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USDA Encourages Ag Producers, Residents To Prepare For Hurricane Delta
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding communities, farmers, ranchers and small businesses in the path of Hurricane Delta that USDA has programs that provide assistance in the wake of disasters. USDA staff in the regional, state, and county offices stand ready and are eager to help.
USDA has partnered with FEMA and other disaster-focused organizations to create the Disaster Resource Center, a searchable knowledgebase of disaster-related resources powered by subject matter experts. The Disaster Resource Center website and web tool now provide an easy access point to find USDA disaster information and assistance.
Click Here For More Information.
Publication date: Fri 9 Oct 2020
USA - MARYLAND - Father, Daughter Launch Hydroponic Farming Operation In Montgomery County
With lettuce regularly being in the news related to an outbreak of disease, father and daughter Rod Kelly and Alex Armstrong concluded that there has to be a better way to purchase fresh produce
By Sondra Hernandez, Staff writer
September. 28, 2020
With lettuce regularly being in the news related to an outbreak of disease, father and daughter Rod Kelly and Alex Armstrong concluded that there has to be a better way to purchase fresh produce.
“It’s really hard to get fresh produce,” Armstrong said. “About 80 percent of lettuce comes from California. It’s hard to find locally grown produce.”
It was also concerning to her that consumers don’t quite know what they are getting with lettuce brought in from another area. Is it pesticide-free? Was there any contamination from livestock waste runoff?
“People are more aware of what’s in their food and they are more concerned about it,” she said.
To offer a fresh, locally grown option, the two have turned to a climate-controlled, vertical, hydroponic farming operation set up in a shipping container on property in South Montgomery County.“It’s an amazing technology,” Kelly said. “It’s a perfect climate-controlled environment for growing leafy greens.”
Kelly is a petroleum engineer and Armstrong has a marketing background. Kelly also owns several businesses and was looking for a project that he and his daughter could work on together.
They found the technology behind hydroponic farming fascinating.
The farm is contained in a custom-built, insulated shipping container. Kelly and Armstrong worked with Freight Farms in Boston for their operation.
The shipping container came from Boston by 18-wheeler and was delivered in late June. They planted their first crop in late July.
The message of Freight Farms is that fresh produce can be grown anywhere regardless of the climate.
Seedlings begin growth in trays under red and blue LED lights. Once the seedling grows larger, it’s transferred to a vertical tower for growing until its ready to harvest.
Water flows from the top of the container down through the roots and is collected at the bottom of the tower before being recycled to use again. These methods use about 90 percent less water than conventional farming. A panel of red and blue LED lights help the plants to grow into nutrient-rich food.“It’s cool technology and as an engineer, I appreciate that” Kelly said.
Fare House Farms grows a variety of lettuce and herbs.
They offer a wide array of lettuce like butterhead, bibb, romaine, Summer Crisp, and Oakleaf just to name a few. They offer leafy vegetables like arugula, cabbage, collards, kale, mustard greens, spinach, and chard. They also offer a variety of herbs like basil, cilantro, chives, dill, and more.
See their website at farehousefarms.com for a full menu.
Before this experience, Armstrong said she never knew what truly fresh lettuce and herbs tasted like.
She said the hydroponically grown lettuce was sweeter and crunchier. Kelly added the lettuce was prettier too.
The lettuce is sold with the peat moss plug still on so it will stay fresh for longer.
Kelly said they will spend the rest of 2020 experimenting with what grows best and studying the produce preferences of local buyers.
They plan to participate in local farmer’s markets to get their start.
They harvest on Fridays before the Saturday farmer’s markets.“You’re getting the freshest crop that you can get,” Kelly said.
Visit the Fare House Farms page on Facebook for more information and to see the farmer’s markets that they’ll be at.shernandez@hcnonline.com
Photos:
Alex Armstrong left, shares a laugh with Jane Pope after handing her a bag of freshly harvested lettuce at Fare House Farms, a hydroponic farming operation, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Oak Ridge. Hydroponic farming is a type of horticulture where indoor crops are grown without soil by using a nutrient-rich and climate-controlled
Photo: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Rod Kelly and Alex Armstrong run Fare House Farms, a hydroponic farming operation in Oak Ridge. Hydroponic farming is a type of horticulture where indoor crops are grown without soil by using a nutrient-rich and climate-controlled environment.
Photo: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer9of10Alex Armstrong, and Rod Kelly are lit with panels of red and blue lights Alex Armstrong and Rod Kelly at Fare House Farms, a hydroponic farming operation, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Oak Ridge. Hydroponic farming is a type of horticulture where indoor crops are grown without soil by using a nutrient-rich and climate-controlled environment.
Alex Armstrong and Rod Kelly make their way past pannels of red and blue lights, which encourage strong plant health and production, at Fare House Farms, a hydroponic farming operation, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Oak Ridge. Hydroponic farming is a type of horticulture where indoor crops are grown without soil by using a nutrient-rich and Photo: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
MALAYSIA: Aquaponic Farming Promises Higher Yields For Kundasang Farmers
Their ventures are proving to be lucrative and they encourage more young farmers to grow vegetables using these modern and more sustainable techniques
September 29th, 2020
Their ventures are proving to be lucrative and they encourage more young farmers to grow vegetables using these modern and more sustainable techniques
By MUHAMMAD BASIR ROSLAN
Aquaponic vegetables are chemical-free as no other fertiliser is used with the exception of the fish waste (pic: Bernama)
IN THE cool, hilly area of Kundasang in Ranau, about 100km from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, a small group of young farmers are trying their hand at cultivating vegetables using aquaponic and hydroponic techniques.
Under the guidance of the Kinabalu Area Farmers Organisation (PPK), the farmers based in Kampung Desa Aman in Kundasang have gone into aquaponics and hydroponics since December 2019.
Their ventures are proving to be lucrative and PPK Kinabalu intends to encourage more young farmers to grow vegetables using these modern and more sustainable techniques.
According to PPK Kinabalu GM Muhammad Irwan Maruji, in aquaponics, the whole cultivation process — starting from planting the seedlings until they are ready for harvesting — takes only about three to four weeks. And, he added, vegetables harvested from a 223 sq m block of aquaponic plants can rake in sales of around RM5,600 a month.
“The capital to start an aquaponic venture, including setting up the pond and a 223 sq m block and greenhouse, comes to about RM85,000. The investment, however, is worthwhile compared to the returns,” he told Bernama, adding that aquaponic farming is suitable for young entrepreneurs who want to get involved in agriculture.
In aquaponic farming, aquaculture (rearing of aquatic animals such as freshwater fish or prawns in tanks) is combined with hydroponics (cultivating plants without soil) in an integrated system where the aquatic waste serves as nutrients for the plants which, in turn, purifies the water in the tank.
Prihatin Aid
Pointing out that vegetable farmers in Kundasang and other parts of Sabah were badly hit during the initial stage of the Movement Control Order, Muhammad Irwan said under the federal government’s Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Plan, each PPK in Sabah was allocated RM100,000 to RM200,000 to revitalise the agricultural sector.
“We are grateful for the allocation as it will be very helpful to the farmers and agro entrepreneurs here,” he said, adding that PPK Kinabalu plans to use the funds to start an additional hydroponic venture involving the local farmers, as well as introduce maize cultivation and a hanging fertigation system next month.
He said courses on aquaponic and hydroponic farming will be conducted starting early next month, following which he hopes to rope in at least 20 young farmers a year to pursue aquaponic and hydroponic ventures. “PPK Kinabalu also plans to expand the market for their vegetable produce to outside of Sabah,” he added.
Free of Chemicals
In aquaponic farming, aquaculture (rearing of aquatic animals) is combined with hydroponics (cultivating plants without soil) in an integrated system
Elaborating on PPK Kinabalu’s aquaponic venture with local farmers on a 2.83ha site in Kampung Desa Aman, Muhammad Irwan said vegetables such as red coral lettuce, green coral lettuce, mustard plant and celery are being cultivated as they are suitable for aquaponic farming. As for the aquatic component, ikan tilapia and ikan keli are being reared.
“Aquaponic vegetables are chemical-free as no other fertiliser is used with the exception of the fish waste.
“For this farming technique, we need not use much water and the plants mature faster and yield higher quality produce,” he said, adding that they also plan to sell the ikan tilapia once they mature.
“So, eventually, this project will enable us to ‘kill two birds with one stone’.”
Cattle Project
Sabah State Farmers Organisation (PPN) acting GM Mohd Sabri Jalaludin, meanwhile, said with the allocation his agency received under Prihatin, they plan to implement a cattle fattening project which is expected to have a positive impact on the state’s economic cycle.
He said PPN Sabah has expertise in the livestock industry as it has been involved in it for over 10 years. For the new project, the agency plans to buy 40 head of cattle from cattle rearers within the state in a bid to support local businesses.
Under the first phase of the project, expected to kick off next month, the cows will be fed palm kernel cake or palm kernel expeller, wheat husk, and soy residue to fatten them. Once they attain a minimum weight of 320kg each, they will be sold at RM4,000 to RM5,000 each.
