>> Welcome and thank you for tuning in to Agra tact and Kentucky.

Okay to I'm your host Renee Shaw.

Climate change land development and a growing population are some of the issues putting a strain on farmers here in the U.S. and abroad?

>> The United Nations predicts food production must double by 2050, when the global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion people fading, that many people may require changing the way we grow food as agriculture is facing an unprecedented challenge.

What role can technology play in helping to revolutionize the industry?

The introduction of technology and farming is often called Agra tack.

What counts is Agra tack and what is Kentucky doing to help this industry grow and thrive right here in the Commonwealth.

Can Kentucky be a leader in the sector of the economy as the state providing the next generation of workers with the skills necessary to succeed in this emerging industry.

We'll introduce you to the people who are making Agra Tech work and we'll hear from state leaders and experts about where this trend is headed.

Joining us in our Lexington studio to discuss all of this and more our Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan corals, senior adviser to the governor, Rocky Adkins, chair of the University of Kentucky's Department of Horticulture Doctor Mark Williams and CEO of App Harvest and Agra Tech Farm in Rowan County.

Jonathon Webb, thank you all for being here.

It's a pleasure to talk about that attack.

We hear a lot about it now.

Want to come to you, Doctor, Mark Welcome.

Williams to have us defined further what Agra Tech is one of those terms that I think people here and think they understand that may not fully understand the definition of how it works.

>> Sure, Nate.

So I think it's brought a sense.

It is the use of technology in in but innovation to advance the sustainability of our agriculture production.

And as you said, we're facing an unprecedented time right now and we have a long history of innovation in the state in agriculture and at the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food environment.

We've been involved with some of the real breakthroughs that that helped our forms of what advance in terms of technology and sustainability.

Give you a couple of examples of that.

Historically, one of the pioneers in know, till agriculture in Kentucky.

And that is a system that was developed here.

And as use broadly around the United States.

Also in the 1950's and then in the Department of Horticulture, which I'm part of, we were the first to really use plastic at the time that was fairly new to control environments and modify the way the plants grew.

And that is ground all the way to level of controlled environment, agriculture that we see now.

So we have this rich history of innovation and working with farmers to solve problems and help them advance and help them do the changes that are happening at the end of always happening.

I agree.

Culture.

>> So you've got a chance to study the produce.

That's the byproduct of all of this.

Tell us how it differs or is the same from traditional farming.

>> so I want to be clear when we talk about AG Tech, it covers the whole spectrum of agriculture.

So the use of technology, innovation covers everything from animal agriculture.

You know, produce production.

Forest management, fire production, food processing Post office handling marketing even the way that food affects human health.

These are all included in ad tech.

The produce stand point using controlled environment, agriculture, which Jonathan Webb is really a heavily involved with in our state really creates a new opportunity for our state to look at the way that we can most efficiently feed the growing population that you grow crops in a way that maximizes, you know, the production of the crop, the speed with which the crop grows, the yield of the crop per acre.

All these things while preserving our our resource base.

These are really the hallmarks of control tech.

And I think it's fantastic to take off in the state.

>> And nutritional content higher is at a value added proposition to it all too.

>> Well, that's a tough thing to say.

I think that that, you know, there's a lot of of areas of research that are still you need more investment and more research to be done to make a really definitive statements on that.

you know, growing the crop right now depends.

That's a complicated answer because it depends on the varieties that we grow the way that which we grow them.

I think growing food and and having people eat healthy food is a first step really focusing on, you know, whether this crop is more efficient or more more healthy grown in a greenhouse forces in the field.

I think that's really could use your research that needs more.

>> More data is that research being conducted?

I think we're starting to do that kind of research.

And I think that at the there's there's everything from the College of Agriculture.

The College of Medicine is really, really interesting.

The way that we can we can focus on on food and its on our on our citizens of the state.

I think we're all aware at this in this form here about the the health issues that are plaguing our state and many of them are die related to anything we can do and agricultural system that can help address that I think is critical right now.

>> Well, after tech is a topic that Governor Andy Beshear talks a lot about.

The governor says he wants Kentucky to be America's Agra Tech capital.

I recently sat down with the governor to ask how those efforts are going and what more can be done.

>> Governor Beshear, thank you so much for your time.

Thanks for having me.

After You said that you want to tuck in to be the global leader in this emerging industry saw emerging anymore.

What's your administration doing to further this along?

>> We are working every single day along with academia and our private sector to push Kentucky to the forefront agriculture technology.

This is a must we have to increase our our year-old the world's food supply by 70% by the year 2050, just defeat the world's growing population.

So what that means is this is an industry that's critical now and will be critical throughout the future.

We started with partnerships with those that have done it before a consortium with the dust government.

Well, we bring the private sector companies doing it here.

The universities that are researching it and the government agencies and direct with those Dutch It's it's working to provide incentives or infrastructure to groups like app Harvest that now has the largest greenhouse in North America.

It's and Morehead, along with 4 other projects underway us recruiting companies like 80 in that same indoor grow That is absolutely thriving.

That's going to it's biggest facility ever.

And northern Kentucky is branching out to Dale's in Martin County, Appalachia, which is going to grow apples on top of abandoned coal mines in one of the porous counties given real opportunity to folks there.

It's in viral flight using black fly larva to create energy and other opportunities in in Maysville.

But a lot of what you can do in government is to provide support.

But also megaphone.

Now we have to market the great things that are going on here in Kentucky in this area.

