US (CA): Restaurant gets fish and fresh produce directly from its agriculture farm

From the street, it may not look like much — a dusty lot with scattered pump jacks bobbing away for oil on the outskirts of Brea. But for Adam Navidi, one of Orange County’s most innovative restaurateurs, the land has been a prosperous field of agricultural dreams. Since 2009, Navidi has been leasing…

Would you be interested in a vertical farming publication?

Since there is a great interest in vertical farming articles, our freshly hired intern Rebekka Boekhout is currently working on a study that focuses on a potential vertical farming publication. As the market is growing significantly, more news can be covered and HortiDaily is looking into the opportunities…

Workshops inspire companies, public entities to take up urban farming

Agritecture’s digital workshops are suited for both private companies and public entities looking to explore how urban agriculture might fit in with their current projects or long-term goals. Working closely with the host and their unique priorities, Agritecture plans, organizes, and carries out the entire workshop…

Philippine government launches 'Urban Aquaponics' project

As part of the Farmers' and Fisherfolk's Month celebration, Agriculture Secretary William Dar unveiled the project “Urban Aquaponics” during the launch of the Plant, Plant, Plant Program in Quezon City, today. Aquaponics is one of the government’s newest projects to ensure sustained food production in…

The gaming industry professional who now grows baby spinach

For five years, Mr Ray Poh mingled with high rollers in Macau, which has been dubbed the gambling capital of the world. It was a lucrative career filled with opportunities to travel frequently. But in 2015, Mr Poh gave all of that up. “I did think about making it a career,” said Mr Poh, who had studied…

Agritecture

What is a business framework and why is it needed for vertical farming?

Emiel Wubben is an associate professor of strategic management at Wageningen University and specializes in agrifood clusters & circular business. His prime interest is about: “strategizing business transitions towards a more sustainable bio-based and circular economy.” The first time Michele Butturini…

Irish vertical farming start-up Farmony signs European distribution agreement

Irish Agtech company Farmony has signed a European distribution deal with Sananbio for their vertical farming Radix systems. The Dublin based startup, established in 2018, will incorporate Sananbio’s technology into their controlled environment vertical farming solutions.  “As our climate continues to change…

Plant growth research and technologies featured in upcoming NASA webinar

The Veggie Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is a Plant Processing Area - a web of ground research laboratories equipped with plant growth chambers of all sizes and the ability to simulate the International Space Station environment. That along with a team of researchers capable of applying the…

Israeli vertical farms in New York

Vertical Field is a Ra'anana, Israel, based agro-tech provider of vertical farming and living green wall solutions for urban environments and smart cities.  "Urban areas contain more than half the world’s population and contribute to some 70% of the planet’s energy emissions. Cities guzzle the bulk of Earth’s…

CubicFarms announces permanent Chief Financial Officer and new Head of People

In March, CubicFarms announced the appointment of Mr. Fernback as interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Fernback now has transitioned into a permanent role with the Company. He…

WWF

WWF report examines environmental and economic viability of scaling indoor agriculture systems

The Markets Institute at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released an Innovation Analysis examining the environmental impact of various systems of indoor soilless farming. These systems include hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics in greenhouse and vertical settings. At scale, this method of farming could…

@squarerootsgrow

Farms beneath the cities

There are huge, untapped areas in the centres of many cities that could be used to make the food chain more resilient. By William Park Empty supermarket shelves are now a familiar sight to many of us. Even if the shelves have begun to be restocked, a snaking queue of shoppers now waits for their chance to browse. The issue is…

Elevate

$10 million invested in vertical farms for remote Canadian communities

Elevate Farms has entered into an agreement for an initial build-out commitment of US$10,000,000 with North Star Agriculture Corp. to bring Elevate’s proprietary vertical farming, and cost-effective production of leafy green vegetables, to the Yukon and other isolated northern territories of Canada.…

UF/IFAS

Is indoor farming a solution? UF/IFAS scientists explain

At one time, the concept of vegetables growing inside a temperature-controlled facility where LED lights and advanced technology set the pace for year-round harvesting, promoted photosynthesis and water use efficiency, and required no pesticides, was considered a scene from the future. Today, the concept…

