trends & technology
2 ) THEY FORGET THAT LABOR IS ALWAYS YOUR BIGGEST COST .
Reflecting on their own shuttered operations , each of the three panelists echoed this warning about labor : Don ’ t overlook your labor costs . All three panelists expressed similar challenges regarding the workers on their respective farms . While the wages were relatively low ( ranging from $ 9-15 per hour ), labor costs added up quickly thanks to the farms ’ growing techniques . Many of the failed farms ignored ergonomics and were not designed for efficient manual work . Multi-layered systems with grow beds reaching to the ceiling meant that farmhands had to travel up and down on a scissor lift to perform basic farm operations like planting , inspections , maintenance , and harvesting . The mere mention of the phrase “ scissor lifts ” sparked a heated conversation on the clunky , expensive , and unclean nature of the machine . “ Scissor lifts are not an ideal solution ,” states Nasseri . “ Don ’ t use scissor lifts . Find another solution , please .” The key to workable systems is accessibility . Vertical farms must be seen and touched easily . That means no scissor lifts , no leaning or climbing to get to plants , and no peering through racks to see what ’ s going on in the system . These systems enable growers to spend more time working with plants or getting more customers . You can find this type of accessibility in vertical planes , which are easy to access visually , and modular systems , which are easy to access physically .
“ The mere mention of the phrase ' scissor lifts ' sparked a heated conversation on the clunky , expensive , and unclean nature of the machine .”
72 grow cycle