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China Enacts Food Waste Law, Brings In Bans For Binge-Eating & Fines For Leftovers
The food waste law also introduces a fee that restaurants can charge to their patrons if they leave “excessive” amounts of uneaten food at the end of their meals. Vendors that “induce or mislead consumers into making excessive orders” can now be fined up to ¥10,000 ($1,540)
May 4, 2021
The Chinese government has passed a wide-ranging law aimed at reducing food wastage in the world’s most populous country.
Among the provisions of the food waste law are a ban on competitive eating and hefty fines of up to ¥100,000 ($15,400) for making “binge-eating” videos where vloggers “usually leave a lot of food uneaten and often vomit what they have consumed,” according to the state-owned Global Times.
The social media phenomenon of livestream eating originated in South Korea where it is called mukbang, meaning ‘eating broadcast.’ The Chinese term for the genre, chībō, means the same thing. Chībō has become wildly popular throughout China in recent years – though not without controversy.
The food waste law also introduces a fee that restaurants can charge to their patrons if they leave “excessive” amounts of uneaten food at the end of their meals. Vendors that “induce or mislead consumers into making excessive orders” can now be fined up to ¥10,000 ($1,540).
Restaurants that consistently waste “large amounts” of food face fines of up to ¥50,000 ($7,720).
The law was first proposed to China’s legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, late last year after Chinese president Xi Jinping described the country’s food waste problem as “shocking and distressing.”
According to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, restaurants in the country’s major cities waste 18 million tonnes of food a year, which the Academy estimates as being enough to feed up to 50 million people in the same timeframe.
While the Communist Party-affiliated Times claimed the “adoption of the legislation against food waste does not imply that China is facing an immediate food shortage risk, but [is] a far-sighted move for food security,” China simply can’t afford to waste this much food.
With 1.4 billion mouths to feed and issues such as a growing but ageing population, desertification of already limited cultivable land, and deteriorating relations with major food exporter countries, China is facing significant food shortage risks over the medium to long term.
The Academy predicts a domestic grain supply shortfall of 130 million tons by 2025, with China’s dwindling rural workforce cited as a key factor – meaning that the country can’t simply turn to traditional agriculture as a solution.
In recent years, investment has been pouring into China’s burgeoning agrifoodtech space, with much of it targeted at solving the country’s food security and resilience issues.
Released last month, AgFunder‘s China 2021 Agrifood Startup Investing Report found that agrifoodtech funding in the country rose 66% year-on-year in 2020 to reach $6 billion.
While most of that capital went to e-grocery companies, upstream categories raised a total of $1.4 billion, taking a 24% share of overall agrifood investment compared to 14% a year earlier. In particular, business models and technologies aimed at bringing efficiencies and smaller environmental footprints to farming – such as robotics and drones, farm management software, and biotech solutions – received substantial funding; while startups developing alternative protein sources with the objective of reducing China’s reliance on animal agriculture also saw a pop in funding.
However, solutions specifically targeting food waste reduction and valorization were notably absent from China’s top agrifoodtech funding deals last year – perhaps indicating a major area of white space for entrepreneurs and prospective investors to keep an eye on going forward.
University of Florida 2021 Greenhouse Training Online Courses: Greenhouse 101
Greenhouse 101 is a great introduction to the Greenhouse Training Online program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension
Finding trained growers is a major challenge for our industry. Your best investment is to upskill your own workers to make better crop management decisions by learning the underlying horticultural science of plant growth. Greenhouse 101 is a great introduction to the Greenhouse Training Online program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. It is designed for people with no formal training in horticulture that work in the greenhouse or nursery industry. Topics covered are plant parts and functions, photosynthesis and growth, greenhouse technology, flowering, compactness and branching, irrigation, nutrition, and plant health. The course is offered in English and Spanish.
Join over 660 growers who have graduated from Greenhouse 101 since 2015 in our award-winning program and receive a customized certificate of completion. Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars by grower participants.
The course runs from May 31 to June 25, 2021. The cost is $US249 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. The course is completely online and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with Ph.D. professors, and quizzes. The course material is available any time of the day, and two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules.
Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).
Download The Flyer
For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.
Plenty Produce Honored Twice By Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas
Leading vertical farm recognized for its flavorful, crispy lettuce as well as its partnership with Driscoll’s to grow indoor strawberries
Leading vertical farm recognized for its flavorful, crispy lettuce as well as its partnership with Driscoll’s to grow indoor strawberries
May 04, 2021
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Plenty, the flavor-first vertical farming company with a mission to improve the lives of people, plants, and the planet, today announced it has been named a finalist and Honoree in two separate categories for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards. Plenty was recognized in the 'Established Excellence: 5-14 Years in Business' category honoring the company’s launch of its popular Crispy Lettuce. In addition, Plenty was recognized as an Honoree alongside Driscoll’s, the leading consumer brand in fresh berries, in the Food category for its partnership to grow Driscoll’s proprietary flavorful strawberries year-round in Plenty’s vertical indoor farms.
“There is no question our society and planet are facing deeply troubling times. So, it's important to recognize organizations that are using their ingenuity, impact, design, scalability and passion to solve these problems”
“It's an incredible honor for Plenty to be recognized not only for our achievement in food innovation, but also the work we are doing with partners like Driscoll’s,” said Nate Storey, co-founder, and chief science officer at Plenty. “2021 promises to be a year of continued innovation, as we add more crops to our indoor towers and prepare to open the world’s highest-output vertical farm in Compton, California. We are changing what we eat, how we eat and how we source and distribute our food while preserving our most precious natural resources.”
Launched in July 2020, Plenty's Crispy Lettuce is grown in a controlled environment that allows the plant to reach its full flavor and nutrient potential while protecting it from weather, pest, and pathogen threats. Plenty's Crispy Lettuce delivers a new level of versatility. With the light, fresh crunch consumers crave, it's the perfect salad foundation, crispy injection, or sandwich topping. Find out where to buy Plenty produce here.
The partnership between Driscoll’s and Plenty was announced in October 2020. Together, the two companies are working to bring flavorful strawberry varieties to market, leveraging the benefits of a controlled growing environment while also creating opportunity for berry expansion into regions that have historically been difficult to serve. Read more about the partnership here.
Fast Company's 2021 World-Changing Ideas honors the businesses, policies, projects, and concepts that are actively engaged and deeply committed to pursuing innovation when it comes to solving health and climate crises, social injustice, and economic inequality. Now in its fifth year, the awards showcase some of the world's most inventive entrepreneurs and companies tackling exigent global challenges across transportation, education, food, politics, technology, and more. Plenty was named a finalist out of a total of 4,000 nominees.
“There is no question our society and planet are facing deeply troubling times. So, it's important to recognize organizations that are using their ingenuity, impact, design, scalability and passion to solve these problems,” says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “Our journalists, under the leadership of senior editor Morgan Clendaniel, have discovered some of the most groundbreaking projects that have launched since the start of 2020.”
The complete list of winners, finalists, and honorees can be found at fastcompany.com.
About the World-Changing Ideas Awards
World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company's major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better. A panel of judges from across sectors choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With a goal of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to start working on solving the problems that affect us all.
About Driscoll’s
Driscoll’s is the global market leader of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 100 years of farming heritage, Driscoll’s is a pioneer of berry flavor innovation and the trusted consumer brand of Only the Finest Berries™. With more than 900 independent growers around the world, Driscoll’s develops exclusive patented berry varieties using only natural breeding methods that focus on growing great-tasting berries. A dedicated team of agronomists, breeders, sensory analysts, plant pathologists, and entomologists help grow baby seedlings that are then grown on local family farms. Driscoll’s now serves consumers year-round across North America, Australia, Europe and China in over twenty-two countries. As a fourth-generation grower and the son of one of Driscoll’s founders, J. Miles Reiter serves as Chairman and CEO.