Scottish indoor agtech company announces Middle East partnership

Indoor agritech specialist IGS has announced a referral partnership agreement with International Real Estate Partners (IREP), the international facilities management firm. The agreement is specifically focused on indoor vertical farming for the UAE and Saudi Arabian markets.   The agreement will enhance the capacity for…

Not just salads, but all types of food grown in 'vertical farms of the future'

In the wake of last year’s fire that tore through France’s Notre Dame Cathedral, design studio founder Nicolas Abdelkader was one of many designers and architects who came up with ideas for a new spire and roof for the Parisian landmark. He proposed turning the top of the iconic cathedral into a…

Swedish startup receives funding for AI-run 'NeighbourFood' project

A newly established innovation cluster will develop the groundbreaking service-model for urban farming, AgTech startup SweGreen’s ‘Farming as a Service’, to contribute to a sustainable food supply chain. The 2MSEK-project called ‘NeighbourFood’ is granted by Vinnova as an initiative to support…

Bowery

Vertical farms boom as COVID-19 bolsters appetite for locally grown food

While many industries are contracting because of COVID-19, vertical farming is booming as it meets demand for locally grown kale and lettuce. “This pandemic exposed the fragility and vulnerabilities with our food supply system that have left people without access to fresh food when they need it most,”…

Building resilience into the vegetable supply chain using container farming

Canada’s food supply chain is robust and reliable - even in times of the COVID-19 crisis - but there is an opportunity to become more self-sufficient. Container farming can provide your food supply with some autonomy and reduced reliance on external food supply chains. Empty shelves at the outbreak of…

Smart Aquaponics

Smart aquaponics as a next step in urban farming

A system combining fish farming and vegetable cultivation may be the next step in urban farming and a circular and environmental friendly economy. Scientists at the University of Liège and their partners are working on a smart version of this system, which can be monitored by an app. Haïssam Jijakli,…

USDA voluntary GAP program for aquaponics

The USDA recently recognized aquaponics under their voluntary Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) program through the Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) division. This program is in its pilot phase for audits and certification of selected aquaponics farms through the end of 2020. Having a set of guidelines…

Vertical farms provide sustainability in a post-COVID world

Urban areas contain more than half the world’s population and contribute to some 70% of the planet’s energy emissions. Cities guzzle the bulk of Earth’s resources and produce more waste. Many residents live in “urban food deserts.” And buildings are literally making their occupants sick. Our planet is…

Re-engineering America's fresh produce supply chain post COVID-19

The UN World Food Programme announced just last week that over a quarter of a billion people around the globe could suffer acute hunger by end of this year in large part owing to the coronavirus crisis, a doubling of the 130 million people estimated to experience severe food shortages last year. Such…

The Growcer

Creating multiple streams of income with container farming

Right now, despite COVID-19 repercussions, food remains a necessity, and there exists an opportunity to build resilience into our business models.  As a result, many businesses, food-related or not, can create a viable new stream of income by growing your own produce with a container farm.   If you’re a co-op store, the…

USDA

Impacts of COVID-19 on U.S. aquaculture, aquaponics, and allied businesses

In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Virginia Tech and the Ohio State University collected information about how aquaculture/aquaponics farms and allied businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was conducted at the conclusion of the first quarter of 2020 to capture…

Tomatoes and cucumbers in a vertical farm without daylight

Signify and RIAT, a farming enterprise located in Russia, have together pioneered the growing of tomatoes and cucumbers in a vertical farm without daylight. During the research phase in 2019, RIAT achieved a yield comparable to advanced traditional greenhouses using Philips GreenPower LED grow lights.…

"Farmers bringing their field indoors"

BBC has a series called People fixing the world, in which one episode was called 'The farmers bringing their fields indoors'. In this episode about vertical farming, Guy Galonska, Co-founder of CTO and Shani Leiderman from Beba restaurant in Martin-Gropius-Bau were featured.  Source and video: Infarm LinkedIn.

Kalera

US (FL): Hydroponic farm joins forces with grocery store in job-saving move

At the beginning of the year, Kalera planted its seed and was hoping to see their lettuce and business grow. “We perfected mother nature indoors by using science and technology with farming,” Kalera CEO Daniel Malechuk said from the company’s Orlando farm. Unfortunately, no one anticipated a pandemic…

Boosting food security with small-scale indoor farm

As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the globe, leaving in its wake fatalities and a shattered world economy, food security is increasingly emerging as one of the key concerns of policy makers and citizens the world over. Tungsram’s mini indoor farm called Growth Cabinet is a means for the…

US: “We are increasing any kind of digital experience.”