And that helps create a gravity to to move more towards us, mentioned fruits in security and security.

How important is actor tech too?

>> Making sure that there's more available, see, particularly where there are deserts and the state.

>> Well, certainly my faith and my values dismay that one of the most basic lessons and obligations that we have us people is to ensure everybody has enough to eat.

One of the only miracles in all 4 books of the Gospel is Jesus feeding the masses.

And at a time when water is drying up in California where we know climate change, it's going to cause real even even to meet that 2050, a mark that that Kentucky a place where as we fly 52 weeks a year and who would have thought something that's been some difficult for people could turn into an advantage present.

A unique place where we have the Sari resources to grow the food needed.

Not only here in Kentucky but across the globe.

You know, we we are one country ultimately when it comes to our food supply, one world, look at the destruction we're seeing right now based on Ukraine.

So this is also in our national security interests.

But surely as we grow even more in Kentucky, we can take care of around.

If you don't mind.

Talking to us about the agger Tech Advisory Council.

What's the work of this group?

What's the What are they doing and how can they move the ACA tech industry for it?

>> Well, in many ways, our Agra Tech Advisory Council is about 2 things.

Number one, making sure we've got the right policy in state government and that's making sure we lesson listen to those that are on the ground doing the work and doing the research, whether that's research on that new scene that's going to be able to last through any floods or any droughts that can ultimately produce that much more.

Whether it's the new drone that can map out the field in ways that help us maximize every single and making sure that that we're listening to their needs.

But the other thing it does is create a cluster where we can talk about things together, like workforce training, having programs that can serve, not one, but maybe all are accurate.

EOC connections with universities and certainly we're all as a group pushing this Agra Tech are in the facility that we want to build right here in the commonwealth.

And we've applied to the federal government for it because we want not just be the workers, the growers, but we want to be the thinkers.

We want to have that intellectual capital right here in Kentucky where it's us.

We're coming up with that next.

Great idea that ultimately helps the world helps us live out our faith and values and creates a ton of jobs.

>> Our team that's been traveling in talking to Agra Tech farmers.

They've talked about how difficult it is to get these federal and state grants.

Can you talk to us about that process and how the administration is addressing that to help farmers like this particular one.

>> Well, >> we're working very diligently on having programs that were kind of inception to scaling and that was our governor's Office of Agriculture Policy where we can provide start up grants.

We can help people build out their first model of whatever new >> idea that they had and then and then move them over to economic development to help with either equipment or ultimately incentives as they grew.

Now, General Assembly took the governor's Office of Agriculture Policy and all those grants that help especially smaller farmers with new away from the governor's office and then to the Department of Agriculture with the Agriculture commissioner.

So it's been a bit of a setback, but we don't look for excuses we look for innovations.

So we've actually form working groups with all our commodity groups that are out there working to try to help find financing whether it is directly with the state or outside and doing everything we can to connect those that are maybe even a little further along with those that are trying that next idea there is a lot of synergy in around this area.

Everybody wants to get it right.

It's it's really interesting to even see to competitors sat next to each other and the things that they need from us or from the federal government are similar.

But we're certainly aggressively pursuing those federal grants right?

Let's talk about the General Assembly and the state budget.

All there was not a mention of Agra Tech specifically and the state budget.

Correct?

>> That's true.

We a request in there for a number of different areas that could help us out again to be not just the workers, but the thinkers.

We have Pharmaceutical R D facility in northern Kentucky that state in we have some infrastructure improvements like more for the Barclay Airport in that's needed.

And then for eastern Kentucky, we have this tag or tech are in the facility where it needs to be located near some of the biggest players in the end, the General Assembly ultimately put a dollar towards, but we are and in the middle rounds already seeking a federal grant grant through the ETA program.

And we've got commitments from the private sector to.

So again, we're not going to let this setback this back.

The General Assembly had a chance to be a real part of this.

Something special, creating jobs in a place that hasn't seen enough new jobs and there's hunger to locate these in eastern Kentucky.

So we'll keep pushing and hope for a better look at the next General Assembly.

>> But they did find agriculture projects.

And that does not follow me that some how it should.

>> There should never there there.

There cannot be a disconnect between what we would call traditional agriculture and our culture technology because traditional agriculture is already using a lot of technology.

But we talked about us the tractor with a GPS on it.

So goes and absolutely perfect lines which increase your efficiency and your yield.

It's fertilizers.

It's a new growing techniques.

Its new scenes that are are out there.

And then we've got to understand that we need that.

But we also need these indoor growing facilities to that.

The overall appetite, the need for the food supplies going to be so great.

We can do all of it.

You look at what we do with corn beans.

Incredibly important.

But then look at the fact that we grow tomatoes that don't come from Mexico that have 0 pesticides that are healthier for us.

We know right here in Kentucky.

>> Our traditional farmers concerned about Agra Tech industries at all that they consider them a threat.

>> But generally, I think not.

I think sometimes that can get caught up in a little bit of politics.

But most farmers are interested in embracing the new techniques and opportunities that are out there.

And they've been doing it forever.

What we want to find is that farmers may be may be in the in the dairy industry has found a new technique or or created even a new machine.

We want to help them not just to improve their own operation.

We want the real patent and we want them to be able to scale it.

We want them to be the next big business coming out of that good idea.

We want to empower that was what we're doing to the Office of Agriculture Policy.

We want to empower somebody that's really probably just problem solving for themselves to create major industry here in Kentucky.

