Indoor Continued from Page 14
at an indoor facility in Montana and is building another facilty in Texas. The company’s website says it is “starting a new chapter in agriculture, building a business with sustainability at its core.” Vosburg said the CEA farming sector must prove it can think long term in con- structing and operating facilities, main- taining food safety and bringing products consistently to market. “We’re finally at that point where reality
Karp said the unpredictability of agriculture markets led to years of “over-promising and under-delivering” that spooked investors. “There’s a ton of money, enormous, unmistakable money, for the future of agriculture,” Karp said. “But this is not a technology play. This is farming and big infrastructure.” David Vosburg is chief innovation officer at Local Bounti, which grows leafy greens
and investor understanding are converg- ing,” Vosburg said. “We might be close to a common language and understanding. We’re moving from what was promised to what is doable.” Vosburg said he remains optimistic about CEA, while also saying the sector may now be in a “down part in the cycle” for investors. Narrowing product offerings to a reason- able, differentiating niche can help CEA farmers get off the ground, Soli Organic’s Karp said. “You can grow it. That doesn’t mean you can make money at it or scale it,” he said. “Know what you can do and sharpen focus.” During a panel discussion, participants said CEA products and techniques appeal to younger consumers interested in healthy and environmentally friendly foods. Vosburg shared reports of obtaining dedicated retail space at two national re- tailers within 18 months. “The opportunity is there. I think the prize is there,” he said. “It’s about who is going to execute now, getting it done and doing it well.” Vosburg and Karp said CEA will be part of tomorrow’s agriculture. “All of these are tools. Tools have their uses where they do and don’t perform,” Vosburg said. “Vertical and greenhouse growing is not meant for every application. You have to apply the right technology to the right crop types.” Karp said he envisions a future where indoor and outdoor farming will comple- ment each other in the agricultural market. “The right crops end up in the right spaces,” he said. “We have fields. We have greenhouses. We will keep crops in the fields. They do well. There’s no reason to change it.” (Caitlin Fillmore is a reporter in Monterey County. She may be contacted at cslhfillmore@gmail.com)
requires substantial initial investment in buildings and a continuous, costly demand for energy. “The Achilles’ heel (of CEA) is its energy usage,” said Eric Cusimano, global produce principal buyer for Whole Foods Market. “Reducing energy inputs should be the focus of the CEA segment for the next 10 to 15 years.”
yf&r farmpac Trap shoot Fundraiser
Benefiting the Fund to Protect the Family Farm ( FarmPAC ® )
Audits Continued from Page 13
Saturday October 14 2023 Redlands Shooting Park 2125 Orange Street Redlands, California 92374
Registration Open $100 per person $450 for a team of 5 includes traps, ammo and lunch Limited to 100 shooters
anyone else in the industry?” Brennan suggested a more interactive process between retailers and suppliers to improve communication along the supply chain. She said she hopes to avoid scenarios in which a farming company agronomist and administrator struggle to interpret a customer’s request because of a lack of standardization. Though demanding for even the largest organic produce suppliers, sustainabili- ty audits are embraced for their part in “changing agriculture,” McKeon said. “The ultimate goal is to move away from the (idea of) the ‘ground as media.’ Instead we are working with the natural system,” McKeon said. “In agriculture, you can cre- ate solutions, and even tiny ones have a big impact.” (Caitlin Fillmore is a reporter in Monterey County. She may be contacted at cslhfillmore@gmail.com.)
sponsorship opportunities available
For more information and to register, visit www.cfbf.com/farmpac. Contributions or gifts to FarmPAC are not tax-deductible. Paid for by California Farm Bureau Federation Fund to Protect the Family Farm (FarmPAC ® ).
16 Ag Alert August 23, 2023
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