About Plenty
Plenty is an American farming technology company that frees agriculture from the constraints of land, weather, seasons, time, distance, pests, natural disasters, and climate. The company's plant scientists, engineers, and farmers have developed its indoor vertical farming technology to grow nutrient-rich and pesticide-free plants with extraordinary flavor. Plenty’s proprietary towers and intelligent platform make it the only vertical farm that can grow multiple crops with consistently superior flavors and yield. Plenty's flagship farm and headquarters are located in South San Francisco, and the company operates the largest of its kind Research and Development farm in Laramie, Wyoming. Plenty is currently building the world's highest-output, vertical, indoor farm in Compton, California.
Contacts
Driscoll’s: Fran Dillard, press@driscolls.com
Plenty: Jane Gideon, press@plenty.ag
Freight Farms Releases Next Generation of Container Farming
Freight Farms released the 10th generation of their container farming system – Greenery S, which has several key improvements on its predecessors
4 May 2021
Freight Farms released the 10th generation of their container farming system – Greenery S, which has several key improvements on its predecessors.
Since its founding in 2013, Freight Farms has been dedicated to making modular vertical farming technology accessible to more communities around the globe in a sustainable fashion. Their systems use a hybrid of hardware, software and services to make food production possible for anyone of any background, anywhere in the world.
“Greenery S represents the apex,” Jon Friedman, COO and co-founder tell Future Farming, “leveraging the excellent design and intuitive automation to streamline workflow while driving up yields.”
LED technology
Greenery S has several key improvements on its predecessors. This includes the new Dynamic Lighting Control, which uses LED technology that allows farmers to customize the lighting spectrum, intensity and duration for optimal plant yields. It also features a brand new user-centric Workstation design making for a sleek, self-contained and multi-functional farm command center.
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LED technology allows farmers to customise the lighting spectrum, intensity and duration for optimal plant yields. - Photo: Freight Farms
More consistent harvests
This new generation also brings with it an update to Freight Farms’ farmhand software that includes a new feature called “Recipes.” This update allows farmers to obtain more consistent harvests.
“Operators simply choose the crop they wish to grow and farmhand automatically adjusts in-farm settings for that crop production,” explains Friedman. “In-farm cameras and sensors gather information and continuously improve the precision of the recipes over time, aggregating data from the entire farmer network to determine patterns that lead to exceptionally successful harvests.”
Of all their systems, Greenery S combines Freight Farms’ most optimized combination yet to allow farmers the highest possible yields at the highest quality with the fastest rates.
Lower startup costs
With lower startup costs, Freight Farms reports that their Greenery S farm system can grow an equivalent of 2.5 acres of traditional farmland with 12 harvests per year. According to Friedman, it typically takes their farmers two to three years to see returns on their initial investments.
Greenery S is now available for purchase worldwide.
Jaclyn Krymowski
Correspondent for North America
Read more about: Vertical Farming Indoor Farming Container Farming
AppHarvest Expands Support of Kentucky Food Banks
Together with our friends and neighbors in Central Appalachia, our goal is to build a more resilient food system and one that helps those in need. In Kentucky alone, 20% of children and nearly 15% of adults experience food insecurity
U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, Ky. Commissioner
of Agriculture
Ryan Quarles Join in The Celebration
Together with our friends and neighbors in Central Appalachia, our goal is to build a more resilient food system and one that helps those in need. In Kentucky alone, 20% of children and nearly 15% of adults experience food insecurity.[1]
We’re partnering with community organizations to address these needs and this week expanded our work with God’s Pantry Food Bank, which along with more than 400 distribution partners provides food to residents of 50 counties in Eastern and Central Kentucky. In its most recent fiscal year, the organization distributed nearly 14 million pounds of fresh fruits and veggies and more than 41 million pounds of food overall.
U.S. Rep. Andy Barr and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles joined AppHarvest Founder & CEO Jonathan Webb and God’s Pantry Food Bank CEO Michael Halligan this week in celebrating the expanded collaboration.
“God’s Pantry Food Bank is thrilled to work more closely with AppHarvest, as we nourish lives through sustainable agriculture,” said Halligan.
Added Commissioner Quarles: “Partnerships like these are important during the pandemic as all parts of our agricultural sector come together to help those in need. God’s Pantry Food Bank has been working overtime to support Kentuckians who have fallen on tough times, and I appreciate AppHarvest stepping up to the plate to provide fresh, Kentucky-grown products to support them in their mission to feed all Kentuckians."
The expanded collaboration builds on work in recent months by AppHarvest, along with more than a dozen Kentucky organizations, to provide aid after Kentucky’s ongoing historic levels of rainfall caused rising waters across many Appalachian counties. The Appalachia Rises initiative raised more than $1.2 million for flood relief and saw volunteers from AppHarvest and God’s Pantry Food Bank distribute healthy food to those affected.
“This is a great partnership that recognizes the needs in our communities and brings together organizations dedicated to serving Kentuckians,” said Rep. Barr. “In Congress, I voted for multiple bipartisan COVID-19 relief packages to boost our food supply by providing support to farmers, agribusinesses, and food banks around the country.”
Added Webb: “As a public benefit corporation and Certified B Corp, we at AppHarvest believe in good and are inspired daily by the faith and grit of those who’ve chosen to share their talents with us and join our mission. We’re working to create America’s AgTech capital here in Appalachia to provide affordable, nutritious, and delicious fruits and veggies that will help reduce hunger and food deserts.”
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, regarding AppHarvest’s future financial performance, as well as AppHarvest’s growth plans and strategy, ability to capitalize on commercial opportunities, future operations, estimated financial position, estimated adjusted EBITDA, revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of AppHarvest’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of AppHarvest. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-252964) filed with the SEC by AppHarvest on February 10, 2021 under the heading “Risk Factors,” and other documents AppHarvest has filed, or that AppHarvest will file, with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect AppHarvest’s expectations, plans, or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. AppHarvest anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its assessments to change. However, while AppHarvest may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, AppHarvest specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing AppHarvest’s assessments of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.
[1] Feeding America
Strategic Partnership Between Oreon And Enersavings, Inc.
The energy savings possibilities of Oreon’s LED grow lights made EnerSavings recognize the advantages of the sustainable water-cooling technology
IJsselstein, 4 May 2021. Oreon and the Canadian company EnerSavings Inc. have come to an agreement for a strategic partnership. EnerSavings is a leader in customized lighting retrofits throughout Canada with a presence in 7 provinces. As a lighting engineering firm, they continuously work on improvement and innovation. EnerSavings expertise in providing the most sustainable and energy-saving solutions to its customers, fits perfectly with the sustainable water-cooling technology of Oreon’s LED grow lights.
Energy saving solutions
In EnerSavings, Oreon sees a strong partner for the Canadian market. EnerSavings is based in Toronto, Ontario, and has over a decade of experience in the ever-increasing market demand for efficient lighting technologies. The energy savings possibilities of Oreon’s LED grow lights made EnerSavings recognize the advantages of the sustainable water-cooling technology. They see lots of opportunity for growers in the fixture’s high efficiency and the ability to reuse the gained heat and save on cooling costs. The active water-cooling makes it possible for the LED fixtures to efficiently produce a large amount of light without heating up the greenhouse or grow facility. Revenues are increased by lowering operating costs, and growers get full control over the climate in their facility. This results in high-quality yields year-round.
"EnerSavings is excited to partner with Oreon and expand its presence in the North American LED plant grow light market. The Oreon water-cooled fixture is by far the best grow light in the market today, bringing the highest value proposition to growers. Oreon was the first to bring an LED grow light to market in 2009 and its fixtures are the best built, and cheapest per micromole. The water-cooling ensures productive longevity second to none. The first install over a decade ago still has over 90 percent light output today!" – Jason Beer, Business Development Director of EnerSavings.