Well, thank you, Governor Beshear, thank you very much.

>> Commissioner calls, I want to come to you.

Have you follow up on the move of that office and the role now that you will play in the Department of Agriculture and for you to talk about no food and security has been a big part.

What's your administration is tackled and a scarcity of food and food, insecurity, food deserts.

So how do you see Agra Tech being some leverage?

And that issue?

>> Well, first off, I technology has been around since we start cultivating crops 10,000 years ago.

And so here in Kentucky, we have a great history of moving the ball forward.

We just heard from Doctor Williams about know till corn planting invented in Christian County, Kentucky.

With UK cooperate extension service and the know how a 3 family farmers down there.

That's what moved forward.

He was here in Kentucky where we invented in a boulevard in vaccine in Owensboro using unlikely plan as the Medium, a Kentucky tobacco plant.

It's right here in Kentucky where we don't only local 5 corn into bourbon, but also the ethanol.

And we have a brand new sorting crush facility on board right now.

So the point here is that we have a long history of applying technology, agriculture because we are small farm state.

We have 76,000 farms and we have no choice that wind to production begin to decline.

I grew up on tobacco farm.

We have no choice but to innovate our way to the future.

And that's one reason why innovation thrives here.

We have a really strong network of higher education institutions to Lee in grants.

We have a cooperate extension service and has a brick and mortar building in every single county up.

Most states don't have that.

But in the day it was Pierce Lions, one of his legacy items.

He was the one that really set forth the notion that to make Kentucky ad tech capital of the world.

And shortly before his he and I sat down and he left us a lot of ideas.

And so here's what really I think planted the seed to really say, look, Silicon Valley attracts high tech software programming, Boston and other cities are healthcare.

Why not Kentucky?

We have a lot of things going for us right now including a low energy costs.

We have a lot of farmers, a lot of diversity and variety on our farms.

We have a thriving local agricultural economy here as well.

And so we want to create path for this is if you have a good idea.

grow it right here in Kentucky.

And if you're from their state, come here and we're going to innovate that.

And so that's my vision of ad technology.

It's been that way for the past 2 governors.

And I think we have a package ready to set forward.

That's going to really be aggressive towards attracting start out here.

And my belief is that agriculture is big diverse, that there's room at the table for all swore all forms of agriculture.

So come here to address your food and security question briefly.

We've been working since 2016 at the Kentucky 100 initiative to help provide food in the dignity of high quality food.

For those less fortunate.

And we're fortunate that we got started early, not knowing a pandemic is going to hit us.

And so our food insecurity rates are a lot higher and they should be higher than national levels.

But the generosity of Kentucky agriculture has never been bigger.

And so we're continuing to that 2 today to work with companies like that.

Part of us who donated tomatoes and others around the state to make sure we're taking care of those less fortunate.

>> What is the package that you alluded to that you hope will attract companies and more investment over the past 3 years.

My office Mayor Linda Gorton is office, UK College of Agriculture and all Tech have been working on an ad technology proposal.

And this is something that would be an all inclusive package that when a good idea comes here, whether it's from a 2 grad student, UK or professor or a farmer out the field that they have a path to follow to commercialize that idea Scaled-up be introduced a venture capital also be introduced to the Cabinet for economic development for potential incentive packages, but also provide that critical mentorship.

Sometimes that young idea makers and entrepreneurs need mayors of Lexington just proposed a million dollars in her budget.

We're looking for other funding sources right now.

We want to work with everybody and anybody.

One thing but agriculture.

I've learned long ago as a key growth that are going up on the back of farms that we have to work by consensus S leadership style.

I have we don't exclude people.

We want to make sure we bring people together.

And so the AG Tech proposal that we're working with right now will be at the all.

Take one conference with Doctor Mark >> I want to but I want to say Representative Rocky Adkins because so many times you've been on the show in that capacity that Mister Atkins, thank you for being here.

Good to be back Let me ask you because you just heard commissioner course talk about Lexington getting involved.

But let's talk about the rule parts of the state, how they can benefit because I know this is an issue that is concerning to you.

>> Well, it's a very important issue.

First of all, a traditional agriculture and Agra all hands on deck to meet the demands of the future.

It's going to take all of this is going to take all types of farming to talk about traditional agriculture and innovation that's been there for years.

But to look at the Agra Tech of and indoor growing agriculture, you know, before I became the senior adviser to the governor, I represented Round County represented the Morehead area and that's where I got to know.

Jonathan Webb and for the opportunity for a facility like that to be built in that region and to see the opportunity of that type of Agri Tech all through eastern Kentucky is really motivating and personal to me to be very honest to work for the governor who has.

This industry as a top priority to move it to the next level, really to create jobs, not only in Kentucky, been in regions of Kentucky that need it the most.

You know, Renee, that the downturn, the Cole County.

But what kind of impact that it's had on the specially eastern Kentucky, tens of thousands of jobs lost and the population of the region.

And now to see an industry that we have there in Agra Tech, investing in eastern Kentucky.

We mentioned a The governor did.

You got at harvest this making their investment throughout eastern Kentucky counties.

You've got 80 acres now that is coming to Kentucky.

They're growing is in a vertical type setting.

A vacated buildings where Jonathan in that part of us does more across the field of 60 acres of glass and steel and ultraviolet lighting and robotics.

You've got somebody that's growing.

Apple's own reclaim man lands in Martin hundreds of acres that's going to create hundreds of jobs.

Kentucky for a charge just to mention a few.

