chemical-free and nutrient-dense.
The produce is being supplied to residents of nearby cities Delhi and Gurugram through bulk buyers.
A hydroponic set-up. Photo Source: Urban Farm via Facebook
“This is the future of farming and vegetable cultivation. Instead of soil, coconut fibre is used to fill the pots and liquid nutrients are provided in a controlled environment,” Din Mohammad Khan, District Horticulture Officer, told Hindustan Times.
The project was set up in 2015 by three friends, Rupesh Singal, Avinash Garg and Vinay Jain, all IT professionals. It uses indoor farming techniques in a controlled environment. Some of the crops produced on-site include tomatoes, European cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, parsley and rosemary, which all come from locally sourced seeds. The capital investment made has been reported at Rs. 60 lakh with the annual operational cost totalling around Rs. 20 lakh.
“We do not require fertilisers and pesticides as the vegetables are grown in a controlled environment. We use a polythene sheet to shield the vegetables from ultraviolet rays. The plants grow in a safe and healthy environment and produce vegetables and fruits free of chemicals,” Dhruv Kumar, a farmer engaged in the project, told Hindustan Times.
The crops are grown in cocopeat, a fibre made out of coconut husk, and water is pre-treated with essential nutrients.
“We have installed two reverse osmosis (RO) water plants in our farm. The plant capacity is 2,000 litre/hour. We decided to use RO water for farming to have bountiful production and for that it is mandatory the plants must get the required nutrients and minerals in right proportion,” states Avinash.
Tomatoes growing without the use of soil. Photo Source: Sunil Manikpuri via Facebook
The future of India’s food production, Hydroponics?
More than ever, people across the world are becoming more conscious about what they are consuming and better sensitised to how the products they are consuming are being produced. Demands for safer and healthier foods, free from harmful chemicals, are forcing food companies and researchers to come up with new technologies and methods of growing produce, in particular fruits and vegetables, that are safe and healthy for human consumption.
The method of growing soil-less produce is known as Hydroponics. Indoor farming is nothing new, but many of India’s urban dwellers have taken to home farming and using hydroponics as a good solution to space restrictions and worries regarding the safety of their food.
What’s involved?
In a traditional soil-based system of growing produce, a plant wastes most of its energy developing a huge root system for it has to search far and wide in the soil for its food and water. In soil-less gardening, these are directly available to the plant roots by the nutrient rich water that hydroponics uses, thus saving time and space.
The main ingredient for growing soilless plants is adequate sunlight, which is becoming increasingly easier to replicate. Nowadays, the role of LED lighting is being widely investigated and used for promoting photosynthesis and saving energy and many are adopting it in their home practice.
See this guide to home hydroponics by The Better India: Growing Soil-Less With Hydroponics: An Introduction to Innovative Farming at Home
Artificial light helps this plant to grow indoors. Photo Source: Flickr
What are the benefits?
There are many reported benefits of hydroponic plant cultivation. For the urban dwellers, it requires less water, it maximises space as it allows for vertical farming, it requires little space and can even be carried out on windowsills, balconies, rooftops and backyards, it produces safe and healthy crops, free from harmful pesticides and fertilisers and ensures a clean and hygienic environment for crop growth.
There’s a long list of benefits for commercial farmers also; it can help to overcome temporal (seasonal) and spatial (agroclimatic) problems that can lead to failed crops, it produces bigger yields at a faster rate and it produces better quality crops with maximum nutrients.
And some potential drawbacks…
As with anything, it does not come without its potential drawbacks, most notably its costs. Not everyone will be able to handle the costs that come with hydroponic cultivation, which includes the initial capital cost and the cost to run and it can also be high maintenance as it requires constant supervision and management.
As such, in the case of soilless farming methods, it would appear that the next era of farming would be technological, in the hands of India’s urban residents instead of traditional rural farmers, and carried out in multi-storey towers of food and farming, not on soil but from soilless culture.
If you would like to get in touch with the Haryana project, see the contact details below:
Nature Fit
Farm: Village Panchgaon, Manesar, Haryana
Correspondence: 8786, C-8, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi – 110 070
Phone: +91 97173 33242
Email: rupesh_singal@yahoo.com
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.”
Vertical Growth
Vertical Growth
Vertical farming outfit Intelligent Growth Solutions is looking to complete the construction of its first indoor growth facility James Hutton Institute in Scotland in the next few months. The company then plans to launch a full-scale trial to deliver the UK’s first commercially viable vertical growing environment together with global automation firm Omron.
IGS says it aims to demonstrate that vertical farming is commercially viable by significantly reducing power and labour costs. The initiative is also looking to gain a better understanding of the plant science and types of crops which can be grown best in an indoor farming environment.
“By adopting the principles of Total Controlled Environment Agriculture [a technology-based approach toward food production], a system in which all aspects of the growing environment can be controlled, it is possible to eliminate variations in the growing environment, enabling the grower to produce consistent, high quality crops with minimal wastage, in any location, all year round,” says Henry Aykroyd, CEO of IGS.
Image: Intelligent Growth Solutions
Vertical Farming Using LED lights – Interview With Céline Nicole, Philips Lighting Research
Vertical Farming Using LED lights – Interview With Céline Nicole, Philips Lighting Research
Posted on 20/06/2017 by Diana Macovei
Vertical Farming using LED lights – Interview with Céline Nicole, Philips Lighting Research
Céline Nicole, from Philips Lighting Research will present her vision on the developments of Vertical Farming using LED lights on the 28th of June, at the Vertical Farming Conference in Venlo, The Netherlands.
Plant scientist and researcher Céline Nicole worked at Philips Horticulture LEDs solutions for 8 years and at the Philips Lighting Research for 16 years.
Since the year 2000, vertical farms have been introduced to grow vegetables and soft fruits. As LED lights became increasingly efficient they have become the light source of choice for commercial scale vertical farming.
How has vertical farming become so efficient?
“With the growing population, living in cities more and more, we need a solution to feed the world. Vertical farming represents a contribution to meeting that challenge. With this technology, growing conditions can be controlled including the climate, the water, nutrition and the light. Philips Lighting uses different light combinations which we call light recipes. These are a combination of different LED colours (spectrum), intensity and lighting hours per day. In vertical farming, water is re-used making this system very sustainable for water usage (more than 90% on water savings). No pesticides or other chemicals are used because there are no external influences getting inside the farm and everything used inside the farm is sterile. Accurate control of the climate allows crop growth in the best conditions. And because there are no seasons inside the farm, the yield per year is the highest of what can be achieved compared to other ways of growing crops.,” according to Nicole.
In addition, vertical farms can be built close to or in cities, allowing the shortest time from farm to fork. That increases useful shelf-life of the fresh produce and improves logistics, and therefore also contributes to reduced food waste.
You create an indoor climate, but is that good for the vegetables, as nature has its reasons for varying conditions.
Nature and climate varies much on the surface of the globe. For plant growth, tropical regions are rather mild in temperature and humidity, while continental or temperate climates have colder and warmer months with variations in humidity. Vegetables are originating from all over the world and have therefore evolved for different climate and light conditions. In a vertical farm it is possible to create a climate close to the optimal growing conditions for each variety.