As the situation around COVID-19 worsens in the USA, Freight Farms has still been able to continue its momentum in a meaningful way. With the company’s team working remotely during this crisis, demand for Freight Farms’ Greenery has continued to grow, resulting in the team exceeding its sales goals for…

In-store hydroponic farm opened in Dubai shopping mall

Majid Al Futtaim has inaugurated Dubai’s first in-store hydroponic farm at its Carrefour market Al Wasl store. Launched under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, the farm increases the quantity of fresh, local, and sustainable…

South Africa: Disabled Free State farmers are feeding their communities through aquaponic farming

The lives of nearly 100 disabled farmers in the Free State province have been turned around thanks to INMED Aquaponics led by the knowledgeable and compassionate Mantombi Madona, an adaptive agriculture facilitator and trainer for INMED South Africa. “Subsistence farmers here were struggling to produce…

US (IN): In-house greenhouses see growing interest during COVID-19 pandemic

A Purdue University-affiliated startup that designs, distributes, and supports direct-to-consumer, in-home greenhouses is seeing increased interest for its innovation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heliponix LLC, founded by Purdue Polytechnic Institute graduates Ivan Ball and Scott Massey, sells the GroPod…

Lettuce from a polystyrene wall

Surrounded by solar energy firms, insurance companies and movers, 800 lettuces are thriving in the city of Freiburg, as if they were rooted in lush South Baden fields. However, they are not in the ground…

TR: “If the seeds are our only problem, we're on the right track”

“It’s true to say that we are not just an agricultural company, but an engineering company and we wanted to make a strong statement on the development side. All of our growing systems are controlled by our own-built, cloud enabled software. Now, we are developing our own substances, dosing and climate…

Vertical farms see surge in demand for greens grown indoors

Indoor, urban vertical farms, which grow produce in warehouses with tightly controlled climate and light conditions, are seeing a surge in demand that could signal a lasting change in how people get their fruits and vegetables. "People are more concerned about who is handling their food, where it's…

USA (GA): Kalera to open new indoor vertical farming facility

Technology-driven vertical farming company Kalera announced that it will open a new state-of-the-art growing facility in Atlanta, Georgia in early 2021. The new Atlanta facility is the next step in Kalera’s domestic and international expansion plan to bring consumers fresh leafy greens right where they…

Agri-tech students investigate potential soilless growing systems to aid food security

Students at Pershore College have been undertaking research to see if growing food both without soil and during the winter could make the UK more self-sufficient when it comes to feeding the nation. Agri-Tech degree students have been conducting pea plant trials grown hydroponically at the college’s…

“As controversial as it might sound, we are quite anti-app and rather pragmatically innovative”

InstaGreen, a sustainable urban farm located in the heart of Barcelona has been limiting its services to local restaurants due to the COVID-19 but is finding other ways to supply fresh and nutritional food to everyone, while doing good to the planet and people. For now, Spain is on lock-down and only…

Farm-to-table dining produces 200,000 head of lettuce nearby hotel kitchen

Kalera’s co-founders came to Orlando in 2007 with the lofty goal of growing enough produce locally to feed the entire city. In 2018, they opened Kalera’s first hydroponic vertical farm, the HyCube at Orlando World Center Marriott. The HyCube epitomizes farm-to-table dining, producing 200,000 heads of…

Urban farming flourishes in coronavirus lockdowns

Coronavirus lockdowns are pushing more city dwellers to grow fruit and vegetables in their homes, providing a potentially lasting boost to urban farming, architects and food experts said. Panic buying in some countries during the crisis has led to empty supermarket shelves and an uptick in the purchase…

How NYC urban farms are pivoting to stay in business during COVID-19

As New York City faces the impacts and rapid spread of COVID-19, the city with one of the richest and most diverse food cultures in the United States now faces unprecedented challenges––closed restaurants, disrupted food supply chains, and overwhelmed grocery stores. The rise of the pandemic has called…