“With EnerSavings Inc. as a new dealer, Oreon creates a better connection to the Canadian market. Both Oreon and EnerSavings share the fact that we are both committed to providing sustainable LED solutions and tailored energy-saving solutions, so customers can reduce operating expenses and increase profits. With the expertise of EnerSavings in commercial horticulture projects, we see a promising future in this rapidly growing market,” says Bill Whittaker (North-American Sales Manager) of Oreon.
US: TEXAS - Awty Unveils Carbon-Neutral Container Farm Thanks to Sustainability Grant From Green Mountain Energy Sun Club
Incorporating a container farm into Awty’s current operations and curriculum reinforces the school’s commitment to sustainability while providing a real-life example of environmentally sound sourcing practices to their international student body
Source: GREEN MOUNTAIN ENERGY
05/03/21
Teachers and students alike at The Awty International School are excited about the possibilities a carbon-neutral container farm brings to their campus. Awty received a $135,000 sustainability grant from the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club to implement the container farm that now provides fresh produce to the school’s cafeteria and hands-on education for students through a newly formed urban farming elective class. The school installed a 20-foot hydroponics shipping container, a 20-foot aquaponics shipping container, and a 14.4-kilowatt solar system with 48 panels to power both containers to achieve the carbon-neutral status.
Incorporating a container farm into Awty’s current operations and curriculum reinforces the school’s commitment to sustainability while providing a real-life example of environmentally sound sourcing practices to their international student body. The farm serves to demonstrate how to reduce the carbon footprint of a food operation by shortening the supply chain and reducing fuel emissions. The innovative container farm and solar-powered equipment provides Awty a year-round steady supply of fresh produce, regardless of the outside climate. The closed-loop hydroponic system also uses 98 percent less water than traditional agriculture, significantly reducing the environmental impact of food production.
“While our school community has already started to reap the benefits from the farm, one of our many goals for the container project is sharing what we have achieved with others,” stated Robert Sload, STEAM coordinator at The Awty International School. “As an international school, we certainly want to help other international, national, and local schools introduce their communities to the wonderful community-wide lessons this project provides. A larger goal is to deconstruct our efforts and refashion a much simpler and cost-effective model that could be recreated anywhere with a particular eye to school communities located in food deserts.”
Green Mountain Energy, the nation’s longest-serving renewable energy retailer, founded Sun Club in 2002 to advance sustainability by partnering with nonprofit organizations engaged in meaningful work to support the communities the company serves. Awty is one of more than 130 projects to receive a sustainability grant since Sun Club’s founding. The grants are awarded to nonprofits seeking to implement projects promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship.
“Green Mountain Energy’s goal with Sun Club grants is to promote sustainability in the community, and we were excited about this project from the start as it amplifies the message to future generations through education,” said Mark Parsons, vice president, and general manager of Green Mountain Energy. “Container farming will allow Awty students the opportunity to explore innovative new approaches to food production. Farming fresh produce directly on campus powered by solar energy makes it easy to captivate students and facilitate a dialogue around farming and solar energy at the same time.”
The respect of self, of individuals, and of the environment, and the importance of contributing to the community, are the fundamental principles of Awty’s sustainability program. The program’s mission is to reduce the school’s environmental impact and become more sustainable while inspiring and challenging students to come up with innovative solutions to environmental problems. Initiatives like composting, recycling, collecting water from HVAC units, and working toward becoming a zero-waste school have allowed the school to become a Bronze Award recipient of the Eco-Schools program, an international organization that accredits schools demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.
Tags: Indoor & Vertical Farming, Processing & Supply Chain | Containers
The Importance of Indoor Farming In The Classroom
"At Food Corps we love to do any kind of gardening, food, and nutrition lessons, as well as educate students on where their food comes from," says Allly Staab with Food Corps in Norwalk
"At Food Corps we love to do any kind of gardening, food, and nutrition lessons, as well as educate students on where their food comes from," says Allly Staab with Food Corps in Norwalk.
For years, Tower Garden has served as a classroom learning model teaching students about the basics, like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, to even more tactile things, like cooking and garden maintenance. Currently, Tower Garden is used in over 7,500 classrooms in 49 states across the country -- and that number just keeps on growing as Tower Garden expands its global footprint.
"Since 2017, the Tower Garden has been at Brookside Elementary. Last year I kind of experimented a little with it. This year was Tower Garden’s time to shine, and I’ve been invested in making it work. There is a huge chunk of time here where it is too cold to be growing outside, so having a Tower Garden has been really helpful. In a Connecticut climate, I’m still able to grow a bunch of different stuff indoors. Every grade level has had some type of experience or interaction with Tower Garden," says Allly.
The role of the tower garden in the classroom is to let kids understand how growing indoors can be beneficial, and how you can produce your own food during the colder months indoors. Kids are taught that even in a city apartment, food can be grown.
"The speed of growth is so great that the kids can see it before their eyes. They can measure and observe. We’ve done taste tests where we’ve done a salad with romaine lettuce, and then we added in cucumbers and tomatoes and salad dressing from the store. We had a bunch of herbs growing and made salsa with cilantro. They are able to see the full system, from planting to harvesting, and taste the fresh food.," Staab explains.
"A lot of the students at our school may not have access to fresh, healthy foods all the time, and if we can give them access, I think it’s super important. If students are more invested in watching a plant grow, the more likely they are to try it. They usually really like it, even if they are nervous to try it at first."
Staab notes that "A lot of the students at our school may not have access to fresh, healthy foods all the time, and if we can give them access, I think it’s super important. If students are more invested in watching a plant grow, the more likely they are to try it. They usually really like it, even if they are nervous to try it at first. Sometimes we hold up our piece of lettuce together and thank it, and then eat it all at once. I try to make it as fun and engaging as possible. Even if they are scared to try it, if all of their friends are trying it, they are more likely to do so."
Read the complete article at www.towergarden.com.
For more information:
Tower Gardens
www.towergarden.com
3 May 2021
What Is A Container Farm?
A container farm is usually a vertical farming system built inside a shipping container. The benefits of placing a farm within a container, rather than a building, are that it is transportable and can be squeezed into existing spaces, such as in car parks or on farmland
30-04-2021 LettUs
Container farming, vertical farming, indoor farming… What do they all mean? Are they all the same thing? In this blog, we’re going to explain exactly what a container farm is and what the benefits of growing crops in this way are.
The controlled environment agriculture club
Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is a term for using different technologies to grow food indoors. In CEA, these technologies ensure the best growing conditions and protection for specific crops. This is slightly different to just indoor farming - by nature, indoor farms simply protect crops from external forces such as weather and pests. A container farm would be an example of CEA, as would other indoor farms such as vertical farms and high-tech commercial greenhouses.
A container farm is usually a vertical farming system built inside a shipping container. The benefits of placing a farm within a container, rather than a building, are that it is transportable and can be squeezed into existing spaces, such as in car parks or on farmland.
Since it is classified as a temporary structure, you typically don’t need planning permission for a shipping container. This can be particularly useful for those who rent their farmland. However, there are always exceptions and the necessary checks should always be made before making arrangements. As long as there is level ground, access to electricity, water & wifi, a shipping container can fit into a range of different settings.
Serving communities, big or small
Since they’re easy to transport, container farms can be easily deployed as and when they are needed. This means they could be used for research or social-impact projects, without needing to build a permanent facility. Shipping containers are also modular, which means multiple containers can be used to build a larger facility and businesses can scale their operations appropriately. They also have the potential to be bedded into existing container parks - these are dotted around the UK and are usually shipping containers made up of independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. One container farm could supply fresh produce to all of these.
In this way, container farms have the potential to be a positive disruptor within our food supply networks and strengthen our local food security by reducing our dependence on imported produce. Food waste and carbon caused by food transportation would also be reduced by strategically placing containers in key locations within communities.