For example, spinach likes it cold, especially at the start of growth and we can adjust the climate in order to optimize its growth and quality. In contrast, Basil likes it warm because it is a tropical plant, but it is grown in Europe as an annual crop. This is changing with vertical farming as we can now grow Basil at any time of the year, regardless of the season, and of a very high quality.
“Optimizing growing conditions for plants doesn’t always necessarily mean that it is good for the plant, sometimes it is done to achieve benefits for the consumer. For example, growing red oak lettuce in a climate and with light settings that is good for plant biomass production will not always create a good red colour like it would when grown outside in the summer. This is in fact a ‘stress response’ due to the UV component in sunlight. With the knowledge that we are gathering at Grow Wise centre and with our customers, we are developing and fine-tuning growth recipes for different crops. With vertical farming we can create climates and light conditions that mimic the natural environmental changes, in order to trigger the plant to produce those photo protective pigments (anthocyanin) and make them identical to when grown outside,” says Nicole.
Can you elaborate on Nitrates and health?
For decades there has been a controversy about assessing the possible negative health effects of nitrates ingested from vegetables. Over the past 5-10 years, more and more articles have appeared claiming the opposite, that nitrate consumption is healthy. It was shown to have an antimicrobial activity and also to enable the body to produce nitric oxide which is believed to have an important physiological role in vascoregulation and therefore beneficial for cardiovascular patients. The vascoregulation has been proved and is used by high level sportive people who need to perform in a short time frame. Still, the association of high nitrate levels has a negative impact on consumer minds. The Dutch food authorities’ recommendation has recently changed the advice on spinach and high nitrate vegetables. The limitation of daily uptake in grams has vanished in the Netherlands and some other countries. This is probably due to recent research showing that people eating on average more vegetables per day are more likely to be healthy. However, since there is no scientific consensus, it is wise to know how to limit the amount of nitrate when growing leafy vegetables, especially for those vegetables containing a lot (like spinach or rucola).
“With vertical farming we can provide both, low or high nitrate vegetables. Some of our customers desire to have a very low nitrate level in leafy vegetables, and we can help them by providing this. We can also provide a ‘runners’ lettuce with an ultra-high nitrate content if anyone asks. For sure, with vertical farming we are preventing pollution of the environment from overusing nitrogen fertilizers as the irrigation circuit is closed and water is recycled.” Concludes Nicole
For more information and registration to the Vertical Farming Conference, we invite you to visit https://www.verticalfarmingconference.com/
The interview was made by Jakajima, the organiser of the conference. For more interviews with speakers at Jakajima conferences, we invite you to visit Jakajima’s website
Clariant Ups R&D Support for Agriculture
Clariant Ups R&D Support for Agriculture
KELLY MARSHALL JUNE 23, 2017 LEAVE A COMMENT
Clariant is excited to announce their new greenhouse at Clariant Innovation Center (CIC) opened earlier this week. The state-of-the-art greenhouse will offer R&D for crop protection and managment, along with yield-enhancement solutions.
The 400sqm greenhouse offers smart simulation of environmental conditions such as humidity, light, rainfall and temperature, creating a proper climate for testing to supplement Clariant’s existing laboratory testing facilities at the CIC. The aim is to reduce development time and speed-to- market for advances in the niche growth areas of Plant Growth Regulators, Foliar Fertilizers and Bio-herbicides. These have been identified as focus areas to Clariant for successfully addressing current customer-specific needs and future global food demands.
“The new Crop Solutions greenhouse creates the perfect environment for fostering joint development in the areas we see as having most potential for delivering sustainable crop protection and, in the bigger picture, addressing the world’s increasing nutrition requirements,” said Britta Fünfstück, Member of Clariant’s Executive Committee. “It’s a level of support that sets us apart within our industry and we are excited at the prospect of contributing even more closely to the innovations of tomorrow.”
The new facility reinforces Clariant’s focus on sustainability and puts the company in a stronger position to provide answers going forward. Keep watching for unique solutions to come.
What Makes Urban Food Policy Happen? Insights From Five Case Studies
What Makes Urban Food Policy Happen? Insights From Five Case Studies
NEW REPORT: What Makes Urban Food Policy Happen? Insights From Five Case Studies
(Brussels / Stockholm: 12th June) Cities are rising as powerful agents in the world of food, says a new report from the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food), and they are finding innovative ways to put in place policies that take on challenges in global food systems.
The report, presented today at the EAT Stockholm Food Forum by lead author Corinna Hawkes, Director of the Centre for Food Policy at City University (London), shows that food policy is no longer the domain of national governments alone.
"Cities are taking matters into their own hands to try to fix the food system," said Hawkes. "Hundreds of cities around the world are taking concerted policy action — whether it be to ensure access to decent, nutritious food for all, to support farm livelihoods or to mitigate climate change."
The new report, entitled ‘What makes urban food policy happen? Insights from five case studies’, draws lessons from the ways in which five cities around the world have developed urban food policies:
- Belo Horizonte's approach to food security (Brazil) was one of the first integrated food security policies in the world, and the dedicated food agency within city government has survived for over 20 years.
- The Nairobi Urban Agriculture Promotion and Regulation Act (Kenya) represents a U-turn on long-standing opposition to urban farming from city authorities. The 2015 legislation came on the back of civil society advocacy and a window of opportunity opened by constitutional reform in Kenya.
- The Amsterdam Approach to Healthy Weight (the Netherlands) requires all city government departments to contribute to addressing the structural causes of childhood obesity through their policies, plans and day-to-day working.
- The Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Plan (Canada) involved establishment of an innovative governance body to promote collaboration between local governments within a city region, and other organizations with an interest in the food and farming economy.
- Detroit's Urban Agriculture Ordinance (US) required the City of Detroit to negotiate over State-level legislative frameworks so as to have the authority to regulate and support urban farming, a burgeoning activity in the city.
Although these policies were all developed and delivered in very different contexts, the report's authors identified a number of factors that, time and again, were seen to drive policy forward.
Whether the policies were initiated from the top down or from the bottom up, the cases showed that an inclusive process as the policy moves forward — involving communities, civil society and actors from across the food system — is what matters most, helping to align policies with needs and creating a broad support base to help with implementation.
The examples also showed that even when policies are initially framed around a limited set of priorities, there is much scope for bringing other departments on board and expanding the ambitions along the way.
Identifying the precise policy powers cities can draw on to address the food challenges at hand — and leveraging these powers to the max — also proved crucial in several cases. This meant they could focus resources on areas where change could be achieved most effectively and cheaply.
"The cities we studied were tremendously innovative when it came to harnessing the factors that drive policy forward, and overcoming the barriers," said Hawkes. "They found ways of extending budgets to enable full implementation of the policy, institutionalizing policies to help them transcend electoral cycles, and even obtaining new powers if they did not have the authority to develop and deliver the policy they wanted."
"Sharing these experiences is crucial. Looking at what has been done elsewhere can help cities of all sizes — from small towns that are taking their first steps in designing food-related policy, to big cities that are striving to maintain highly-developed, integrated policies — that are working to improve their food systems".