Mohd Sabri added that in view of the project’s potential to contribute to the growth of the state’s GDP, they plan to increase the cat- tle to 320 heads by 2021. — Bernama
VIDEO: Marc Oshima of AeroFarms: 'How Do We Have A Common Language To Find Solutions?'
The company builds indoor, urban, vertical farms using proprietary aeroponics and LED light technology. It also partners with universities and large corporations to improve their technology
by Amy Sowder
Sep 30, 2020
Marc Oshima's heritage, stemming from his Japanese and German parents, gave him a global perspective from an early age.
As a child, Oshima traveled a lot too and enjoyed exploring the food markets and learning about the food of other cultures.
These days, Oshima works to not only grow his Certified B Corp., mission-driven AeroFarms company based in Newark, N.J. but to help solve the most pressing issues across the produce industry, in the U.S. and beyond.
The company builds indoor, urban, vertical farms using proprietary aeroponics and LED light technology. It also partners with universities and large corporations to improve their technology.
Marc Oshima of AeroFarms on helping the industry move forward
Increasing the consumption of fresh produce is the overall mission, but there's more.
Learn what else Oshima cares about, why he cares, and all the organizations in which he participates to make these goals come to fruition.
Related news:
AeroFarms repeats Fast Company awards Industry leaders detail sustainable changes, opportunities ahead
Indoor farming companies rank high on FoodTech 500 list
NJ-based AeroFarms receives sustainability award, launches microgreens
Kalera Engages Financial Advisors
Kalera has engaged Bank of America Merrill Lynch International and Nordic banks ABG Sundal Collier and Arctic Securities as financial advisors to assist the Company with matters related to its financial strategy and in approaching equity capital markets, as Kalera’s expansion accelerates
Kalera Engages Financial Advisors
Kalera AS announced its engagement of financial advisors. Kalera has engaged Bank of America Merrill Lynch International and Nordic banks ABG Sundal Collier and Arctic Securities as financial advisors to assist the Company with matters related to its financial strategy and in approaching equity capital markets, as Kalera’s expansion accelerates.
"We are very pleased to have engaged these banks and are convinced that their combined impressive industry knowledge and investor outreach capabilities will enable us to continue attracting high-quality investors for further raising of equity capital," says chairman of the board Bjørge Gretland.
Kalera intends to accelerate its growth and has previously announced that it is planning for an IPO in Oslo and/or on Nasdaq in due course.
Kalera is rapidly executing on a US domestic and international expansion plan to grow fresh, clean, and nutritious leafy greens in close proximity to urban centers. Kalera currently operates two growing facilities in Orlando, and is constructing facilities in Atlanta and Houston which will open in 2021. As Kalera accelerates its growth over the next few years, it will continue to open additional facilities, expanding production capacity throughout the US and internationally.
For more information:
Kalera
info@kalera.com
www.kalera.com
Publication date: Fri 2 Oct 2020
Autogrow Expands Into Europe With New Role And New Farm Solutions
CEO Darryn Keiller says, “this expansion into Europe is counter-intuitive during a pandemic however innovation and crop production doesn’t slow down, and the challenges growers face haven’t disappeared because of COVID-19
29 September 2020: Autogrow has ramped up their activity in the Northern Hemisphere by establishing a new Sales Director Europe and U.K. role based in the Netherlands supporting their expanding customer base for new digital farming solutions FarmRoad® and Folium®.
CEO Darryn Keiller says, “this expansion into Europe is counter-intuitive during a pandemic however innovation and crop production doesn’t slow down, and the challenges growers face haven’t disappeared because of COVID-19. In fact, they have been exacerbated by the pandemic. We think now is the perfect time to introduce solutions that will help growers with productivity, gain greater economic benefits, and transform the market. Added to which, with cross-border restrictions and travel limitations likely to remain in place in the foreseeable future, establishing a local presence is the right move.”
“The Netherlands has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a leader in efficient and sustainable agriculture and, after the United States, is the second-largest exporter of agriculture in the world. By establishing a role in the region, we create strong ties with growers and, like our partnerships in the United States, introduce our new digital farming solutions FarmRoad and Folium.”
Autogrow has been working closely over the past few months with customers and distributors in the region including some of the largest tomato producers. They are delighted to be working alongside Van der Voort, a member of the Prominent farming cooperative, who share Autogrow's focus on sustainable farming practices.
“We have been growing tomatoes for over 50 years and technology has always played a pivotal role in our success. With multiple farms and increasing production, we look for solutions that are leading the AgTech market. The work the Autogrow team are doing with sensor technology and farm management solutions is cutting edge and we are excited to be working together,” says Van der Voort Co-Owner, Joost Van der Voort.
Although Autogrow’s headquarters is based in New Zealand, large geographical distances have never hindered the organization from successfully operating on the global stage. Their endeavors also have the support of the New Zealand Government.
“It’s exciting to see AgTech innovation developed in New Zealand supporting growers here,” says Ariane Gonzalez, New Zealand Trade Commissioner to the Netherlands.
“New Zealand is recognized on the global stage for producing efficient and effective agricultural solutions that work in a range of climates, and this is another great example of that in action,” says Ms Gonzalez.
In addition, Autogrow has assistance from InnovationQuarter, the regional economic development agency for the Province of Zuid-Holland.
"The Netherlands, and Rotterdam - The Hague area specifically, is the worldwide center of horticulture. We are eager to attract and facilitate innovators with exciting solutions as Autogrow. They are a great addition to our region and the sector and support our regional economy. Next to that they benefit and contribute to strengthening our ecosystem of innovative companies in horticulture, impacting the societal challenge for feeding and greening the mega-cities of the future,” explains Chris van Voorden, Head of Internationalization at InnovationQuarter.
Autogrow is currently recruiting for the new role with the expectation to have someone in place over the next few months.
To see the advertised role - https://www.ceresrecruitment.nl/en/vacancy/sales-director-uk-europe/CEBI03123-en
For more information on Folium Network Sensor - https://autogrow.com/products/folium
For more information on Yield Prediction by FarmRoad - https://www.farmroad.io/
MEDIA QUERIES
Kylie Horomia, Head of Brand & Communications
(e) Kylie.horomia@autogrow.com
(m) +6421 733 025
(w) www.autogrow.com www.farmroad.io
Sales queries – sales@autogrow.com
About Autogrow
Autogrow leverages the power of technology, data science, and plant biology to provide indoor growers affordable, accessible, and easy-to-use innovation – 24/7, anywhere in the world.
Our hardware, software, and data solutions support growers and resellers in over 40 countries producing over 100 different crop types.
We are the experts in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and continue to stay ahead of a rapidly evolving landscape.
AppHarvest, A Pioneering Developer and Operator of Sustainable, Large-Scale Controlled Environment Indoor Farms, To Become A Public AgTech Company
Operates a 60-acre controlled environment agriculture facility in Morehead, KY — one of the largest high-tech greenhouses in the world — and has an active and robust development pipeline for future large-scale controlled environment indoor farm projects
September 29, 2020 | Source: AppHarvest
AppHarvest has entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Novus Capital Corporation (Nasdaq: NOVS)
Transaction to provide $475 million of gross proceeds to the company, including $375 million fully committed common stock PIPE at $10.00 per share anchored by existing and new investors – including Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC, Inclusive Capital, and Novus Capital Corporation
Pro forma equity value of the merger is approximately $1.0 billion, at the $10.00 per share PIPE price and assuming minimal Novus shareholder redemptions
Transaction advances AppHarvest’s mission to redefine American agriculture and to build America’s AgTech capital in the heart of Appalachia through the development of several large-scale controlled indoor farms
MOREHEAD, Ky., Sept. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AppHarvest (“the Company”), a developer and operator of large-scale, high-tech controlled environment indoor farms, and Novus Capital Corp. (Nasdaq: NOVS) (“Novus Capital”), a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, announced today a definitive agreement for a business combination that would result in AppHarvest becoming a public company. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will be named AppHarvest and is expected to remain listed on Nasdaq under a new ticker symbol. The combined company will be led by Jonathan Webb, AppHarvest’s Founder & Chief Executive Officer.
Company Overview
AppHarvest is redefining American agriculture by developing modern, large-scale and efficient indoor farms in Central Appalachia, a water-rich region strategically located within a day’s drive of approximately 70% of the U.S. population. AppHarvest has strong relationships with the leading agricultural and construction firms and universities in the Netherlands, the world’s leader in high-tech controlled environment indoor farms. The Netherlands, despite a land mass similar in size to Eastern Kentucky, is the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter behind only the United States due to its extensive network of controlled environment agriculture facilities. These relationships allow the Company to utilize the most recent proven technologies in an effort to sustainably increase crop yields, improve access to nutritious, non-GMO food, build a consistent and safe U.S.-grown food supply for national grocers, and increase investment in Appalachia. The Company operates a 60-acre controlled environment agriculture facility in Morehead, KY — one of the largest high-tech greenhouses in the world — and has an active development pipeline for additional large-scale indoor controlled environment farm projects.
