Could Vertical Farming Halt Food Waste?

An American startup based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is proposing a sustainable farming alternative to prevent food waste by shipping its products no farther than 160 km from its facilities.

“We scale hyper-locally, and we are growing our audience without growing our carbon footprint,” says Mike Zelkind, CEO of 80 Acres Farms. “We’re selling a highly perishable product, and the faster we can get it to consumers, the fresher and more nutritious it is, and the longer it lasts in consumers’ homes.”

Founded in 2015, 80 Acres Farms first produced 80 acres of salad blends, microgreens, tomatoes, and herbs grown in vertical farms to local clients. Today, its 6,500 square meters can grow 10 million servings of products every year, a fivefold increase of its output. Since the crops grow without soil, rain, or sunlight, the company uses 97% less water than traditional farming. It also stays clear of pesticides and GMOs. Furthermore, 80 Acres Farms’ facilities run entirely on renewable energy. The company’s take on local farming could halt food waste as only 60% of the food grown in the United States reaches consumers.