Good Disruption: Episode 16 - Vertical Farming

Let’s talk lettuce. Every year Americans consume 30 pounds of lettuce per capita, a fivefold increase from the previous century, with more than 90% of it grown in California and Arizona. What happens when that supply chain is threatened? 

We saw a glimpse of the disruption in 2021, when US production dropped 11% and prices rose 17% because of pests, severe weather, and increased demand during the pandemic. With rising temperatures and more extreme weather patterns forecasted for the years to come, it’s time we rethink how we grow and distribute food.

Beanstalk Farms co-founder Jack Ross joins Mike and Yael for this episode to talk about the nutritional and environmental benefits of indoor, vertically farmed produce and the need to build a more resilient, decentralized US food system that prioritizes fresh over processed.