So I see this as an opportunity to diversify the economy of rule parts of Kentucky.

To bring the types of jobs we never thought about 3 years ago, 5 years ago to see that hope and opportunity and prosperity putting people back to work where they can live in our region.

You know, I'm not just from eastern Kentucky right now live in eastern Kentucky and to see this opportunity now really on the crest of being something really big.

It's bigger than just Jonathan's a large, a greenhouse.

It's about us getting an R and D facility there for Agra Tech, which all the academic are a part of the private sector is a part of the public arena is a part of to really attract that feeder supply chain to come as has really this energy around that research and development center for Agricole and to create the work force that's going to be needed in that arena.

Here's what's really special.

The research and development Center, in my opinion.

Well, really open up the pathway for people like Jonathan Wave.

To not have to worry about importing to build his facility from the Netherlands.

The steal, the glass, the lighting, all of that that he had to do and building his first facilities.

All of a sudden we get the research and Development Center here week that the synergy around that to really attract the supply chain that will create not only for research and development, actually making the pieces and parts to build these facilities that I think will be without question the workforce of the future.

Not as you know, casually of the coal industry.

I lost my job was 1700 people.

One day.

So I say this is personal to me for that reason.

We have a real chance.

Look, I want to continue just to support the energy will continue to support Co.

But here's an opportunity to really diversified.

Our economy in eastern Kentucky.

Bring our people back home.

Keep your brain power there.

Develop this workforce of the future in create the energy that we need that will bring that hope and opportunity and prosperity back to rule Kentucky once again.

What's the cumulative impact of jobs?

How many jobs you think can be generated from that?

>> Well, I I think if all of this happens the way the governor left ahead, see it happen the way I would like to see it happen and others around this table.

I can tell you that thousands of jobs could be created directly and indirectly and I think that's what's the main part of the subject here is the thousands of jobs that can be brought.

I mean, Jonathan Webb, a nap harvest aready employing hundreds of people.

I think 4500 just at the Morehead facility and a walk through that facility and see it to go up.

It Appalachia up in Martin County and to see hundreds of acres.

Now that we're mine, property is now growing.

Apples where we've got a chance not only to grow the Apple.

But the process.

The apple and the slices and then into juices and to work with folks throughout the communities that have the small farms be able to grow the apples also to bring their those are a couple of examples.

But the big the big hit here is that supply chain?

You know, we got Toyota, the supply chain that came with us, almost 200 businesses and industries across Kentucky that make the pieces and parts that's the plat Toyota every day.

The same thing for Ford Motor Company.

The same thing for GM, the supply chain.

That is what I believe will bring really.

The type of impact.

I think all of us want to see for the agriculture industry, traditional AG with the innovation there.

The innovation here with this type of act, a feed, this population that's going to double by 2050.

It's all hands on deck.

Yeah.

And we've got to work together to make that.

But we can recovering economy, an economy, a place that needs the eastern Kentucky.

>> Jonathan Webb, thank you for being and we're talking a lot the Morehead facility in Raleigh County.

And I want you to kind of talk to us about what really spurred your interest.

Was it the global food and security crisis that we're facing?

What were the other motivating factors for why you wanted to get involved in this?

Yeah.

>> I think for me it started with the problem and really kind of seeing, you know, specifically at that Mark said, well, you know, ING in on on specifically produce and its we're importing half or more of our fruits and vegetables into the U.S..

But we do grow in the U.S. were growing in California and the southwest of the U.S. Senate, California last year had a first time was statewide water restriction and Lake Mead is just depleted down.

I think 20%, Colorado River continues to deplete this.

This won't work.

You know, whether it's 10, 2030, 40, 50 years, there's an inevitability where we have to figure out how to do more with less and we zoomed in specifically on on fruits and vegetables.

But, yeah, I mean, agriculture is is a human construct to serve human needs a technology related agriculture's.

Yeah, it's been here for thousands of years.

Same with energy at a human construct.

A serve human needs.

But we have to continue.

I think the co Walmart says innovate or die.

You know whether your company or your city or your your either growing or your your your your declining and.

>> And we we're well positioned in the state actually won.

Hats off to KT for having us.

Thank you.

I mean, it's exciting.

We're talking about food.

I'll be the one to say.

We've got multiple sides of the aisle at the table here.

So you know that I think this conversation, wherever it goes in and of itself is exciting.

And the momentum in Kentucky is brought.

I mean, I was huge fan of Pierce lines growing up.

I met him one time briefly before his passing.

He probably doesn't remember me.

But yeah, all tac is, you know, they've been a from steady hand here and now it's happened.

We double down.

How can we really bring massive amounts of innovation here.

The one thing that we have in this state that I don't think we talk about nearly enough as water.

And, you know, we we have record amounts of rainfall.

And what do you need?

An agriculture?

You need water.

Water is life.

It's the reason one planet Earth.

It's the one planet and the known universe that has abundant amount of rain, water and what is California, you know, running out of?

And so when I met farmers and Salinas Valley, California, and, you know, there's been tension between us and California in discussions.

It's Slated Valley.

California is the next coal country.

There's a there there.

The next, you know, coma that you cannot grow food where you don't have water.

And that's where Kentucky U.S. so well positioned with our geographic location.

Markets are abundant amount of rain, water and it's going to be competitive.

But I think us working as a state collectively knowing that other states are competing.

I skipped on a conference to be here, but down in Bentonville, Arkansas, right now you want families hosting a thing down there.