UK: Vertical farm construction accelerated to help feed Bristol during COVID-19 crisis

LettUs Grow, an indoor farming technology provider, is fast-tracking the building of two vertical farm modules in the city of Bristol during the COVID-19 outbreak. LettUs Grow expects the first of the new aeroponic farm modules to be ready to start producing fresh produce from mid-April, with the first…

"Nordic countries are willing to pay for quality and safety"

After months of detailed planning, Taiwan based vertical farming company YesHealth Group has commenced construction of its first international vertical farming project in Copenhagen, Denmark. “We are building one of Europe’s largest vertical farms in Copenhagen,” Business Development Director at…

Horticulture opportunities in UAE in COVID-19 crisis

Due to the Covid-19 crisis and the necessity to attempt food self-sufficiency, the UAE Cabinet has established the Emirate Council for Food Security (ECFS) to stimulate food security activities in the country. The aim is to develop new projects in line with the National UAE Food Security Strategy looking…

Online platform allows you to design your own urban farm

Agritecture has released its beta version of Agritecture Designer, a digital platform for planning urban farms. Started in 2011 as an urban agriculture industry blog, Agritecture began offering consulting services in 2014. By identifying common mistakes that new urban agriculture entrants make, combining…

South Africa: Agricultural training empowers disabled women and youth in the Free State

South Africans with disabilities, especially women, continue to face disproportionate rates of food insecurity, unemployment, illiteracy, and poverty amid economic, political, and social exclusion. The more than 230,000 people with disabilities who live in Free State province have been especially…

Indian engineer grows crops 'out of thin air'

Although aeroponics may have caught on in the West, in India, it is still in a nascent stage. However, a Coimbatore-based agriculture engineer has mastered the technique after over 10 years of research and development. Meet Prabhu Shankar, who has grown over 18 types of different vegetables using…

Need to clean or prepare your plant growth chamber for inactivity?

Not using your plant growth chamber for a period of time and wondering how best to prepare it for shutdown? Transitioning from one research program to another and want to ensure your chamber is clean for the next user? Or are you simply looking to ensure that the chamber is cleaned ahead of beginning…

Urban farming was the saving grace for an unemployed youth

Three years ago, Mosesi Mosesi (28) was jobless and hopeless. When an opportunity for a learnership in horticulture came along, he took a huge leap of faith. That leap has completely changed his life, and today he is reaping the rewards, running an aquaponic farm in a township. His New Liff Hydroponic…

Vertical Farming Congress to be held in London

The first Vertical Farming World Congress will be held from 22nd to 24th September at London’s Heathrow Airport. Eminent industry leading speakers have confirmed their…

"Encourage growth of urban farming to secure Singapore's food supplies"

Encouraging the growth of urban farming in Singapore can help to ensure the country's food supplies, said Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC) on Monday (April 6). Speaking in Parliament during the debate on the supplementary budget, Mr Ang said that the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted Singapore's…

Vertical farming partners focus on COVID-19 tests

PlantForm Corporation is working with Canadian and international partners on two initiatives that will use the company’s plant-based biopharmaceutical platform to address the global COVID-19 crisis, including the development of Canada’s first antibody test for COVID-19 immunity, and the production of…

"We are reaching our capacity, so I guess that’s our new baseline"

Second Chances Farms (SCF) was initially supposed to focus their sales on the restaurant and catering sector, but due to the COVID-19 crisis they were unable to do so. Recently the farm-to-table concept was introduced, where freshly harvested, locally grown, chemical-free produce and herbs are delivered…

"Risk of E. coli in hydroponic and aquaponic systems may be greater than once thought"

A spate of foodborne illnesses in leafy greens and other produce in recent years has sickened consumers and disrupted growers and supply chains. It’s been thought that hydroponic and aquaponic systems could reduce these issues since there is little opportunity for pathogens like E. coli to contaminate…

Philippine government intensifies urban agri through veggie seed distribution amid COVID-19

To ensure food availability and sustain production amidst the threat of COVID-19, the Department of Agriculture (DA) of the Philippines is intensifying the promotion of urban agriculture through the distribution of free vegetable seeds and planting materials nationwide. “We need to explore all strategies…

