 Image courtesy of AppHarvest By Mia Carvalho Alternative farming practices are needed now, more than ever, to address food insecurity. By 2050, the United Nations expects the world population to surge to nearly 10 billion. However, traditional farming practices won’t be enough to support our growing population, where 70% of current freshwater is dedicated to agriculture. AppHarvest, a Kentucky-native sustainable food company, serves as a solution. “Farms out West, especially in California and Mexico, are being destroyed by droughts and flooding,” says Rohan Munnolimath, a Communications Strategist at AppHarvest. “With catastrophic events making it harder for open-field farmers to predict their growing seasons, we have to find alternative ways to grow more food with fewer resources. This is where AppHarvest comes in.” Founded by Jonathan Webb in 2017, AppHarvest uses innovative technology to sustainably produce fresh crops for not just Kentucky, but the entirety of the U.S. AppHarvest uses high-tech indoor farms throughout rural Appalachia for sustainable crop production. “With these farms, we’re able to control the environment, enabling us to grow more food,” Rohan describes. “Any water that comes into our facility only leaves as a fruit or vegetable.” These indoor farms use a closed-loop irrigation system, resulting in up to 90% less water use compared to traditional farming. “All of the water we use is rainwater that was captured on our roofs, and sent straight into a retention pond,” says Rohan. With these techniques, AppHarvest is able to produce up to 30 times more produce than traditional farming, allowing healthy crops to reach areas that otherwise may not have access to them.* AppHarvest also uses technology to ensure that every crop is fresh, using over 300 sensors and AI to collect data from hundreds of thousands of plants to guarantee crops receive the correct amount of nutrients.** This technology allows AppHarvest to produce fresh crops year-round and prevent food waste, combatting the food insecurity U.S. residents face today. AppHarvest’s first 60-acre farm in the rural town of Morehead, Kentucky opened in 2020, and is the largest greenhouse in the U.S.** Nevertheless, determination to live out AppHarvest’s mission continued. Today, AppHarvest has a four-farm network in Kentucky, covering a total of 165 acres under glass. Besides the Morehead, Kentucky tomato farm, AppHarvest is operating a salad greens farm in Berea, KY, a strawberry and cucumber farm in Somerset, KY, and an additional tomato farm in Richmond, KY. “This was the biggest milestone I’ve witnessed at the company – I don’t think there’s been this kind of expansion in controlled environment agriculture in the U.S. before,” says Rohan. “But we were able to do it, and that’s a testament to how committed we are to improving food security by farming in a more sustainable way.” Kentucky’s convenient location also helps AppHarvest deliver its crops fast enough to preserve their nutritional value, as 70% of the U.S. population is within a day’s drive for AppHarvest facilities. “With production from out West, produce can be sitting in a delivery truck for up to two weeks before it arrives at a grocery store, let alone your plate,” Rohan explains. “Where we’re located, at times we can harvest a fruit, package it, and send it to grocery stores within 24 hours.” These fast deliveries are important for delivering a healthier product to a wider range of consumers. Not only does Kentucky’s central location allow for swift deliveries, but reduced transportation fuel by up to 80% compared to U.S. Southwest delivered-produce as well.*** While AppHarvest’s location provides fresh produce to all Americans, it also contributes to sustainability through a lower carbon footprint. The collapse in the coal mining industry brought about great economic distress in rural Kentucky, which played a large factor in the establishment of AppHarvest. “One of the main reasons Jonathan came back to Kentucky was to create good jobs here,” Rohan says. “It was important for Jonathan to tap into Appalachian faith and grit to bring jobs back to this area.” With the new job opportunities brought on by AppHarvest, significant progress has already happened in these rural economies of Kentucky. In fact, the success of AppHarvest has encouraged new companies to come in and follow their lead, further revitalizing these communities. “It’s almost like a ripple effect,” Rohan explains. “In the couple years we’ve been established, other companies have been encouraged to establish themselves in these areas as well and bring more opportunity.” With AppHarvest being a startup, the communications team takes on many opportunities to further the company. Rohan, for example, manages the company’s social media channels, and photographs AppHarvest’s indoor farms and team members. The communications team is heavily involved with media, working with outlets such as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Business Insider in the past. “We’re a small team of three, so we get to wear a lot of different hats,” Rohan explains. “It’s been interesting working with Jonathan as well, going to events with him and supporting him with AppHarvest in general – it’s helpful to have that mentorship.” As with any startup, one of the biggest challenges is the scrutiny the company faces. In the U.S., the controlled-environmental agriculture industry is an incredibly new space, with lots of trial and error involved. However, this can be even harder to navigate when AppHarvest is constantly under the public eye, through its successes and mistakes. However, Rohan emphasizes the importance of the company’s end goal despite these challenges – “At the end of the day, we have to focus on what’s most important, which is our mission. That’s what we’re committed to doing.” Currently, the communications team at AppHarvest is focused on storytelling – showing why controlled environment agriculture is needed, now more than ever. “When you look at our social media, for example, what’s intertwined within is our story,” Rohan says. “It’s important for people to understand the need to feed more people as the population continues to increase.” While the company has helped countless individuals within Kentucky, it undoubtedly serves importance for sustainability and feeding people as a whole. AppHarvest is a trailblazing company that recognizes the need for change in traditional agriculture. Through their state-of-the-art greenhouses that utilize progressive resource use, AI, and Appalachian values, AppHarvest sets new standards for sustainable agriculture. AppHarvest improves food security by using technology to provide fresh produce across the U.S., while reducing the carbon footprint associated with transporting these goods. All the while, the company strives to combat resource depletion through its efficient resource use within its indoor farming facilities. By combating today’s challenges with food security, AppHarvest sets the stage for sustainable food production and a greener future. *
AppHarvest. “The CEA Difference — AppHarvest,” May 25, 2022. https://www.appharvest.com/process/ ** Kang, Liz. “Is the Biggest Greenhouse in the US the Future of Farming?” CNN, October 6, 2021. https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/06/world/appharvest-kentucky-greenhouse-robot-farming-spc-intl-hnk/index.html *** AppHarvest. “About Us — AppHarvest,” June 1, 2022. https://www.appharvest.com/about-us/
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