The DROP & GROW container farm
LettUs Grow’s container farms are powered by aeroponic technology. This is a soil-less system that uses a nutrient-dense mist to irrigate crops - boosting oxygen levels and encouraging healthy root stock. Whilst hydroponic container farms are more common, DROP & GROW uses aeroponics to optimise crop health and increase growth rates.
Our container farms have also been designed with the grower in mind. DROP & GROW:24 includes a separate preparation area, providing ample space for the grower to do their job. Our farms have also been designed to be easy to maneuver within and check on your crops.
Celebrating vertical farming technology
DROP & GROW wasn’t designed to be inconspicuous. Quite the opposite! We think urban farming, new technologies and feeding local communities is something to shout about, so a DROP & GROW on your site is an opportunity to start a conversation and encourage your customers to learn more about the benefits of vertical farming.
If you want to take a positive step towards a more sustainable and resilient food supply chain in the UK, then talk to LettUs business development team about why a container farm might be in the right choice for you. Find out more...
Source and Photo Courtesy of LettUs Grow
New Greenhouse Design Shines With More Growing Capacity
Lettuces, Asian greens, herbs, and more. These are just a few types of produce that Shayne Johnson of Grampa G’s farm in Pillager has experimented with growing in the middle of winter in Central Minnesota
30-04-2021
University of Minnesota Extension
Lettuces, Asian greens, herbs, and more. These are just a few types of produce that Shayne Johnson of Grampa G’s farm in Pillager has experimented with growing in the middle of winter in Central Minnesota.
Photo: Shayne (left) and Louise Johnson of Grampa G’s farm in Pillager, outside their deep winter greenhouse prototype, 2018. Courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension
“Nothing we’ve tried to grow has failed,” said Johnson, who sells the farm’s product to local food co-ops and customers in the area by word of mouth.
How does Grampa G’s do it? With the help of a prototype deep winter greenhouse made possible by a collaboration with the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and the College of Design Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR).
In fall 2020, this collaboration released new designs for a farm-scale winter greenhouse (FSWG v1.0). These new solar winter greenhouse designs seek to improve both the productivity and profitability of extended season vegetable and produce production in Minnesota, creating a more resilient, local food system.
“Our partnerships with Minnesota farmers and the Center for Sustainable Building Research to develop these farm-scale winter greenhouse designs will make winter production more accessible to small- and mid-sized farmers in Minnesota and beyond,” said Greg Schweser, statewide co-director of RSDP’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program who has helped lead related research and outreach with Daniel Handeen, winter greenhouse designer and CSBR research fellow.
Evolution in solar winter greenhouse design
The farm-scale winter greenhouse designs rely on passive solar principles, similar to the earlier deep winter greenhouse design (DWG 2.0), but build on and incorporate lessons learned from the deep winter greenhouse prototypes in the field. The deep winter greenhouse at Grampa G’s farm is one of five prototypes in Greater Minnesota, supported by RSDP.
Farm scale winter greenhouse under construction at Appetite for Change in Minneapolis, 2021. Photo credit: Daniel Handeen.
The new farm-scale designs have a larger footprint that increases growing capacity. They also include variations in foundations and thermal storage specifications to accommodate different budgets.
“These designs keep evolving and getting better. That’s what I find so cool about them,” Johnson said. “The University adjusts based on our experiences and feedback with the technology.”
RSDP and CSBR partners iteratively developed the farm-scale winter greenhouse designs with input from growers like Johnson and Carol Ford, Extension project coordinator, and an early winter greenhouse pioneer. Ford has helped spread the word and grow a network of deep winter greenhouse adopters and enthusiasts.
“It’s always been about not just making this technology effective for me, but then having it be something that other farmers would feel engaged to do,” Ford said, during a recent podcast interview about this work.
Since their release in November 2020, the farm scale winter greenhouse designs have had more than 1,150 downloads. Solar winter greenhouse designs are freely available and can be downloaded from the RSDP Deep Winter Greenhouse resource website.
Farm scale designs ripe for testing
Schweser noted the designs are now ripe for testing and recommends a similar, regional prototype approach that proved successful with the earlier deep winter greenhouse design.
Open house at the Lake City Catholic Worker Farm deep winter greenhouse, 2018.
In the earlier prototyping process, university and community partners prioritized both research and education, testing the design’s performance and hosting outreach events that have attracted hundreds of participants.
“It’s turned out to be so much more than just the prototype and initial support,” Johnson said. “It’s now this long-standing relationship. We connect with other greenhouse operators and are regularly in touch with our university partners throughout the year.”
Schweser hopes to see similar results with prototypes of farm-scale winter greenhouses in the coming years. University and community partners could then evaluate their performance in the field and improve existing cost estimates before encouraging more widespread adoption.
After field testing, Schweser believes the new structures could open up opportunities for smaller and more diverse farmers to grow more produce and be more profitable.
“The new farm-scale design, more so than the smaller deep winter greenhouses, is far more affordable to construct, and is an appropriate scale for most small direct-market farmers,” Schweser said. “It has the potential to be an equity-building, level-playing field technology to sustainably and profitably grow produce in the winter.”
Johnson is also optimistic about the potential of the new farm-scale winter greenhouse designs.
“I love to see the evolution of these greenhouses taking shape,” Johnson said. “We are learning from our accomplishments and defeats, and then we make them better. That’s what’s exciting about this work and these partnerships—if anyone can make these designs better, this initiative is the one to do it.”
Those with questions about the University of Minnesota's farm scale winter greenhouse designs and related work can contact RSDP's Greg Schweser (schwe233@umn.edu), statewide co-director of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program.
From Passenger Plane To Vertical Farm – Repurposing Old Aircraft
Recently iFarm’s engineers began designing a custom vertical farm that could flourish inside the body of a commercial airplane, with the potential to extend the life of decommissioned aircraft
By MATT PESKETT
April 19, 2021
iFarm (Intellectual Farms Oy) is a Helsinki-based international company that develops solutions, platforms, and technologies for indoor farming and agribusiness. Recently iFarm’s engineers began designing a custom vertical farm that could flourish inside the body of a commercial airplane, with the potential to extend the life of decommissioned aircraft.
Experts from iFarm were approached by a European airline with the brief. In response, they proposed converting a passenger plane’s cabin into a salad bar and designed a vertical farm with a total growing area of 135 m² in the aft section of the aircraft so that the bar can offer 14 kg of fresh salad daily.
The partition between the cafe and the farm can be made transparent, and the equipment zone moved to the tail end of the plane [Image source: iFarm]
For the airline, this project would serve as a demonstration of its forward-thinking approach and the increased focus on customer service, including the provision of fresh and healthy meals on board.
For iFarm, the project demonstrates another innovative way of integrating agrotechnology into seemingly unsuitable infrastructure and the versatility of vertical farming.
While contemplating additional ways of using the wide-body aircraft to grow plants, engineers suggested a number of configurations that make such refitting not only useful for advertising purposes but also commercially viable. For example, a farm located in the body of a decommissioned cargo jumbo jet can produce up to 1.5 tons of greens per month.
“Vertical farms are good because they can be installed in a wide variety of spaces, from abandoned subway stations to airplanes that no longer serve their intended purpose. We will be happy to cooperate with companies that think outside the box and consider such high-tech repurposing options. This project does not yet have a deadline, but it has already drawn the attention of specialized design bureaus as an easily scalable example of old aircraft upcycling.” commented Kirill Zelensky, CEO of iFarm Europe.
Not all obsolete aircraft are recycled. The airline industry has long used conservation methods to repurpose aircraft, such as sending airliners to spare airfields in dry climates, where they essentially serve as containers of spare parts. Each aircraft includes about 350,000 individual components, and many of these planes remain useful long after their last flight.
