Vertical Robotic Farms Supply Whole Foods Market With Sustainable Fresh Produce
Image Source / Progressive Grocer
Meet Opollo Farm, an automated vertical farm using cubic storage and robotics to grow high quality produce. The innovative farming system was built by AutoStore and OnePointOne, and has now become a supplier of Whole Foods Market, at least in Arizona where the farm is based. The farm operates entirely indoors, using robots to water and maintain plants as well as software that adjusts programs based on data highlighting real time plant conditions. “Traditional farming consumes vast amounts of water and land — resources that are becoming scarce,” added Sam Bertram, CEO of OnePointOne. “With AutoStore’s modular robotics and our plant-production technology, we can grow food almost anywhere, using a fraction of those resources. This collaboration helps overcome the cost and scalability challenges of vertical farming, finally making locally grown produce — the No. 1 priority for U.S. consumers — possible even in urban areas.”
Farmers And Scientists Hopeful For The Future Of Sea Asparagus
Image Source: Adam Dixon
Salicornia, a.ka. seabeans, pickleweed or sea asparagus, is a salt-tolerant plant that grows well in intense environments. Scientists believe the plant can be used to aid soil salinity levels, a growing concern among environmentalists and farmers. Farmers produce fertilizer waste that damages their own soil while simultaneously breaching waterways. Salicornia's unique, salt-absorbing properties may allow it to absorb this waste, according to research professor Megan Davis of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). “The plants will pick up the salt out of the soil, and they can also be used to help pick up nutrients along the shoreline to help improve the coastal waters,” she says. Planting the crop would prove beneficial to the environment, plus sea asparagus is delicious. In its first year of being bought out by the German company Bördegarten, a salicornia start-up called Salifaktur harvested 880 pounds of the crop a week, supplying hotels, grocery stores, and restaurants. Davis remains hopeful for increased demand for the crop in the U.S.A: “It’s just a matter of time and good marketing.”
USDA Unveils $31 Billion In Relief Aid For American Farmers
Image Source: Tom Fisk
This month, the USDA made $10 billion from December's spending bill for the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program available to American farmers. Those who produce row crops like soybeans, corn, or rice are eligible for aid, as the industry experienced high costs, low profits, and faltering prices over the past year. The one-time payment is designed to mitigate these losses dating from the beginning of 2024. Qualifying farmers can apply online until April 15th. Later this year, farmers can expect another $21 billion in relief aid for losses stemming from natural disasters like hurricane Helene.
How USDA Layoffs Are Disrupting Operations And Redirecting Taxpayer Dollars
Image Source: Randy Fath via Unsplash
Recent USDA layoffs of thousands of research scientists, Forest Service workers, and other federal employees across the country have disrupted ongoing projects and left research groups uncertain for the future. The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are two sub-agencies of the USDA that have experienced mass firings, which are disrupting ongoing conservation projects backed with $300 million of funding. “Stopping or hamstringing efforts midway is a huge waste of resources that have already been spent,” says Emily Bass, associate director of federal policy, food, and agriculture at the Breakthrough Institute.
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Steak From Dairy Cows Offers Lifeline For American Farmers
Image Source: Sara Naomi Lewkowicz
Most American beef steaks come from grain-fed cattle slaughtered at about two years old. Meat from mature dairy cows (upwards of 6 years old) usually becomes dog food and fast-food burgers. For that meat, US farmers only get about 60 cents a pound. However, in Europe, dairy meat is highly prized because the animals are pastured a bit longer, causing fat to be released into their meat instead of into their milk, which makes the beef richer and more tender. American dairy farmers, who have been struggling for years, are now adopting the practice to make ends meet. Enterprising chefs are thrilled. Want a better-tasting steak? Try mature dairy meat!
