Check Out the First-Ever On-Site Breeding Program for a Vertical Farming Company

By Bowery Farming|May 20, 2021

Vertical farming operation Bowery Farming has announced the opening of Farm X, its newest state-of-the-art innovation hub for plant science in Kearny, NJ, adjacent to Bowery’s original R&D Center of Excellence and first commercial farm.

Farm X is one of the largest and most sophisticated vertical farming R&D facilities in the world, and will further accelerate the commercialization of products specifically designed for Bowery’s indoor system. From the cultivation of strawberries, root vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, and beyond, to the discovery of the next generation of flavorful leafy greens, Farm X expands Bowery’s R&D capacity by nearly 300%.

“From day one, our R&D team has been working tirelessly to unlock the next frontier in agriculture, and Farm X enables us to expedite the discovery of new vibrant crops and pioneering technological advancements that will further accelerate our momentum as the category leader,” says Irving Fain, founder and CEO of Bowery Farming.

At Farm X, Bowery’s team of plant breeders, plant physiologists, biochemists, and more will be able to test more often and faster, accelerating the discovery of new crops, growing recipes, and efficiency improvements that can be replicated at scale across the company’s network of commercial farms. Featuring proprietary, highly customizable, modular growing environments managed and monitored by new technology developed in-house, Farm X will further unlock the next phase of Bowery’s growth.

Farm X also features a sensory lab where Bowery will continue its quest for the perfect cultivars for indoor growing, as well as launch the first-ever on-site breeding program at a vertical farming company. Under the new breeding program, Bowery’s team will be able to develop varieties that thrive in its unique growing conditions, and evaluate each one for optimal taste, quality and yield, rather than to survive outdoors, pest-resistance and long-haul transportation. While a traditional breeding program takes up to ten years, Bowery’s controlled indoor environment and 24/7 monitoring of crops will enable the company to bring new groundbreaking products to market at scale in a fraction of the time.