Prompted by shifts in consumer buying trends, Shenandoah Valley farmers are investing heavily in automated systems and growing processes to position themselves for the long haul in an industry that’s changing rapidly. Once dubbed the “breadbasket of the South” because of its bountiful wheat crops, Virginia’s northwestern region has remained an agricultural powerhouse. But what that looks like, in real terms, is far different today than in years past and is certain to evolve even more in the years ahead.
“Agriculture is one of those businesses that’s about to undergo a huge transformation,” says Matthew Ryan, the Harvard-educated CEO of Soli Organic, a Harrisonburg-based indoor vertical farming company. “We’re very much a part of the new way of doing things.”
Grocery shoppers are increasingly seeking more organic and fresh options. And going forward, producers will need a more educated workforce to manage sophisticated systems to produce and deliver those goods, Ryan says. “This is not just putting a hole in the ground anymore.”
Across the country, large-scale farming has become highly automated. Advances in machinery and technology are allowing farmers to spend less on human labor and generate their products more efficiently. The upfront cost is often steep but deemed necessary to keep pace with consumer expectations. This shift is evident throughout the rolling hills of the Shenandoah Valley.
Read more at virginiabusiness.com
