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Factory farms the future for Chinese scientists

XIAMEN, Fujian Province, April 30 (Xinhua) -- In a factory in eastern China, farming is becoming like scientific endeavor, with leafy vegetables embedded neatly on stacked layers, and workers in laboratory suits tending the plants in cleanrooms.

The factory, with an area of 10,000 square meters, is in Quanzhou, Fujian Province. Built in June 2016, the land is designed to be a "plant factory," where all environmental factors, including light, humidity, temperature and gases, can be controlled to produce quality vegetables.

The method is pursued by Sananbio, a joint venture between the Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS) and Sanan Group, a Chinese optoelectronics giant. The company is attempting to produce more crops in less space while minimizing environmental damage.

Sananbio said it would invest 7 billion yuan (about 1.02 billion U.S. dollars) to bring the new breed of agriculture to reality.

NEW FARMING

Plant factories, also known as a vertical farms, are part of a new global industry.

China now has about 80 plant factories, and Sananbio has touted its Quanzhou facility as the world's largest plant factory.

In the factory, leafy greens grow in six stacked layers with two lines of blue and red LED lights hung above each layer. The plants are grown using hydroponics, a method that uses mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent instead of soil.

"Unlike traditional farming, we can control the duration of lighting and the component of mineral solutions to bring a higher yield," said Pei Kequan, a researcher with IBCAS and director of R&D in Sanabio. "The new method yields ten-times more crops per square meter than traditional farming."

From seedling to harvesting, vegetables in the farm usually take 35 days, about 10 days shorter than greenhouse plants.

To achieve a higher yield, scientists have developed an algorithm which automates the color and duration of light best for plant growth, as well as different mineral solutions suitable for different growth stages.

The plant factory produces 1.5 tonnes of vegetables every day, most of which are sold to supermarkets and restaurants in Quanzhou and nearby cities.

The world's population will bloat to 9.7 billion by 2050, when 70 percent of people will reside in urban areas, according to the World Health Organization.

Pei said he believes the plant factory can be part of a solution for potential future food crises.

In the factory, he has even brought vertical farming into a deserted shipping container.

"Even if we had to move underground someday, the plant factory could help ensure a steady supply of vegetables," he said.

HEALTHIER FUTURE

Before entering the factory, Sananbio staff have to go through strict cleanroom procedures: putting on face masks, gloves, boots, and overalls, taking air showers, and putting personal belongings through an ultraviolet sterilizer.

The company aims to prevent any external hazards that could threaten the plants, which receive no fertilizers or pesticides.

By adjusting the mineral solution, scientists are able to produce vegetables rich or low in certain nutrients.

The factory has already been churning out low-potassium lettuces, which are good for people with kidney problems.

Adding to the 20 types of leafy greens already grown in the factory, the scientists are experimenting on growing herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine and other healthcare products.

Zheng Yanhai, a researcher at Sananbio, studies anoectohilus formosanus, a rare herb in eastern China with many health benefits.

"In the plant factory, we can produce the plants with almost the same nutrients as wild anoectohilus," Zheng said. "We tested different light, humidity, temperature, gases and mineral solutions to form a perfect recipe for the plant."

The factory will start with rare herbs first and then focus on other health care products, Zheng said.

GROWING PAINS

Currently, most of the products in the plant factory are short-stemmed leafy greens.

"Work is in progress to bring more varieties to the factory," said Li Dongfang, an IBCAS researcher and Sananbio employee.

Some are concerned about the energy consumed with LED lights and air-conditioning.

"Currently, it takes about 10 kwh of electricity to produce one kilogram of vegetables," said Pei, who added that the number is expected to drop in three to five years, with higher LED luminous efficiency.

In a Yonghui superstore in neighboring Xiamen city, the vegetables from the plant factory have a specially designated area, and are sold at about a 30 percent premium, slightly higher than organic and locally produced food.

"Lettuce from the plant factory is a bit expensive, at least for now, there are many other healthy options," said Wang Yuefeng, a consumer browsing through the products, which are next to the counter for locally produced food.

Sananbio said it plans to expand the factory further to drive down the cost in the next six months. "The price will not be a problem in the future, with people's improving living standards," Li said.

