Image Credit: Expo 2020 Dubai

Netherlands will grow mushrooms in its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

The Netherlands will contribute its own innovative solution by uniting food, water, and energy solutions at Expo 2020 Dubai. Rising from the heart of the Dutch pavilion is a giant green cone that grows oyster mushrooms on the inside while the exterior is home to small edible plants. Constructed in the…

Strawberries like fine wine: concentrating taste in fewer berries

The Omakase Berry, a Japanese variety grown by the New Jersey-based company called Oishii, bills itself as an entirely different strawberry experience. The website even offers advice when it comes to eating them: Allow berries to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes; let the berries' aromatics…

Highlighting the potential of Dutch horticulture in vertical farming

“The Dutch are falling behind when it comes to vertical farming,” says Judith van Heck, Community Builder at Indoor Farming Nederland. “As we’re so tremendously good at greenhouse growing there is relatively less interest in building vertical farms in the Netherlands. In comparison to countries such as…

UAE to launch new system of food safety requirements

His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Muhammad Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE, said that the ministry intends, during the next two months, to launch a new system of food safety standards and requirements, to ensure that no imported food enters the country except from…

Growing demand for CEA production in Russia

“We see a key driver of future demand for processed microgreen products such as salad mixes, immune shots, and detox drinks,” Denis Malyshev, co-founder of Plant Factory Technologies (PFT) says. As of now, the company focuses on microgreens cultivation. "However, we’re planning to expand our crop range,…

California Giant announces partnership to boost berry innovation

California Giant Berry Farms and OnePointOne announce their strategic partnership aimed at increasing berry output and availability through vertical farming and data-driven berry cultivation. Silicon Valley based OnePointOne has developed automated, indoor, vertical farming technology that offers…

How the UAE is growing its AgTech sector through partnership and ambition

The UAE is making significant strides in meeting its food security targets, and is aiming to be among the top 10 countries on the Global Food Security Index by year end. Despite the difficulties of growing food in the desert, the UAE excelled at identifying the main agricultural challenges and developing…

UK: "COVID highlighted these big ‘just-in-time’ global supply chains"

Mark Horler, founder and chairman of the association, UK Urban Agritech (UKUAT), points out, there is now a tremendous surge of interest in many metropolitan areas in vertical…

The state of indoor farming 2020 report

The indoor agriculture industry across North America has gone through significant changes throughout the past year. As the economies open back up, the big question on…

Reuters

Kenya launches $20.4m youth agribusiness program

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has launched a 2.2 billion shillings (20.4 million U.S. dollars) youth capacity-building initiative aimed at creating employment, generating income, and bridging the succession gap in agribusiness. President Kenyatta said on Friday that the Empowering Novel…

Germany: New 'supermarket of the future' has a greenhouse on top

What will the shopping centre of the future look like? How do you build sustainably? According to REWE, it is one with a greenhouse on top. Last Friday, the German retail giant opened their first Green Farming pilot store in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. It is the first supermarket with a rooftop greenhouse in…

Agriculture Department of Pennsylvania invests in urban food sovereignty

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today toured gardens throughout the City of York, Pennsylvania and discussed the ability for farms in Pennsylvania’s urban spaces to…

Photos courtesy CEA Food Safety Coalition

US: CEA Food Safety Coalition details first indoor-farming standards

Inspired by rising food safety concerns after the 2018 Thanksgiving romaine recalls, the CEA Food Safety Coalition is launching the first-ever food safety certification program specifically designed for indoor-grown leafy greens. “The new standard champions CEA-grown produce as a critical component of…

Japanese university turns overseas for selling its growing technologies

A Japanese university is turning overseas to find new customers for farming and medical technologies developed by its staff. Chiba University has teamed up with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). They signed an agreement last month. The push abroad will mainly be online for now as the…

Belgian coop, BelOrta, launches 100% recycled, recyclable strawberry punnet

BelOrta will begin packing its Belgian strawberries in new packaging this week. "These Tray2Tray punnets are made of recycled raw materials. And they, in turn, are 100% recyclable. Consumers can recognize these punnets by a special logo. BelOrta's taking the next step in increasingly sustainable…

US grocery store owners gives insight into food prices

Hilary Maricle, a US farmer gives insight into why, in their opinion, food prices are high. "Being a farmer and the daughter of grocery store owners, I have a unique…

What is the EU prioritizing in the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit?

