This week's top stories from 26-31 May
The Future of Food Production
Connecting companies making food production more sustainable, efficient and resilient.
Welcome to another week of innovation in the world of indoor ag, vertical farming, and controlled environment agriculture, courtesy of The Future of Food Production.
It's been another packed week for news, with an interesting application for aeroponics from a UK vertical farming specialist. We've also learned why Canada has become a great place for CEA specialists to set up shop, while Local Bounti has recruited a former Amazon exec to take the company to the next stage. In other good news, we discovered that a micro-farm specialist has received a huge cash injection, and a vertical farm technology provider has provided a positive outlook for the industry. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day...
And remember, the stories in this newsletter are here because they're the most-read stories on our website and also saw the biggest engagement levels on our LinkedIn page. That data has been combined to present the seven stories below.
So, without further ado, let's dive into what's happening this past week!
LettUs Grow has partnered with the University of Surrey to use aeroponic technology for the rapid multiplication of willow cuttings. This could accelerate renewable energy production using far less land, resources and carbon. The TAEDA Tech project harvested their first willow cuttings in December and a unique aeroponic system for greenhouses will be built to continue this research
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Vertical farming is gaining momentum in Canada, driven in large part by changing consumer tastes, the need for greater sustainability and advanced technology. But Canadian governments and agencies have introduced new policies and funding to support vertical farming, both in the countryside and in cities
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Local Bounti Corporation, a US indoor agriculture company combining the best aspects of vertical and greenhouse growing technologies, has announced that Anna Fabrega , former Freshly CEO and Amazon executive, will become CEO of Local Bounti on 5 June 2023. "We started Local Bounti with a vision to help solve global food shortages through a thoughtful and capital efficient approach that maximizes our unit-level economics through efficiencies driven by our Stack & Flow Technology," said Craig M. Hurlbert , Local Bounti Co-CEO. "With Anna as our new CEO, we are poised to expand our reach as we execute on our growth strategy"
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Virginia Venture Partners , the equity investment program of Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), has announced an investment in Babylon Micro-Farms . Charlottesville, Virginia-based Babylon enables anyone to grow fresh, sustainable produce at the touch of a button on a vertical farming platform. Babylon will use this investment to continue its nationwide expansion. “At Babylon, we believe everyone should have access to fresh and affordable foods and we are proud to have a part in making sure that is possible,” commented Alexander Olesen , CEO & Co-Founder. “We are grateful to VIPC for their continuous support and investing in our growth as we continue to share the world's easiest-to-use micro farm”
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Despite the recent challenges facing the vertical farming industry, experts in the sector are keen to point out the evidence for the future role it can play in driving sustainable farming and improving food security for the UK. “Some of the commentary I have seen in recent months on vertical farming is very short-sighted," suggested Nick Bateman , Chairman of GrowPura . "The vertical farming industry is evolving and adapting all the time – we have developed a patented growing system that enables vertical farming organizations to create vastly improved quality and yield from their operation, whilst reducing costs at the same time. It really is the next generation of vertical farming”
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Recommended by LinkedIn
In a first-ever collaboration, the face of the fruit industry in Chile is being revolutionized as AI-driven robots pick apples in Linares. This endeavor is the result of a partnership between Tevel , an Israeli robotics startup, and Unifrutti Group , offering a glimpse into the future of the agriculture industry. "This partnership is a testament that Tevel’s technology is the most cutting-edge solution for growers who want to elevate their harvesting to the next level," said Yaniv Maor , CEO & Founder of Tevel. This marks a major milestone in the industry’s transformation towards adopting robotics and automation. Unifrutti is exactly the type of early adopter grower, pushing the boundaries of robot-ready orchards and welcoming new technologies. We are grateful for their support and belief in our vision"
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The registration period for the EWA (Empowering Women in Agrifood) program, which seeks to support projects led by women in the agrifood sector, is now open. Women entrepreneurs have until 12 June to submit their applications. The initiative, led by the European organization EIT Food , aims to help women entrepreneurs to grow and develop their businesses with a tailor-made approach. It addresses the specific challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, and the barriers that may limit their business activity due to other discriminatory factors
Click here for the links to apply!
This 100-page issue is jam-packed with independently authored technical articles focusing on a diverse range of topics from genome editing, pulses and aeroponics to smart farming robotics, regenerative agriculture and alternative proteins
Click here to read the launch issue
The alternative protein industry is dynamic, with ever-advancing technologies, decreasing cost curves, changing regulations and increasing consumer adoption. Protein Production Technology International, the world's only technical B2B publication dedicated to scaling up and commercializing alternative proteins, follows these trends, with a quarterly format designed to showcase the many developments in plant-based, fermentation-derived, cellular agriculture and other novel food technologies. You can subscribe free of charge and catch up on the first three editions right now! More than 300 pages' worth!
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The above are just a select few of the stories that we have highlighted this week – there are plenty more on www.futurefoodproduction.com – and they're published daily.
And remember, if you have a story that you would like us to share with the industry, please get in touch with the editor by emailing editor@futurefoodproduction.com.
We look forward to bringing you more developments next week!
The Future of Food Production news team
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