How to convince your friends vertical farming is the next big thing

Re:How to convince your friends vertical farming is the next... by bpodgursky on Thursday August 20, 2015 @11:23AM (#10092420)

Only in California and the Colorado basin is water allocation and pricing a real concern. The Midwest and south have water surplus and produce immensely more food than CA. So I don't think this has a significant impact.

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Re:How to convince your friends vertical farming is the next... by saalweachter on Thursday August 20, 2015 @12:03PM (#10092709)

Ding, ding.

The math has to be done on a case by case basis. Why are all potatoes grown in Idaho? Because soil and climate conditions there are really good for potatoes. You can grow potatoes in Idaho and ship them to Kansas for less -- less land use, less effort, less energy-cost, less environmental impact -- than you can grow them locally.

There are going to be some crops and some urban environments where vertical farming is the best option. There are going to be some where it is not.

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