Container Farms and Controlled Environment Agriculture Study Notes

Enhancing Local Agriculture

Significant growth in local agriculture in the last five years, spurred by new programs.
Emergence of local markets as a result.
Excitement around adding controlled environment agriculture (CEA).

Container farms involve retrofitting used shipping containers for food production.
Driven by:
- The local food movement rise in the 2010s.
- Growing consciousness around urban food security.
- Concerns about how to feed billions in the future.
Combines controlled environment technologies (lighting, HVAC, etc.).

Utilizes readily available shipping containers.
Can be redesigned or custom-built.
Advantages:
- Small and easily transportable.
- Relatively easy to connect to power and water.
- High-yielding for their square footage.

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems.
LED lighting with adjustable spectra.
Nutrient delivery systems with stock solutions and tanks.
Variety of sensors:
- Climate monitoring.
- Hydro sensors for nutrient pH levels.
- Tank sensors.
- Optical sensors for nursery trough levels.
Data feeds into modules communicating with a controller for automation and remote monitoring.
Integration of AI for predicting environmental and nutrient variables as potential future step.

Local produce delivery, ensuring freshness.
Predictable crop timing due to consistent environment.
Crop turnaround in approximately six to seven weeks.
Easy startup in terms of connecting to power and water.
Year-round operation, claimed to be consistent from -50 to 150 degrees.
Generally low water consumption and fast plant growth, typical of CEA.
Pesticide-free.
Water consumption example: 450-500 gallons since mid-March, compared to 1,000-2,000 gallons per week for a quarter-acre land-based farm.

High startup costs (around 150,000 for our unit, with others ranging up to 180,000 or more).
Permitting and site work costs may be required for power and water.
Zoning and city code issues can cause delays.
Ongoing operating costs:
- Labor (people).
- Power (energy).
- Packaging.
Energy consumption can be high, especially running LEDs for extended periods (e.g., 18 hours/day).
Packaging (e.g., clamshells) can be deceptively expensive.

Isolation from services: specialized nature can make it difficult to find local technicians.
Requires a jack-of-all-trades skillset (electrical, mechanical, plumbing).

Profitability is highly market-dependent.
Need to sell approximately 90%-95% of produce to be profitable; can be challenging.
Limited crop selection (mostly leafy greens and herbs) due to management and efficiency considerations.

Approach by UW in May 2023 to receive WIP funding for controlled environment facilities and curriculum development.
Previous winter idea to integrate controlled environment systems via container farm.
Connection with a rep from Freight Farms.
December: purchase contract signed.
Site work dragged out due to city code requirements for a cement pad.
October: delivery of the Freight Farm unit.
Four-month delay in operation due to tech issues.
Troubleshooting involved replacing modules and router.
Close collaboration with Freight Farms for troubleshooting (slow response due to time zone differences).
Mid-March: first harvest.
May 1: Freight Farms declared bankruptcy as of April 30 with no notice.
Loss of support was a significant concern.

Consistent growth production and predictable timing are great.
Hands-on learning experience for students is valuable.
Providing fresh food for the community is a plus, especially during winter months.
Showcasing technology is important.
Troubleshooting and problem-solving can be difficult.
More research on options and market research would have been helpful.
Experience in greenhouse management, hydroponics, and troubleshooting is valuable.