Upon the closing of the transaction, AppHarvest will retain its highly experienced management, a team of growers with over 140 years of agricultural experience, including 120 years of sustainable agriculture experience, a sustainability team with more than 40 years of experience; and construction managers who have successfully managed over $19 billion in projects.
In addition, AppHarvest announced that Peter C. Halt has joined the executive team as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Halt is a seasoned finance professional with several years of experience as a publicly-traded company CFO, most recently having served as the CFO for TiVo Corporation, up until its announced acquisition by Xperi Corporation.
AppHarvest Investment Highlights
Operates a 60-acre controlled environment agriculture facility in Morehead, KY — one of the largest high-tech greenhouses in the world — and has an active and robust development pipeline for future large-scale controlled environment indoor farm projects
First produce scheduled to be harvested, in early 2021, will be tomatoes, a crop that has seen imports rise to 60% of all fresh tomatoes available in U.S. stores
Designed to reduce water usage by 90% compared to traditional open-field agriculture and eliminate agricultural runoff
Aims to improve access to fresh non-GMO fruits and vegetables, as approximately 70% of the U.S. population is within a one-day drive of the Morehead, KY facility, which AppHarvest estimates will lower transportation costs compared to existing growers by up to 80%
Positioned to capitalize on the secular shift to plant-based foods, creating increased demand for locally grown, high-quality produce
Experienced leadership team and board of directors with experience in sustainable investing
Promoting sustainable change in agriculture as a Public Benefit Corporation, registered with Delaware, and a B Corporation, independently certified by the non-profit B Lab
Long-term distribution agreement in place to reach top grocers in the United States
“We are excited to transition AppHarvest to a public company and raise nearly a half a billion dollars in the process,” said Jonathan Webb, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of AppHarvest. “This will allow us to pursue our mission of transforming agriculture. A mission that’s become even more important since the global pandemic exposed how a rapidly increasing reliance on imports jeopardizes food security. We now know that to build a more resilient food system that meets our growing population demands, we must immediately start building controlled environment agriculture facilities, as these farms use far fewer resources to grow far more produce. We believe that this partnership with Novus Capital is a transformative transaction which will allow us to both rapidly scale our agriculture facilities, in pursuit of our goal to redefine American agriculture and build the country’s AgTech capital within Appalachia. Together we can transform agriculture.”
Bob Laikin, Chairman of Novus Capital, commented, “AppHarvest is a unique and compelling investment opportunity that is redefining American agriculture by improving access for all to fresh non-GMO produce, growing more with fewer resources, and creating an AgTech hub from within Appalachia. With significant tailwinds from heightened investor focus on ESG initiatives and the secular shift to plant-based foods, we believe AppHarvest is well-positioned to execute on its strategy for rapid growth and value creation.”
David Lee, Chief Financial Officer of Impossible Foods and AppHarvest Board Member, said, “AppHarvest is working to solve the critical need for a more resilient and sustainable food supply chain — both of which are fundamental to the future of farming, our food ecosystem, and our ability to ensure food security. I believe the company is building a scalable business that could revolutionize the business of food production in the United States.”
Dave Chen, CEO of Equilibrium Capital and AppHarvest Board Member, commented, “Jonathan Webb is exceptional at getting big complex projects done fast and with the highest precision. He is the right leader for AppHarvest’s disruptive mission. Furthermore, with his leadership, AppHarvest has drawn together some of the most talented individuals in the AgTech industry to drive the needed scale. I am extremely excited to see the fruits (or vegetables as the case may be!) of this team’s labors, as they execute on their plans to change food production in the United States.”
Martha Stewart, Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and AppHarvest Board Member, said, “All Americans should believe in the AppHarvest mission to develop large-scale sustainable food production in the heart of Central Appalachia. Jonathan and his exceptional team are disrupting the food production ecosystem in the best way — to provide better, healthier food in a more sustainable manner.”
J.D. Vance, Narya Capital Partner, and AppHarvest Board Member, said, “AppHarvest is developing a world-class food production ecosystem to benefit a majority of consumers in the United States, right here from Central Appalachia. This region offers tremendous resources in terms of location, and in terms of the skilled hardworking people of the region who make this incredible mission possible.”
Jeffrey Ubben, Founder and Managing Partner of Inclusive Capital Partners and AppHarvest Board Member, said, “Our investment platform is about leveraging capitalism and governance in pursuit of a healthy planet and the health of its inhabitants — and AppHarvest is perfectly aligned with this mission.”
Transaction Overview
The business combination values AppHarvest at a $1.0 billion pro forma equity value, at the $10.00 per share PIPE price, and assuming minimal redemptions by Novus Capital shareholders. The transaction will provide $475 million of gross proceeds to the company, including $375 million fully committed common stock PIPE at $10.00 per share anchored by existing and new investors – including Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC, Inclusive Capital and Novus Capital Corporation. Assuming minimal redemptions, it is anticipated that this transaction provides AppHarvest over $435 million of unrestricted cash at close, which will primarily be used to fund operations, including building additional high-tech controlled environment indoor farms, support growth, and for other general corporate purposes. In addition, AppHarvest issued a $30 million convertible note to Inclusive Capital which funded on September 28, 2020. The proceeds of the convertible note will primarily be used to fund operations, including the development of new high-tech controlled environment indoor farms, during the period prior to the close of this transaction. This note will convert to shares of AppHarvest’s common stock in connection with the close of this transaction.
The Boards of Directors of each of Novus Capital and AppHarvest have unanimously approved the transaction. The transaction will require the approval of the stockholders of both Novus Capital and AppHarvest, and is subject to other customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close late in the fourth quarter of 2020 or early in the first quarter of 2021.
Additional information about the proposed transaction, including a copy of the merger agreement and investor presentation, will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Novus Capital with the Securities and Exchange Commission and will be available at www.sec.gov.
Advisors
Cowen is serving as sole placement agent and capital markets advisor, and Blank Rome LLP is serving as legal advisor to Novus Capital. Cowen is serving as financial advisor and Cooley LLP is serving as legal advisor to AppHarvest.
Investor Conference Call Information
Novus Capital and AppHarvest will host a joint investor conference call to discuss the proposed transaction Tuesday, September 29, 2020, at 8:30, am ET.
Interested parties may listen to the prepared remarks call via telephone by dialing (877) 425-9470, or for international callers, (201) 389-0878. A telephone replay will be available until October 13, 2020, by dialing (844) 512-2921, or for international callers, (412) 317-6671, and entering the passcode: 13710943.
About AppHarvest
AppHarvest is an applied technology company building some of the world’s largest indoor farms in Appalachia. The Company combines conventional agricultural techniques with cutting-edge technology and is addressing key issues including improving access for all to nutritious food, farming more sustainably, building a home-grown food supply, and increasing investment in Appalachia. The Company’s 60-acre Morehead, KY facility is among the largest indoor farms in the U.S. For more information, visit https://www.appharvest.com/.
About Novus Capital Corporation
Novus Capital raised $100 million in May 2020 and its securities are listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbols “NOVS and “NOVSW.” Novus Capital is a blank check company organized for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. Novus Capital is led by Robert J. Laikin and Larry Paulson, who have significant hands-on experience helping high-tech companies optimize their existing and new growth initiatives by exploiting insights from rich data assets and intellectual property that already exist within most high-tech companies. For more information please visit https://novuscapitalcorporation.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this presentation, regarding Novus Capital’s proposed acquisition of AppHarvest, Novus Capital’s ability to consummate the transaction, the benefits of the transaction, and the combined company’s future financial performance, as well as the combined company’s strategy, future operations, estimated financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of the respective management of AppHarvest and Novus Capital and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of AppHarvest and Novus Capital. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed transaction, including the risk that any regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed transaction or that the approval of the stockholders of Novus Capital or AppHarvest is not obtained; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to AppHarvest; risks related to the rollout of AppHarvest’s business and the timing of expected business milestones; the effects of competition on AppHarvest’s business; the amount of redemption requests made by Novus Capital’s stockholders; the ability of Novus Capital or AppHarvest to issue equity or equity-linked securities or obtain debt financing in connection with the proposed transaction or in the future, and those factors discussed in Novus Capital’s final prospectus dated May 15, 2020 under the heading “Risk Factors,” and other documents Novus Capital has filed, or will file, with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither Novus Capital nor AppHarvest presently know, or that Novus Capital nor AppHarvest currently believe are immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Novus Capital’ and AppHarvest’s expectations, plans, or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. Novus Capital and AppHarvest anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause Novus Capital’s and AppHarvest’s assessments to change. However, while Novus Capital and AppHarvest may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Novus Capital and AppHarvest specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Novus Capital’s and AppHarvest’s assessments of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.
