With the spread of the coronavirus, many businesses have had to temporarily close as people are advised to shelter-in-place. However, one sector is booming under the current climate: vertical farming. To understand this form of agriculture and how the rise of COVID-19 has impacted it, consider the brief guide below.

What Is Vertical Farming?

Vertical farming is an agricultural practice where food is grown vertically. Unlike traditional methods where plants are farmed on a single level within a field or greenhouse, this space-saving technique uses stacked layers to grow food within a shipping container, warehouse, or skyscraper where light and temperature are under tight control. This also allows crops to be grown out of season or in areas where they would not normally flourish.

Why Has the Demand for Vertical Farming Increased During the Pandemic?

Because of the pandemic, people are becoming more concerned about where their food comes from and how it is handled before it reaches the supermarket. Because the food grown in vertical farms is under such tight control—from the time the plants are nothing but seeds until they are ready for purchase—consumers have access to information about how the food was produced and where it came from. Currently, this farming method is booming to meet the demand for fresh items like lettuce and kale. 

Additionally, the pandemic has affected supply-chain logistics due to farms and food packaging plants shutting down, truckers getting ill, and workers staying in quarantine. As a result, food grown on farms in rural areas has not always been making it to the cities that could use those resources before they spoil. However, indoor farming allows food to be grown within cities so that residents near and far can have access to fresh produce that’s safe to consume.

Horticulture Tech LLC is the Midwest’s leader in closed-environment vertical farming solutions. Based in Brighton, MI, their team provides customizable automated farming solutions to grow plants in any space. Whether you’re interested in producing flowers, consumables, or plants to process for pharmaceutical research, their knowledgeable team is here to help. Call (810) 522-2794 today to speak with a helpful representative about your needs, or visit them online for more information about their offerings.