Read The Executive Summary
Read The Complete Report Here
Vertical Farming Conference
Vertical Farming Conference
Herman van Bekkem will discuss the Greenpeace vision for ecological farming and especially Vertical Farming in Europe’s main cities, on the 28 June 2017, at the Vertical Farming Conference in Venlo, The Netherlands. Herman van Bekkem is an agricultural expert with Greenpeace and tries to educate the agricultural sector for ecological farming on the seven principles set up by Greenpeace. (The report on the Greenpeace vision for ecological farming, and the seven principles, can be downloaded freely from their website)
“There are many pros and cons regarding Vertical Farming, but this development offers the possibility to use far less pesticides and fungicides, which are no longer needed. This way the impact on the environment is reduced as well which is a great benefit. But the question is if Vertical farming is the solution to many of the agricultural challenges, as we know them today,” says Van Bekkem.
Culture
“The present use of large numbers of greenhouses for instance in the Netherlands has its pros, but also a larger number of cons. By planting huge amounts of the same crop in one greenhouse creates a good feeding ground for fungi and plagues. Simply the uniformity makes it very vulnerable to any diseases which may be in the greenhouse. That is why we encourage farmers to grow different kinds of crops in one greenhouse so as to build in some resistance and use far less pesticides and fungicides.
“A monoculture in a greenhouse has many weaknesses and this way you can turn it around. This new way of farming is also important for Vertical Farming as it is close to a greenhouse culture,” according to Van Bekkem.
He is reserved on the success of Vertical Farming especially in Western Europe. He explains his view:
“There are not that many vertical farms in cities, look at the Netherlands, there are only very few of them. Only in Asia you see them now coming up in cities. But the biggest problem is that a handful of large corporations control large parts of our food system right this moment, which is in fact not working in a positive way for Vertical Farming. Corporations and food policy makers are stubbornly sticking to an increase in yields as the global goal. This obscures the real challenge; we need to rethink how we use the food we are producing, right now and in the future. In a better food system, ecological livestock systems would make use of the agricultural land and resources not required for human food needs and at the same time drastically reduce the amount of animal products we produce and consume globally.”
Use of insects
Van Bekkem is also very positive about the use of insects to battle crop illnesses.
“At a micro and macro level it is most useful to use insects, to counter insects that attack the crop or otherwise destroy it. Instead of pesticides you can use for instance the parasitic wasp or the predatory mite, two useful weapons in the battle against the insect pests. Not only do they take care of each other but also the soil improves where the crop is grown. Even flowers will bloom and with the right seasonable change of crop the soil improves a lot. But on top of that the crop gets stronger and more resistant towards any enemies. This way the circle is round again and the environment has much improved.“
Sustainable
“It is possible to increase soil fertility without the use of chemicals. Ecological Farming also protects soils from erosion, pollution and acidification. By increasing soil organic matter where necessary, we can enhance water retention and prevent land degradation. Something which we can do on the small scale vertical farms very directly, so as to improve the quality of food directly as well as the enclosed environment,” concludes Van Bekkem.
For more information and registration to the Vertical Farming Conference, go to: https://www.verticalfarmingconference.com/
The interview was made by Jakajima, the organiser of the conference.
Scotland’s First Vertical Farm Paves The Way For Commercially Viable Crop
Scotland’s First Vertical Farm Paves The Way For Commercially Viable Crops
21 June 2017
A purpose-built vertical farm is being constructed in Scotland for full-scale crop trials to test which plants grow best in an indoor farming environment.
Intelligent Growth Solutions is an indoor horticultural business on a mission to make vertical farming commercially viable by enabling its licensees to be the lowest cost producers.
One of the major challenges is making vertical farming commercially viable through reduced power and labour costs.
IGS is currently constructing the vertical farm at the James Hutton Institute close to Dundee and its on track for completion in the next few months.
It’s being hailed as the UK’s first commercially viable vertical growing environment and involves a collaboration with global automation business Omron, which has a successful history of inventing several disruptive everyday systems that are used all over the world.
These include the world’s first automated traffic signal, the basis of today’s magnetic card systems and through collaborations, Omron also introduced the digital blood pressure monitor and digital thermometer.
IGS is working with Omron on the automation aspects of the project which are vital to hit efficiency and productivity targets. Omron will control and monitor the stacking system, LED lighting and the hydroponics systems.
Further down the line, it is expected every feature of the facility will be automated.
“Vertical farming allows us to provide the exact environmental conditions necessary for optimal plant growth,” says Henry Aykroyd, IGS CEO.
“By adopting the principles of Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA), a system in which all aspects of the growing environment can be controlled, it is possible to eliminate variations in the growing environment, enabling the grower to produce consistent, high quality crops with minimal wastage, in any location, all year round.”
“A highly integrated automation strategy, patented energy reduction technology and the most advanced biological research available will be the three key pillars to success in this project,” he adds. “Partnering with two leading experts Omron and the James Hutton Institute to deliver this provides the very best opportunity for a new approach to vertical farming.”
Professor Colin Campbell, chief executive of the James Hutton Institute, is delighted with the progress of the facility (pictured).
“This initiative combines our world-leading knowledge of plant science at the James Hutton Institute and IGS entrepreneurship to develop efficient ways of growing plants on a small footprint with low energy and water input,” he says.
And Omron field sales engineer Kassim Okera says the vertical farm represents the company’s pioneering ethos of creating innovative solutions for the future.
“Omron’s unique integrated product offering and Sysmac platform combined with extensive market experience, underpin the most innovative vertical farm in the UK which has the potential to be the first vertical farm in the world that is economically viable,” he says.
- See more at: http://www.producebusinessuk.com/insight/insight-stories/2017/06/21/scotland-s-first-vertical-farm-paves-the-way-for-commercially-viable-crops#sthash.RxLn9emg.dpuf
Scotland’s First Indoor Vertical Farm To Start Up In Autumn
Scotland’s First Indoor Vertical Farm To Start Up In Autumn
Scotland's first full-scale indoor vertical farm is being built at the James Hutton Institute near Dundee
ILONA AMOS - 15:25Wednesday 21 June 2017
Scotland’s first indoor vertical farm is due to be up and running later this year.
The purpose-built facility, which is currently under construction on the outskirts of Dundee, will be the first full-scale scheme of its type in the country.
The initial crops to be grown at the experimental unit will be herbs and salad plants, which will be cultivated in vertically stacked layers with hi-tech LED lighting and special hydroponic systems supplying nourishment.
Tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries will be trialled at a later stage.
It’s hoped vertical farming can help solve the problem of feeding the expanding world population and minimise damage to the planet from increased agriculture.
Growing in this way can offer a number of benefits over traditional outdoor methods, such as reducing the amount of space required and cutting the need for pesticides.
Controlled conditions allow crops to be grown all year round, with success not dependent on seasons or weather conditions.
Their compact nature also means the farms can be sited in built-up areas, making produce more local and therefore reducing transportation.
However, maintaining an optimum artificial environment is costly.