Important Information for Investors and Stockholders
In connection with the proposed transaction, Novus Capital will file a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) with the SEC, which will include a preliminary proxy statement to be distributed to holders of Novus Capital’s common stock in connection with Novus Capital’s solicitation of proxies for the vote by Novus Capital’s stockholders with respect to the proposed transaction and other matters as described in the Registration Statement, as well as the prospectus relating to the offer of securities to be issued to AppHarvest’s stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. After the Registration Statement has been filed and declared effective, Novus Capital will mail a definitive proxy statement, when available, to its stockholders. Investors and security holders and other interested parties are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus, any amendments thereto, and any other documents filed with the SEC carefully and in their entirety when they become available because they will contain important information about Novus Capital, AppHarvest, and the proposed transaction. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus and definitive proxy statement/prospectus (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by Novus Capital through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to: Novus Capital Corporation, 8556 Oakmont Lane, Indianapolis, IN 46260. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, the websites referenced in this press release is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.
Participants in the Solicitation
Novus Capital and its directors and officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of Novus Capital’s shareholders in connection with the proposed business combination. Security holders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of certain of Novus Capital’s executive officers and directors in the solicitation by reading Novus Capital’s final prospectus filed with the SEC on May 15, 2020, the registration statement / proxy statement and other relevant materials filed with the SEC in connection with the business combination when they become available. Information concerning the interests of Novus Capital’s participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of their stockholders generally, will be set forth in the registration statement / proxy statement relating to the business combination when it becomes available.
Contacts:
Novus Capital Corporation
Investors Relations
Robert Laikin, Chairman
RobertJLaikin@gmail.com
AppHarvest
Investor Relations
John Mills and Melissa Calandruccio, CFA
AppHarvestIR@icrinc.com
Media Relations
Cory Ziskind and Keil Decker
AppHarvestPR@icrinc.com
Largest Indoor Farm In The World To Be Developed In Abu Dhabi
The GreenFactory Emirates will produce 10,000 tons of fresh produce per year on a cultivation area of 160,000 square meters. It combines vertical and flat farming and solves the normal cultivation restrictions due to extreme climates in regions as the UAE
A Joint Venture Between GrowGroup IFS And RainMKRS Capital
Investment Announced The Construction of A 17,5 ha
Indoor Farm In The Desert of Abu Dhabi
2 October 2020
The GreenFactory Emirates will be the biggest indoor farm in the world. The farm uses 95 percent less water compared to conventional outdoor farming.
Vertical and flat farming
The GreenFactory Emirates will produce 10,000 tons of fresh produce per year on a cultivation area of 160,000 square meters. It combines vertical and flat farming and solves the normal cultivation restrictions due to extreme climates in regions as the UAE.
The total project amounting to 150 million euros is planned in different phases for the next 3 years.
Initiators CEO John Breedveld of GrowGroup and chairman Mohamed Jouan Salem Al Dhaheri of rainMKRS.
Extreme low water use
Compared to standard farming methods, the farm uses very little water. According to GrowGroup director John Breedveld the water use will be even lower than for conventional greenhouse cultivations.
‘The water scarcity made us decide to reuse the condensate water. In countries where water is less scarce, this is often considered to be too expensive. We expect to realize a water use of only 2 liter per kilogram produced food.'
The extremely low water use also helps the farm to achieve a low carbon footprint. Breedveld: ‘As we use so little water, we can get it from an inland freshwater source. Therefore we don't need to use freshwater that is produced by desalination of seawater. This is a very common water source in Abu Dhabi but it has a higher carbon footprint.’
‘It helps us to reduce the farmer’s CO2 footprint up to 40 percent compared to conventional outdoor production’, added Breedveld.
Mariam Hareb Almheiri, UAE Minister of State for Food Security.
Food security
Food security is high on the UAE’s agenda. The country aims to be number 1 on the Global Food Security Index by 2051.
Commenting on the announcement, Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security said: ‘The UAE is applying concerted efforts to improve its domestic production of food, with agricultural technology having a hugely important role to play.‘
‘In fact, key targets of the government’s National Food Security strategy are to generate a 30 percent yield improvement from technology-enabled production. Indoor farms such as GreenFactory Emirates are instrumental in helping us reach these goals’, stated minister Hareb Almheiri.
Research and development
GreenFactory Emirates will include a built-in research and development component that will help ramp up the production beyond the 56 current varieties of lettuces, leafy greens, herbs, and kale. It will also optimize its production by collecting real-time data to inform future global expansion of indoor farming.
With confirmed partnerships with GAAS Wageningen and Delphy in The Netherlands, GreenFactory will benefit from live feedback provided by some of the best students and academia in the field.
Partnership
The partnership between GrowGroup and rainMKRS is a result of an introduction made by the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in the United Arab Emirates and the Monarch Group which has played an instrumental role in seeking opportunities and nurturing relationships.
The joint venture announced the construction of more indoor farms in other regions of the world where extreme climates are a challenge to normal cultivation.
This news item is based on content originally published on the websites of Grow Group IFS, Rainmkrs Capital, and Emirates News Agency.
Lead photo: Impression of the 26 football field large indoor farm that will be built in Abu Dhabi.
Tri-State, EPRI Team To Officially Bring ‘Farm In A Box’ Program To Moffat County School District
Tri-State will install one of EPRI’s cutting-edge indoor agriculture facilities on the grounds of Moffat County High School later this year, according to a press release from Tri-State
09-23-20 | Joshua Carney | Follow
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association’s decades-long relationship with the Electric Power Research Institute is about to bear fruit for Moffat County School District students and the Craig community as a whole as the “Farm in a Box” project moves forward.
Tri-State will install one of EPRI’s cutting-edge indoor agriculture facilities on the grounds of Moffat County High School later this year, according to a press release from Tri-State.
The “Farm in a Box” is valued at $250,000 – which is covered as part of Tri-State’s EPRI membership – and will provide a new source for fresh produce in the region and educational opportunities for MCSD students. Moffat County High School Business Teacher Krista Schenck presented the project to City Council in early September. The project has the capability to produce various crops, such as lettuce, kale, arugula herbs, flowers, carrots, and radishes, year-round inside the shipping container.
“Tri-State invests in its EPRI membership and is keen to find immediately applicable uses for the remarkable technologies that emerge to benefit the electric sector and society at large,” said Tri-State CEO Duane Highley in a press release. “We also recognize that the transition brought on by our Responsible Energy Plan will have a major impact on coal-dependent communities, so if we can leverage a program to bring new educational, economic, and lifestyle benefits to support Moffat County schools, we are proud and eager to do so.”
An EPRI-led team is constructing the facility – a 40-foot long shipping container equipped with efficient lighting, temperature control, and plumbing infrastructure needed to grow crops inside the container on a year-round basis.
Since 2015, EPRI has been examining the operational, technological, sustainability, and environmental characteristics for indoor agriculture, by installing container farms across the United States and assessing their performance with local electricity providers, academic institutions, and other community organizations.“
As an emerging industry in urban and rural areas throughout the United States, indoor farming can help us use our energy and water resources more efficiently,” said EPRI President Arshad Mansoor. “EPRI’s indoor food production research aims to help electric utilities better understand, plan for, and engage with this novel enterprise while also offering educational opportunities for project collaborators, the local community, and the next generation of farmers to address food availability challenges.”
According to Tri-State, EPRI staff will monitor the container to evaluate nutrient quality of the produce, utility program compatibility, community impacts, sustainability performance, technology trends, market drivers, electricity load profiles, and other broader environmental and economic aspects of indoor food production for the first two years following installation. EPRI will conduct research on the container and MCSD will be the sole owner and operator of the equipment.
“Moffat County School District is excited about the learning potential this program affords its career and technical education students in our community,” said Principal Sarah Hepworth of Moffat County High School.“
Through the collaboration between agricultural, business, marketing, and culinary programs, the opportunities to learn about horticulture, conservation, food regulations, business, and project management, marketing, sales, and food preparation are endless for MCSD students,” said Schenck. “Students and faculty look forward to utilizing this partnership and the technology of ‘Farm in a Box’ to grow crops from microgreens to lettuce and carrots.”
Preparing the container farm will take several weeks and involve manufacturing and a customized graphic treatment of its exterior. School officials are targeting early to mid-November for its arrival in Craig. The EPRI team will consult with the school district on installation and operation.“
This is a true team effort,” added Highley. “One of the seven cooperative principles under which we operate is ‘Concern for Community,’ so we’re excited to see the school district adopt this project and turn it into a real asset for community betterment.”In January, Tri-State announced its Responsible Energy Plan, which will transition the company to more renewable energy production for its members to address changes in the industry and to support new state requirements for clean energy. The effort will result in the closure of the Craig Generation Station by 2030, and Tri-State has been working with state and local officials to support transition efforts in the community.jcarney@craigdailypress.com
How Space-Saving Retailers Can Bring Fresh Farming Indoors
Farm.One’s latest “mini-farm” in a Manhattan Whole Foods sets a precedent for other stores
SEP 23, 2020
Melissa Kvidahl Reilly | Sep 28, 2020
Retailers who pride themselves on using their own homegrown ingredients in foodservice operations previously looked to a rooftop or back lot for garden space. But New York’s Farm.One is changing the game, making it possible for even the most urban locations to optimize space and offer open, transparent, and clean food production.