We're not the only wants the state that wants to lead and continue to innovate and to and use technology and and I think the important thing is how can we all work together?

How can we aligned interests and how can we carve out lanes because it is a big table where we can all find a seat that I'm actually we're in this fight.

The food fight it's open field farming, its indoor farming.

It's it's it's all of it together and let let's figure out, you know, universities that typically don't work together.

You know, Mark again, University, Kentucky, thank you for being willing to to work with our universities and and the state we're in.

Frankly, universities are very, very competitive.

So we just want to have that conversation, continue the dialogue and figure out how can we get more companies here to to build and grow agriculture sector in Kentucky.

We talk to your communications, your chief communications officer about fighting the same fight as well.

As you heard the governor say, one of the largest greenhouses in the U.S. is right here in Kentucky.

>> In 2020 app Harvest broke ground on a sprawling 60 acre facility in Morehead.

Additional facilities are under construction.

So our team went inside at Parviz for an up close look at the technology in action.

>> App Harvest is on a mission to disrupt agriculture.

In reality climate already has disrupted agriculture by 2050, United Nations estimates that we need to produce 50 to 70% more food >> than we are right now.

The only way to do that is to find a really sustainable way to produce far more but far less.

And so that was the genesis of the idea for app Harvest to give you an idea about the size.

This is a 60 acre facility, but we get 30 times the productivity of open field agriculture.

So that's really like 1800 acres of traditional agriculture plus in traditional agriculture, you lose 30 to 40% of the fruit and vegetable before it makes its way from the field all the way to the grocery store shelf.

So you're adding onto that's what's more like almost 2500 acres of production.

In Appalachia.

We can access 70% of the U.S. population within a single day's drive.

So being able to produce much closer to where food is considering is better for the environment, better for people.

We're growing a farm network.

by the end of this year, we're going to quadruple our number of farms.

We really believe in nature first.

And then we boost that with technology where needed for more head farm is oriented and an East West direction so that we maximize the amount of sunlight we get when we don't get exactly the type of satellite that we need and we have grow likes that are the world's largest hybrid array of traditional and LED and the LED lights are 40% more efficient so that we're minimizing.

>> Our energy usage to the extent that we can, we also use exclusively rain, water for every 2 inches that fall.

We get about a million gallons that go into a retention pond, which is the size of 70 Olympic swimming pools.

No soil.

we grow in a different medium.

So it's just a small block and were able to use drip irrigation to precision give the plants exactly the nutrients and email of water that they need.

We have invested so far in 7 area, high schools putting in retrofitted freight containers so that they have high-tech hydroponic classrooms so that they can learn to grow like we do here to create a whole new generation of what we like to call farmers and futurist.

What we're finding is that the educational system in those places is behind the curve when it comes to AG Tech.

So we do lots of on the job training and we're providing lots of council on the types of curriculum that we think should be going into schools to develop this area into and tech hub on that that can compete on a global basis.

There's a lot of talk about AG reject in Kentucky right now and it's generating a lot more interest in your seen increasing levels of investment in Agra Tech.

What we have always wanted is to create an AG tech hub of America right here in central Appalachia.

So the ability to be able to bring together universities to bring private institutions together, to be able to do a research center so that we really can compete not with other colleagues in the U.S. but compete internationally.

That's the vision that we have for AG retain coming out of Kentucky.

>> Pretty much says it pretty well.

My mister Jonathan Webb, there are other greenhouse produce growers in the U.S..

But what sets app harvest apart from them?

>> Yeah, it's you know, I others here at the table of said, you know, I agree.

Culture is is an evolution.

And, you know, look at a sports car in the 1940's and look at the 2021 Tesla, not a whole lot.

And similarity other than 4 wheels and a steering wheel.

You know, we use a glass structure to grow because we use sunlight and rain water.

But you know, the facility itself is is a big computer and we're collecting data and we're feeding the plan to me our job again as his people is to optimize for the resources we have and best get the best possible yield.

our facility is is unique and a lot of different ways.

One we run completely on recycled rain, water.

We have no agricultural runoff but then the technology itself on how we can get to 30 acres or 30 times.

You'll per acre.

So for us, it's if you think 30 times you'll per acre 2000 acres in California or Mexico.

But then you factor in the 40% food So you may be looking at 3,000 acres.

So in that 60 acre farm, we can potentially displace up to 3,000 acres coming in from Mexico.

And again, that's all about what agriculture has continued to do over decades, which is maximize resources, maximize output.

And there's a convergence of technologies available today, whether it's robotics AI big data that are going to radically shift and change the way the agriculture industry looks 10, 2030, years from now.

And and again, I think the CEO of Walmart I mentioned a moment ago.

It's innovate or die and and challenge breeds innovation and those challenges that face us with agriculture, specifically climate disruption make it very difficult for a farmer to to protect yield outdoors and what we're doing is just one more in the whole spectrum.

But there's many tools and and what we're using is just a few tool specific to a controlled Environment Act.

>> During the 1st quarter this year at Parviz sold nearly 7 million pounds of tomatoes.

That's nearly double the amount.

So in the 1st quarter of last year.

So who's buying your produce?

And it is it more than just the average run of the mill consumer.

There are other.

>> There's yeah word so quietly were windies.

So if you go by Wendy's burger, you might find us on that on that sandwich.

Costco, Walmart, Kroger the large grocers and the large fast-food chain.

See the writing on the wall.

You know, they need.

They need.

They need stability.