UK: Vertical Future raises additional £1.1 million

Vertical Future raised an additional £1.1 million of equity investment from Earthworm Group. "Many thanks to their team for the continued commitment", said Jamie Burrows, Founder & CEO of Vertical Future. "At such a turbulent and uncertain time for the U.K. population and economy, it's important that we…

SalaJoe to go Farm: Growing lettuce on the shelves of your vending machine

Innovation sometimes comes unexpectedly and small ideas can develop into more than originally thought. Jochen Haubner from the vegetable growing company of the same name in Nuremberg recently discovered this. A "salad vending machine" was his 'crackpot idea ', only to be developed together with a friend…

Hydroponic farm at Wisconsin high school pays big dividends in wake of COVID-19

Schools across the area are doing their part to make sure that families in their communities don't go hungry, but one in particular is going above and beyond on that front.  As part of a remodeling project at D.C. Everest, a grow room was added for their agriscience program. They started a hydroponic farm,…

University conducts wheat research using multi-tier room

Choosing a plant growth chamber or room with the right set of specifications is critical to ensure that you have equipment that meets the requirements of your research. However, your facility may not currently have the physical space or the budget to source the ideal controlled environment to meet your…

"With our concept, everyone can be a city farmer"

As Sweden is not on a lock-down yet, the virus is nevertheless having a great impact on jobs and the country’s economy. Crisis packages for jobs and transition are now being presented by the government. So far SweGreen has not noticed a great impact on business despite the COVID-19, rather the opposite.…

How plant factories stack up against field agriculture

With the world's population expected to reach nine billion by 2050, estimations project that food production must increase by 70 percent to keep up with worldwide demand. This means farmers will be required to grow more foodstuff in the next 35 to 40 years than the last 10,000 years combined. There is…

"Plenty in talks to raise cash"

Indoor farming startup Plenty is in talks to raise $100 million or more in a fresh round of funding, according to people familiar with the matter. SoftBank’s Vision Fund is in discussions to lead a new fundraising round for Plenty at or below the $1 billion valuation that was ascribed to it in its most recent round, said the…

"COVID-19 wake-up call for local food production"

Pure Harvest Smart Farms in the United Arab Emirates grows tomatoes hydroponically. Sky Kurtz is co-founder and CEO, and spoke about their expanding plans on Dubai Eye. The…

Travelling around the world to find the right growing strategy

Just outside of Lisbon, about 10 meters from the main door of a big supermarket a container is placed. When you look through the window in the container door you see racks filled with all kinds of aromatic herbs and microgreens. This container is the first Jungle Greens production unit where herbs and…

Five reasons to go vertical

The rapidly increasing global population means you can be sure of two things: there’s a never-ending demand for food, and a rapid reduction in the availability of land on which you can grow it. The UN has predicted that the global population will surpass the 9 billion mark by 2050 which leaves government officials and…

Horti-Facts Case Study: Fifth Season

Fifth Season is a consumer-experience company that is using high-tech robotics and GE Current LEDs to produce leafy greens and herbs in a 60,000-square-foot vertical farm. Fifth Season, formerly RoBotany Ltd., was the brainchild of company co-founders Austin Webb, Brac Webb and Austin Lawrence. Founded…

"A few weeks ago, we couldn't have imagined this situation"

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Dutch restaurants and cafes had to shut down two weeks ago. Although food can still be picked up or delivered, it has proven to be a burden for many food suppliers and requires innovative thinking. The Duurzame Kost City Farm is located in a unique location, on an…

Urban Crop Solutions appoints commercial representative for Asian market

Urban Crop Solutions and BAF signed a representation agreement for the East and South-East Asian markets. The collaboration fits with Urban Crop Solutions' vision for global expansion and allows for local customer service in one of the fastest-growing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. BAF is an…

"Coronavirus pandemic highlights vital need for vertical farms in world cities"

"The speed with which the coronavirus outbreaks in Asia, Europe and North America metastasized into a full-blown global pandemic — catching many world governments by surprise and with little preparation — underscores just how our world today is highly interconnected and how, in order to contain and stem…

How do we make agriculture more sustainable?

