Can machine-grown lettuce help cut Canada's reliance on U.S. greens? This farmer is betting on it
Can machine-grown lettuce help cut Canada's reliance on U.S. greens? This farmer is betting on it
12 comments
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We should absolutely move as much as we can into greenhouse production. We already do this with hot house tomatoes. And it's easy to transition into other different forms of produce, especially greens.
It saves on land, it cuts the use of pesticides and fertilizers, it reduces the chance of foodborne illness, and maintains secure food production throughout every season. It's quite literally a no-brainer, we just have to invest.
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We should also promote yard gardening. Some citites try to restrict citizens from planting veg. We had a townhome with less that 10 x10 area. We planted lots of herbs, greens, tomatoes and carrots. It meant we very rarely had to go get those items during the summer and fall. It does not have to be an all or nothing solution for sustaining food supply
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As long as light pollution is controlled
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If it's an indoor production using grow lights, there would be no light pollution outside:
More traditional greenhouses with transparent ceilings can be operated in a way that mitigates light pollution.
It's a relevant concern, but not a dealbreaker.
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I’d love to not roll the dice on e.coli lettuce in the winters. Hoping for some “growth” in this area.
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We have an unheated greenhouse in a moderate Canadian climate. We get to about minus ten on the regular in winter sometimes colder. We grow all our own family greens all winter long. It's not possible to scale this up due to sunlight without additional lighting but it's certainly possible with some investment in infrastructure.
Us imported greens are also no longer tested as the US has fired all personnel associated to food testing. Much of our fresh food is on a reciprocal agreement that matches testing so all goods are tested prior to entry to Canada and not tested again prior to distribution. Welcome to the summer of ecoli and lysteria.
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while keeping the retail price "competitive
And thats the kicker aint it. Price will always win over innovation.
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It also cuts down on listeria and salmonella poisoning.
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12 comments