Vertical Harvest is using controlled environment agriculture to give people with disabilities the opportunity to improve their livelihoods along with the sustainability and economies of their communities. Jackson, Wyo., might not be the first place you think of when it comes to innovation in controlled environment agriculture. Vertical Harvest, which began operating in 2016, produces leafy greens, tomatoes and microgreens in a 13,500-square-foot vertical greenhouse. “From the beginning Vertical Harvest set out to create a model that could leverage the greatest impact in communities,” said Nona Yehia, co-founder and CEO. “We are a model that is setting forth to cultivate…
Author: David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com
AppHarvest is building a 60-acre state-of-the-art greenhouse facility in Eastern Kentucky that looks to resolve some of the major issues facing traditional field agriculture. Jonathan Webb, founder and CEO of AppHarvest in Morehead, Ky., is a big believer in controlled environment agriculture. How big? His company is constructing a 60-acre state-of-the-art greenhouse facility in Eastern Kentucky to grow hydroponic tomatoes. Even though his background is in the energy sector, Webb said controlled environment agriculture is becoming a critical factor in solving many of the issues facing traditional field agriculture. “During the last 15 years there was a transformation in the…
Developing the right information infrastructure could result in autonomous greenhouses that generate higher profits and yields and lower operational costs. Watching news reports on the COVID-19 pandemic one quickly realizes the importance accurate data plays in our everyday lives. Most industries are data-driven, whether this data relates to business management or specific production-related operations. For the horticulture industry, data is an integral part of ensuring greenhouse facilities operate at maximum capacity. Unfortunately, growers have limited access to the data being collected in their greenhouses and are unable to utilize this data in a way that could help them increase operation…
Purdue Extension’s Urban Agriculture Certificate program offers participants the opportunity to learn how to successfully produce crops in urban settings. In these uncertain times of the coronavirus, food shortages and food inequity, the concept of growing food in urban locations is gaining greater interest. The lack of access to fresh produce and the existence of food deserts in major cities are spotlighting the need for more communities, organizations and individuals to look for ways to help resolve these issues. Expanding urban agriculture education Purdue Extension has offered an urban agriculture program in Marion and Allen Counties since 2016. Indianapolis in…
Residents in south Dallas communities are being offered more access to fresh healthy produce through the Oak Cliff Veggie Project and Mobile Food Market. Finding fresh, healthy food in south Dallas can be a challenge for its residents. “The city of Dallas has actively been trying to place grocery stores or more stores that provide access to fresh produce for its south side residents,” said Ples Montgomery, founder of the non-profit Oak Cliff Veggie Project. “It’s about having access to fresh produce so the residents can prepare their own meals. There are a lot of discount stores in the Oak…
FresH2O Growers is using a hydroponic production system to supply East Coast consumers with organic leafy greens. Anyone involved with the commercial horticulture industry is likely familiar with the van Wingerden family and the impact it has had on the production and marketing of ornamental plants. However, one member of the van Wingerden family is making a name for himself and his company by producing organic hydroponic produce. Joe van Wingerden operates FresH2O Growers, a 12-acre greenhouse facility in Stevensburg, Va. Joe shares the greenhouse space with his son Ben who operates a potted orchid growing company called Color Orchids.…
Open source agriculture could redefine how plants are developed and produced. The terms “open source” and “open source technology” are most often used when referring to the development of computer software. Computer software source code is what programmers use to change how a software program or application operates. Attorney Andrew St. Laurent in his book “Understanding open source and free software licensing” explains open source computer software is a type of software in which source code is released under a license. The software’s copyright holder allows users the rights to study, change and distribute the software to anyone and for…
Now that it is legal to grow hemp in the U.S., greenhouse vegetable and ornamental plant growers are considering whether it makes sense to switch crops. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill, has legalized the production of hemp. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is the lead USDA agency to administer the new USDA Hemp Production Program. AMS, which is developing regulations to implement the 2018 Farm Bill provisions announced in the June 24, 2019, Federal Register that it expects to release a final rule in August Growers in states that have already…
The new online publication “Roadmap to Growing Leafy Greens and Herbs” focuses on sound planning for controlled environment hydroponic production. What does it take to grow leafy greens and herbs in controlled environment structures? Commercial hydroponic grower and consultant Tyler Baras has written “Roadmap to Growing Leafy Greens and Herbs” to help those interested in commercial hydroponic production. The book is based on Baras’ experience with commercial hydroponic leafy greens production. The goal of the book is to provide information that can guide investors through some of the details related to starting a hydroponic operation. Topics covered in the book…
Whether or not hydroponic growers are using organic practices to produce edible crops, consumers are more likely to be interested in whether the produce is locally grown. There has been much discussion over whether controlled environment hydroponic food production should be allowed to be certified organic. Regardless of where you stand on the topic, Michigan State University horticulture marketing professor Bridget Behe said CEA hydroponic growers might be valued more by consumers if they promote their crops as being locally grown. “Hydroponic growers should accentuate the local dimension until market researchers can determine if and how much consumers value the…
Although vertical farms producing leafy greens are receiving most of the press coverage, there are a variety of other crops being being grown and innovative growers are finding these crops to be profitable. When you think about a vertical farm what picture comes to mind? Ricardo Hernandez, horticulture professor at North Carolina State University, said most people think of vertical farms as indoor growing operations that produce leafy greens, primarily lettuce. “There are both small and large leafy greens vertical farms,” Hernandez said. “Some of them are going out of business and some new ones are opening up. All of…
Regardless of whether specialty crops are grown in hoop houses, greenhouses or indoor vertical farms, growers are incorporating technology to improve production and profitability. When it comes to technology, most controlled environment growers are looking for ways to produce their crops as efficiently and as economically as possible. Purdue University horticulture and agricultural economics professor Ariana Torres is focused on the marketing and economics of specialty crops, especially those grown in controlled environments. “Because of my educational background in controlled environment I focus more on that type of production,” Torres said. “I have three appointments at the university. I teach…
Attend an upcoming Indoor Ag-Con event if you are looking to learn about new technologies and network with the key players in the indoor agriculture industry. When Nicola Kerslake, founder of Newbean Capital, started Indoor Ag-Con in 2013, she was interested in becoming a provider of capital to the indoor agriculture industry. “Part of the rationale for starting Indoor Ag-Con was to learn the industry, to figure out who makes up the industry, who has interesting and promising technologies and what projects we could fund,” Kerslake said. “We define indoor agriculture as using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic growing techniques in…
mGardens is growing hydroponic leafy greens in rural Kansas and marketing them to local grocery stores, restaurants and a farmers market. While much of the country’s indoor hydroponic food production is being done by growers located near large urban areas, mGardens in Gorham, Kan., is bucking the trend. Tom Murphy, who is the company’s operator, asked why should people living in or near large cities be the only ones able to enjoy the taste, freshness and nutrition associated with hydroponic leafy greens? “My wife Jo and I first got interested in hydroponic food production when we talked to Ron Cramer,”…