Category: Exclusives from Urban Ag News

Will tomatoes be the next big commercial crop for vertical farms?

David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com7

University of California-Riverside researchers Martha Orozco-Cárdenas (above) and Robert Jinkerson are using CRISPR gene-editing technology to develop short tomato plants that have the potential to be grown in vertical farms and on the International Space Station. Photos courtesy of Robert Jinkerson, Univ. of Calif.-Riverside Photos courtesy of Robert Jinkerson, Univ. of Calif.-Riverside Researchers at University […]

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Why does energy efficiency matter when selecting LED grow lights?

Chris Higgins0

Learn the 3 things to consider when choosing energy efficient lighting in your greenhouse or vertical farm.  __________ Before we get started, let’s set some ground rules for this article.  1. I want to believe that everyone wants to do what’s right for the planet as long as they think their business can afford it, […]

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Q&A, Expert Source: Viraj Puri, Co-Founder and CEO of Gotham Greens, an indoor farming company with hydroponic greenhouses located in cities across America

urbanagnews0

A Q&A with Viraj Puri, Co-Founder and CEO of Gotham Greens For those that do not know Gotham Greens, please tell us a little bit about the company and when the company was formed? Viraj: We are on a mission to transform how and where fresh food is grown. Gotham Greens is a pioneer in […]

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What makes Henderson County, N.C., so ideal for controlled environment agriculture?

David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com0

Canadian-based Lakeside Produce has opened a 15-acre greenhouse vegetable operation in Henderson County, N.C., with plans to expand the facility to 45 acres. Photos courtesy of Mark Williams, Agribusiness Henderson County An increasing number of controlled environment growers are looking at Henderson County, N.C., as having the right natural resources and market location for them […]

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Shenandoah Growers, Virginia

Is the latest technology worth the investment for your hydroponic farm?

Chris Higgins5

Photo: Shenandoah Growers, Virginia Remember: It is possible to operate a successful and profitable hydroponic farm in a hoop house, a greenhouse, vertical farm or even outside in parts of the world. There are only three primary reasons a grower or a farmer should invest in technology. Yet if you listen to anyone in the […]

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Can vertical farming be a viable method of controlled environment production?

David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com1

Austin Webb, co-founder and CEO at Fifth Season, said even though significant dollars have been invested in vertical farming, much of it has been wasted. Photos courtesy of Fifth Season Fifth Season is using its fully-integrated, automated operating system to crack the economics code for vertical farming with the potential to integrate with greenhouse operations. […]

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Chris Higgins environmental movement

Who should lead the environmental movement?

Chris Higgins3

Photo: Our decisions today affect our planet tomorrow.  Protect what you love, whether that be work or play. Simple answer, those with the most passion and perseverance. As the controlled environment agriculture industry we spend a significant amount of time discussing how we are going to improve our communities, the environment, the farming experience and the […]

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Is controlled environment agriculture addressing the issues facing the agriculture industry?

David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com0

BrightFarms founder and president Paul Lightfoot, who is chairman of the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee, said controlled environment agriculture could play a major role in helping to solve some of the significant issues facing the ag industry and U.S. Photos courtesy of BrightFarms As chairman of the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry […]

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Could controlled environment agriculture change the face of American farming?

David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com3

Ramel Bradley thinks so. The community director at AppHarvest is talking to students and communities across the country about the benefits of locally-grown food and the agtech used to produce it. [Photo above: Ramel with students and faculty from Breathitt High School in Jackson, Ky. on Jan. 15 at the opening of the school’s new […]

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Which type of hydroponic system is better?

Chris Higgins6

Hint: They are all just irrigation systems. One of the questions that I get most frequently is, “Which hydroponic system is the best?” I am fairly sure that my standard answer of, “it all depends” annoys most of the people I am speaking to.  From suppliers to growers and from researchers to hobbyists there is […]

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Tips on managing disease in your hydroponic system

Tyler Baras0

Understanding the 3 options to manage root born disease issues. Fortunately and unfortunately there are so many ways to manage pathogens in a hydroponic nutrient solution. Having options is great but these options can be difficult to navigate for new growers. Hopefully this overview comparing three popular management styles makes it easier to understand the […]

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What’s driving hydroponic lettuce breeding?

David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com0

BASF Vegetable Seeds is developing lettuce varieties that can be grown in controlled environment facilities using supplemental lights. Leafy greens, including lettuce, are the hottest crop when it comes to controlled environment vegetable production. It seems like every month a new greenhouse or vertical farm facility begins operating or an existing operation expands with increased […]

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Important Tips for Designing a Hydroponic Production Facility

Chris Higgins20

Why do you keep saying buffer capacity? For anyone that has called me to discuss the design of their new vertical farm or greenhouse, they have probably grown quickly tired of me using the term buffer capacity.  But, of everything I have learned over the past 25 years, the understanding of “buffer capacity” might possibly […]

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Running a for-profit business with a not-for-profit mission

David Kuack, UrbanAgNews.com0

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 […]

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