#factoryfarm

The current agriculture mentality prioritizes quantity and appearance over quality and flavor. This is the mentality that led to the downfall of the red delicious apple in the 20th century. Once a sweet and crisp apple, Red Delicious is now one of the least popular apples in grocery stores. This is the mentality that led to the rise of the factory farm and the creation of the broiler chicken in the 21st century. After all I have seen in my five years in the industry, my fear is that this mentality is now a major driving force in the agtech community.

“Can we feed 9 billion people by 2050?” “Can we provide fresh and local food to our communities?” Almost every agricultural lecture that I attend addresses one or both of these questions, and they are incredibly important. The current broiler chicken debacle can be traced directly back to the first question. The broiler chicken, which once had a growth period of 120 days, now grows to size in just 30 days. While the faster growth rate allows for more chicken on the market, it leaves the chicken with a plethora of dysfunctions (1). Animal rights activists probably won’t come knocking on our doors if we cram plants indoors with nothing but artificial light; however, there are numerous studies that show that providing plants with only the “bare necessities” has major effects on texture, flavor, and appearance due to red/blue light only combinations.

Companies and farms will claim their greens, grown in these crammed, artificially lit conditions, are fresh and nutritious; however, plants grown without green light have almost double the amount of nitrates (a carcinogenic compound often used in preserving meat) as those grown with green light (2). Despite this compelling research, these companies continue to claim that they grow premium quality produce, based on flavor, nutrition, and appearance, but they lack the data to prove it. The below figures illustrate that while red/blue lights maintain the high quality appearance of produce, evident through color, and may even increase the plants’ rate of growth, the shape, flavor, and texture suffer. Yes, the plants may primarily only need red/blue wavelengths, but there is a real loss when we take away the full spectrum.

I am not writing this article to shame those in the industry who have adopted these practices. My intention is to spark a discussion and create a movement away from outdated, problematic practices and false claims of “premium products.” The moment is ripe to make a change, as urban agriculture is beginning to boom. Many companies and businesses claim that they are providing products that are “healthy,” “tasty,” and/or “nutritious”, however, they lack proof to back up their claims. Let us not allow companies with false claims to represent and lead the urban agtech industry.

Let us not hide the negative impact of certain growing practices from our consumers. Consumers need to be educated to ask the right questions about their produce. They need to learn the industry vocabulary that is often used to trick them into investing or buying products. They need knowledge in order to be able to hold growers and agricultural businesses to a higher standard. Growers and others in the industry have a responsibility to maintain high standards, not just for quantity and appearance, but also for flavor, texture, and nutrition. Growers should be proud of what they grow. Plant scientists should examine the evidence and share the facts. I love my vegetation and I strongly believe “locally grown” and “premium” produce should not be prioritized over plants that are truly cared for.

1.   BESSEI, W. (2006). Welfare of broilers: A review. <i>World's Poultry Science Journal,</i> <i>62</i>(3), 455-466. doi:10.1017/S0043933906001085

2.   http://journal.ashspublications.org/content/141/2/186.abstract

3.   http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0304423812004797/1-s2.0-S0304423812004797-min.pdf?_tid=2ca111ca-0455-11e7-8725-00000aab0f02&acdnat=1489015132_c5b3e3f5bf36469075c7a2dbc8d49c50