Upward Farms, a vertical farming company, recently announced it will open a 250,000-square-foot facility in Luzerne County in early 2023.
The new facility will be two to four times larger than the largest vertical farms operated by Upward Farms’ competitors. It is expected to annually eliminate 1.7 million food transportation miles, more than 120 acres of land, and conserve more than 100 million gallons of water.
Construction is expected to create 400 jobs. Once the facility opens, it is expected to create more than 100 jobs in manufacturing, technology, and business roles.
“I am pleased Upward Farms has decided to make Luzerne County the home of their new vertical farm,” Dennis Davin, Department of Community and Economic Development secretary, said. “The commonwealth has deep roots in the agribusiness industry and is known for having a spirit of innovation. This, along with our prime Northeast location, makes Pennsylvania an excellent choice for the world’s largest vertical farm.”
Upward Farms produces USDA Certified Organic, non-GMO leafy greens that are synthetic-chemical free. The company’s aquaponic platform uses waste from fish as organic fertilizer for the leafy greens.
A total of 90 percent of the company’s seafood is imported, while 90 percent of its leafy greens are grown on the West Coast.