AeroFarms builds indoor vertical farms and is set to open its ninth facility in New Jersey, the United States.

    Believed to be the world’s largest vertical farm, this 6,500-square-meter facility has the potential to harvest 900,000 kg of food a year and will use 95 percent less water than field farmed-food.

    AeroFarms has been on a mission to combat the global food crisis since 2004 using its aeroponic* growing systems.

    This technology provides “faster harvest cycles, predictable results, superior food safety and less environmental impact,” AeroFarms explains on its website.

    Not only will this massive farm produce millions of pounds of nutritious greens and herbs, it will produce 75 percent more yield than a traditional outdoor farm that is the same size.

    AeroFarms is able to achieve this by staggering crops, a strategy that allows them to switch between 22 crops per year — regardless of the season.

    The cutting-edge farming systems that are used in all of the facilities do not contribute to the effects of soil erosion*, pesticides* and water overuse, and carbon emissions are heavily reduced and sometimes completely eliminated.

    Specialized LED lights and climate controls have been specifically designed to grow a 250 variety of greens, all without the need for sunlight or soil.

    These unique lights allow AeroFarms to control size, shape, texture, color, flavor and nutrition of the leafy greens and herbs grown in the facilities.

    “We use aeroponics to mist the roots of our greens with nutrients, water, and oxygen,” explains AeroFarms.

    “Our aeroponic system is a closed loop system, using 95 percent less water than field farming, 40 percent less than hydroponics, and zero pesticides.”

    The facility is getting closer to completion after a year of construction and the firm is opening up areas that are ready for operation.

    (SD-Agencies)