The Dundee project is the brainchild of Scottish-based vertical farming business Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) and is being carried out in collaboration with the James Hutton Institute for crop research and global automation business Omron.
Its aim is to deliver the first commercially viable operation in the UK – and possibly worldwide – by cutting labour and power costs.
It is hoped new insights into the varieties of crops best suited to cultivation in an indoor farming environment will also be revealed.
“Vertical farming allows us to provide the exact environmental conditions necessary for optimal plant growth,” said Henry Aykroyd, chief executive of IGS.
“By growing closer to the market in controlled vertical farming conditions, it is possible to accurately predict and grow to market demand, thereby reducing food waste.
“It is locally produced, therefore there is a reduction in food miles, and through the controlled environment there is a greater capacity to control quality, taste and flavour.
“The products are fresher, have a longer shelf life, and crop losses due to weather, disease, drought or pests are effectively eliminated.
“We believe that as populations grow and market demand increases there will be a far greater demand for indoor growing, closer to the consumer and produced as needed, to improve efficiency and reduce food waste.”
He added: “A highly integrated automation strategy, patented energy-reduction technology and the most advanced biological research available will be the three key pillars to success in this project.
“Partnering with two leading experts, Omron and the James Hutton Institute, to deliver this provides the very best opportunity for a new approach to vertical farming.”
Professor Colin Campbell, chief executive of the James Hutton Institute, said: “We are delighted to see how well the work on IGS’s indoor growth facility at our Dundee site is progressing.
“This initiative combines our world-leading knowledge of plant science at the James Hutton Institute and IGS’s entrepreneurship to develop efficient ways of growing plants on a small footprint with low energy and water input.”
Omron field sales engineer Kassim Okera added: “Omron’s guiding principles drive us to be a pioneer in creating and supporting the development of inspired solutions for the future.
“I can’t think of a better example than this one, which uses the most advanced technology to solve a humanitarian need.”
Scottish Trial Site To Test Commercial Viability and Increase Understanding of Vertical Farming
A collaboration with Omron, a global provider of automation and control systems, the purpose-built facility will enable a full-scale trial of a vertical growing environment.
Scottish Trial Site To Test Commercial Viability and Increase Understanding of Vertical Farming
21 June 2017, by Gavin McEwan, Be the first to comment
Dundee-based vertical farming business Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) will complete construction of its first indoor growth facility, at the James Hutton Institute (JHI), "in the next few months".
Image: IGS
A collaboration with Omron, a global provider of automation and control systems, the purpose-built facility will enable a full-scale trial of a vertical growing environment.
As well as assessing the format's commercial viability through lower power and labour costs, it aims to yield a better understanding of the plant science involved and types of crops which can be grown best in an indoor farming environment.
IGS chief executive Henry Aykroyd said: "By adopting the principles of Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA), a system in which all aspects of the growing environment can be controlled, it is possible to eliminate variations in the growing environment, enabling the grower to produce consistent, high quality crops with minimal wastage, in any location, all year round."
Automation will initially control and monitor the stacking system, the LED lighting and hydroponics systems, and will ultimately control every feature in the facility.
JHI chief executive Professor Colin Campbell added: "This initiative combines our world-leading knowledge of plant science and IGS' entrepreneurship to develop efficient ways of growing plants on a small footprint with low energy and water input."
New "Lego-Like" Vertical Growing System Offers Flexibility And Small Footprint
New "Lego-Like" Vertical Growing System Offers Flexibility And Small Footprint
16 June 2017, by Gavin McEwan, Be the first to comment
A German firm has launched the latest format in high-density soil-less urban growing.
Image: Aponix
The modular Aponix Vertical Barrel uses an NFT hydroponic system and is designed particularly for urban farming facilities operating on limited space.
"There are no fixed structures necessary for the set-up, like tables or racks, so the barrels can be positioned and moved easily to provide flexibility," explained its inventor Marco Tidona.
The units are constructed out of a single "Lego-like" part that forms 1/6th of a ring segment, any number of which can then be stacked vertically, topped with a lid that incorporates irrigation using a simple sprinkler or spray nozzle, he added.
The entire barrel can sit ona stand or even be hung from above, and rapidly dismantled after use for washing and re-planting.
"Many barrels can be connected in line and be powered by a central reservoir with organic or mineral liquid nutrient solution and a pump for irrigation," Tidona said, and suggested herbs, lettuce or strawberries as candidate crops.
He added: "Aponix is expanding and is currently looking for sales and manufacturing partners."
In 2002 Organics Alive Was Formed As A Sustainable Bio-Tech Company
In 2002 Organics Alive was formed as a sustainable Bio-tech companyto provide gardeners with another option from toxic chemical fertilizers and to advocate an all-natural, organic and sustainable method of gardening and agriculture.
Our roots began to grow in 1997 with a discovery of a diet fed to Eisinea Fetida Earthworms. Through intensive and costly research we have perfected our worm feed to produce a casting by-product with a high concentration of beneficial, diverse and balanced biology which includes patented levels of chitin and cellulose degraders. We feed our worms a diet that excludes any landscape trimmings, due to its herbicides and pesticides, also excluding any manure or animal waste because of their lack of bio-diversity and certain foods containing GMO or unsubstantial diets. The natural vegetable waste is broken down through a proprietary composting method and finished off with a vermi-composting process. The Earthworms consume tons of waste per hour and secrete a casting by-product (waste) that is rich in beneficial microbes, nutrients, minerals, growth hormones, beneficial enzymes and chitin and cellulose recyclers.
In 2002 Organics Alive was formed as a sustainable Bio-tech company to provide gardeners with another option from toxic chemical fertilizers and to advocate an all-natural, organic and sustainable method of gardening and agriculture. Our method of composting is truly revolutionary and is at the forefront of Green sustainable technology. Organics Alive’ core technology can help achieve solutions to several social, economic and environmental problems afflicting human society one being safe and sustainable food production.
Organics Alive focuses on four main concepts: Crop Nutrient management, Genetics, Crop Management, Crop energy Management. By addressing these four concepts your garden will be more bountiful, your crops immunity will increase, and fruits will be much richer in profile increasing financial and nutritious value.
The Organics Alive Product line is all natural and certified organic. We provide a variety of soil amendments to create a soil environment for your plants to thrive in. We also provide an in home Bio-Extractor and Mix Kits, which allows you to brew quality Microbial Rich Solution at your own convenience. Our fermentations provide building blocks such as minerals, Amino Acids, humic and Fulvic acids. We extract these elements from Grain, beans and seeds instead of animal byproduct or heavy mining operations that hurt the environment; and finally, our innovative fertilizers which are derived from microbial extracts avoiding animal byproducts, animal waste and contaminated plant sources. They contain no salts, and are made up of Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus, minerals and contain high amounts of carbon; the basic building blocks of life. Organics Alive provides the most effective garden nutrients on the market today!
The team at Organics Alive is passionate and works hard to bring you quality products and real results. Results you can see and truly benefit from. Our group has been mentored by a leading Vermiculture engineer second to none. We have tested our product vigorously with much critique and have been awarded for our patented Bio-Extractor and the Microbial tea it produces.
