Elevating the impact and value of modular farming

Added on 25 January 2024

Sponsored by Amplified Ag

AmplifiedAg has been at the forefront of CEA innovation since its beginnings in 2015. Their modular farm technology and crop monitoring software have revolutionized agricultural production possibilities, especially for independent farmers in areas where environmental factors create significant challenges for growth, like limited growing seasons or high salinity. In two recent partnerships, AmplifiedAg has implemented its vertical farming technology beyond independent farms to facilitate modular farm infrastructure for other enterprise-scale operators, proving to be impactful on numerous levels.

Partnership with South Carolina Department of Corrections and Department of Agriculture

Back in October, the South Carolina Department of Corrections and Department of Agriculture joined hands with AmplifiedAg, introducing plans and funding for the very first vertical farm to be implemented on the site of a correctional institution in the United States. According to the company, this planned 8-module farm will operate at a commercially relevant scale and present an opportunity for professional growth to the inmates of South Carolina’s Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution.

AmplifiedAg’s modular infrastructure and technology curates the perfect format to provide inmates with unique, technical skills and job qualifications. According to South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture, Hugh Weathers, “This partnership between AmplifiedAg and two state agencies will offer meaningful job training and a healthy work environment to incarcerated people, helping them learn the importance of farming.”

In a facility such as Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution, the need for a large quantity of quality produce is vast, and this groundbreaking project represents the versatile ability of AmplifiedAg to meet this intense demand and utilize their technology to grow “48,000 lbs. of lettuce per year for the facility’s food program.” This may just be a perfect niche for vertical farming technology, with limited space to work with, yet hefty demand for a large volume of crops. As outlined by the company, each module will have the ability to manage all the intricacies of such a precise operation via software provided by AmplifiedAg, “controlling temperature, water, air, light, pH, and humidity,” as well as providing “enhanced security for the safety of incarcerated persons and employees.”