CubicFarms, Elevate Farms, ZipGrow among vertical farming companies to sign sustainability manifesto

More than 20 vertical farming companies have signed an industry manifesto and identity statement in a push to create more sustainable food systems. 

“We believe that vertical farming can make an important contribution to transforming our food systems and to making them future-proof,” the statement reads. “By decoupling ecosystem destruction from food production through technological means, we reimagine farming from the ground up and are part of the solution to one of humanity’s toughest challenges, while reducing the negative impact on the planet.”

Signees include 80 Acres, AeroFarms, Bowery, Crop One, B.C.-based CubicFarms, Toronto-headquartered Elevate Farms, Fifth Season, Fischer Farms, Freight Farms, Infarm (which has location in Canada), Infinite Acres, Jones Food Company, Kalera, La Grangette, Ljusgårda, N.THING, Plenty, Stacked Farm, Urban Crop Solutions, Urban Harvest, Vertical Future, YesHealth Group and Ontario’s ZipGrow.

Commitments outlined in the manifesto include aligning with globally accepted impact frameworks – such as the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), B Corp, or the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and investing in research and development to improve vertical farming technology.

The global vertical farming market has been steadily growing in recent years, with the market expected to surpass US$30 billion by 2030.

The Vertical Farming Manifesto was signed at the Vertical Farming World Congress in Brussels, Belgium.