Our design, construction, and assembly are made in the California. We manufacture and ship through the foundation, “The Arc of San Diego.” We work with locally owned small businesses which creates long lasting jobs in our community. We are proud of our work and the message we convey.
Jason Wargent Sees Crop Farming Going Vertical And Joining The Urban Landscape. A flood of Innovation is About To Be Unleashed
Jason Wargent Sees Crop Farming Going Vertical And Joining The Urban Landscape. A flood of Innovation is About To Be Unleashed
Posted in Rural News June 21, 2017 - 08:08am, Guest
By Jason Wargent*
The past 50 years have seen huge change in agriculture and food production. Rapid increases in the use of farmable land and intensification of the use of agricultural inputs have both contributed to the significant yield improvements achieved for staple crops since the 1960s. Now we are in a new phase where the magnitude and diversification of agricultural innovation must be maximised to meet the growing challenges of the 21st century. Not only have we reached the peak of ‘simple’ agricultural intensification, but we also face significant climatic uncertainty, combined with a rapidly growing global middle class.
Taken together, the demands of modern and future agriculture are arguably very different to those at the start of the Green Revolution. An expanding middle class has obvious implications for demands on food quality and safety; in New Zealand, numerous horticultural players have developed strong market positions by supplying premium products at a premium price, e.g. novel kiwifruit varieties and wine possessing characteristic properties. The New Zealand farming experience highlights that there is ample opportunity to produce high-value food that tells a story about food quality, sustainability, geography, tradition or nutrition.
As land availability decreases in many parts of the world, and land costs increase, pressure for the pace of agricultural evolution to accelerate is mounting. That said, new paradigms for premium agricultural production are emerging.
Despite the fact that indoor farming has been part of the agricultural landscape for nearly 200 years, we arguably sit at the front end of a next great ag-revolution, where food is grown within a highly diverse, ultra-technological, indoor ecosystem of cropping environments. Indoor farming now has wide interpretations of meaning; the most historical incarnation is that of glasshouse production, used for hothouse tomato cultivation. Protected cultivation can also be equally applied to the use of tunnel or ‘hoop’ houses, usually clad in plastic materials or netting.
Both environments have seen huge innovation growth in the last 30 years, from the introduction of sodium-based artificial-lighting sources into glasshouses to increase crop productivity to the development of ‘smart’ polymer-incorporated claddings for tunnel houses, which can regulate the lighting or temperature environment for crops within. However, both types of crop system still rely on ambient local climatic conditions to greater and lesser extents, e.g. sunlight (therefore day length) and temperature.
The quest to optimise every aspect of a crop’s production cycle led innovators in the 1980s to conceive the first prototype ‘plant factories’, where crops were grown completely indoors, using artificial lighting and environmental-control systems. Some of this innovation was driven by the space race, and the desire of agencies such as NASA to develop food production systems which were fully closed loops, in which food crops could be grown from seed to harvest using artificial light and circulating nutrient processes, such as those exploited in hydroponic systems. Those early enclosed systems have subsequently inspired a generation of entrepreneurs and technologists in the present, where a range of indoor farming categories are flourishing.
One of the most talked-about categories is ‘vertical farming’, the practice of incorporating vertically stacked layers or shelves of crops, often to maximise space-use efficiency in limited-footprint buildings, e.g. converted or purpose-built warehouses in urban areas. Vertical crops are farmed in their entirety under isolated, controlled conditions, thus creating an exciting vacuum of opportunity for agri-tech. Vertical farming has begun to capture imaginations, with visions of former industrial spaces glowing with floor-to-ceiling LED lighting. There are now likely as many physical manifestations of vertical farming as there are opportunities or motivations associated with adoption of the practice.
Controlling the environment
As discussed earlier, full control over a crop is a clear advantage of fully-indoor production: it means complete mitigation of climatic influence, and therefore the potential to extend or manipulate cropping seasons. Climatic isolation also means buffering food supply (and arguably food quality) from turbulent, one-off events, such as exceptionally dry or wet weather periods, or from pest and disease pressures. Equally, there is the opportunity for control and enhancement of food quality and nutrition.
Plants are composed of highly complex, responsive signalling networks, capable of acclimating to an environment on the basis of different cues or stimuli. As many as 200,000 secondary metabolite compounds have been identified in plants, many of which are associated with implications for produce taste or nutritional qualities. As our understanding of the associated plant biology grows alongside advances in agricultural technology, those stimuli required to nudge plants into a particular taste or nutritional profile can be deduced, and then deployed in a controlled environment.
Related Topics - Rural NewsMassey UniversityinnovationfoodJason Wargent
An oft-mentioned advantage of vertical farming is the strong potential for localising produce-to-purchaser dynamics. In urban environments, shipping times from vertical farm to customer have been quoted in minutes, as opposed to hours or days. The potential to fully integrate food production into what is a typical consumer lifestyle — an urban one — is a tantalising proposition for many food retailers and marketers. The reality of nutritious herbs being grown one block away from a major city food market could be a food marketer’s dream. That said, there are still a very limited number of published life-cycle analysis studies focused on vertical farming. Understanding the cradle-to-grave impacts of vertical farming from a sustainability perspective will allow for greater consumer understanding, and for tech advances to underpin exploitation of the related opportunities, e.g. energy efficiencies, nutrient re-use, co-location with larger-scale customers, packaging and storage. The question as to how a consumer comprehends the very nature of an indoor farm, set against the ‘locally grown’ perspective, will be an interesting value proposition to unravel over time. Does a local indoor farm carry the same cachet as an outdoor, sunshine-bathed farm?
As well as the attraction of isolating seasonal downsides or exploiting urban co-location, arguably one of the most exciting and valuable opportunities for vertical farming is the pure potential to foster agri-innovation of all kinds. Certainly, vertical farming would not exist now without the already-substantial innovation leaps that have taken place to date, for which there can be broader applications beyond full-indoor farming itself. Growing crop plants to full yield in an isolated environment requires an understanding of the very essence of agriculture: nutrients, water and light must all be understood and calibrated to a crop’s needs, and in a cost-effective manner. An obvious reality with full-indoor farming is that there is a capital expenditure that would dwarf many agriculture operations on a per-unit area basis. So the challenges are twofold: ensure cost-efficiency following the associated capex, and employ a substantial amount of cutting-edge, ‘grow-how’ to produce products that meet a premium price point.
Light could be the hottest topic in indoor farming: plants require light for autotrophic nutrition, and fully-indoor spaces lack it. The rise of LED lighting for crop growth has been exponential in the last five years, following not just the expanding interest in light for unlit indoor spaces but also as a replacement for more historical, heavy-duty supplementary lighting sources. LEDs offer the ability to control the light environment (or spectrum) to a far greater extent than has previously been possible.
One exciting challenge with LEDs revolves around the aim to blueprint the lighting requirements for different crops. Getting the light right for increased crop productivity or quality indoors requires innovation and experimentation — for instance, an appropriate mix and intensity of, say, red and blue light will be different for tomatoes versus capsicums. Similarly, ensuring that higher-value herbs that are grown indoors maintain aromatic or taste compositions that meet (or exceed) consumer expectations will require careful tuning of the light environment.