How do we make agriculture more sustainable and more efficient? With connectivity, innovation, smart and vertical farming. Interested to find out more? Register for Vertical…

Container farming refreshes co-op's fresh food aisle

The Yellowknife Co-op’s Growcer system was installed in March 2019, at which point they became one of the few retail grocery stores in the world to grow their own produce commercially, sustainably, and profitably year-round based on their members’ preferences. The Co-op’s Growcer system is located behind…

Restaurant and school closings inspire new ways to bring harvests to market

In response to the state-mandated closing of restaurants and the “social distancing” recommended by the CDC to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Second Chances Farm (SCF), Delaware’s first indoor vertical farm located in The Opportunity Center at 3030 Bowers Street in the Riverside neighborhood of…

New CEO for Freight Farms

Freight Farms has hired veteran consumer brand executive Rick Vanzura as CEO who will also join the company's Board of Directors, while cofounder Brad McNamara will remain as Freight Farms' President. The company also welcomes automation and robotics specialist Jake Felser as Head of Engineering.  "What excites me about Freight Farms…

"We are all in this together and we will make it"

The COVID-19 has a huge impact on many industries due to the measures taken in regards to labor and food safety. Also vertical farming has been hit by the virus as many farms deliver their fresh produce to the hospitality service. Now most restaurants are closed, they have to come up with solutions for…

Nigeria: NFGCS initiates hydroponic livestock fodder programme

The Nigerian Farmers Group and Cooperative Society, NFGCS, initiated the Hydroponic Livestock Fodder Programme, HLFP, to eliminate open grazing and persistent herders/farmers clashes in the country. This programme was made known by the National Coordinator, NFGCS, Mr. Retson Tedheke, while speaking on…

Singapore is growing vegetables in their supermarkets

Singapore’s aim to increase its food security has resulted in the emerge of several high-tech indoor farms: farms that grow leafy greens in a controlled environment. The efforts are already paying off, as many supermarkets in Singapore now offer locally produced vegetables. However, as these farms are…

Danish students develop drone that monitors crops in vertical farming

A new drone, developed in Denmark, with the help of two cameras and QR codes can monitor any individual plant’s condition in vertical cultivation. The drone was developed during a school project by a group of students at the Aarhus University School of Engineering. The presentation video for the project:…

How to expand your grow vertically

A lack of space to expand crop size has been a limiting factor for growers and farmers for as long as agriculture has existed. Still, thankfully, technology has answered the call for help with an increasingly popular solution – grow up. While extra floor space is often hard to come by, vertical space is…

The advantages of plant factories

Plant factories combine modern industry, biotechnology, nutrient cultivation and information technology and control a facility's inside environment with high precision. It has the advantages of complete closure, low requirements on the surrounding environment, shortened harvest time of plants, water and…

India: the changing face of urban food systems

UrbanKisaan, the vertical farming startup from India, has debuted its 3000 sq.ft. new-age urban farm and retail store in Manikonda, Hyderabad. Here, customers can walk into the retail store, harvest fresh and clean products of their choice which are grown in the indoor farm which is on the other side of…

Indoor vertical farming in the urban nexus context

In recent years, a new urban environment in the large metropolitan areas, the so-called “megacities”, has emerged. It is estimated that more than five billion people will be located in urban areas by 2030. Many projects have been initiated in the megacities to support the new ecosystem services in…

Climate change research with plant chambers

Scientists at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Canada are leading the way when it comes to solving problems such as how to feed a growing population and alleviating the effects of climate change.   BCIT is focusing on experimentation with the C4 plant Setaria which tolerates hot and dry conditions…

Taiwan: YesHealth to announce plans for large vertical farm

When YesHealth opened their first commercial vertical farm back in 2012, it had a daily production capacity of 200 kg, which was considerable at the time. More recently in 2017, they opened a vertical farm with daily production of 1500 kg, which was the largest vertical farm in Taiwan. Fast forward to…

The circular future of the urban horticulture

Wouter Verkerke’s primary expertise is value creation of production systems in horticulture. Greenhouse horticulture contributes greatly to food security. Such systems are highly efficient in use of water, but are not yet fully circular and the energy costs are high. Wouter is now working closely with…

Have a look at a container farm in India

365Dfarms is a part of MBees products and services, a start-up based in Pune, India. "Our mission is to grow and serve high quality fresh food 365 days a year, spread knowledge of hydroponics and to help implement sustainable hydroponic technology in urban environments with the message "Go Grow Green."…

"Indoor agriculture one of the four major drivers that will increase electricity consumption in the next decade"

Plant factories may be the technology we need to feed a growing and warming planet.  The tradeoff: Indoor agriculture demands a staggering amount of energy. Lights run 16 hours a day and facilities require impressive HVAC equipment, reaching an energy intensity per square foot that surpasses datacenters. The…

Which growing medium brings the best growing results for vertical farming?