The European Council released its position on the priorities of the Union vis-à-vis the United Nations Summit on Food Systems. Following the position adopted by the Council, the discussions that will take place in Rome and New York in the coming months should follow the European logic of the Farm to Fork…

Vertically produced veggies sold in Japanese supermarket

On May 28, Dean & Deluca Hiroo, a food shop in Hiroo started to sell vegetables grown in an indoor vertical farm.  Infarm introduced the system was introduced to three Kinokuniya shops and two Summit shops in January this year. Dean & Deluca is the first supermarket in Japan to carry the product. The vegetables are…

Vertically grown mealworms enter EU food market

Wurms may not look very tasty to some people, but there are those who say it's the food of the future. Take 25-year-old Remco Mensinck, for example, he turned an old pig farm into a vertical farm for mealworms. They are used for pet food but as soon as are new housing is finished, it may soon find a way…

Rewilding indoor farming

Ketil Stoknes is a biologist and ecologist from the University of Oslo, Norway. He's well established in the waste industry and just obtained his PhD in microbiology: Circular Food. He recently joined TEDxDrammen to talk about how we can rewild indoor farming. During the talk he said, “If you want to run a business of producing…

Italy: Coop introduces vertically farmed greens to its stores

It's easy to say vertical farm. And it's easy to say innovative, especially in agriculture. But when you talk about Local Green these are the two terms that immediately come to mind. It is, in fact, a highly innovative start-up that produces lettuces and baby leaves in aseptic cells with vertical walls…

Justing Tang / the Canadian Press

"Canada must fix its food security issues before the next crisis"

"As I navigated the aisles of a Vancouver grocery store this winter, the arrows on the floor kept leading me past bare shelves where heads of lettuce, bundles of kale, and packages of strawberries used to be. The shortage of fresh produce took me by surprise but in hindsight, it shouldn’t have," writes…

Valor Aquaponics

US (CT): Valor Aquaponic coming to Hartford Public Market

Valor Aquaponics, out of Pewaukee, is the most recent vendor announced as coming to the new Hartford Public Market this summer.Valor Aquaponics provides basil, microgreens, and other vegetable products grown on its urban aquaponics farm setup, according to a Facebook post from the Hartford Public Market.…

The star

Malaysia: Stimulating urban farming in society

With the rising trend of urban farming amid the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more city folk have started to plant leafy greens at home. Despite the cramped and compact spaces common among high-rise residences, urban farming seems to fit in just well.  Cityfarm co-founder Jayden Koay said the urban farming system…

Living Greens

US (DE): Purchase agreement in works for new production facility

A vertical farming company might soon become the owner of the Delaware County Shell building along Fuson Road, if local economic officials manage to strike a deal.  Traci Lutton, vice president of economic development with the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance, announced on Tuesday that…

Hyattsvillewire

New farm in Hyattsville is growing micorgreens for online delivery

A new farm in Hyattsville, which opened earlier this year, is focusing on growing freshly harvested microgreens for delivery. Working out of his childhood home in the neighborhood of University Hills in Hyattsville, owner Max Fetter is growing microgreens including sunflower, pea, and buckwheat shoots;…

The star

Malaysian mall visitors enouraged to start farming

Urban farming involving local communities is a much-talked-about topic among Klang Valley folk. As more and more community and urban farms emerge in the city, shopping centers in Klang Valley are jumping on the bandwagon to showcase urban farms set up within their premises. Some malls are planning to…