Urban co-location
The win-win for agriculture in general is that the pressure to innovate for fully-indoor farming will very likely lead to new knowledge or IP, which could be exploited in the future for all manner of farming. From the development of soilless plant production techniques to advances in energy efficiency and automation, not only must indoor farming deliver food that meets a premium price point, but also practitioners must maximise crop yields per unit area of production space — aims that sit at the very heart of agriculture challenges and opportunities this century. Given the current economics of establishing and maintaining a fully-indoor space, this maximisation of quality and yield is arguably vital for indoor farming to grow.
The US has been one of the most active parts of the world (as well as Asia) in nurturing fully-indoor farming projects. At present, however, the scale of full-indoor (vertical) farming operations is still a very small proportion of all farming space by volume. The types of crops which currently sit within a feasibility range for vertical farming also have certain limits at present. For example, shorter-rotation, higher‑value products such as herbs or baby greens are particularly amenable to vertical farming, whereas row/field crops such as corn or soy are largely untouched to date, although some micro-pasture full-indoor container systems have been developed for grasses. However, there have been few limits to date regarding the innovation endeavours of indoor farming entrepreneurs: for example, the farming of vaccines for the pharmaceutical industry. We are likely sitting at the narrow end of the funnel right now, with greater innovation leaps yet to come.
Indoor farming cannot (and arguably does not aim to) replace field-based farming. Significant scale will take a number of years to achieve, and there is a strong case for indoor farming to differentiate in terms of the categories of crops produced, the price-points and the geographical locations. While such a complementation-style model is the likely norm right now, it is hard to predict where indoor farming will reach to in the future given the opportunities and the entrepreneurial nature of the sector at present. The potential for hybrid-exchanges of agri-tech in and out of indoor farming to drive advances in other farming forms is strong.
In addition to production and innovation, one other vital outcome from the advent of indoor farming can be education. With urban co-location, and the intersection of multi-disciplines (science, engineering and marketing, to name a few), one weighty additional responsibility for indoor farmers is the translation and communication of the realities and opportunities of farming to a younger generation of future innovators. Using tools such as container/urban food gardens in schools, site visits and educational partnerships, further integration of farming into large urban areas is a necessary path for our farming needs and traditions to build and evolve over the next 50 years.
Jason Wargent is an associate professor at the Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University. This article is an essay in Massey University's 2017 New Zealand Land & Food Annual - No free lunch. It is reposted here with permission. The New Zealand Land & Food Annual 2017, Edited by Claire Massey, published by Massey University Press, RRP: $39.99, available in bookshops nationwide.
UAE-based Hydroponics Startup Looks To Raise $4.5 Million To Farm In The Desert
UAE-based Hydroponics Startup Looks To Raise $4.5 Million To Farm In The Desert
June 19, 2017
Pure Harvest has acquired a 3.3-hectare farm site in Nahel, UAE where it intends to establish the nation’s first commercial-scale greenhouse to produce tomatoes.
Jojo Puthuparampil | Contributor
Pure Harvest Smart Farms, a UAE-based agri-tech startup in the field of hydroponics, will soon complete a $4.5 million funding in a seed round to finance its 3.3-hectare farm site in Nahel, it said in a statement.
The firm raised roughly 60% of the round in addition to securing investments from its board, for which it has rejigged the board and made new appointments.
Pure Harvest expects the new appointments to help with technology selection, operational execution, legal structuring, corporate development and strategy as it expands its footprint across the Middle East, it said.
Pure Harvest, co-founded by Sky Kurtz, a former private equity investor based in Silicon Valley, and his Emirati business partner Mahmoud Adi, plans to bring the latest hydroponics farming techniques to the UAE.
Hydroponics farming is the process of growing plants in solutions, rather than soil, allowing for the careful control of the nutrients the plants receive.
Pure Harvest intends to cultivate high-value crops in modern glasshouses using a semi-closed climate controlled growing system that is built to overcome the challenges of year-round production in the littoral areas of the GCC region.
At the 3.3-hectare farm site in Nahel, the firm intends to establish the nation’s first commercial-scale greenhouse to produce tomatoes.
In October, Pure Harvest raised $1.1 million from Abu Dhabi-based Shorooq Investments.
The company’s solution uses over-pressure climate control technology with a hybrid evaporative and mechanical cooling system to maintain optimal indoor climate conditions.
In a market where existing commercial farms are forced to cease vegetable production during the summer period lasting June-October, the startup claims to offer technology that will deliver a tangible food security solution.
Pure Harvest claims to substitute high cost, air-freighted, seasonal imports and instead supply premium quality produce directly to retailers, airlines and hospitality food distributors.
The technology, it says, enables water conservation and carbon dioxide dosing, achieving high productivity for a variety of crops including tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers, eggplants, and strawberries.
It plans to grow crops year-round in a “natural substrate”. The substrate—or the material chosen by Pure Harvest—will be derived from coconut shavings. It will not use pesticides.
Internet-connected sensors will monitor crops and precision-feed individual plants according to need, while the air will be dosed with CO2 to make the plants grow well.
Other hydroponic farms in the UAE include Elite Agro and Emirates Hydroponics.
NatureFresh™ Farms Receives Top Honors For TOMZ®, OntarioRed™, and Yellow Bell Peppers at Greenhouse Vegetable Awards
NatureFresh™ Farms Receives Top Honors For TOMZ®, OntarioRed™, and Yellow Bell Peppers at Greenhouse Vegetable Awards
Leamington, ON (June 19th, 2017) – Long known as the Tomato Capital of Canada, Leamington, Ontario once again hosted its annual Greenhouse Vegetable Awards this past weekend. Showcasing the best greenhouse vegetables from leading North American growers, family owned NatureFresh™ Farms took home many top honors including the coveted ‘Best Overall Tomato’.
“Receiving these awards is more than just about showcasing the best that we grow, it is about our commitment to pushing the category in the right direction in delivering consistent flavor across the category”, commented Peter Quiring, Owner & President. “The TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato is a game changer; super sweet, bite-sized, crunchy, with the perfect balance of acidity, the real winners are the consumers who can enjoy this premium snacking tomato year-round, it’s hands down our grower’s choice”, said Quiring.
NatureFresh™ Farms took top honors in the following categories:
- Best Overall Tomato; TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato
- Best Bite Sized Tomatoes; TOMZ® Red Cherry Tomato
- Best Cocktail Tomato; TOMZ® Sweet Red Cocktail Tomato
- Best Beefsteak Tomato; OntarioRed™ Red Beefsteak Tomato
- Best Yellow Bell Pepper
This is the second year in a row that NatureFresh™ Farms has won the Best Cocktail Tomato Award as well as the Best Yellow Bell Pepper Award, which is a fantastic accomplishment considering strong competition from other varieties in the market place.