And they need year They don't want to deal with labor issues are important issues and growing in a controlled environment.

Again, we're there at a tech is a very big bucket.

But when it relates to fruit and vegetables, the thesis we have is most fruits and vegetables at scale.

At some point in the world, whether it's 50 years from now longer or shorter are going to be grown in a controlled environment.

Have to use less water, less land grow year-round and the grocer's they they've for us.

It's it's a bottomless bucket.

As much as we can build and grow, the large groceries will There's a few more fast food chains and restaurants that will be out later this year and talking about that.

But for us, it's we need to just build, you know, learn how to operate growth officially in the market itself is there.

And we think the real hopefully the U.S. will will be able to get out the imports that are coming from Mexico.

Bring that production back to the U.S. and and hopefully small farmers and farmers across Kentucky can do this.

One important point we hosted a Kentucky Farm Bureau leadership team on a multiple farms last month.

And we know that, you know, big, bold.

How do we do this every how do we get this out to where every farmer smaller has the latest and greatest technologies and tools and it can be a part of helping get those produce imports from Mexico back to the U.S. that's going to be a long, hard challenge.

But I think together we can figure out how to how to make this far more inclusive.

Get get far more farmers involved and not make it just a few.

A few different companies.

>> Well, it's not just large companies that are making Agra Tech work in Kentucky and Benton.

A woman is leading a local family Agra tech business growing leafy vegetables in raising fish.

Our Casey Parker-bell visited West Kentucky aquaponics to get a better idea of how small farms are using our tech to make a big impact.

>> I mean nothing about offer products and never even heard of it.

But I could tell that it was all sustainable year round and people want to know where their food comes from.

And so I said, OK, you know this, this is what we're going to date.

>> Seeing a masterclass on politics with former nurse Tammy McCall to leave her job in the healthcare industry and start a new one.

Agra Tech was new term.

She saw potential in the unknown and she created West parks.

>> Pick up on it is the combination of off a culture where you just rice fish and hydroponics where you're growing.

Leafy green vegetables so off, opponents combined those 2.

>> Politics is a closed loop system.

He uses the waste from fish for West Kentucky Opera politics.

That fish just walk it to fertilize plants growing hydroponic without soil.

The plants clean the water, which goes back into the fish tanks.

McCall started her business in the agriculture, heavy community of Marshall County.

Despite a love for her new profession, she says getting started wasn't easy.

>> Yeah, it can be a struggle.

You know.

Because you're you're starting in the home basically offer any, you know, for those 6 to 9 months with no incumbent, right?

You're constantly trying to take catch up.

>> It took a year for West Kentucky Apple products to construct the greenhouse and have produce meat turn up to self.

But the heaviest task was paying the energy costs for the facility.

>> The utility word just astronomical, not sustainable for small business.

>> In the winter, they won heaters and lights in addition to the pump that needs water through the facility.

She says the electricity was running.

$2500 a month.

It took government help for the business to Sprout.

>> Solar panels are an integral part of this operation because electricity bills would not have have been affordable and we would not have been able to to keep that up.

We were fortunate enough to get a rate grant from the U.S. the eye to help offset some of those costs for the solar panels.

>> For others looking to start an advert act, McAuliffe says it's important to know what it takes before point.

>> Unfortunately, it's not cheap.

To just are not on its business.

And you are operating for, you know, 6 to 9 months without any income.

So no one else things up front and being prepared.

>> I think would be, you know.

>> And then takes is for someone looking to start off upon its business.

>> What do you think?

Localities and state governments need to do to help businesses like yours?

Get off the ground.

>> From a government standpoint, as far as grants.

A lot of those grants that are by will also go turns to traditional farming and which, you know, we don't want to take a life knows.

But if they grant specific to the urban top Army for the off of Onyx Hydroponics and that might maybe it wouldn't be so competitive and people could get more more funding.

>> 4 K E T I'm Casey Parker-bell.

>> Other Web I want to ask you about the energy costs they are.

I think are you involved in solar energy as well.

>> So we are a consumer of power through East Kentucky power and ultimately we're buying power off the grandin that's you know, that we're we're in the business of growing fruits and vegetables and they're in the business of producing power.

So we left it to the experts.

Yeah.

>> I do want to pick up about so you mentioned earlier, doctor winds but other types.

It's not just fruits and vegetables, right?

This is the attack as well.

Beyond that.

Pick up more on that and talk to us about their opportunities and where potentially Kentucky can expand in those areas.

>> I mean, I think if we they like, Commissioner Quarles said, you know, we have a long history of innovation in agriculture.

We've been leaders in adopting technology in our state.

if we look systems that maybe we would call traditional systems in Kentucky, you know, and systems and all the, you know, the aspects of agriculture, the support that industry.

And there's lots of examples of us using technology and we think of animal agriculture development of new You know, research and looking at the bottom of of, you room things like that.

In the way that we care for our animals.

That's a big part of it as well.

The way we optimize the sustainability, the row crop production systems, economic systems.

There's lots of opportunities there using technology, everything from, you You data driven decision-making tools.

There's all kinds of innovations that are coming out now that we have to use.

I think our colleagues here have said that, you know, either innovator, we we perish, I think, you know, changing timeline for we're faced right now.

It's imperative that we do this.

And so in all aspects of agriculture, there's a lot of opportunities to innovate through technology and further advance sustainability of our systems.

Yeah.

And doctor calls commissioner calls.

I'll let you pick up on on that point.