But some owners prefer upcycling to disposal in an attempt to provide “second life” old aircraft, especially those with some historical value (e.g., the first airplane of the airline). There are existing examples of creative airliner usage, including dozens of on-board cottages, offices, cafes, and hotels all over the world, and even an old soviet Yak in Georgia that hosts a kindergarten.
For airline companies, the opportunity to upcycle planes into highly sustainable vertical farms is an enticing one. When an industry known for its high carbon footprint can find new ways to support sustainable practices, it could offset emissions, enhance a brand’s image and have a genuine impact on the environment.
OGVG And Blue Radix Introduce Autonomous Greenhouse Management In Ontario
The Ontario government is supporting greenhouse growers by investing over $3.6 million in 12 innovative projects to help develop new technologies
The Ontario government is supporting greenhouse growers by investing over $3.6 million in 12 innovative projects to help develop new technologies, recover from the impact of COVID-19 and enhance competitiveness and innovation.
One of these approved projects is ‘Autonomous Greenhouse Management’- a collaboration between the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) and Blue Radix, an independent Dutch AI-tech specialist for the international greenhouse industry. This project is supported through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative, a cost-share program funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council.
Autonomous growing with Crop Controller
“Together with OGVG we introduce autonomous growing with Crop Controller to Ontario vegetable growers,” says Ronald Hoek, CEO of Blue Radix. “Crop Controller is a service: data models and algorithms control the greenhouse installations 24/7, supported by off-site Autonomous Greenhouse Managers with in-depth knowledge about crops, energy, and data. With autonomous steering of the greenhouse installations, the crop strategy is put into practice with artificial intelligence. Crop Controller is not developed to replace growers. The grower is still needed to define the crop strategy. Ultimately, they can manage more hectares and worry less about repetitive actions and routine thinking. The algorithms do the work for them in their daily operations.”
“We are very thankful to the Ontario government for the GCII funding of this project. It will help greenhouse businesses improve their productivity with adopting autonomous growing. Greenhouse owners are less dependent on crop experts, will have a higher operational profit while limiting their operational risks and usage of resources,” says Ronald.
Main objectives project
The project looks to meet four main objectives:
1) To research the specific needs of Canadian growers (compared to Dutch growers) related to autonomous greenhouse management and translate these needs into product features.
2) To research and implement the adjustments that must be made to improve the match of Crop Controller with different Canadian (Ontario) climate conditions.
3) To demonstrate the working of the Blue Radix data models and algorithms. This helps growers to better understand the value and adopt this new technology in their company.
4) To share knowledge with market peers and help growers to work with this new technology in their day-to-day operations.
OGVG will select three vegetable greenhouse production locations across Ontario to participate in the project. During the project OGVG & Blue Radix will share information regularly about progress and results through articles, learn ‘n’ lunch sessions, presentations and online demos.
About the GCII program
The Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative is a cost-share program, to help the sector to create, adopt and invest in innovative new technologies to reduce production costs, increase productivity and improve produce quality. Enabling operations to expand their businesses, attract new investment and create good jobs. It is delivered by the Agriculture Adaptation Council, on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
About OGVG
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) represents approximately 200 farmers responsible for over 3,200 acres of greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers across the province. With farmgate sales of over $1 billion in 2019, support for over 13,000 jobs, a contribution of $1.8 billion to the economy and a consistent track record of growth, the sector is a valuable economic driver for the province.
About Blue Radix
Blue Radix is an independent Dutch AI-tech specialist for the international greenhouse industry. Blue Radix creates solutions with artificial intelligence for daily decisions and actions in greenhouses. Greenhouses offer an efficient way to produce food and flowers in a sustainable manner. But the number of skilled people with expertise of growing crops in greenhouses is declining every year. This has direct impact on yield, costs, continuity and product quality. Blue Radix offers solutions for these challenges: smart algorithms which optimize and steer climate, irrigation and energy continuously and autonomously, supported by off-site Autonomous Greenhouse Managers. Always working with the grower’s unique crop strategy as a starting point. Blue Radix offers growers a digital brain for their greenhouse.
For media inquiries, please contact:
OGVG
Mr. Joseph Sbrocchi, General Manager
T 519-326-2604 or 1-800-265-6926
Email: j.sbrocchi@ontariogreenhouse.com
www.OGVG.com
Blue Radix
Mrs. Marijke van Rongen, Manager Global Marketing & Communications
T +31 6 53 43 38 39
E-mail: marijke.vanrongen@blue-radix.com
www.blue-radix.com
USA: NEW YORK - When A Shipping Container Becomes A Farm
Compact, enclosed vertical farms are making their way to Hudson Valley's urban areas
Compact, Enclosed Vertical Farms Are Making Their
Way To Hudson Valley's Urban Areas
May 3, 2021
John Lekic is the chef and owner of Farmers & Chefs in Poughkeepsie and vertically grows his own produce for his restaurant in a shipping container on site. He came across the concept of shipping container farming at an exhibition at the Culinary Institute of America in 2019. Aaron Lacan
The Hudson Valley is quite familiar with what it means to be farm-to-table, but what if the farm is also practically right next to the table, even in the more urban and metro areas?
Vertical farming via high-tech shipping containers is emerging as a new solution for businesses seeking to grow their own produce in a way that shrinks the necessary agricultural footprint while maximizing yield and reducing produce travel time. Here in the Hudson Valley, a 20 by 20-foot shipping container is being used to grow up to 400 pounds of fresh produce a month at Farmers & Chefs restaurant in Poughkeepsie.
Last year, the restaurant partnered with an Israel-based agro-tech company Vertical Field to grow herbs and vegetables for its dishes in a new and innovative way. The startup, established in 2006, uses technology to create innovative growing methods to improve food supplies in urban areas around the world, working mostly in the Middle East and Europe but also recently in the United States — including right here in Dutchess County.
Poughkeepsie's Farmers & Chefs is one of the first businesses in the Hudson Valley to try shipping container farming. The restaurant's 20 by 20-foot climate-controlled container (pictured above) produces about 400 pounds of fresh produce a month. Aaron Lacan
John Lekic, chef and owner of Farmers & Chefs, grows everything from buttercrunch lettuce, kale and baby arugula to herbs like rosemary, sage and basil in his enclosed vertical farm. The container is divided into four growing fields and is set on the restaurant’s property for customers to see, which has drawn even more interest to Farmers & Chefs as of late.
So why vertical farming?
Vertical Field is just one manufacturer specializing in reimagining steel shipping containers into enclosed, climate-controlled farms that are powered by LED lights instead of the sun, essentially supercharging a growing environment. Freight Farms and Grow Pod Solutions, other manufacturers, also tout this farming approach for its lower burden on farm labor and land, and for the higher output per square foot.
Shipping container farming is climate-controlled, powered by LED lights instead of the sun, and can produce high yield in a small space. But humidity and start-up infrastructure costs can be challenges. Aaron Lacan
“It’s a dream come true for chefs to be involved from the seed to the plate,” said Lekic. “It’s a great experience when you grow your own ingredients.”
Lekic pursued vertical farming after coming across Vertical Field during an exhibition showcasing a number of Israeli-based companies involved in food and agriculture at the Culinary Institute of America in late 2019.
Before the shipping container arrived at the Poughkeepsie restaurant, Lekic sourced vegetables from nearby farms and grew herbs in small outdoor gardening beds on site. However, Lekic found that it wasn’t enough yield, especially in the summer, and he often collaborated with additional farms to fill the gap. With a shipping container for growing, the restaurant is able to produce enough of what they need and on site – a key benefit for Lekic.
“There is a huge importance of having urban farms where the demand is,” said Lekic. “The problem with today’s agriculture is that everything has to travel. Most people are not aware of it, but depletion of the nutrients in our food is a huge issue.”
If you harvest spinach, it would be full of vitamin C that same day, Lekic said. But that changes dramatically just 48 hours later, when that nutrient is mostly gone. (A 2013 study by the University of California showed that spinach could lose as much as 90 percent of vitamin C in a single day.)
