Vertical farms, like JFCo’s, could revolutionize how we grow and harvest crops, potentially overtaking greenhouse production. (Image Credit: JFCo)
In June, Jones Food Company (JFCo) announced plans to build the world’s biggest vertical farm in Lydney, Gloucestershire. CEO James Llyod-Jones estimates that the UK could grow herbs, soft fruits, salad leaves, and possibly cut flowers through the vertical farming approach. He expects vertical farms to replace greenhouse production and imports.
In Bristol, JFCo’s innovation center started planting seeds in piled layers of sheep’s wool. One 69 sq meter grow room, in particular, has green chives stacked atop one another. Sensors maintain environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide content, color spectrum, light-dark cycle spectrum intensity, and nutrients for the seedlings. The company also adjusts these factors to determine the best thriving conditions for the herbs.
Meanwhile, JFCo also experiments on coriander and dill in another area. At the same time, a 276m2 strawberry laboratory is being built. This vertical farming technique offers several benefits, which means it doesn’t interfere with nature. In that case, land can be reserved for planting trees instead, benefiting biodiversity.
More importantly, the plants’ nutrient-heavy water is also cleansed and reused approximately 30 times, leading to reduced wastage. Because they’re indoors, the plants don’t require pesticides or herbicides, which also means pesticides don’t move on to nearby waterways.
Theoretically speaking, growing the plants 365 days a year in a stacked setting with consistent and optimal conditions provides more production from every square meter of land. Consistent produce also offers another advantage since vertical farming sees a more consistent flavor and appearance for each fruit. This ensures improved packing efficiency and reduced waste due to more attractive options for supermarket buyers. In addition, JFCo’s facilities feature advanced robotics and technology from The Ocado Group to help operate its facilities.
Only around 75 acres of functional vertical farming were present around the world starting in 2020. However, these buildings are energy-intensive for continuous crop growth, requiring heaters, lights, humidifiers, and other equipment. JFCo’s renewable energy investment involves installing solar panels atop its Lydney vertical farm roof. Additional space will be provided for more panels or a wind turbine on nearby land.
Generally speaking, vertical farms rely on smart sensors to closely monitor temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide, lighting, humidity, nutrient concentration, pH levels, pest control, irrigation, and harvesting. Controlled environments also deploy state-of-the-art imaging and sensor technology, such as thermal imaging, to determine plant growth, temperature, and various conditions. These systems have effectively grown herbs, vegetables, microgreens, leafy greens, peppers, tomatoes, melons, and sweet corn.
Varying companies are also looking to implement semi-autonomous technology for crop harvest, reducing labor costs. In that case, robots could prune, pollinate, pick fruit, and put the plant in its original position. For example, LettUs Grow is working on aeroponic growth techniques to spray a plant’s roots with a fine nutrient mist solution. Healthy roots ensure more efficient growth due to more energy consumption.
Cost-effective vertical farming won’t overtake conventional farming for staple crops, including rice, wheat, and potatoes. That’s mostly due to their long growing period and need more light than salad leaves or herbs.
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