There are many questions to consider when choosing the right growing medium for a vertical farm. First of all, you need to reflect, will you choose a growing medium or non-medium for vertical farming? What are the options available in the market with reasonable freight costs, and what are the growing…

British property group diversifies into hydroponic vertical farming

Trafalgar intends to add an additional business unit to operate alongside the company's existing property development operations.  The company intends to invest in the hydroponic…

“We’re trying to grow 365 days a year”

In a nondescript former root beer plant, tucked behind the Curtain & Bath Outlet off Main Street in Millis, Massachusetts, FreshBox Farms is growing the future of food. The FreshBox facility bears no resemblance to our cultural renderings of a farm; not only is there no soil, but every attempt is made to…

Aquaponics in the classroom

The main goal of a new study was to investigate how the GBG approach could be developed to be part of the curricula, and be integrated in a biology class setting. The potentials of using aquaponics for educational purposes has previously been studied. The study investigates the potentials of including digital based sensor…

AeroFarms grows projected investment in Dan River Region by $13M

AeroFarms, the company that announced in December it would bring 92 jobs and $42 million in investment to the Dan River Region over three years, plans to increase its investment in the area by $13 million. The planned investment has increased to $55 million, Pittsylvania County Economic Development…

The future of farming: straight up

Texas A&M University’s Urban Farm United (TUFU) is using vertical farming to produce high-value/specialty crops to help feed students. The project, started by December graduate Broch Saxton, is in a greenhouse on the Texas A&M campus. It currently includes 24 towers in which a variety of produce is…

Canada: Infarm comes to select Sobeys, Safeway and Thrifty Foods stores

Empire's family of brands is partnering with Infarm to grow and harvest a range of fresh produce in select Sobeys, Safeway and Thrifty Foods stores across Canada. Each vertical farming unit is a stand-alone ecosystem, enabled by machine learning and AI technology, that creates the optimum environment…

Engineers believe vertical farming offers the answer to food sustainability

When Chew Jo Han decided to set up a small hydroponic system in his office because his fashion start-up was not doing well, his friends Jayden Koay, Looi Choon Beng and Low Cheng Yang joked that, if nothing else, he could survive on the vegetables grown! But, jokes aside, Koay, Looi and Low were struck…

CAN (BC:) Hydroponic greenhouse to be rooted in Prince Rupert

A sustainable hydroponic growing system that produces food for 110 people per day, is on its way to the Gitmaxmak’ay Nisga’a Society (GNS) in Prince Rupert. With the award of $175, 000 from Northern Development Investment Trust (NDIT) the 40 foot modified shipping container will be planted at Rupert Lawn…

Space lettuce found to be safe and nutritious

Astronauts in space generally live on processed, pre-packaged space rations such as fruits, nuts, chocolate, shrimp cocktails, peanut butter, chicken, and beef to name a few. These have often been sterilized by heating, freeze drying, or irradiation to make them last and a key challenge for the US Space…

UAE: Armela Farms gears up to open 3 ha automated lettuce farm

After launching in August 2016, the Armela team has spent more than two years in Research and Development regarding techniques, varieties of produce and optimum climate conditions, before celebrating their first harvest in August 2018. Since then, the team has advanced its process to achieve over 250% of…

This neural network knows all about plant development

iFarm, in cooperation with Poteha Labs and developers from Catalyst-Team, have started a Telegram bot for identifying deviations in crops growth in vertical farms: a neural network with the help of the latest discoveries in the sphere of computer vision analyses the state of plants and the bot will…

Making circularity work

Hilke Bos-Brouwers has worked on the recently finalised, EU funded Horizon 2020 REFRESH project, where 26 partners from 12 EU countries and China were working together to support UN SDG 12.3: halving the amount of food waste per person by 2030, across the full supply chain from farm to fork. The complexity lies much deeper than…

