First look inside OneFarm Newmarket vertical farm which will strengthen UK food security
A first glimpse has been given inside a pioneering vertical farm project, which will help the country be more self-sufficient.
With technology capable of growing high volumes of sustainably produced food, the nine metre growing towers of the OneFarm development were built in a disused Newmarket warehouse.
The project will see vegetables, herbs and greens grown on demand to avoid waste, and there will be agreements in place to supply selected retailers.
The food will be grown with no pesticides and the farm was made in collaboration between private and public finance with a £2.5m loan from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growing Places Fund alongside an investment platform developed by Abundance Investment, which raised £3.8million.
Finance has also been provided by CreditForce, Intelligent Growth Solutions and One Farm’s directors.
Construction began in autumn 2022 and on Thursday, February 2, West Suffolk Council representatives and New Anglia LEP, along with investors, were given a first look inside.
C-J Green, LEP chair, said: "Vertical farming will be a key contributor to the UK Net Zero target, from lower artificial nutrient requirements to the use of shorter transport and supply chains.
"The farm will contribute significantly to crop science and research across the agri-tech sector and will also cater to the desire for localised and sustainable supply chains that ensure greater food security for local populations.
"It will also contribute to the world-leading science and research base that exists in the East of England in relation to sustainable food production, land use and climate resilience."
OneFarm’s CEO Mira Merme thanked all the attendees and said: "Innovation and disruptive businesses are really supported when investment decisions such as those made for with us by Suffolk County Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership.
"We are truly grateful and will deliver on our remit to provide largescale environmentally sustainable, tasty nutritious affordable food for local populations."
Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of West Suffolk Council said: "We are delighted that OneFarm have chosen Newmarket for their innovative farming project; they join a range of world class agri-tech businesses that call West Suffolk home.
"The council strives to support and engage with new and existing businesses in the area to create an environment that encourages growth."
Cllr Susan Glossop, Cabinet Member for Growth, West Suffolk Council, added: "We are pleased to have worked with New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership to help facilitate OneFarm with their investment in Newmarket.
"Supporting the development of one of the largest vertical farms in the UK reinforces that West Suffolk is the location for innovation and investment.
"The farm is expected to assist crop research and development, with a focus on environmental impact and food security."
OneFarm’s approach to the growing and distribution of food reflects an evolving consumer desire to understand where their food is coming from and for the supply chain to ensure availability and quality of produce, spurred on by constraints of the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