Disrupted balance in sea containers forces change

One of the biggest challenges at the moment for the horticultural sector is the shortage of raw materials. This is largely caused by transport problems. What is the deal with the transport situation? Most companies have not had any supply problems as of yet, according to a tour of some suppliers. The…

Ben McCanna / Press Herald Photographer

"How do we fix our broken food system? Invest in local organic farms"

Over the past year, there have been numerous examples of how the current food system in the United States has failed us in the face of a pandemic. At the same time, there were stories of success and glimpses of hope, too. Many direct-to-consumer farms experienced a boom in business as consumers turned to…

Exploring economic and legal barriers to commercial aquaponics in EU

Aquaponics is a food production system which connects recirculating aquaculture (fish) to hydroponics (plants) systems. Although aquaponics has the potential to improve soil…

Photo: Sustenir

Singapore: Vertically grown grenes now available in supermarkets

Enthusiasts of plant-based diets in Singapore can now rejoice, as superfoods and salad vegetables freshly grown at local farm Sustenir are now available at all FairPrice Finest and Xtra outlets as well as selected FairPrice supermarkets. Singapore currently produces less than 10 percent of its…

Online farmers’ market in Calgary provides opportunities for growers in pandemic

Stocking up at a supplier on a Wednesday in mid-May, it was another busy day for a fast-growing Calgary food delivery company. “We’re Canada’s first online farmers’ market,” CultivatR.ca founder Dan Berezan said. Berezan was loading up his van at Deepwater Farms in southeast Calgary, preparing to drop…

"Hydroponic operations shouldn't be exempted from Organic label requirements"

On Wednesday, Center for Food Safety (CFS), along with a coalition of organic farms, certifier, and organic stakeholder groups, filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, appealing a district court's ruling issued this march that authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to…

Flashy promotion opportunity for vegetable shelf?

Imagine if we could promote the vegetable shelf this way!  

Bernama / The Star

"Many technical elements need to be explored"

Eating fresh, clean vegetables and herbs coming straight from a plant factory is a desirable goal in many countries, also in Malaysia. The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi), which built such a plant factory a few years ago, is set to expand research and development (R&D)…

N.THING

Korean company supplies container farms to the UAE

N.THING has recently made a contract with Sarya Holdings of the U.A.E. on building vertical farms valued at three million US dollars. This is the first contract that a Korean company made. The korea-based company, N.THING successfully completed a Proof of Concept (PoC) process in the U.A.E.  “I’m very pleased…

Tax deductions for Canadian growers

Most of the tax rules that apply to Canadian small business owners also apply to farmers and agricultural producers. There are however some expenses, tax deductions and write-offs that apply specifically to income earned through agricultural activities that will help lower your tax bill. Expenses, tax…

"Small fruits like strawberries and blueberries have potential for a huge market increase"

To meet future challenges associated with climate change, new farming techniques are being studied and practiced, including controlled environmental agriculture (CEA), such as vertical farming and indoor farming. In recognition of the United Nations proclamation of 2021 as The Year of Fruits and…

"Pesto made for chefs looking for a fast and fresh alternative"

Bresc comes with the Premium basil pesto. "Ideal for chefs looking for a quick and fresh alternative," says Bresc. Available from now on from the catering wholesalers. "The Premium basil pesto is supplied in 450 gram pots, a conscious choice so that the pesto stays fresh for as long as possible.…

Study on vertical farming - the foreseeable future of agriculture

As the population increases and food demand rises, agricultural production is under increased pressure to produce higher yields. By 2050, the global population is expected to…

Schneider Electric

Industry outsiders enter the indoor agriculture space

As the indoor agriculture industry continues to grow, we’re beginning to see more and more well-known industry outsiders enter the market. But why are these companies venturing into this unknown terrain?  In addition to rapid growth potential, the CEA industry offers companies an opportunity to apply their…

Photograph: Hans Gissinger/Trunk

"The future of food is vertical grown insects"

