The idea of each apartment building or community having its vertical farm where residents can get fresh produce is agreeable. In rapid urbanization, vertical farming comes as a better alternative to traditional farming. From year-round food production regardless of weather conditions to being more efficient in their use of space and water, vertical farming offers an efficient way to harvest fresh produce indoors. This is what Plenty Unlimited must have had in mind as it has launched the world’s first farm to grow indoor, vertically farmed berries at scale.
Launched in Richmond, Virginia, the indoor vertical berry farm is designed to produce more than 4 million pounds of strawberries annually in less than 40,000 square feet. This is possible courtesy of its vertical elevation that stretches to 30-foot-tall towers in height. Plenty Unlimited has partnered with Driscoll (global market leader for fresh strawberries) for this upheaval task.
The farm will exclusively grow Driscoll’s strawberries, combining Plenty’s advanced AI technology with Driscoll’s advanced genetics for efficient production. Plenty Unlimited claims its AI-driven system enables year-round cultivation of produce with peak-season flavor, almost anywhere globally.
“Every element of the Plenty Richmond Farm–including temperature, light, and humidity–is precisely controlled through proprietary software to create the perfect environment for the strawberry plants to thrive. The farm uses AI to analyze more than 10 million data points each day across its 12 grow rooms, adapting each grow room’s environment to the evolving needs of the plants – creating the perfect environment for Driscoll’s proprietary plants to thrive and optimizing the strawberries’ flavor, texture and size,” the company states in a press note.
Also Read: Indoor Vertical Garden Ideas, Benefits, and Things to Keep in Mind
The company further touts that its farming methods use 97 percent less land and up to 90 percent less water than traditional agriculture, hence contributing to sustainable food production. While the claims are high, it will be interesting to see if Plenty Unlimited can walk the talk or fall flat on its face. The first strawberries from the vertical indoor berry farm will be available in early 2025.
Via: New Atlas
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