Groundingbreaking Indoor Growing Technology (Vertical Aeroponics) Is Changing How Food Is Economically Grown In Indian Country

 Native Indoor Farms—Tribes for Food Sovereignty, Health, & Economic Dev

News provided by

Native Indoor Farms

Contact: Eugene Wilkie info@7generations.us

Feb 28, 2017

Seattle WA, Feb. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Native IndoorFarms, a joint venture between Indoor Farms of America LLC (“IFOA”), and 7 Generations LLC (“7G”). IFOA is the leading AgTech R&D company, with multiple patents on its highly scalable indoor farm equipment, and 7G leverages its extensive network within the Native American community.

Native Indoor Farms embraces a commitment to Native American food security and sovereignty. All decisions are carefully considered—the past, present and future with respect to our ancestors, ourselves, and those to come. Each generation is responsible to teach, learn, and protect the three generations that have come before us, our own, and the next three generations.

The global vertical indoor farming market is the fastest growing segment in agriculture. The projected annual growth rate is 27 percent. Estimated revenue by 2022 is $6.81 billion, and more than $8 billion by 2025. A mega trend and the fastest growing segment in the food industry has been “locally produced” fresh produce. “Local food” demand grew from $1 billion in 2005, to $7 billion in 2014.

Native Indoor Farms provide access to sustainable, year-round, smart indoor vertical farm systems that grow affordable nutrient-rich produce, for local and adjacent off-reservation markets. Ten times the volume of food is reliably produced in any geographic region and climate; without pesticides; with a renewable energy option; using 1/20th the amount of water as traditional farming. Fresh produce is sustainably grown locally allowing same-day as harvested delivery, creating local, reliable, year-round jobs. Aeroponic systems use 70% less water than hydroponics, which uses 70-90% less water than traditional land-based farming. Indoor farming without pesticides and zero waste consistently produces 20 to 25-day average grow-cycles, year-round vegetables and fruit. Imagine 12 to 15 grow-cycles per year, with little to no waste. More produce goes to market consuming fewer resources. 

A system was delivered to the Prairie Band of the Potawatomi Nation," said Ron Evans a partner in Native Indoor Farms. Evans noted, "We had the folks from the PB Nation visit our Las Vegas facility for training, and it was a great day. We learned about their plans to use the vertical aeroponic equipment for education within their community, and for interaction experiences between tribal elders and Native youth, who are the future." 

Smart indoor vertical farm systems allow our customers to set up “locally” anywhere in the world. Containerized farms can be nestled on the top of a casino parking garage to serve local restaurants and grocers in the community, or farms can be constructed in an underutilized building, or an urban building to serve the fresh local produce needs of a large population. Indoor farm systems can be contained within mobile units. Victory Indoor Gardens™ can serve residential needs. 

The indoor vertical farming business model is scalable and replicable in every marketplace. An indoor farm that is self-contained within 320 sq. ft. of floor space (8’ x 40’ with 21 grow panels) produces vegetables and fruit equivalent to four-acres of land having a 544 times larger footprint, and it would employ one-person (30-hour week).

A 12,500 sq. ft. warehouse space will incorporate 1,000 vertical grow panels that can produce the equivalent of 156 acres of farmland, and will employ 25 people—indoors.

Incorporating Agrilyst, an award-winning automated remote management system, into each farm provides operators with powerful tools to achieve consistent successful yields and harvests, while controlling costs. We believe our farm operators will greatly appreciate built-in best practices," said Eugene Wilkie a partner in Native Indoor Farms.

Each week the company hosts business owners, growers, and farm managers from around the U.S. and the world who want to see for themselves the equipment that can grow more crops in any given space that any other brand or type of equipment in the world.

Native Indoor Farms will be exhibiting and providing private offsite tours of a working indoor vertical farm at Res 2017 (http://res.ncaied.org/), in Las Vegas, March 14-16, 2017.

For more information, visit the company website at NativeIndoorFarms.com

About Native Indoor Farms

Native Indoor Farms’ mission is to form partnerships with Native American tribes to reduce diabetes 2, improve tribal members’ overall health and wellbeing through access to fresh, nutritious, affordable, local produce, educate Native youth and adults to improve healthy eating habits, and create sustainable year-round jobs. We accomplish this by providing the best in the world smart indoor vertical farm systems that enable tribes to grow year-round produce 24-hours a day, with no pesticides, using 90% less water, producing 10-times more crop yields per square foot of land than traditional farming. These low-risk indoor farm systems are owned by Native enterprises, supported remotely with Native Indoor Farms grow experts. Farms with a light footprint can be located anywhere in any climate. They deliver local produce with a local workforce from the reservation, which addresses key reservation issues of chronic unemployment, poor access to affordable fresh produce, and health issues of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.