“Future food” – food that promises to be good for you and animals and the environment – has taken on the buzz that was once associated with Silicon Valley start-ups. Younger consumers are increasingly anxious to make ethical, sustainable choices – and tech industry venture capitalists are increasingly…

NL: New urban forestry project launched

Worldwide, cities produce about 70% of the CO2 present in the atmosphere, while forests and woods are able to absorb 40% of it. Increasing wooded areas within and around cities would multiply the resilience capacities of urban areas and would drastically reduce the production of CO2, thanks to…

'Agtech investment keeps on rolling'

The pandemic has caused a fair share of financial woes across the country, but there's at least one bright spot: ag and food technology. While many thought the lockdowns and…

Premium Qatari Vegetables and Qatar Farms programs post significant sales in April

Yesterday, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment released figures claiming that the Premium Qatari Vegetables and Qatar Farms programs posted significant sales during…

Urban Health Farms

How indoor farming can help the EU carbon farming initiative

The past year has seen indoor vertical farming break loose from its glass ceiling – pun intended, as we in this industry are free from glass ceilings anyway. No longer a niche or even early-stage industry, the benefits from indoor vertical farming are easy to see in the light of the last year. Food…

Liberty Produce

"Our expertise lies in the ‘brains’ of hybrid vertical farming technology"

“This project is one of a number initiated by the Singapore government that will look at high-tech farming solutions as a way to increase its food security,” Dylan Banks, Co-Founder of Liberty Produce, said. “Issues persist in the food sector’s supply chain because we are not using our planet’s resources…

OPM/21042902

Cook Islands: PM unveils food security initiative on Mitiaro

During his official visit to Nukuroa last week, Prime Minister Mark Brown opened the Mitiaro Agriculture Hydroponics station, a facility with a 400-plant capacity. Under the Adaptation Funded PEARL Project, hydroponics was installed and implemented for Mitiaro at the request of Mitiaro School and…

Honoraries of the 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards

Fast Company's 2021 'World Changing Ideas Awards' honors the businesses, policies, projects, and concepts that are actively engaged and deeply committed to pursuing innovation…

Anthropocene Magazine

The veiny structure of a spinach leaf could be perfect for lab-grown meat

The future of lab-grown meat might depend on spinach leaves. Researchers have found a way to grow cultured meat cells on the veiny scaffolds provided by these salad greens—and they find that not only could the leaves make lab-grown products more realistically meat-like, but also altogether greener than…

"Indoor and vertical farms to have strong impact on fruit and tree nut farms"

BizVibe has identified indoor and vertical farms as a major trend for the fruit and tree nut farming industry. Farmers are focusing on indoor and vertical farming due to the…

7 out of 10 are willing to pay more for Swedish products

More and more people are finding it easier to identify the origin of their food. According to a new survey conducted on behalf of Svenskmärkning, 40 percent believe that it is…

"Technology shapes the future of NZ productivity"

Technology is shaping the future of agriculture which will help inject a massive impetus into the New Zealand economy, AgriTechNZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell says. “The technologies behind our genetic gains, farm modeling and management systems have enabled the growth of our primary industries. Now…

Photo by Freight Farms

How COVID-19 fed consumers' dream of growing food at home

When COVID-19 struck the United States, people rushed to grocery stores to stock up on food, only to find that many shelf-stable items like beans, rice, and flour were sold out. It was the first time many of us were forced to consider where food comes from—and how vulnerable the global food system really…

"If you add 1 kg of fish food, it will produce 1 kg of fish and 10-12 kg of vegetables"

Five hours north of Stockholm lies an aquaponic farm that has spent decades perfecting its system and will soon be ready to distribute its systems to other growers. Peckas Naturodlingar AB is located in Härnösand and was established nearly 25 years ago when founder Pecka Nygård witnessed the…

Caterer Middle East

Are vertical farming techniques key to food security in UAE and beyond?