>> Yes, so so important.

Remember that over half of Kentucky's agriculture farmers.

He's come from bought stock, not crops.

We have big livestock, state, biggest beef, cattle state East, Mississippi River.

And so a lot of our technology adoption has been done through research through our 5 colleges, universities of Ag Department.

Some most notably are laying France as well.

And so we dairy farms are now incorporating robotic, know You know, if you're talking my grandfather, you know, he probably be so jealous of the fact that a cow milk itself now and that's happening across Kentucky.

We also have a lot of research in arguably half of the poultry eaten in the world in the world has his genetics traced back to Kentucky with the Cobb Scylla down Wayne County.

It's a lot of our indie high level.

Big investments being done on livestock right now.

So a lot of research being done right now.

U K when it comes to animal since or so.

Think about Fitbits rain once again.

You can predict or no on your cell phone if animals getting sick said rep and of course, our equine industry is a signature agriculture industry, clean Central Kentucky at the Glenn Research Center where 2 of the most common vaccines and treatments for horses invented right here.

And so that's yet another example for animal safety and the tickets.

The next level, if you want to create jobs and retain money, Kentucky don't raise the livestock or grow the crops add value to Turn those apples and apple pies right?

And so one thing we've done recently have a big investment in our meat processing plants across Kentucky.

We saw that supply chain issue hit us in April.

Twenty-twenty grocery stores.

And so we've actually invest it that precious tobacco settlement, that have to just half of what the General Assembly wisely Cho chooses to reinvest in agriculture.

And so now we're pushing by local.

Isn't that the successful Kentucky proud brand so that we have more livestock production but also livestock processing in our state with also an eye towards food.

Safety want to make sure that are processing plants are just as compliant or exceed the federal levels so that Kentucky farmers cannot just a breed, the animals, but feed them here and also there.

>> Some people may say when you said about that, the way to milk a cow that is that would that take away someone's job, right?

Some people may be concerned about that.

>> Absolutely not.

Because right now it's hard to find people to work in agriculture.

I think that's something we can all agree on.

We have a workforce issue in this day when we're alone, workforce participation rate, he's shooting the state.

And if you're to go out and talk to any farm or start upside, say finding finding people to work.

And it is one of the toughest things that you're going to see.

Not just Kentucky but nationwide, but we do have a very, really good head start and other states.

We have a really strong 4 H and FFA program in product to both organizations.

And so we have a great 4 h clubs.

And if a chapter is where we can kind of make that investment early in their life to choose agriculture as a career right?

>> I remember you saying often that the average age of a farmer 62.

So let's talk about next generation leadership in Agra to act.

What does it look like from your perspective?

Do you see interest in young people in this?

>> There's interest is just that.

We have to make sure that remind him that profitability and their stability and one of the biggest barriers to entry to agriculture nationwide is the high capital costs.

It's it farm land as per print.

Prohibitively expensive right now to build a buy.

It and paying off throughout a generation's worth of work.

And so that's why I'm excited to see companies come in here.

We don't have to own a lot of land to be involved in agriculture.

But at the end of the day, there's no substitute for work ethic.

And so we're looking for folks that want to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, invent a new patent, a new technology and make some money >> Mister Adkins, I want to come to you because you talked about the population of eastern Kentucky.

That's the kind of the coal industry.

So we talk about next generation and maybe repopulating that Eastern Kentucky, a region.

How promising do you think Agra Tech isn't doing that?

>> Think it's very promising from what I'm Ari scene.

You know, we're not talking about a vision.

We're a dream here.

We're talking about a reality.

This taken place as we speak, companies that we've already mentioned that are investing in eastern putting people to work as we speak.

App Harvest.

6700 people working, maybe more.

The other companies that are there working and putting people to work.

But I think the key to that is what has been built over time that part is putting these container facilities at the high school to get kids and arrested in this innovation in the technology operating one of those facilities with their athome that get young kids and arrested the facility that I've been through.

More head of that part was watching that technology and innovation work.

That's what gets young people youngest daughter in arrested in an industry like this is that kind of technology and to see the the opportunity for a 6 billion dollar industry.

The the agriculture industry grow to even be much more because of the all hands on deck approach that I've taken.

There's no question to me that getting this curriculum into the middle into the high schools and then have in our universities involved in a manner in a way that they are collaborating working together to pull him.

Those innovators that will create this next technology here in Kentucky to have the community technical college system matter of fact, that will be sitting round the side of this research and development center win.

We get it funded and we're going through that process now.

>> When is that expected to be finalized?

We would hope bad.

The end of this year.

We would hope we're working h*** o* going to Washington, D.C., a matter of fact next week to continue our work through this application process.

You know, the president's talked about rebuilding and and energizing coal communities across America.

We're going hold his feet to the fire.

This is the opportunity to stick a shovel in the ground to plant a flag.

We're ready for this.

This is a reality that happening before our as so having young people coming through this new innovation, this new technology to work around research and development center to work with these companies that will come there from Ro Boddie companies to the folks that make the kind of steel you have to have to build these facilities that have been clashing the kind of lighting.

That's how you keep your population.

That's how you keep your young folks there, your brain power, that work ethic that we've got here in Kentucky in especially in eastern Kentucky.

So I think the very approach that is being taken now down through the middle schools to the high schools, community, technical colleges all the way to our that are higher institutions of learning working together.

That's how we repopulate or region is that you bring that hope and opportunity and prosperity to be able to have a job, a good job.

