SPECIAL FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS Urban Farming: Reinventing Agriculture’s Supply Chain AeroFarms CEO David Rosenberg says his innovative Newark firm is addressing the city’s need for fresh food, while creating a new business model for feeding the world. B Y S AMANTHA J. H ENRY C ONTRIBUTING E DITOR we can grow and distribute fresh pro- of transportation, utilities, water and A EROFARMS, A NEWARK-BASED duce year-round—which makes vertical wastewater, and buildings exists in the vertical farming company, grows farming so vital.” context of varying and ever-changing its produce in an urban ware- Tasting Success. “People constantly social, economic, political and cultural house using no sunlight or soil. It uses say that what AeroFarms produces—the conditions. zero pesticides, herbicides and fungi- watercress, the arugula—is the best The pressures of an increased popula- cides, and employs a rigorously moni- they’ve ever tasted. Using plant biology, tion, the advanced age of existing infra- tored, sophisticated system of LED lights, we can change plant bitterness, softness, structure, fiscal constraints, climate filtration, and HVAC units and pumps. hardness, size, height and nutritional change, and natural and manmade Its productivity, measured by output density. We create a better-quality plant disasters all threaten these societal life- per square foot, is 130 times greater than that also tastes great—and we are lines. In addition, the natural environ- a traditional field farm, while using 95 USDA-certified. We do not use GMO.” ment continues to be adversely impact- percent less water. Plans are in the works Making Agriculture Matter. “Popula- ed by past developments and natural to open 25 more farms over the next tion growth, urbanization and depletion disasters. Our goals for the next four five years in New Jersey and New York. of arable land have consequences. By years and beyond are to turn those com- In this exclusive interview with some estimates, we will need 50 percent plexities and constraints into opportuni- COMMERCE, AeroFarms CEO David more food by 2050 given the rising mid- ties and to think differently, to plan dif- Rosenberg discusses urban farming and dle class. AeroFarms and vertical farming ferently, and to be innovative. its potential to change Newark and the is one of the solutions.” There has been considerable debate world. Here are his key thoughts and Planning for the Future. “We are in this country, especially in the political insights on his company’s innovative building a company not just to change arena, over the issue of climate change. business and plans for future growth. Newark and expand access to fresh food While that debate rages on, the reality is Vertical Farming. “It’s such a new in this city, but to change the world as that communities are facing the negative industry. We are head and shoulders well. Our mission is to build farms all impacts of more frequent and stronger better than anyone else in the space, over the world so everyone has access storms, flooding, heat waves and which is good and bad. The bad is that to fresh, great-tasting, safe produce.” drought conditions. These, as well as there is no one to look left and right other climate change-related impacts *** with and copy. We are paving the way.” threaten our infrastructure, coastlines, Defining AeroFarms. “We are a tech- Making U.S. Cities More natural ecosystems, water supply, agricul- nology company, as well as an operating Sustainable & Resilient ture and fisheries, and vulnerable popu- company. We realized that because the lations. By Dr. Colette Santasieri, industry is so new, we needed to be The challenge lies in our ability to NJII Director, Policy and farmers and get good data to inform move past the debates and develop inno- Planning Innovation for our technology.” vative ways for communities to become Civil Infrastructure and Reinventing the Supply Chain. “With more sustainable and resilient. This chal- Environment leafy greens, there is almost 70 percent lenge presents our thought leaders, poli- food spoilage after the product comes With more than 50 percent of the cymakers, scientists, planners and engi- off a farm. In traditional farms, leafy world’s population living in cities, we neers with opportunities to not only be greens can be grown in 30 days, but recognize that the challenges being innovative and creative, but to transform they only have three harvests a year faced by our civil infrastructure are those innovations into guidance, tools, because of seasonality. With AeroFarms, mounting. This multi-layered system strategies, processes and technologies continued on page 10 COMMERCE • www.commercemagnj.com 8
SPECIAL FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS continued from page 8 that are readily available to and imple- A core function of the Civil Infrastruc- evolved, practitioners have sought to mentable by every community in need. ture and Environment iLab is to serve as improve their methods of managing One example of NJII’s efforts in creat- a strategic platform for aligning innova- remediation work and develop a set ing sustainable and resilient communi- tive planners, engineers, scientists, archi- of best practices to guide their efforts. ties involves the transformation of tects, and social scientists with industry COMMERCE queried environmental brownfields into community assets. and government to solve complex prob- professionals on ways that LSRPs are Many of these sites have been aban- lems. Our mission is to be a resource helping clients comply with environmen- doned or underutilized for decades. We and conduit for thriving, sustainable, tal laws and carry out cleanups most work hand in hand with individual com- and resilient civil infrastructure systems, effectively. munities, providing technical assistance, communities and regions. Utilize Portfolio tools and the resources necessary to not Management. Place the *** only breathe new life into these proper- project into “baskets” ties, but also ensure that the redevel- Best Practices for New Jersey LSRPs based on degree of liability oped sites contribute to the sustainabili- risk, stage of remediation ty and resilience of those communities. As the Licensed Site Remediation and timeframe for compli- At NJII, we have assembled great minds Professionals (LSRP) program has ance. Prior to the enact- Philip Brilliant in many civil infrastructure and environ- ment of the Site mental areas of study and business. In Remediation Reform Act, which led addition to our iLab staff and university to the creation of the LSRP program, the faculty resources, we work closely with NJDEP set the same deadline parameters our advisory board comprised of industry for investigations of each site, regardless leaders and senior officials from engi- of the degree of risk. Now LSRPs have neering and environmental consulting the flexibility to prioritize projects, expe- firms, real estate and economic develop- diting high-risk sites and extending low- ment, utilities, and construction, and risk sites to their regulatory deadline. environmental advocacy groups. “With the LSRP program, we now have continued on page 12 LOOK WHAT’S HATCHING IN MONMOUTH BEACH. Many of New Jersey’s threatened ospreys are moving to more secure homes with the help of Jersey Central Power & Light’s new nest relocation program. Ospreys often build their nests on top of poles and other electrical equipment. We’re moving these at-risk nests, installing poles topped with nesting platforms and taking measures to prevent nesting near our equipment. It’s all part of our efforts to protect and sustain the natural resources of Monmouth and Ocean counties. COMMERCE • www.commercemagnj.com 10
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