It’s easy to think of agriculture as an industry stuck in the past; a business of crops and endless fields stretching into the horizon, with sunny harvests and vast, busy farms that haven’t changed the way they work for centuries or longer. The UAE Government understands the urgent need to sow the seeds…

Photo by CEA Food Safety

Food safety standard for indoor produce launched

The CEA Food Safety Coalition announced the first-ever food safety certification program specifically for CEA-grown leafy greens. Effective immediately, members of the Coalition can choose to be assessed for the CEA Leafy Greens Module, and upon successful completion will be allowed to use the CEA…

Strawberries grown through hydroponics and aeroponics are selling very well

"With a total area of 600 square meters (three times more than last year) and a production calendar that runs from January to June, we grow strawberries using the NFT hydroponic technique and vertical aeroponics. The result is strawberries that can be grown quickly and not only because they are…

Photo by Maxime Francis from Pexels

Cities are becoming urban farming champions

After high-profile European cities like London, Paris, Monaco, now Tier 2 cities in the EU also move forward with hyper-local food production. Will it become a global trend? At the growing rate of urbanization, growing smartphone penetration, access to faster (5G) and cheaper internet data streams are…

What does the European Union Green Deal mean for the fresh produce industry?

Understanding and working within the European Union Green Deal was the topic of this week’s PMA Virtual Town Hall. By successfully implementing the EU Green Deal, Europe will be the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. To get there, plans include cutting emissions by more than 55 percent by 2030 and…

www.nst.com.my

Pesticide-free superfoods to please Asian consumers

Sustenir Agriculture's indoor vertical farm in partnership with Dairy Farm International (DFI) is expected to produce up to 25 tonnes of leafy greens annually. Located in DFI's Kajang distribution center, the 7,500 sq foot space grows two types of superfoods - Kinky Kale and Toscano Kale. Both are known…

In Your Area

UK: Vertical farming offers potential for Runcorn's eco-village

Last year, the Heath Business and Technical Park's owners SOG Group revealed plans to transform the site into a clean, green location where people "can work, live and play". The re-imagining was pitched as a "modern-day version of Port Sunlight" with the potential for radical features such as a monorail.…

Photo 15386443 © Subbotina | Dreamstime.com

Forget salad, what about wheat?

Indoor vertical farming is being used to grow leafy greens but what about other important global commodities, such as wheat? Wheat was first likely bred and domesticated 10,000 years ago in the fertile crescent of Western Asia. Since then it has been one of the most important staple crops around the world. Currently, wheat is…

Affinor Growers

Green cash crop funds leafy greens growth

Affinor Growers Inc. is nearly ready to plant its first seedlings and begin showcasing its vision of sustainable agriculture for a ten-year period. The company recently announced its lease agreement for a 15,000-square foot greenhouse.  The land is located in Abbotsford, British Columbia and is reportedly…

Dreamstime.com

"Fake aquaponics farm" victims receive restitution

Global Aquaponics, started by Tobias Ritesman, promised to build a hydroponic vegetable and fish farm on 10 acres of land outside of Brookings, South Dakota. They even broke ground, but never built anything and kept investors’ money. The court has now approved a sale of the land back to its original…

Canadian majority believes modern planting techniques are unnatural

The safety of the food that is consumed has continually increased over time. Conversely, modern technologies and communication allow misinformation to be widely accessible,…

"Consumers plant more fruit & vegetables"

While millions of new gardeners picked up their trowels due to the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the appreciation for tending green spaces doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Ferry-Morse, the largest home gardening seed packet company in the U.S., is reporting even higher online sales for the first quarter…

Smaller strawberries and higher costs because of climate change

Being able to eat large, succulent strawberries may become a pleasure of the past, as the popular fruit is the latest victim of a changing climate. And as smaller strawberries…

More Qatari vegetables sold in March

According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Premium Qatari Vegetables and Qatar Farms programs achieved significant sales in March. A total of 3,751 tons…