Feed your family, the food on the table and a good paying job to talk job.

>> With benefits.

Good paying job food on the table.

Roof over your head and the opportunity to live in a region that you choose to never have to leave the region because you have to you never have to leave because you have to because you can find a job.

That is really the mission that I have every day working with the governor and working with others is to make sure we bring that hope opportunity back once again.

And we've got the opportunity to do it now.

>> I do want to ask Mister Webb about the next generation of leaders and miss and getting the interest of middle and high schoolers, et cetera.

And of course, the university in higher Ed.

But I want to ask Mister Adkins about coal miners displace coal miners, and that is this an industry that they're finding attractive in worth of percent?

>> I don't I don't think there's any question.

If you look at Appalachian right now in the heart of coal country in Martin County, you'll find the very people and the co that are actually working in this industry now to make it happen.

That's a if you went to Jonathan Webb said facilities, there are more head right now.

You would find people to generation of people that have worked in that industry or an industry that was related to it directly or indirectly in some shape form or fashion.

So I don't think there's any question about do we have the people in eastern Kentucky to make it happen?

Look, folks are driving right now out of eastern Kentucky to work through the week going home on the weekend.

Because they have to not because they wanted.

To get them to return.

Is that good paying job?

It is that work ethic, that workforce that we know we have an eastern Kentucky and yes, coal miners, the most talented people, railroad workers, the most talented people, steelworkers, the most talented people you will ever fad.

Those people.

Are the very people that helped build America.

And those are the very people that want to live in the region where they're from where they want to live and build a future.

Not only for them, but for future generations.

>> Mister Avella to pick on that point.

And also to talk about this next generation of leadership that you're helping to cultivate in this industry.

>> Yeah, I mean, the average age of the American farmer being 65 is terrifying.

I mean, we have to get young people excited to pursue a career in agriculture.

And I think it starts at home.

I mean, go plant a garden in your backyard.

I mean, order some stuff off the Internet and figure out how to grow.

I mean, this needs to be.

You know, a fun, exciting by a system, grow fruits and vegetables in your in your garage or in and year in your kitchen, it doesn't need to be some far off thing that other people do.

War like the commissioner said.

I mean, it's a very difficult industry to get into because land intensive and not a lot of people, a lot of land.

So you know, whether you're in rural Kentucky and you've got a garage ice.

We started out part of us times in a garage and Harrell Kentucky.

So, you know.

Whether you're in a world raj or you're in a garage in Louisville, Kentucky, you know the one be conscious of what you eat, you know, go support your farmers market.

We don't sell at farmers markets across Kentucky intentionally go support your farmers right now.

Go figure out where your food comes from.

Asking questions where how did you grow it?

What you know, what processes are you using?

But you'll be inquisitive about where your food comes from.

Vote with your dollar.

Know where your food comes by.

Real food.

The one thing we didn't talk about here and Mark opened up with this that terrible health outcomes of this tale diabetes, cardiovascular.

I mean, look at health outcomes and where we are nation nationwide and real food can be a part of the solution.

And we don't that doesn't have to be this type of this type are this time.

farmers growing it.

And you know where it's coming from.

And it's not in a box or it's processed or terms of callers and chemicals.

And if changes are, it's probably a decent for you.

So, you know, go go go to a farmers, market, support your farmers.

But, you know, try to do some try to do some stuff at home order something on the Internet.

And that's what we've got.

We've we've invested heavily in high schools all across Kentucky, mainly the eastern part of the state because that's where we're operating.

But we're putting technology high school so young kids can see that there's a future in farming and and try to be excited about it.

We've got to get that that a lot more people and the farming quickly because those 62 to 65 year-olds who are going to go in eventually call it quits and there's that next generation that's going to carry the torch.

>> I'll let Doctor Williams kind of have the last word here that this is not your grandfathers and great grandfathers farming anymore.

Right?

>> That's correct.

And I think it's a really exciting time in Kentucky.

This is a, you know, a further step in the continuum of innovation and adoption of technology that we've seen throughout.

You know, for many, many decades in the state.

And I'm really excited to see a new variant on in this controlled environment.

Horticulture production.

Now people like Jonathan are leading leading the way for us.

I see so much opportunity here.

It's a really exciting time to see our our agricultural system further diversify.

I think we can become one of the leaders in the nation and even in the world in a in ad tech, we have all the pieces here.

When we look to our colleagues in the Netherlands, we're one of the leaders in the world on this.

They have 3 things.

They called the Golden Triangle that they equate to the success of their system there and why they're the leaders in the world in this.

It it's a it's a collaboration between government knowledge, partners like universities and industry.

And we can see that this panel right here.

We already have that in the state.

We have multiple people.

And as Rockies mentioned, universities working together.

This is uniting thing that we have in the state.

And I'm really excited about the potential for us to become leaders.

We're ideally situated from a geographical standpoint.

We ideally situated from the rich agricultural history that we have in the state.

And this is a system that can affect farming at all levels from small midsize farmers up the large industrial commercial-scale production.

And I think we think about it from an ecosystem standpoint, we think about all the insular industries, everything from the producers, the growers marketing food and health.

It's a it's an incredible opportunity for our state.

>> Those are good words to end on.

Thank you, Doctor Williams and thank you all for being here.

It's been a really good conversation.

I hope our viewers I know I have learned a lot and of course, will be on this topic will be keeping you informed about this as it develops.

Thank you so very much for watching this KITV I'm Renee Shaw.

And until I see you