Farmers & Chefs restaurant grows everything from buttercrunch lettuce, kale, and baby arugula to rosemary and sage in its on-site shipping container. Aaron Lacan
By growing the restaurant’s produce steps away from the kitchen, “it’s as fresh as it gets,” said Lekic.
Farmers & Chefs received its shipping container farm right around the same time that COVID-19 hit last year, which Lekic said actually worked out well, as it gave him a chance to learn the ins and outs of vertical farming during a period that was quiet for his restaurant. By April, he was harvesting the first crops.
“Overall, the goal of vertical farming is to reduce the cost of healthy and fresh food to the retailer and to the end buyer as well,” said Vertical Field marketing director Noa Winston. “Since vertical farming reduces transportation costs, food losses, inventory inconsistencies, and price fluctuations due to climate, natural disasters, and other crises that create shortages, the retailer with vertical farming can benefit from consistency, security, and ownership over the entire supply chain.”
In another regional example, Evergreen Market, a grocery store in Monsey in Rockland County, partnered with Vertical Field to grow vegetables that ultimately stocked the store’s produce aisles, while also inviting customers to view its micro-farm when they visit the store.
Cost and maintenance concerns
This farming approach isn’t for everyone and there are drawbacks. “While it does offer some solutions to things like land access — which is, frankly, a huge barrier to the farming we advocate for here in the Hudson Valley — there is a lot of infrastructure needed,” said Kathleen Finlay, president of Glynwood, a center for regional food and farming based in Cold Spring.
“That brings a whole other set of challenges — how to create enterprises with a high capital upfront cost, how to get sustainable systems. It’s a different suite of challenges than more land-based production.”
Indeed, the start-up costs for an on-site shipping container farms aren’t cheap, although businesses say savings can be realized downstream by the reduced costs of paying produce purveyors for food that a restaurant or business is now growing itself.
Freight Farms' 2021 Greenery S model costs $149,000, which doesn’t include the shipping fee. Additional start-up costs can vary depending on where its being shipped, training packages selected, and any extras. Vertical Field would not disclose the fees associated with its model.
Plus, there is a bit of a learning curve when farming in a shipment container. Lekic played around with different variables, like what was best to grow at the same time, to see what would produce the highest yield.
"It's as fresh as it gets," said John Lekic of Farmers & Chefs, pictured above, about the new way of farming. Aaron Lacan
“For my purposes, I learned to stick with only two to four items – mostly greens,” said Lekic about his growing. “It makes the most sense based on my demand.”
Maintenance is an ongoing effort with an enclosed growing system that requires constant electricity and temperature controls to assure optimal growing conditions. “It’s always work,” said Lekic.
Over the past year, Lekic had to work out some kinks and issues, like making sure the air conditioning and heat levels were favorable to growing produce year-round. Just like traditional farming, some seasons might require more work — a vertical farm in the summer, for example, would have increased humidity that could negatively affect plants if not properly controlled.
While some growers may need back-up plans for electricity outages, Lekic doesn't foresee issues there because he is connected to the main restaurant building, which runs on a hospital-grid electricity system. Just in case, he has two generators that he could connect to if needed.
These drawbacks are outweighed by the ability to grow such consistent produce yield himself on site, he said, and the built-in technology features like being able to water plants by pushing a button on his phone. Lekic said overall it’s pretty easy to operate and monitor, so much so that the restaurant is looking into upgrading its original container to the newer version of the same size, and purchasing a second container.
“I’m interested in doing a mushroom container,” said Lekic. “There is the possibility of that. It’s a completely different kind of experience, but we would be super excited.”
DIY shipping container farming
While the hefty price tag of some farming shipping containers might be too prohibitive for some, others are riffing off of elements of tech-first farming for their own DIY growing methods.
KC Sullivan, a New Jersey-based mushroom farmer, created his own vertical farming environment out of an abandoned 40-foot-length shipping container that was used for storage at the Whitechapel Projects in Long Branch. Sullivan, who often collaborates with Tivoli Mushrooms here in the Hudson Valley, decided to create his own container farm by spray foaming it, sealing the floors, putting in an HVAC system, adding lighting and installing a misting mechanism.
He estimated the costs to be between $15,000 and $20,000 — not insignificant but far cheaper than a new shipping container already turbo-charged for farming.
“It was challenging,” said Sullivan. “There is no real guidebook or instruction manual on how to create a container mushroom farm. It was all about brainstorming how we wanted it to be.”
While it’s only been a year since mushrooms have been grown out of this urban shipping container, Sullivan is happy with the high-yield results: he's growing around 400 to 500 pounds of mushrooms a week. Mushroom container farming is slightly different from growing vegetables or herbs; for example, Sullivan doesn’t grow compost mushrooms, so there is no dirt necessary.
“We grow hardwood varieties, so it’s exclusively on red oak saw dust that is supplemented with agricultural byproducts,” said Sullivan. “You mix the two together with water, pasteurize it to kill off any pathogens, inoculate it with the strain of mushroom you’re looking to grow. It goes through an incubation period in a separate room [outside of the container], and then it goes to the fruiting room, which is the container and where it will be harvested.”
Just like Lekic, Sullivan also has run into some maintenance hiccups. The waterlines froze during the winter, which was a “big challenge and setback,” leading to a starved off humidification system, costing him around 100 to 150 pounds of crop.
Despite that hurdle, Sullivan also says the container can stand up against storms because it’s “built like a tank,” while regular farmland could be vulnerable to severe thunderstorms and potential flooding.
“One tool in the toolbox”
While an exciting option for some, vertical farming is “one tool in the toolbox” and it’s important to not forget about the benefits of traditional farming, said Finlay of Glynwood.
Finlay applauds any effort to produce food “that aligns with environmental sustainability,” but doesn’t think vertical farming will ever replace traditional farming or even fix the lack of land available for production.
Still, any effort to grow fresh food for more people is a win overall.
“We need more healthy food, accessible and affordable to more people,” said Finlay. “As much as vertical farming can play a role to that, I think that’s wonderful.”
Written By
Cloey Callahan is a lifelong Hudson Valley resident who was born and raised in Brewster, lived in New Paltz for four years while she attended college, and now resides in Newburgh on Liberty Street. On a sunny day, she strolls through Newburgh enjoying the 19th-century architecture on her way to the Hudson River waterfront. You can reach her at cloey.callahan@hearst.com to say hi or with pitches.
Vertically Grown Salads And Fresh Herbs In Føtex And Bilka Across Denmark
Danske Nordic Harvest has entered into a strategic partnership with Salling Group
Danske Nordic Harvest has worked at high pressure to get one of the world's largest vertical farms, fitted with the ground-breaking technology, ready for production for Danish consumers, and now the products are landing on Danish shelves for the first time: "The products from Nordic Harvest are unique in taste and quality. They are made without the use of pesticides, with an approx. 250 times less water consumption and through completely optimal land use.
We have believed in Nordic Harvest's innovative products for several years and are pleased that it has now become a reality," says Stephan Bruhn, category director at Salling Group, and continues: "We know that consumers are interested in the green transition, food security, and goods without chemicals, and we are convinced that sustainable products in this form will be a hit. That's why we also go out and launch in all føtex and Bilka's for a start."
With the agreement, Nordic Harvest will deliver almost three tonnes of salads and herbs a week to the Salling Group. At the same time, the plan is to test new products in Salling Group's chains on an ongoing basis.
On Nordic Harvest's vertical farm in Taastrup, the crops are grown on floors, which utilizes space. On 14 floors, the salads and herbs are grown in water in a closed and controlled environment that gives the plants the optimal conditions for growth, taste and nutritional content."
