A push to farm indoors - Westfair Communications

Get ready for homegrown tomatoes in January.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) released a report last week detailing the potential for Controlled Environment Agriculture in the state by the year 2020.

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is a combination of engineering, plant science and computer-managed greenhouse technologies used to grow bigger, better plants more efficiently. Controlled Environment Agriculture systems allow stable control of the plant environment, including temperature, light and CO2. CEA also provides separate control of the root-zone environment. CEA provides secure, healthy, and cost effective year-round production of many premium edible, ornamental and high-value species.

NYSERDA envisions that CEA will produce an abundant year-round supply of local fruits and vegetables. The “fields” include up to 1,500 acres of greenhouses across the state and the work should require 10,000 to 15,000 new agricultural jobs. The harvest prediction is $400 million to $600 million in annual economic benefits, the agency predicts.

The report states New York”™s production of fresh vegetables and fruits in CEA facilities will “grow significantly” over the next decade.

CEA grows high-quality crops that are available out-of-season and are often grown with few or no pesticides, the report states.

Currently, the out-of-season fresh vegetable markets are dominated by Southern and Western U.S. growers and foreign producers, according to the report.

“This CEA vision could revitalize New York crop agriculture,” said Paul Tonko, NYSERDA president and CEO. “Combined with forward-thinking state policy, indoor food production through advanced technology could be expanded significantly to serve the major Northeast market for fresh vegetables.”

CEA is not to be confused with Modified Environment Agriculture (MEA), the report states. MEA technologies include low tunnel and high tunnel field applications and low tech greenhouses where the plant environment is protected to reduce the impacts of weather extremes, but otherwise offers minimum control of the plant growing environment, according to NYSERDA.

“NYSERDA recognizes that both CEA and MEA technologies offer the potential to increase local food production,” stated the agency. “However, NYSERDA”™s research focus is currently on the development of more energy-efficient CEA technologies so as to mitigate impacts on our electric utility grid.”