Conference Presentation, Panel
Agritech, Vertical Farming and Food Security
Milken InstituteCathy Burns, Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mehairi, Charlie McNairy, Bob Reiter, David Rosenberg, Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mehairi
- Global food production needs a 60% increase by 2050, with the industry aiming to source the majority of this growth from the fruit and vegetable sector.
- AeroFarms plans to commercialize a new crop type next year and will deploy a fifth automation model in September to reduce labor in seeding, harvesting, cleaning, and packaging.
- Vertical farming operations are expected to expand to public schools in Newark and Camden, New Jersey, starting around September, while international expansion targets Dubai and Abu Dhabi to capture first-mover opportunities.
- Cost structures for vertical farming are forecast to decrease to achieve price competitiveness with field farmers, driven by expected improvements in diode efficiency following a Moore's Law-like trajectory.
- The industry anticipates a rapid 30% decline in vegetable consumption among the "boomer" generation, necessitating a cultural shift in food waste habits and serving portion sizes.
- Agri-tech adoption is projected to be driven primarily by millennials and Gen Z, with a future focus on redefining food quality through transparency and health outcomes to attract top talent.
- Climate change is expected to accelerate crop volatility, requiring crops to be bred for greater resilience, adaptability to new environmental stresses, and the ability to withstand changing pest spectrums.
- Robotics and automated harvesting are predicted to become critical "game changers" for the tree fruit industry to address labor shortages, while corn cultivation is already expanding into new regions like South Dakota and Canada due to genetic advancements.
- Future breeding efforts aim to alter phytochemistry for specific flavors or nutritional enhancements like Vitamin A, utilizing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 or GMOs despite current limitations in availability.
- Sustainability certifications and new technologies, including the commercialization of seawater-grown "salicornia" in the UAE, are being developed to address resource constraints and water price increases.
- Closed system farming is envisioned to broaden participation to include women and disabled individuals, while "model farms" will be used to test new technologies before full-scale deployment.
- Financial and policy instruments, such as opportunity zones, are expected to drive innovation in underserved areas, though traditional cooperative extension services may face funding challenges and contract to self-funded models.
- Challenges remain in sourcing organic grains due to shifting consumer preferences, and the industry must utilize a full spectrum of technological capabilities to solve emerging production problems.