From harvest until they are in the package in the fridge, it takes about 10 minutes. From seeds to supermarkets, they have never been in contact with soil, human hands, bacteria, fungal spores or pests. And they, therefore, do not need to be rinsed, either when packed or before being used at home at the dining table. So there is nothing along the way that degrades the plant, and therefore the products have an impressive shelf life that minimizes food waste.
"We could not have found a better launch partner than Salling Group. Our common values around sustainable production and their skilled sense of taste and quality have meant that we have had a fantastic dialogue and a good collaboration from our very beginning. I am looking forward to seeing how Danish consumers receive our products," says Anders Riemann, CEO of Nordic Harvest.
The prices of Nordic Harvest products will be at the same level as similar organic products. All the products from Nordic Harvest are delivered cut and in boxes that do not crush the leaves, and which can also be easily closed again if you do not use it all at once. The packaging is made from 100 percent recyclable recycled plastic.
Source: https://via.ritzau.dk/
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
Publication date: Fri 30 Apr 2021
Plans For Aquaponics Project In Belgian Port of Ostend
Columbi Salmon aims to harvest 12,000 tonnes of salmon and 4,000 tonnes of salad leaves a year by 2025
Columbi Salmon aims to harvest 12,000 tonnes of salmon and 4,000 tonnes of salad leaves a year by 2025, at a site in the Belgian port of Ostend. Kolbjørn Giskeødegård, CFO of the startup, explains their unique production system, why he thinks the time is right for growing salmon in RAS, and what persuaded him to swap finance for farming.
“For many years working for Nordea was the best job in the world – I had a great degree of freedom in my role and it was very exciting. I could probably have worked there until retirement, but had got to the point where I had seen most of the issues – the sector reports and updates started to feel like they were going in a circle,” explains Giskeødegård, who was the Norwegian bank’s chief seafood analyst for 25 years.
However, amidst the increasingly familiar cyclical trends of the conventional salmon farming sector there was one part of the industry which began to catch his attention.
“In the last two of three years, land-based salmon farming was emerging as the most exciting and disruptive part of the sector. I’d talked to many of the players about their plans and roles and licences,” he reflects.
The combination of the entrepreneurial spirit of the RAS pioneers and the development of disruptive new technologies that were needed to enable these systems to produce market-sized salmon appealed to Giskeødegård – and there was one company that stood out.
“It was a group of people I really believed in, including former colleagues – four from finance and four with a deep knowledge of fish farming,” he explains.
Read the complete article at www.thefishsite.com.
Publication date: Fri 30 Apr 2021
Sheikh Mohammed Launches Food Tech Valley In Dubai
It seeks to triple the UAE’s food production and will include a smart food logistics hub, R&D facilities as well as agricultural technology and engineering labs
It seeks to triple the UAE’s food production and will include a smart food logistics hub, R&D facilities as well as agricultural technology and engineering labs
MAY 2, 2021
The first phase of a new initiative that seeks to triple the UAE’s food production has been launched in Dubai.
The Food Tech Valley was launched on Saturday, May 1, by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and is a partnership between the Ministry of Food and Water Security and Wasl Properties to explore urban planning of future smart and food independent cities.
The initiative that aims at helping the UAE meet its National Food Security Strategy 2051 targets, will – in the initial phase of its launch – focus on strategic projects to achieve food self-sufficiency while ensuring sustainability and conservation of resources, said Mariam Almheiri, Minister of State for Food and Water Security.
The Food Tech Valley will be home to four main clusters: agricultural technology and engineering, a food innovation centre, R&D facilities, and an advanced smart food logistics hub.
The agricultural technology and engineering cluster will have a vertical farm that will employ the latest food technologies to grow year-round vital crops, noted a statement issued by Sheikh Mohammed regarding the initiative. The cluster will also focus on developing innovative projects in bioengineering, automation, robotics and artificial intelligence and supporting capacity building across the food ecosystem.
The food innovation centre meanwhile will provide an integrated agri-business ecosystem to incubate promising ideas and support startups and entrepreneurs. The cluster, which will have a specialised food factory to produce new foods and second-generation restaurants (restaurants 2.0), will explore models that are based on sustainability and production sufficiency to reduce consumption and wastage of resources.
The third cluster will have world-class R&D facilities to train food specialists and support food establishments. The facilities will explore the use of agri-robotics to maximise yields and drought-resistant crops. Specialised researchers will also explore the application of 3D printing in algae cultivation and alternative protein production. The R&D facilities will also study the use of AI to monitor, analyse and manage agricultural crops, and detect environmental impact and climate change.
It will complement global food security research efforts by exploring successful saline agriculture, nutritional genomics, agricultural mechanisation and the use of drones in food production.
The fourth cluster will feature a fourth-generation food storage system that provides smart and automated logistical storage services. The smart storage system will apply blockchain technologies and big data in sorting, transporting and distributing various food products. It will track food quality, origin, components, processing methods, storage and delivery to ensure the efficiency of food supply chains.
The initiative aims to create an integrated modern city where over 300 varieties of crops will be produced using modern farming techniques and which will serve as a hub for future clean tech-based food and agricultural products and an incubator for researchers, entrepreneurs, startups and industry experts to develop solutions to address issued regarding food production.
It will support the use of technologies and applied research in food processing and agriculture and apply modern farming techniques – such as vertical farming, aquaculture and hydroponics – to accelerate self-sufficiency in fresh food produce and reduce wastage of resources.
“[The Food Tech Valley project] will be an economic zone, which is particularly significant considering that the size of the AgTech market is projected to grow from $13.5bn to $22bn over the next four years. The project is part of our efforts to achieve our strategic national goals with respect to food security, as it constitutes an incubator for advanced farms – including indoor and vertical farms – with more than 60 per cent of the project’s space allocated to these activities,” said Mariam Almheiri.
Read: Sheikh Mohammed reiterates UAE’s drive to enhance food and water security
“The project features a food innovation centre that has been designed to resemble a head of wheat and will incorporate laboratories, research centres and prototype agricultural systems. Strategically located close to universities and academic institutions, it will support the R&D ecosystem and explore and deliver sustainable solutions around food,” added Almheiri.
Hesham Abdullah Al Qassim, CEO of Wasl Asset Management Group, noted: “The project provides an integrated legislative framework that facilitates new food product development and access to the market. Its competitive incentives and services enable investors to utilise local and global demand for the UAE brand and leverage Dubai’s global commercial and trade networks to achieve the desired growth.”
According to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s 2019 figures, the UAE has more than 177 advanced farms that use modern agricultural technologies and hydroponics, and over 100 entities that implement organic farming across the UAE. These facilitate the growth of locally sourced produce all year-round and reduce reliance on seasonal farming. The country currently hosts over 500 specialised food processing companies that supply to local markets and export globally.
As an economic zone, the Food Tech Valley is a valuable addition to the UAE’s 1,250 legislations that support agriculture and food production sectors in ensuring food safety, storage and transport. With food and beverage investments in the UAE currently totalling Dhs62bn, the initiative is expected to contribute to attracting further local and foreign direct investments within the field.
DUBAI FOOD FOOD TECH VALLEY MINISTRY OF FOOD AND WATER SECURITY SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM UAE WASL PROPERTIES
US: June 27, 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM - Symbiotic Aquaponic: Modoc Nation To Host Virtual Aquaponics Course
The workshop will teach the science and business basics of aquaponics. This class is offered in partnership with the Modoc Nation and the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF). Twenty-three scholarships will be available to members of any Native American tribes
Symbiotic Aquaponic and the Modoc Nation will host a one-day, online Introduction to Aquaponics course on June 27. The course is open to the public.
The workshop will teach the science and business basics of aquaponics. During the class practitioners and experts will discuss topics such as the different types of aquaponics systems, fish and plant species selection, water testing, system maintenance, and more.
This class is offered in partnership with the Modoc Nation and the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF). Twenty-three scholarships will be available to members of any Native American tribe.
