Container Farming Seeks To Solve Land Access Issues
June 1, 2023
Freight Farms sells fully-furnished shipping containers with hydroponic growing equipment so farmers without access to land can still produce crops for sale in their communities.
The good news is that there is farmland for sale in Montana, over 300,000 acres of farms for sale, according to popular real estate sites like land.com. The bad news for would-be farmers is the cost. The average price of farms for sale in Montana is $1.22 million, according to real estate sales averages, a figure that is not affordable for many.
However, getting a start in agriculture may not require such a hefty investment. If you ask the developers at Freight Farms, it doesn’t even require land.
Freight Farms was started in 2013 by Brad McNamara and Jon Friedman, who said they saw “a need for urban agriculture to emerge as a competitive industry in the food landscape.”
The pair began focusing on rooftop greenhouses but quickly realized it wasn’t a scalable solution. In an effort to cut down on costs and logistics, they began to consider shipping containers as an alternative. Since refining their shipping container food growing systems, the business has grown to 600 “farms” in five different countries.
The cost of the fully equipped 40 x 8 x 9 containers runs an average of $149,000. The units require a landing spot of 50 x 10 feet and must be able to connect to power and water. Internet connections are a plus that can help a farmer monitor container conditions remotely. The insulated containers are operable at -40 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, use five gallons of water a day, and produce 2-6 tons of annual harvest.
“When we started, the company was aimed at democratizing growing food without land access and negating climate change,” said Brooke Smith, Freight Farms spokesperson. “Land is expensive and there is limited ability to farm year-round in many places.”
The Freight Farms container model allows farmers to grow vegetables hydroponically, including lettuces, leafy greens, herbs, flowers and roots.
The product can then be sold to schools, restaurants, at farmers’ markets and to grocery stores.
“We want to help people have access to fresh food year-round and help new farmers have a much shorter learning curve so they can quickly grow beautiful produce on a regular basis,” she said.
While having a background in agriculture can be a huge help to someone getting started in container farming, Smith said the best container farmers have a certain set of skills.
“The most successful farmers are attentive to detail and are organized,” she said. “They are also relational and good salespeople. You can grow good produce, but you have to be willing to be a representative of your own brand to be successful.”
Training
In addition to selling fully-furnished container farms, the company offers a variety of training options for its new farmers.
Customers are encouraged to attend an in-person “Farm Camp” at the company headquarters in Boston to train with one of the company’s “Greenery S” container units. A trainer can also be sent to the customer location or customers are able to use a recorded, self-paced program available through the company.
The container also uses the company’s “Farmhand” computer software that creates container settings based on “desired yields, flavor profiles, and efficiency metrics.”
According to the company, this year, 2023, is the best year to get started in container farming.
“Last year, a study conducted by the International Food Information Council found that 25 percent of respondents look for locally-sourced products when making purchasing decisions,” the company noted. “Even as we emerge from the pandemic, individuals still feel a strengthened sense of dedication to their community and local producers – including buying from local farmers.
“The message is clear: buying local is king. As a small farmer, you could fill this demand by growing food for local consumers, whether that be by selling directly to individuals or by way of restaurants or grocery stores.”
For more information, visit freightfarms.com.