Growing in the Great Indoors

Agriculture is moving indoors. A recent survey by Agritecture Consulting, which advises indoor farmers, identified 74 indoor agriculture companies founded nationwide in 2020. Among the most ambitious of the nation’s indoor growers has begun to hit paydirt in Eastern Kentucky. There, a homegrown visionary has built North America’s largest greenhouse, and is promising high-volume yields up to 30 times greater than traditional farms.

In January 2021, Morehead-based AppHarvest announced its inaugural harvest of greenhouse-grown beefsteak tomatoes, which the company started shipping to Kroger, Walmart, Publix and other grocers. Kentucky native Jonathan Webb first announced the vision in 2017 and has since drawn significant support from venture capitalists and private backers such as Martha Stewart, author J.D. Vance and AOL co-Founder Steve Case.

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