“Our retail customers love our TOMZ® Snacking Tomato program because of the unique and flavorful varieties we grow,” said Matt Quiring, Executive Retail Accounts Manager. “It’s not just about selecting the right seed to grow, it is about the growing environment, the plant nutrition, and the grow to market strategy we employ year-round from our farms to ensure we deliver the best we grow, regardless of the season. Our TOMZ® Red Cherry is the best snacking tomato available on the market, hence why it won the Best Overall Tomato Award”, said Quiring.
NatureFresh™’s TOMZ® Snacking Tomatoes were a finalist for Best New Vegetable Award at the United Fresh Convention in Chicago recently.
“We trial more than 300+ different varieties each year to ensure we are always delivering the most flavorful varieties available worldwide”, said Benny Teichroeb, Trial Program Coordinator. NatureFresh™ Farms conducts its product research & development in its 2.5 acre Trial Greenhouse & Discovery Center in Leamington.
All funds raised from the Greenhouse Competitions go to R.E.A.CH. International. This local charity has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to build schools & clinics, drill water wells, and sponsor and care for impoverished children in Uganda, Africa.
To learn more about NatureFresh™ Farms, visit NatureFresh.ca.
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About NatureFresh Farms™ -
NatureFresh Farms™ has grown to become one of the largest independent, vertically integrated greenhouse vegetable growers in North America. Growing in Leamington, ON and Delta, OH, NatureFresh™ Farms prides itself on exceptional flavor & quality. Family owned NatureFresh Farms™ ships Non-GMO greenhouse grown produce year-round to key retailers throughout North America.
SOURCE: Chris Veillon | chris@naturefresh.ca
Director of Marketing | NatureFresh™ Farms
Protix Raises $50m in Largest Insect Farming Investment on Record
Protix Raises $50m in Largest Insect Farming Investment on Record
JUNE 14, 2017 LOUISA BURWOOD-TAYLOR
Protix, a Netherlands-based company, has raised €45 million ($50.5 million) in equity and debt funding to expand its insect farming business. This is the largest investment in the nascent insect farming industry to-date, according to Protix and its investors.
Dutch food and agriculture bank Rabobank invested in the round alongside Aqua-Spark, the sustainable aquaculture investment fund, Dutch government-backed Brabant Development Agency (BOM) and other private investors.
Protix farms insects predominantly for animal and aquaculture feed, with feed products in over 12 countries, ranging from pig and poultry to pet food specialties. It has four products — feed ingredients Protix Protein X, Protix Lipid X, Protix Chitin X, and a fertilizer Protix Flytilyzer X — which are all currently derived from Black Soldier Fly (BSF). It is also moving into the food sector.
Insects are increasingly seen as a viable and low-impact protein alternative, because they can be reared on waste and are much more resource efficient versus other sources of protein and feed such as soy, corn, forage fish and meat.
Aqua-Spark, which is investing in Protix for its potential to replace fishmeal with insects for aquaculture feed, had been looking deeply at insect production for a long time, surveying over 45 insect producers globally, according to Mike Velings, founder of the Dutch open-ended fund. Aquaculture feed demand is set to increase eight times before the end of the century, according to Aqua-Spark, in what some analysts value as a $100 billion industry, where neither wild forage fish nor soy are viable long-term solutions.
“We took the time to find the right partner and one that could take this to scale because we think insects have the potential to really become a mainstream ingredient in fish feed,” he said. “But the main problem for us in looking at the sector was the ability for these players to scale, because that’s really not easy.”
Insect farms are tough to scale because they are capital intensive; operators need a lot of capital to build the insect factories in what Velings calls a “chicken and egg situation” where you don’t have the offtake to get finance to pay for construction, but you need the finance to get the offtake.
Securing feedstock — the waste you feed the insects such as unsold fruits or grain byproducts — can also be tricky in the right quantities, he added.
Protix cofounder and CEO Kees Aarts, a former McKinsey & Co employee, says that Prolix has cracked the scalability challenge by optimizing the three consecutive processes of industrial insect production: breeding, rearing, and processing.
“Through advanced data monitoring and proprietary technology, we’ve been able to optimize these processes,” he told AgFunderNews. “The combination of highly talented people, data infrastructure, and automation have created modular designs that can scale quickly and produce at the highest standards.”
The technology that Prolix has developed over the past eight years is of key importance to the scalability and success of the business, according to Velings, who believes Protix is head and shoulders ahead of the rest in the industry.
“They are incomparable with other names in the sector, sometimes because they’re raising a different type of insect, but also because they’re at a very different stage of development,” Velings added.
Protix would not divulge much about the technology used in its farms, but it involves a completely controlled environment, monitored and automated with sensors, much like you might see in indoor vertical leafy greens farms.
“We started with a rigorous and well-designed trial and error phase along all stages of the insect growth. We stand out because of the combination of technologies, operations, and R&D,” said Aarts. “Our differentiation lies in that golden combination of a range of technologies, operating protocols and talented people, augmented by the sensor-data infrastructure.”
Also vital to its scalability and technological development going forward, is the company’s joint venture with Swiss food technology group Buhler.
Announced earlier this year, the JV, Buhler Insect Technology Solutions, will manufacture and sell equipment and provide know-how to any feed or ingredient producer in the industry in an effort to scale the industry overall.
The JV will leverage Buhler’s generations of engineering knowledge and Protix’s insect rearing operational expertise, which involves proprietary equipment and processes, including methods for separating and extracting proteins and lipids from insects.
“It’s all about the modularization of proprietary Protix and Buhler technologies and the development and supply of insect production technologies and equipment,” Aarts said of the JV. “Together, we can develop both sustainable and cost effective solutions for large-scale insect producers and processors that cover the whole value chain. Protix will play a supporting role in the long run by providing young larvae to customers of our joint venture and operational support services. This way the industry will accelerate vastly due to setting the dominant design, standards of operations and increase of total production capacity. We have seen a strong increase in demand over the last months since the nascence of our joint venture.”
Protix will use the funding from this latest round to expand its production capacity, especially for aquaculture, deepen its biological and technical R&D, and diversify to other markets like food. It is also on the lookout for potential M&A opportunities. The company wouldn’t disclose exactly what types of companies it was looking to acquire, but Aarts said it would make acquisitions that strengthened its position in the industry.
Protix has now raised €70 million to-date.
Other insect-for-feed farming businesses to raise funding in recent months include French startup Ynsect, which raised $15.2 million in Series B funding last December, and AgriProtein, a South Africa-based business, which raised $17.5 million in the same month.
Plantagon Announces its 40th Approved Patent
Plantagon Announces its 40th Approved Patent
News • Jun 16, 2017 10:18 GMT
Plantagon World Food Building in Linköping. Standard Patent Certificate for Australia. The uPot
Developing and expanding the Intellectual Property Portfolio is an important corporate strategy for the Sweden based innovation company Plantagon International, with recent patents granted in the US, China and Australia.
"R&D and the resulting technological innovations are the principal factors for Plantagon International’s business success. Plantagon International’s innovation strategy involves benefiting from technological innovations by using the full range of intellectual property rights in the development of urban agriculture”, says Owe Petersson, CEO of Plantagon.
The company’s most recent patents are: in the USA: Methods and arrangements for growing plants; in China: The uPot; and in Australia: Building for cultivating crops in trays. There are still 28 pending patents.