Previously known for its restaurant partnerships, the brand recently opened a “mini-farm” at the new Whole Foods Market Manhattan West location. The custom-designed, 32-square-foot structure holds 150 plant sites on three growing levels. These plant sites provide the store’s food and beverage preparers with freshly grown and harvested blue spice basil. This type of structure will be a big part of Farm.One’s strategy going forward, and it’s currently on the hunt for new retail partners.
Farm.OneMini-farms can offer as many as 700 varieties of hydroponic-grown crops. “A display farm can have multiple crops, or just one as is the case in the Whole Foods Manhattan West farm,” says Michael Chin, the company’s vice president of corporate development. And, Farm.One can build, install, and train stores on using farms anywhere in the world.
The bottom line? This isn’t the indoor farming of decades past. “Indoor farming has come a long way, especially in the last few years,” says Chin. “We can now produce fresh, clean and healthy food and ingredients profitably, and in an environmentally responsible way. Developments in technology and new techniques will continue to help make onsite production even more accessible to retailers and other businesses in the years to come.”
TAGS: RETAILER AND DISTRIBUTOR
Matt Roney New Lumileds CEO
Roney most recently served as President of Lumileds’ Automotive Business Unit and succeeds Dr. Jonathan Rich who will continue with the company as Executive Chairman of the Board
Lumileds announced the appointment of Matt Roney as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective October 1, 2020. Roney most recently served as President of Lumileds’ Automotive Business Unit and succeeds Dr. Jonathan Rich who will continue with the company as Executive Chairman of the Board.
“Speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors, we are grateful for Jon’s contributions as CEO and believe Lumileds is well-positioned for success in this next phase under Matt’s leadership,” said Rob Seminara, Senior Partner at Apollo Global Management. “Matt has nearly 25 years’ experience in the automotive industry and his performance and leadership throughout his career have given us even greater confidence in his ability to drive long-term innovation and growth at Lumileds.”
“Lumileds has a long history of innovation in conventional automotive lighting and is a pioneer of leading-edge LED technology for the consumer electronics, automotive, and general illumination markets,” said Roney. “I am honored by the opportunity to lead this company and team in its next phase and excited by the opportunities ahead to bring new and innovative lighting solutions to market. I look forward to building on the foundation Dr. Rich has put in place to further advance our technologies and increase the value we deliver to customers across a broad set of industries.”
Prior to joining Lumileds, Roney served as Chief Operating Officer for Stanley Infrastructure, a division of Stanley Black & Decker. Previously, Roney was the President of Paladin Attachments, which was acquired by Stanley Infrastructure. He also spent eight years at TRW Automotive, now known as ZF TRW, in roles of rising responsibility, including Vice President and General Manager of its $2.5 billion Global Steering Business. Roney has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University, an MSE in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
For more information:
Lumileds
www.lumileds.com
Publication date: Tue 22 Sep 2020
October 7th Webinar - Harnessing The Growing Synergy Between Space Farming and Indoor Agriculture
Over the decades there has been the evolution & transformation of biologically-based life support innovations that have now been adopted in today's global vertical farming industry
OCTOBER WEBINAR SCHEDULE
Harnessing The Growing Synergy Between Space Farming & Terrestrial Indoor Agriculture
OCTOBER 7, 2020 | 2-3 PM EDT
What Do Space Farming, Greenhouse Equipment
& Triple Bottom Line Farms Have In Common?
Moderator:
Dr. Joel Cuello, Professor of Biosystems Engineering at The University of Arizona and Vice Chair of the Association for Vertical Farming
Panelists:
Dr. David Bubenheim, Senior Research Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
Ralph Fritsche , NASA Space Crop Production Project Manager.
Dr. Gary Stutte, President, SyNRGE
Over the decades there has been the evolution & transformation of biologically-based life support innovations that have now been adopted in today's global vertical farming industry. And, the emergence of Industry 4.0 innovations -- from data analytics to automation to AI -- is certainly helping launch vertical farms into their exponential advancements.
All these set the stage for synergistic public-private partnerships for successful implementation of biologically-based life support systems for long-duration manned missions on the Moon and on Mars -- and all their powerful innovation multiplier effects extended further for application in the terrestrial vertical farming industry. Hosted by the Association For Vertical Farming, our panel will be delving into the various aspects of such brave and exciting scenarios, both present and future.
SAVE YOUR FREE SPOT
OCTOBER 21, 2020 | 2-3 PM EDT
Why Does Greenhouse Equipment Need To Be Simple?
What is the number one thing to look for in commercial horticulture and agriculture equipment? Simplicity. The best-selling & most successfully used products are easy to learn, easy to use and easy to fix. This is not to say that they are actually simple. But, they are engineered with simplicity in mind.
Why is that so important in commercial horticulture? Our panel will explore why its so important for key equipment components to be simple and discuss what characteristics to look for in lighting, irrigation, sensors & more.
MODERATOR
Chris Higgins, President & General Manager, Hort Americas LLC & Owner, UrbanAgNews
PANELISTS
Paul Brentlinger, President, Crop King Inc.
Dr. Nadia Sabeh, President & Founder, Dr. Greenhouse
Isaac Van Geest, Sales, Zwart Systems
SAVE YOUR FREE SPOT!
OCTOBER 29, 2020 | 2-3 PM EDT
BUILDING SUSTAINABLE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE FARMS
During this insightful and inspiring session our moderator and panelists will discuss:
The concept of the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet and Profits
The B-Certification process and reporting
The contributions indoor farms can make according to the Triple Bottom Line
Lessons learned from sustainable indoor farms that apply to all forms of indoor farming & more.
Moderator
Eric W. Stein, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture and Associate Professor of Business at Penn State
Panelists:
Dave Nichols, Director of Strategy, AppHarvest
Alexander Rudnicki, Senior Project Manager/ Plant Manager, Aerofarms
This session is hosted by Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, whose mission is to accelerate the global transition to indoor farming production methods that are safe and sustainable and to empower indoor and vertical farmers with the knowledge, tools, and resources to build profitable businesses.
SAVE YOUR FREE SPOT!
Indoor Ag-Con, 950 Scales Road, Building #200, Suwanee, GA 30024, United States
Hydroponics For Beginners 101: The Basics
When broken up into two words -hydro and -ponics, it translates to “water” and “labor.” The Greek definitions of these words essentially translates to “working water.”
Hydroponics is a growing method for beginners and experts alike. This innovative farming system provides users with more controlled environments to grow their crops all-year-round. In this article, you will learn about hydroponics for beginners, and we’ll cover the basics to get you started.
What is hydroponics anyways?
When broken up into two words -hydro and -ponics, it translates to “water” and “labor.” The Greek definitions of these words essentially translates to “working water.” The reason for this is because hydroponics is a method used to grow crops without using soil. Through hydroponic systems, plants can grow by using nutrients in water instead.
What are the benefits of hydroponics?
There are various reasons why farmers are starting to adopt hydroponics as a means of growing crops.
1. Crops grow at a faster rate
Hydroponic plants tend to grow at a faster rate ranging from 30 to 50% faster than plants grown in traditional soil methods. This happens because hydroponically grown plants do not have to spend time searching for nutrients in the soil since it is provided several times throughout the day using hydroponic systems. With its saved energy, these plants can focus on growing into healthier plants.
2. Greater Yields
Since hydroponic plants can get the nutrients they need at all times, the plants don’t need to have large roots. With smaller roots, these plants don’t require as much room as traditional soil-grown plants, so farmers can plant more of these plants side-by-side, thus producing greater yields.
3. Hygienic Way of Growing
Since hydroponic plants are grown indoors, they’re free from the pests that soil typically attracts. This helps prevent disease and promotes hygiene.
4. Can Grow All Year Round
Hydroponic systems allow users to grow plants all-year-round. These automated systems are controlled by timers and computers, which helps growers to grow food no matter the season.
How do hydroponic systems work?
Hydroponics was created to take out the uncertainty aligned with growing plants in traditional farming methods. Hydroponic systems give users more control over the plant’s environment and nutrient sources to ensure it can grow without being interfered with by natural disasters, lack of nutrients, or pests. Knowing this, it makes sense as to why hydroponic systems work to give a plant what it needs.
Even though the soil is not in the equation, a growing medium is still used in hydroponics. Some mediums include perlite, sand, and Rockwool. These mediums get nutrients in the water and provide oxygen for the plant’s roots.
Want to learn more about hydroponics for beginners?
Now that you have a basic understanding of hydroponic systems, it’s time for you to learn more about this modern way of farming. We at the Nick Greens Grow Team use our knowledge and expertise to inform our readers about the innovations in farming. Want to learn more about hydroponics for beginners? Make sure to subscribe to our blog and YouTube channel for weekly updates! We also are teaching a microgreen class where you can learn more about microgreens and hydroponics for beginners.
