Hot Trends in Food and Agriculture - Vertical farming
Growing populations and lack of local farm options, especially in densely packed populations,
and communities in arid regions and frozen climates mean we need more food from less land,
so vertical farming could be the solution to feeding present and future generations right in their
own backyard. Vertical farms can be built in dense urban areas as well as in the middle of
desert communities or in communities who live in the frozen tundra most of the year. If and
when we colonize another planet it is likely that vertical farms will be the main supplier of our
future food source.
Vertical farms come in different shapes and sizes, but all are in an in-door controlled climate
and plants can grow hydroponically, aeroponically, or even aquaponically. They typically consist
of plants being stacked over each other vertically, thus vertical farming.
Some of the many benefits enjoyed by a vertical farm include:
Since you are growing indoors and the crop in unaffected by weather, there is no longer any
seasonality to farming. The climate is controlled, and the crop can be counted on by the
growers. They use no pesticides, no herbicides, no fungicides so it is a safer product that is
better-for-you. Higher food safety standards include lower risk of e-coli. Vertical farming is
sustainable and thus better for the planet.
Crops grown hydroponically taste much better then crops that suffer the mood swings of mother
nature. And since they would all be grown in the local market that they serve, you have a very
short time to market, which means a much fresher product with much greater shelf life at home.
This also greatly reduces transportation costs which is good for the environment.
Vertical farming requires only 5% of the water of a traditional farm. Almost all the water is
utilized with vertical farming whereas with traditional farming most water is run off and not
absorbed by the plant.
This new age style farming is heavily dependent on automation and requires very few workers
doing traditionally back breaking and dangerous jobs. This also translates into lower labor costs
overall.
Indoor farming is also good for the environment because it massively reduces the amount of
fossil fuels needed for farming equipment which is not required to sow, fertilize, weed, harvest,
or transport the crops.
CEO Search Partners is presently retained to locate the next rock stars in agriculture including
ones with vertical farming experience. Give us a call to find out what we can do for you. Find
us at www.ceosearchpartners.com or call (773) 294-6431 and ask for our CEO Robin Copping.