Scotsman

New business has brought tiny crops to Edinburgh's farmers market

When it comes to cooking, sometimes it’s the small things that make the difference. The people behind The Micro Empire - husband and wife team, David and Rachael Larson, both originally from New Zealand - know all about that. Their Midlothian-based “premium microgreens” business, which was set up during…

Arabian Business

Why the GCC is investing in AgTech

IREPfarm is the latest agricultural technology (AgTech) solution to enter the GCC regional market as food security and decreasing reliance on food-stuff imports continues to be a target of GCC economic strategies and visions. Increasing local food production has become a more pressing issue given the…

Fifth Season

"The false promises and the negative economics have held the industry back"

To say that controlled environment agriculture is drawing a lot of interest and dollars from the investment world would be an understatement. Austin Webb, co-founder and CEO at Fifth Season, a vertical farm operation in Pittsburgh, Pa., estimates that over $3 billion has been invested in the CEA industry…

The race is on to bring ‘red gold’ to Israelis

Platinum, gold, saffron - some of the most valuable materials in the world continue to be in high demand across markets all over the world. Saffron, which is the most valuable spice available in the world market, is ripe for disruption - and this company has set out to make it more accessible than ever.…

YouTube: MEED

"There’s still a lot to do before we transform our food systems together"

“The past months have been an experience with many lessons learned,” said Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security at the UAE, during the Agritech – Enhancing food security in the UAE, today. While Her Excellency addressed the keynotes of the webinar,…

Hometown Debate

Toledo high school students finalists in hydroponics contest

Toledo Middle School students have been named as a finalist in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest for hydroponics. They have received $15,000 for their accomplishments and could garner even more money if they go farther in this amazing competition. Asking the students a few questions, they stated…

Enza Zaden

Enza Zaden expects breeding will play an important role in the future of indoor farming

“In general, at Enza Zaden we see a difference between genetics for greenhouses and vertical farming, especially for high yielding required products,” says Anh Nguyen, Portfolio Manager at Enza Zaden. “It depends on the growing setting of the crops. We think that improved varieties, specifically for…

Spread Co., Ltd.

Japan: Spread acquires world’s first certificate for vertical farms

Spread Co., Ltd. has acquired “JAS 0012” certification, established by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The certificate is acquired for evaluating hygiene and cultivation management of a vertical farm, at its Kameoka Plant (Kameoka, Kyoto) and the large-scale automated Techno…

Hungary: Bedrock.farm to take its farming concept across borders

“At this point, we’re at an operative level, however, we’re aiming to create a new commerce, namely a franchised model where others can start their own indoor farm,” says Endre Szucs, co-founder of bedrock.farm. “We’re in contact with a large Hungarian supplier to build an urban farm next to their…

UAE: minister of climate highlights efforts to enhance food security

Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, participated in the first UAE Regional Climate Dialogue, hosted by the UAE in the presence of US…

More UAE residents prefer locally-grown fruits and vegetables

When Covid-19 struck, it brought one factor into sharp focus: immunity. It was found that people with weak immunity suffered severely from the virus. The message was clear,…

The star

Malaysian government calls for more indoor farms

The Federal Territories is looking at big-scale and indoor precision farming to produce high-quality vegetables as ways to enhance food security in the city. Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said he also planned to start a commercial-sized urban farm project in Putrajaya to help grow, collect, distribute and…

"The number of micro-growers/home growers is exploding"

While the rest of the world seemed to stand still in 2020, newly established Houweling-Dutch Plantin Ltd. did anything but that. Formed as a joint venture between two Dutch companies (Houweling Group and Dutch Plantin) in 2019, Houweling Dutch Plantin Ltd. (H-DP) is an Ontario-based company currently…

NBC29.com

Babylon Micro-Farms expands with new partnership

A company that started at the University of Virginia is hoping to expand its impact. Babylon Micro-Farms makes indoor growing aimed at providing more farm-fresh options for college students. It is now partnering with Harvest Table Culinary Group to bring fresh produce to more colleges. “Self-contained…