Sign up for our microgreens class here.
#hydroponicsforbeginners #hydroponicforbeginners #startinghydroponics #startinghydroponic #hydroponics #hydroponic #hydroponicsfarming #hydroponicsgrowing #hydroponicfarming #hydroponicgrowing #usinghydroponics #hydroponicssetup #hydroponicsetup #hydroponicssystem #hydroponicsystem #hydroponicsfarmer #hydroponicfarmer
Greens Grown In A Warehouse? Vertical Farming A Growing Trend In Ontario
Vertical farming maximizes crop output in a limited space; the seasons don't matter: growing takes place anytime, anywhere
Andrew Coppolino · CBC News
Sep 26, 2020
This photo was taken inside We the Roots vertical farm in Toronto. Wired with LED lights, the hydroponic facility can grow up to 20000 leafy green plants at a time. (Yan Jun Li/CBC)
With vertical farming, seasons don't matter: growing takes place anytime, anywhere
It's a plain building in an industrial complex in Guelph, a few minutes from Highway 401. Inside is 4,000 square metres of high-tech "vertical farm" operated by GoodLeaf Farms, a Halifax-based company.
In the course of 12 months, GoodLeaf grows, harvests and packages 360,000-kilograms of pea shoots, mustard medley, Asian mix and arugula microgreens as well as baby kale and baby arugula. The growing room is a couple of storeys high with trays of microgreens settled into a peat moss-based substrate.
Vertical farming maximizes crop output in a limited space; the seasons don't matter: growing takes place anytime, anywhere.
The facility uses no pesticides, fungicides or herbicides. A blend of red and blue LED lighting casts a pink glow on the produce, which is helped in its growth with computer-controlled hydroponics. Nutrients such as nitrogen are added through the irrigation system.
"A vertical farm is where technology and traditional agriculture come together. We grow leafy greens vertically in stacks in an indoor controlled environment," said Jacquie Needham of GoodLeaf.
There are a lot of computers, so in a way it's farming with data. In this relatively new industry, "controlled environment agriculture" (CEA) uses technology that allows for the precise control of variables such as ventilation, light, heat and humidity to grow fresh greens and get them to market quickly and efficiently and without worrying about variables like drought, flooding, insects and frost.
Would you eat microgreens grown in a warehouse? Many people do. It's from technology called vertical farming. Food columnist Andrew Coppolino visited GoodLeaf Farms' Guelph facility recently to learn about this growing opportunity for farming. (Andrew Coppolino/CBC)
From seed to grocery stores
GoodLeaf, which built its first pilot farm in Truro, NS, in 2015, has been in the commercial market for about a year now. Its microgreens are available at Loblaw stores and Fortino's, and Needham says they hope to be in Longo's and Whole Foods soon.
GoodLeaf employs 70 people, whose goals, aside from producing good flavour, are efficiency and sustainability, which make it a part of the City of Guelph's vision to be Canada's first "circular" food economy.
"In a controlled environment, we can recycle 95% of the water we use," Needham said.
Seeds are planted in trays of peat substrate (later recycled as garden compost) which are loaded onto decks and rolled into a dark germination room, at about 85% humidity, for two days. They then head to the towers of the pink-light growing room, held at 21-degrees C., for a growing cycle between six and 20 days.
At harvest, the microgreen leaves from the miniature plants (these are not "sprouts") are quickly sliced by a machine, packaged and chilled. In the grocery store, they have a shelf-life of over two weeks. As for price, GoodLeaf products are roughly in line with organic greens.
The facility is strictly controlled, in all aspects, to ensure food safety; to protect intellectual property, no photography is allowed. Visitors must remove their jewlery, wear a hairnet, cover their footwear with disposable shoe covers and don a Tyvek anti-microbial lab coat. They then individually enter an air-lock and take an "air shower" before entering the production area.
Predictability in farming
The GoodLeaf facility is one of few state-of-the-art vertical farms in the country and collaborates in research and development with the University of Guelph.
According to Sylvain Charlebois, a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University, the technology represents a new wave of farming.
"Controlled environment agriculture is part of the future for Canadian agriculture. If we want to grow our food all year round, there is no other way. We need to think about these technologies, which will evolve and become more efficient," Charlebois said.
Predictability and farming do not go together. Charlebois says that CEA could be part of a solution for Canada, a country that imports most of its produce – a fact that makes us vulnerable. "Covid-19 got a lot of provinces and the country to think differently about food and producing food all year round."
He notes that the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie is currently working with Quebec and New Brunswick on food security projects. "A lot of those projects have to do with controlled environment agriculture," he said.
Is it sustainable?
At the other end of the spectrum is traditional outdoor farming, such as that done at Pfenning's Organic Farm in New Hamburg. Jenn Pfenning sees such vertical farms as "a supplement" to our food supply, though she wonders about the input side of such an energy-intensive operation.
"There's nothing wrong with vertical farming with specific crops, but how do you keep them healthy and growing without taking up too many resources in terms of having to heat it and light it? We struggle to produce greenhouse crops year-round as it is," says Pfenning.
She says microgreens are one thing but maturing a head of lettuce or kale, and moreso tomatoes or peppers is quite another. "It requires more than we can provide through artificial light."
GoodLeaf believes they have the technology to make nutrient-dense greens while acknowledging that it does require a lot of energy to keep the plant operating 24/7 and 365 days. They add, though, that their carbon footprint is less than conventional farming with energy emissions significantly reduced by the fact they use no fertilizers and the produce does not require long trips in vehicles in order to get to market.
Proponents of controlled environment agriculture like Charlebois say "it must be part of the future of Canadian agriculture." Around the world, the amount of arable, nutrient-rich land has diminished and demand for healthy foods has increased.
Vertical farms can also coincide with urban renewal planning that includes retrofitting old factories, which could help rejuvenate a city's core — if the capital is there — and be a local source of fresh food.
A worker checks on some microgreens at a GoodLeaf Farms facility. The company has a vertical farming facility near Guelph. (GoodLeaf Farms)
A growth opportunity
While a lot of our produce for much of the year is trucked in many thousands of kilometers from Mexico and the southern United States, these microgreens are local.
Charlebois says that as these technologies evolve, and if a vertical farm can be financially viable and sell its products at a competitive price, it could be a future model for allowing different markets in Canada to grow greens and give retailers an opportunity to sell fresh local produce.
"Think of the north," said Charlebois. "This is the type of technology you need to make sure communities in the north become food secure."
Whether or not vertical farming is a supplement and hybrid-type of farming, and despite the energy and capital required, GoodLeaf has that growth opportunity in their sights, Needham says.
"They're growing fruits and vegetables in other countries, and we will follow suit because we have heightened awareness of food security when it comes to fruit and vegetable production in Canada."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Food columnist, CBC Kitchener-Waterloo
Andrew Coppolino is a food columnist for CBC Radio in Waterloo Region. He was formerly restaurant reviewer with The Waterloo Region Record. He also contributes to Culinary Trends and Restaurant Report magazines in the U.S. and is the co-author of Cooking with Shakespeare. A couple of years of cooking as an apprentice chef in a restaurant kitchen helped him decide he wanted to work with food from the other side of the stove.
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Lef Farms Keeps The Fresh Coming With The Addition of Fresh New Production Manager
Mariana’s new position was created to provide more time for training, education, and coordination between different departments within the organization
(Loudon, NH) – Coming off a very eventful summer that resulted in expanding distribution by adding Stop & Shop stores throughout New England and supporting medical first-responders during the pandemic with donations of a quarter of a million dollars in baby greens, hydroponic lettuce grower, lef Farms continues its forward momentum by adding a new production manager to its mix.
“We’re so excited to add Mariana Robles to our management team”, smiles lef founder, Henry Huntington. “As a 2015 graduate from the University of Los Llanos Colombia, specializing in Agronomy, Mariana brings with her some fresh, out-of-the-box thinking that we can’t help but benefit from”, finishes Huntington.
lef Farms of Loudon, NH, welcomes its new production manager, Mariana Robles.
But Mariana isn’t a new face at lef Farms. With a passion for farming that brought her to the region in 2015, Mariana was eventually hired by lef in early 2018 to support its seeding line. Since then, Mariana developed into one of lef’s key team members, taking on additional responsibilities as food safety officer and cooler supervisor. As the company continued to grow, Mariana’s new position was created to provide more time for training, education, and coordination between different departments within the organization. As production manager, Mariana will be responsible for driving efficiencies, improving procedures and protocols, and increasing teamwork at Farm.
“With expansion in our near future, putting Mariana in the role of production manager allows the Farm to continue its maturation process prior to pulling that trigger”, concludes Huntington.
lēf Farms is a 1-acre hydroponic greenhouse growing facility located in Loudon, NH, producing nearly 1.5 million pounds annually of its Crisp, Smooth, Spice, and Fusion baby greens for New England.
MALAYSIA: Econ 4.0: Why Focus on Farming?