Vertical farming: The advantages of growing up, not out

We share this planet with more than 7 billion people, and the UN forecasts that by 2050 we will need to feed over 9.7 billion. If you’re like me, you’re wondering what we can do to scale farming to meet the needs of the future. That’s where vertical farming comes in, along with innovative technologies…

"We want to see a world where commercial urban agriculture is economically feasible"

Alberto Lopez of Agritecture Consulting was interviewed by Diana Macovei of the Vertical Farming Conference, discussing trends and opportunities in the industry. Read on to…

Year-round fish and vegetables in the northern climate of Wisconsin

Recently, FarmHer visited Rebecca Nelson who, along with her husband, has quietly become a driving force in the aquaponics industry.  Armed with just a desire to grow their own food, the couple started a small hydroponic farm back in the ’80s. From there, they wanted to use fewer chemicals so that led them…

US (NY): Teens for Food Justice latest farm to grow 10,000 pounds of produce this year

Teens for Food Justice (TFFJ), in partnership with Whole Kids Foundation, and the inventive and industrious students of Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Campus opened the doors to their school sustaining hydroponic farm for local elected officials, the media and notable industry members. The students,…

Japanese vertical farm Spread brings large-scale expertise to the AVF

Established in 2006, Spread has grown to become a leading Japanese vertical farm operator, with two farms capable of producing over two tons of lettuce per day. By focusing solely on large scale vertical farming systems, they are leading a huge domestic industry in terms of production and profitability.…

US (MI): Aquaponics center receives $1.1 million grant

In Menominee County an aquaponics center in Hannahville is expanding, thanks to a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. The center, referred to as the “Controlled Environment Agricultural Training Center,” grows plants using an aquaponics system. This system uses fish, microbes and…

What does the future hold for British Farming?

LettUs Grow is attending Westminster Insight’s timely Future of Farming Conference next month. On the agenda for the conference is an examination of policy landscape, the…

Kalera opens new vertical farming facility in Orlando

Kalera announced the opening of its new state-of-the-art growing facility in Orlando, Florida. This new facility complements Kalera’s initial HyCube growing facility located at the Orlando World Center Marriott and is centrally located in the heart of Florida. The new facility has the capacity to supply…

CAN (BC): 100-machine commercial-scale vertical-farming system comes to Surrey

CubicFarms has finalized an agreement for the sale of 100 CubicFarms growing machines, and received a deposit in the amount of C$1.2 million from a commercial grower and agricultural product wholesaler based in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The customer had previously provided a deposit for a…

Signify expands collaboration with Planet Farms

Signify is expanding its collaboration with Planet Farms, a European operator of vertical farms based in Italy. Thanks to the latest agreement, Europe’s largest vertical farm will boost the quality and yield of the crops using the Philips GreenPower LED production module managed by the Philips GrowWise…

US (IN): Urban Agriculture certificate now offered online

The College of Agriculture’s Urban Agriculture team is launching the online Urban Agriculture Certificate in partnership with Purdue Online, to be offered 100% online. Registration is open, and the “Growing Guide for Healthy Crops” course begins March 16. The certificate program will serve Hoosier cities…

US (PA): Hope Street Learning Lab opening aquaponics classroom

Hope Street Learning Lab will be opening a community aquaponics classroom this summer, following plans announced in November to install a hydroponics lab. "We are super excited about it, and the ability to partner with somebody like Dr. Bracey-Green — it really is phenomenal," said Blanda Nace, executive…

Square Roots' Kimbal Musk profiled by CNN

Elon Musk's younger brother, Kimbal Musk, who was named "Global Social Entrepreneur" of the year by the World Economic Forum in 2017, started Square Roots, an indoor urban farming company based in Brooklyn, in 2016. Square Roots' mission is to bring fresh, local food to cities around the world by…

From Amazon to AgTech

Jennifer Bassuk is a hands-on advisor and investor for startups focused on urban farming, sustainability, and tech, and an evangelist for agricultural innovation. She turned her side hustle into her profession and recently joined Fluence by OSRAM (Fluence) spearheading business development initiatives.  Bassuk was newly out of university…