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I doubt we are going to see a revolution in farming. The reason traditional farming is most likely still much cheaper than vertical farming is because of all th
by jcfrei 11y ago
I doubt we are going to see a revolution in farming. The reason traditional farming is most likely still much cheaper than vertical farming is because of all the government's implicit and explicit subsidies. For example: For most farmers water is free so the 99% reduction in water usage won't reduce the price for the consumer in the aisle. I think if we wan't a real shift in agriculture (a shift towards more ecological vertical farming), we would require an actual market price for water. And most people (farmers and non-farmers) hate that idea.
- huangwei_chang 11y agoTotally agree. However, not all counties highly subsidy farming in all aspects. Maybe some revolution will happen outside the US?
- bpodgursky 11y agoOnly 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.
- saalweachter 11y agoDing, 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.
- pxlpshr 11y agoDisagree. Water is "free" up until the point of not having water. California and Texas droughts have been very painful.