So where is the future of food? Literally underground. South Korean start-up Farm8 has built a thriving underground farm next to the Sangdo metro underground station. The farm has been in operation since last September and grows an array of vegetables under bright LED lights
Raju Chellam/The Edge Malaysia
September 29, 2020
This article first appeared in Enterprise, The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on September 14, 2020 - September 20, 2020
Here’s a funny farming fable: An officer from the income tax department pays a visit to an old farmer in a rural community. “Show me the list of all your employees and how much you pay them,” he demands.“There are four employees,” the farmer says. “One is a plant picker and cleaner; he gets RM4,000 plus free room and food. Another is a sorter and packer who gets RM3,000 and free food. The third is a cook who gets RM2,000 and all the food he can eat. The fourth is an idiot who works 15 hours a day, does all the other work around here, gets paid only RM1,000, and has to pay for the room and food.”The officer is incensed. “Who’s this idiot and why is he paid so much less? I want to meet him right now.”
The farmer sighs. “You’re talking to him.”
If that joke sounds far-fetched, it isn’t. Our farmers and farm laborers work long hours, in blistering heat and mushy farms, earn low wages, and have uncertain, if not bleak, prospects. Yet, we expect them to deliver good-quality produce every time at low prices on set schedules.
The poor farmer faces a multitude of risks, including climate change, conflicts, pests, infectious crop diseases, a broken supply chain, and unreliable access to quality seeds and environment-friendly fertilizers. Yet, agriculture is crucial for economic growth. In 2014, it accounted for 33% of global gross domestic product (GDP).
“Agricultural development is one of the most powerful tools to end extreme poverty, boost shared prosperity and feed a projected 9.7 billion people by 2050,” says a World Bank report published in April. “Growth in the agriculture sector is two to four times more effective in raising incomes among the poorest compared to other industries. Our 2016 analysis found that 65% of poor working adults made a living through agriculture.”
On the flip side, the current food system threatens the health of people and the planet. Farming accounts for 70% of water use and generates unsustainable levels of pollution and waste. “Millions of people are either not eating enough or eating the wrong types of food, resulting in a double burden of malnutrition that can lead to illnesses and health crises,” the World Bank reports. “The absolute number of hungry and undernourished people increased to a little over 820 million in 2018, equivalent to around one in nine people. In 2018, an estimated 40 million children under five were overweight.”
MALAYSIAN AGRICULTURE
Agriculture is vital to Malaysia’s economy. It contributes 7% to 12% to the nation’s GDP and employs about 16% of the workforce. Large-scale plantations were introduced for cash crops — rubber in 1876, palm oil in 1917, and cocoa beans in 1950. Malaysia is also a significant producer of bananas, coconuts, durians, pineapples, rice, and rambutans.
In 2018, the agriculture sector contributed 7.3% (RM99.5 billion) to Malaysia’s GDP, with oil palm accounting for 38% of that. On the other hand, most farmers do not own mechanical equipment, so they need to hire an army of contractual seasonal labor.“
Due to the shariah law on inheritance, land holdings continue to be broken up between families, making padi farming even more difficult,” the Asia Sentinel reported last December. “Large belts of idle land, estimated at 119,273ha, can be seen across the country partly due to family land disputes. Farmers have no involvement through the supply chain, so opportunities to add value to rice are non-existent. Under the present padi farming system, there is no way farmers will be able to improve their incomes.
”The problem is insidious. “The local agriculture sector is too convoluted owing to bureaucracy,” Tun Daim Zainuddin, Malaysia’s former finance minister, wrote in an article in The Edge on Jan 11, 2020. “It is hard to break into the sector unless you have experience and contacts, which holds back many aspiring young farmers. I hope the relevant authorities will review their practices to ensure a simpler and more efficient process. Sometimes, people tend to forget that time is also a resource, and agriculture in Malaysia currently demands far too much time to jump through various hoops.”
The market for food is enormous, even within Asia. Asia’s current expenditure on food is set to more than double to US$8 trillion by 2030. “It is estimated that US$800 billion cumulative investment above existing levels will be required over the next decade to meet the region’s agri-needs for the future,” Tun Daim wrote. “New and emerging technologies will be needed to increase agricultural yields and nutritional value while addressing the effects of climate change.”
This burgeoning market has enticed the corporate sector. Many conglomerates have stepped in to revolutionize agriculture quietly. The Sunway Group, for example, is building a 50,000 sq ft urban farming innovation hub at Sunway City Kuala Lumpur. Called “Sunway FutureX”, it will bring together urban farming enthusiasts, tech firms, researchers, and young talent to create solutions for food and agritech.
“We hope to build innovations, which will contribute to improved long-term food security and sustainability in our nation,” says Matt Van Leeuwen, Sunway Group’s chief innovation officer, and Sunway iLabs director. “We aim to nourish our communities with the fresh produce grown at our farms and educate them on sustainable living and urban farming.”
The farming bug has also bitten companies in farm-free Singapore. “Singapore is a hymn to concrete and metal. But look closely, and you can see farms mushrooming across the city-state: on the roofs of malls and car parks, in schools, warehouses and even the site of a former prison,” The Economist reported on July 4. “This is new. Commercial farming in the land-scarce city was phased out in the 1970s and 1980s.”
Unlike virtually any other country on earth, Singapore has lost a generation of farmers, the magazine quoted Bradley Busetto, head of the Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Agriculture, a United Nations unit based in Singapore, as saying. “Less than 1% of Singapore’s 720 sq km landmass is set aside for farms,” the article noted. “But a new crop of entrepreneurs are betting on rewards from finding idle spaces where lettuces may be coaxed to life. Since 2014, 31 commercial urban farms have sprouted.”
FOOD TECH
Food production and distribution are undergoing tectonic shifts, thanks to technology. The most significant changes are in the meat market. More people are turning towards healthy diets, owing to a growing outrage over how animals are treated and the negative effect of livestock on climate change.
Dubbed “meat 2.0”, it includes, for example, “cultured meats” or lab-grown meat, the price of which dropped 99% from 2013 to 2017. “Before cultured meats hit the market, an even more significant piece of the meat-consumption market is rapidly growing: meat-replacement products made of, for example, soybean protein, potatoes, sunflower oil, and pea protein,” says a McKinsey study. “Surveys suggest that a majority of the population would be inclined to try meat-replacement products or ‘vegetal’ meat. This fast-growing segment is attracting funding from VC (venture capital) firms as well as established companies, and IPOs of alternative-meat companies have begun.”
The most prominent is California-based Impossible Foods, founded in 2011. It reverse-engineers animal products at the molecular level, then selects proteins and nutrients from plants to recreate the experience and nutrition of meat products. Its signature product, the “Impossible Burger”, was launched in July 2016. It now also makes plant-based sausages, and early this year debuted its plant-based pork.
In March 2020, Impossible raised US$500 million (RM2.1 billion) in its latest series F funding round, led by South Korea’s Mirae Asset Global Investments. The company has so far raised US$1.3 billion; other investors include Khosla Ventures, Horizons Ventures, and Singapore’s Temasek Holdings.“We designed our supply chain to be scaled globally,” David Lee, Impossible’s chief financial officer, told Forbes. “Unlike many companies, our technology can be dropped into any factory and can scale because we don’t have a lot of the problems the meat industry struggles with. We don’t grow animals over the years; we don’t ship cows and pigs to slaughterhouses and then process the meat. We make our product from plants, and it’s given us an advantage to quickly scale with co-manufacturers as well as with our own plant.”
The plant-based meat trend has caught on. Nuggs, a plant-based chicken nugget firm, began operations last year with a US$7 million investment round led by McCain Foods; it calls itself the “Tesla of chicken”.
Rebellyous Foods focuses on plant-based chicken nuggets, patties, and strips. Founder Christie Lagally is a mechanical engineer with 15 years’ experience and holds five patents in manufacturing technology.
Kellogg’s MorningStar Farms will launch vegan “Incogmeato Chik’n” nuggets and tenders this year. “Burgers to bacon, pulled pork to corn dogs, vegetarian to vegan, MorningStar Farms is plant-based goodness made for everyone,” the firm advertises.
Beyond Meat makes burgers, sausages, and beef products — all without animal protein. “Our quarter-pound beef burger uses 99% less water, 93% less land, 46% less energy and emits 90% less carbon dioxide compared to animal-based beef products,” the company claims.
So where is the future of food? Literally underground. South Korean start-up Farm8 has built a thriving underground farm next to the Sangdo metro underground station. The farm has been in operation since last September and grows an array of vegetables under bright LED lights.
Called the Metro Farm, it uses high-tech hydroponics to produces 30kg of vegetables a day and is 40 times more efficient than traditional farming. “Farm8 is hoping to expand its flagship farm to three more Seoul metro stations later this year,” the BBC reported on July 24. “If successful, the innovative venture may not only offer a more sustainable solution to urban farming but also has the potential to be rolled out in environments where traditional farming isn’t feasible, such as deserts and Arctic climates.”