"It is with great pleasure I follow the progress of the Plantagon Intellectual Property Portfolio. Pending patents get granted without major objections from local patent authorities. This means our inventions have inventive step, novelty and usefulness", says Joakim Rytterborn, Research & Development Manager at Plantagon.
Four patent families
Plantagon currently has filed for patents within four patent families:
- Conveying system, tower structure with conveying system, and method for conveying containers with a conveying system
- Building for cultivating crops in trays, with conveying system for moving the trays
- Method and arrangement for growing plants
- Pot device and method related thereto
Asia
Last year Singapore, as the first country, granted a patent from Plantagon’s fourth patent family, the uPot, and this year this patent for the uPot was granted in China. The uPot solves the problem with spacing the plants during growth. This by an adjustable distance ring, which enables spacing in two dimensions and hence is about 20 percent more effective than other methods on the market.
Africa
Recently Plantagon also was granted its first ARIPO Patent (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization). Regarding this Mats Lundberg CEO of Sweden’s oldest IP-firm Groth says:
“Plantagon is a company in the very forefront in terms of both innovation and IP. This recently granted patent is further evidence of this. Africa, for example, is a continent often overlooked when companies strive for global IP protection. But it is an emerging market important to consider. Also, thanks to the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization, ARIPO, foreign companies can now apply for a unified patent in a cost-efficient way in 19 African states.”
"Plantagon started with an idea from a Swedish gardener. If you have any great ideas that will make the world a better place, join Plantagon and develop them together with us,” says Joakim Rytterborn.
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Plantagon International is a world-leading pioneer within the field agritechture and social entrepreneurship – combining urban agriculture, innovative technical solutions and architecture – to meet the demand for efficient food production within cities; adding a more democratic and inclusive governance model. We see global corporate governance, food security and sustainable food production as among the most critical areas for the future of our planet. Plantagon’s objective is to inspire a value change for survival and meet the rising demand for locally grown food in cities around the world, minimizing the use of transportation, land, energy and water. www.plantagon.com & www.plantagon.org
These #4 Start-Ups Are Promoting Hydroponics in India
These #4 Start-Ups Are Promoting Hydroponics in India
Hydroponics or growing plants in water or sand, rather than soil, is done using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent
Image credit: Pixabay
Feature Writer, Entrepreneur.com
June 8, 2017
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Only an expert gardener knows how difficult it can be to grow plants and how much extra care it takes with special attention to soil, fertilizer and light. One can’t get the process right and expect good yields without getting his/her hands dirty. But, to make their work a lot easy and convenient, many start-ups in India are working on hydroponics farming.
Hydroponics or growing plants in water or sand, rather than soil, is done using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent.Additionally, this indoor farming technique induces plant growth, making the process 50 per cent faster than growth in soil and the method is cost-effective. Mineral nutrient solutions are used to feed plants in water.
Here’s a list of four start-ups in India that are innovating agriculture methods and leading the way in indoor farming.
Letcetra Agritech
Letcetra Agritech is Goa’s first, indoor hydroponics farm, growing good quality, pesticide-free vegetables. The farm in Goa’s Mapusa is an unused shed and currently, produces over 1.5 to 2 tons of leafy vegetables like various varieties of lettuce and herbs in its 150 sq metre area. The start-up is founded by Ajay Naik, a software engineer-turned-hydroponics farmer. He gave up his IT job to help farmers in the country.
BitMantis Innovations
Bengaluru-based Iot and data analytics start-up BitMantis Innovation with its IoT solution GreenSAGE enables individuals and commercial growers to conveniently grow fresh herbs throughout the year. The GreenSAGE is a micro-edition kit that uses hydroponics methods for efficient use of water and nutrients. It is equipped with two trays to grow micro-greens at one’s own convenience.
Junga FreshnGreen
Agri-tech start-up Junga FreshnGreen has joined hands with InfraCo Asia Development Pte. Ltd. (IAD) this year to develop hydroponics farming methods in India. The project started with the development of a 9.3-hectare hydroponics-based agricultural facility at Junga in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla district.
Junga FreshnGreen is a joint venture with a leading Netherlands-based Agricultural technology company – Westlandse Project Combinatie BV (WPC) — to set up high-technology farms in India. Their goal is to create a Hydroponics model cultivating farm fresh vegetables that have a predictable quality, having little or no pesticides and unaffected by weather or soil conditions. They will be grown in a protected, greenhouse environment.
Future Farms
Chennai-based Future Farms develops effective and accessible farming kits to facilitate Hydroponics that preserve environment while growing cleaner, fresher and healthier produce. It focuses on being environment friendly through rooftop farming and precision agriculture. The company develops indigenous systems and solutions, made from premium, food grade materials that are efficient and affordable.
Nidhi Singh
A self confessed Bollywood Lover, Travel junkie and Food Evangelist.I like travelling and I believe it is very important to take ones mind off the daily monotony .Read more
The Vertical Farming Summit
The Vertical Farming Summit
The future of food is being developed in tech hubs and cities around the world. If you’re not currently in one of those places, going to live events is a great way to learn more about vertical farming and urban agriculture.
If you haven’t been able to make it to any in person AgTech events, Chris created this online event for you.
Check out: The Vertical Farming Summit!
Chris Powers recently had the honor and the opportunity to interview a lot of innovators who are working hard to build the future of food
The Vertical Farming Summit will be live June 16-25th with a number of additional sessions and live trainings happening that week.
Here’s what you’ll learn during the summit:
- A methodology for developing your vertical farming business and planning for success.
Lessons on building a mission driven, venture backed startup around fresh food.
Creative new forms of distribution for gourmet plants and mushrooms.
How to use crop data to unlock higher profits.
How to turn waste into opportunity and using organics in hydroponic systems
The Power of a Plant: A Teacher's Odyssey to Grow Healthy Minds and Schools
How to turn your positive environmental impact into a competitive advantage in the new economy.
How to build your network and land exciting new opportunities in urban agriculture.
Farm Marketing -- How to boost sales and profits using automation and customer research.
The 12 steps to becoming an urban or vertical farmer.
Legal considerations when setting up a farm / agtech business.
Why sunlight isn’t free and other insights from AeroFarms.
Closed loop technology and how to start growing your own food at home.
AVA, Urban futurism and the impacts of digitization on agriculture.
Insights from successful agricultural businesses.
Projects that you should be paying attention to and following.
Top resources and recommendations for learning about urban agriculture and vertical farming.
How to pitch your vertical farming business to investors.
How to start small and scale up intentionally.
… and many more sessions to be announced.
This summit will be 100% online, which means you can learn about these exciting topics and connect with the speakers from anywhere you can get a connection.
The Vertical Farming Summit will be streaming for free from June 16-25th to reach as many people as possible.
If you can’t make all the sessions you can grab an All-Access Pass.
Chris Powers is excited to share all of these expert interviews with you and is looking forward to seeing you in the summit!
About the author: Chris Powers is an entrepreneur and urban agriculture advocate who is using digital marketing to share knowledge about emerging technologies in food.