“We’re offering this class with the Modoc Nation for the first time,” Symbiotic CEO and co-owner Kaben Smallwood said, “We’re hoping this will benefit Native American entrepreneurs as well as the Miami community.”
The Modoc Nation installed its first aquaponics system this year. Called the Maklaks Farm, or “the people’s farm” in Modoc, this system will grow produce and fish for tribal members as well as the tribe’s restaurant, The Stables.
“We are thrilled to be able to be able to expand our agricultural services program and teach a new set of skills to our younger generation of Native farmers,” said Modoc Nation Council Member Tyler Scifers. “The Maklaks Farm, not only enables us to continue our well-established ranching tradition, it also empowers our members to grow in the area of climate-controlled agriculture, an opportunity we have not had previously.”
Registration includes course materials. The early-bird price for general members of the community is $35 per seat with special group rates for groups of four or more. Due to digital capacity and to ensure high-quality interaction the workshop is limited to the first 50 participants.
The class will be conducted online via video conference from 9:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Registration for the event is open to the public and available online at www.symbioticaquaponic.com. For more information please contact aquaponics@modocnation.com or call 913-735-6618.
30 Apr 2021
New Platform For Pre-Owned Indoor Farming Equipment
Contain Inc announced the launch of their latest project, the used equipment trading platform, Equipped. Equipped is the first marketplace of its kind for buying and selling used indoor farming equipment
Contain Inc announced the launch of their latest project, the used equipment trading platform, Equipped. Equipped is the first marketplace of its kind for buying and selling used indoor farming equipment. "No more late-night parking lot meetings or promises of funds that never transfer. Equipped is how trading used indoor farm equipment should be, low drama."
“At Contain, we focus on helping the indoor agriculture industry thrive, and providing a platform where anyone can trade brand name indoor farm equipment is the next step in that journey,” comments Nicola Kerslake, founder of Contain, Inc.
The platform launches with more than $3 million of equipment, making it the most comprehensive place to find pre-owned indoor farm equipment. Equipped also lowers the barrier of entry for new growers to access top-of-the-line products and systems from industry professionals at a fraction of the cost. The platform encourages upcycling, effectively reducing waste and excess in the indoor farming industry.
Equipped invites new and existing farmers of every level and scale to anonymously buy and sell real equipment from real people. Easily navigate through thousands of listings to find the perfect equipment for your farm. Container farms, growing systems, lighting, propagation equipment and plenty more at the tip of your fingers. Equipped allows you to spend less time negotiating and more time farming.
For more information:
Equipped
www.equipped.farm
Nicola Kerslake, Founder
Contain Inc.
+1.775.623.7116
hello@contain.ag
www.contain.ag
How Do We Build Sustainable Local Food Systems?
Food Tank, in partnership with the Danone Institute North America, is hosting a very special virtual event, "One Planet. One Health," to discuss solutions to build more sustainable local food systems on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at 12 p.m. ET
Let's Work Together to Build Sustainable,
Local Food Systems With a Global Impact
Food Tank, in partnership with the Danone Institute North America, is hosting a very special virtual event, "One Planet. One Health," to discuss solutions to build more sustainable local food systems on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at 12 p.m. ET.
We’ve curated a terrific lineup of speakers, including luminaries like N. Diane Moss (Project New Village), Dariush Mozaffarian (Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy, Tufts University), Jose Oliva (HEAL Food Alliance), A-dae Romero-Briones (Cochiti/Kiowa, First Nations Development Institute), Tambra Raye Stevenson (WANDA), and more.
I’ll be moderating. You can register here.
Also, I strongly urge eligible nonprofits to apply for the Danone Institute North America grant program to help local communities live the "One Planet. One Health" vision.
Danone Institute North America will award a total of up to $160,000 for this initiative. Individual team grants of $30,000 plus a $10,000 incremental award for the team with the strongest communications plan will be awarded for work to be conducted over a two-year period. The call for entries is open now through June 6, 2021. For information and to submit an application, visit Danone Institute North America here.
Danone Institute North America launched the "One Planet. One Health" Initiative grant program in 2019 to support local projects that strengthen food systems, reflecting Danone’s belief that the health of people and the health of the planet are interconnected.
"The pandemic has not only sparked a health crisis but also has emerged as one of the most destructive economic and societal challenges of our time," says Leslie Lytle, President of Danone Institute North America and professor at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Please let me know if you apply for the grant, and join me for free on May 6 by registering HERE.
All the very best,
Dani
How Image Data Is Changing Agriculture
Anyone who wants to realize applications in which objects with a wide variety of characteristics – such as vegetables or fruit – are to be reliably recognized, cannot afford to ignore image processing with artificial intelligence
Anyone who wants to realize applications in which objects with a wide variety of characteristics – such as vegetables or fruit – are to be reliably recognized, cannot afford to ignore image processing with artificial intelligence.
Article from | IDS Imaging Development Systems
04/27/21
Being able to control processes more easily and design them more efficiently – these requirements also play an important role for agriculture and the food industry. Factors such as increasing demand from consumers, high standards regarding sustainability and security of supply, as well as the need to produce efficiently, come into direct conflict. Connected devices and automation are therefore becoming more and more prevalent in these sectors. Cameras play an important role here. They support from the optimal application of fertilizers to the visual monitoring of products and growth phases to the processing of food.
A key technology is an artificial intelligence. Organic products with different shapes and colors are difficult to describe in the corset of standardized algorithms with which industrial cameras usually work. Anyone who wants to realize applications in which objects with a wide variety of characteristics – such as vegetables or fruit – are to be reliably recognized, cannot afford to ignore image processing with artificial intelligence. Intelligent vision systems for collecting and analyzing information are also valuable tools when it comes to detecting conditions, making decisions, and triggering follow-up processes. To make the best use of this technology, AI vision systems that are equally flexible, easy to handle, and powerful are required. This is where IDS NXT ocean comes into play.
IDS NXT ocean (www.ids-nxt.com) is a particularly user-friendly end-to-end solution that allows users to create AI-based image processing applications – even with little previous knowledge. Vision apps help to flexibly control which task the embedded vision system should solve; from simple barcode reading to complex AI-based object detection. Thanks to their compact industrial-grade housing and interfaces such as OPC UA, the intelligent IDS NXT cameras can be easily integrated into factory automation. Image processing takes place directly on the camera and can then be transmitted as a result, for example to a machine control system.
Customers are provided with coordinated workflows and all the necessary tools so that they can easily develop applications on their own. With the IDS-hosted, cloud-based AI training system IDS NXT lighthouse, they can train a neural network with their own images without any prior deep learning knowledge and without having to install any hardware or software. This is remarkable because although automation is a defining topic in the agriculture and food sector, only a few all-in-one packages for embedded vision with deep learning are available. In many cases, this is still project work, with customers building the systems themselves step by step. IDS Imaging Development Systems removes these hurdles so that even companies without dedicated AI specialists can benefit from the current technical state of the art and keep their competitive edge.
For more information and application examples, please visit
https://en.ids-imaging.com/smart-farming.html.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AgriTechTomorrow
IDS Imaging Development Systems Inc.
IDS is a leading manufacturer of industrial cameras "Made in Germany" with USB or GigE interfaces. Equipped with state-of-the-art CMOS sensors, the extensive camera portfolio ranges from low-cost project cameras to small, powerful models with PoE functionality or robust cameras with housings that fulfill the prerequisites for protection code IP65/67. For quick, easy, and precise 3D machine vision tasks IDS offers the Ensenso series. With the novel vision app-based sensors and cameras of IDS NXT the company opens up a new dimension in image processing. Whether in an industrial or non-industrial setting: IDS cameras and sensors assist companies worldwide in optimizing processes, ensuring quality, driving research, conserving raw materials, and serving people. They provide reliability, efficiency, and flexibility for your application.
Monitoring & Growing, Precision Farming | IDS Imaging Development Systems Inc. | Imaging, machine vision