The bottom line: The future of humanity depends on our ability to grow enough food to feed a surging global population. The future of food depends on sharpening our focus on farming, whether we use technology or not, whether we farm on horizontal acres of land or on vertical concrete farms. In the future, it is likely that every high-tech engineer will be proud also to call himself or herself a farmer.
Raju Chellam is vice-president of new technologies at Fusionex International, Asia’s leading big data analytics company
Indoor Ag Gets Social With New Farmbook Networking & Data Collection Initiative
“You don’t see a forum where people can get together who have small and medium-sized operations or who are thinking about investing in it. I get lots of calls from people asking for an hour of my time because they want to talk about the industry,” Farmbook’s Boston-based co-creator Peter Tasgal told AFN
September 28, 2020
Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) has seen a renewed bout of interest recently, but there are plenty of pain points still plaguing the growing industry. A new non-profit initiative called The Farmbook Project is hoping to resolve some of those issues by providing indoor growers with more opportunities to connect while aggregating data to establish benchmarks.
“You don’t see a forum where people can get together who have small and medium-sized operations or who are thinking about investing in it. I get lots of calls from people asking for an hour of my time because they want to talk about the industry,” Farmbook’s Boston-based co-creator Peter Tasgal told AFN. His fellow co-creator is Albuquerque-based Xander Yang, who has been working in the vertical farming industry for the last five years.
What Tasgal noticed was, when he got these requests, people were always asking him the same questions. He realized that growers in the space were mostly isolated and likely hungering for a chance to connect with their CEA colleagues. Growers in the space have a long history of keeping information to themselves, according to Farmbook. And while there may be a few good reasons for holding this info close to the chest, a bit more sharing could help move the industry forward as a whole.
Aggregating data confidentially through the Farmbook platform can also help with tackling another problem many CEA operators face: a lack of business planning and coaching. Having a cohesive business plan can help attract more investors, according to the Farmbook team. Investors cannot predict whether they will meet their ROI needs if an operation doesn’t have a business plan addressing how it plans to succeed.
In the CEA space, startups have chosen a wide variety of routes to market, including direct sales through grocers, selling to restaurants, and wholesaling. Others sell equipment in the form of turnkey container farms.
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Considering that 75% of all retail tomato sales in the US come from greenhouse production, by Farmbook’s estimate, there should be plenty of data to sift through.
“We’ll certainly have to look at the data because […] we don’t want all the data to come from successful operators. That won’t be helpful,” Tasgal said. “We are looking to get information from a wide range of operators.”
Perhaps Farmbook’s biggest objective is to standardize some of the metrics used in CEA production, such as pounds of production per plant hole per annum. The initiative thinks the use of such standards would be valuable not only for existing producers, but also for prospective farmers trying to determine how to start their own operations. Investors assessing revenue forecasts and retail purchasing managers who need to know a potential supplier’s capacity could also benefit from standardized metrics.
“In the retail industry or in the car industry there is always lots of information available that people use to benchmark themselves or to figure out how to set up. Performance indicators,” Tasgal said. “I think people know that information in this space [but aren’t sharing it] and I think that’s hindering growth.”
Farmbook is still testing its platform, but the website is live and project members are working to grow the team to capture a wide range of industry views.
As indoor ag continues to grow and evolve, it’s finding ways to fit in with, or compete against, the existing food chain. There is a variety of opinions regarding the ultimate role that CEA will have to play in our future food system.
“I think it will never be a pure commodity. Just the cost structure of indoor farms necessarily requires that it has to be somewhat of a specialized product,” Tasgal said. “That’s not to mean small – just that you won’t ever be growing wheat, cotton, or large commodity grains indoors. But when 75% of eating tomatoes are grown indoors that is pretty amazing. It tells me that the tomato business is becoming a purely indoor market.”
Do you think the CEA industry needs more benchmarks? Let me know at lauren@agfunder.com
September Indoor Science Cafe Recording Is Now Available! "Hydroponic Nutrient Management Basics"
This presentation 'Hydroponic Nutrient Management Basics' was given by Dan Gillespie (JR Peters Inc.) during our 22nd cafe forum on September 22nd, 2020. Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the OptimIA project team funded by the USDA SCRI grant program
This presentation 'Hydroponic Nutrient Management Basics' was given by Dan Gillespie (JR Peters Inc.) during our 22nd cafe forum on September 22nd, 2020. Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the OptimIA project team funded by the USDA SCRI grant program.
Complete Packaging Solutions For Leafy Greens
JASA has been in the automatic packaging market for sliced vegetables for 35 years; consequently, they gained all the knowledge and expertise to pack mixed lettuce varieties in various ways
JASA has been in the automatic packaging market for sliced vegetables for 35 years; consequently, they gained all the knowledge and expertise to pack mixed lettuce varieties in various ways.
Bags filled with leafy greens on a vertical packaging machine.
Packed in trays with a lid or top seal.
Salad bowls with various extra components such as proteins and dressings.
A sleeve around the packaging ensures the leafy greens will stand out on the shelf.
As a packager of leafy greens, JASA can put together a complete packaging solution to pack mixed lettuce at high speed. And as a system integrator, the company takes full accountability of the weighing and packaging process.
"To make the packaging process as easy as possible for the customer, we are a partner throughout the entire process," says Sandra Somford. "We listen to the customer's wishes during the building phase and contribute ideas to arrive at the best packaging solution." This total solution also looks at the best options for the production line in combination with the packaging and packaging materials; printed or clear film, labels, or action stickers. "Our complete packaging lines make it all possible."
The company uses highly accurate weighers, ideal for leafy greens. With distribution rights for weighers from various brands, JASA develops and produces multiple machines, such as vertical packaging machines, under its own brand and management. In addition, the complete packaging lines are both maintenance and user friendly. The production lines have a hygienic design and are made from stainless steel, ensuring they meet the highest hygienic and quality standards.
For more information:
Sandra Somford
JASA Packaging Solutions, Inc.
Tel: +1 (804) 290-3683
Email: sandra.somford@jasapackaging.com
www.jasa.nl
Publication date: Mon 28 Sep 2020
Dr. Peter Quinn Appointed As New Chair of CHAP
Peter holds an MBA and BSc(Hons) & Ph.D. in Epigenetics & Microbiology and has published on the importance of nutrition to improve health and wellness in society
Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) one of the four UK Agri-Tech Centres of Innovation, has appointed Dr. Peter Quinn, CEO of Genius Foods, to be its new Non-Executive Chairman, following the retirement, earlier this year, of John Chinn.
Peter brings extensive business leadership experience to the CHAP Board, having held Chief Executive, Managing Director, and Non-Executive Director roles. He has a background in creating enterprise value across a range of complex FMCG brand and private label markets in food and drink, manufacturing and retail, biotech, and agri-tech.
He is currently CEO of Genius Foods and was previously divisional MD of Samworth Brothers. In addition, he holds several NED positions in the Agri-Tech/Produce sector. He is an expert in transformational turnarounds and the creation of growth and value strategies through organizational alignment and ingenuity.
He is also passionate about building business cultures committed to people and has served on the Boards of BITC Charities, dedicated to creating opportunities for disadvantaged young people through education and personal development.
Peter holds an MBA and BSc(Hons) & Ph.D. in Epigenetics & Microbiology and has published on the importance of nutrition to improve health and wellness in society.
As Chairman of CHAP, he is committed to the vital function of science, technology and collaborative innovation to transform UK agriculture and sustainable food production.
CHAP CEO Fraser Black said: “CHAP is experiencing an exciting period of growth and development and Peter is well-placed to help us cement our position at the centre of the UK agritech innovation sector. His commercial, non-profit, and academic experience are a perfect fit for CHAP. I look forward to working with him to ensure CHAP continues to act as a catalyst for innovation in UK agribusiness. This will enable us to achieve our vision of making the UK a global leader in the development of applied agri-technologies, to help secure our future by nourishing a growing population sustainably while delivering economic, environmental and health benefits to society.”
Peter Quinn said: “I am delighted to be appointed to the Board of CHAP as Non-Executive Chairman. There has never been a more critical time to invest in the future of UK agriculture and sustainable food production. CHAP plays a pivotal role in creating world-class innovations through collaborations between scientists, farmers, and industry to transform the productivity of UK agriculture. CHAP is the nexus for new ideas and ingenuity that will deliver agricultural solutions for tomorrow’s world.”
About Crop Health and Protection (CHAP)
Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), funded by Innovate UK, is one of four UK Agri-Tech Centres. CHAP’s vision is for the UK to be a global leader in the development of applied Agri-Technologies, to help secure our future by nourishing a growing population sustainably while delivering economic, environmental and health benefits to society. CHAP acts as a unique, independent nexus between the UK government, researchers, and industry, building innovation networks to identify and accelerate the development of cutting-edge solutions to drive incremental, transformative, and disruptive changes in sustainable crop productivity.
Website: www.chap-solutions.co.uk Twitter: @CHAP_Enquiries
For further information contact:
Darren Hassall (Marketing Manager): darren.hassall@chap-solutions.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)7866 799152