A broad overview of how CEA & Vertical Farming could help to address protein needs and challenges, how crop diversification could aid the industry, and how integration & hybrid approaches will be vital to success as part of a more purpose driven food system.

A presentation by Mark Horler, Founder at The Soya Project.

View of the Speaker

Question 1: What drives you?
I am driven by big ideas, and big possibilities to utilise technology to improve food systems and protect the natural world.

Question 2: Why should the delegate attend your session?
The attendees will obtain more knowledge about the properties of pea proteins as such and in extruded form, and its ability to partially replace pork meat in an emulsified matrix. More novel and in-depth information will be given specifically about the interaction between pea and meat proteins, resulting in more insights towards the textural properties of these proteins, which in turn can be used for the R&I community.

Question 2: Why should the delegate attend your presentation?
Part of a special FarmTech Society session, which will bridge the gap between the vertical farming conference and the sister Protein Transition Conference

Question 3: What emerging technologies / trends do you see as having the greatest potential in the short and long run?
Hybrid and integrated approaches, which link technology driven CEA/VF with wider food systems are massively under-addressed at present – the potential is almost limitless!

Question 4: What kind of impact do you expect them to have?
In a properly purpose driven system, with the right mix of approaches in the right places, the impact is a food system that doesn’t require the destruction of natural ecosystems.

Question 5: What are the barriers that might stand in the way?
At present the industry is driven by what is profitable, and receives little overarching policy (or subsidy) support. Energy costs are also a major issue for the whole industry.

About Mark Horler
Mark has been involved in the Vertical Farming industry for around 9 years. He is the Founder & Chairman of UK Urban AgriTech (UKUAT) collective, bringing together the leading companies, universities and individuals in the UK urban agritech industry. He is also Communications Manager at The FarmTech Society, the Co-Founder of The Soya Project, and does freelance consulting work across the industry.

Mark’s primary interest is in taking a systemic overview of how vertical farming can be integrated with other systems, to deliver on its promises of regenerative food production and resilient societies.

About The Soya Project
The Soya Project exists to advocate for and facilitate the growing of Soy (and other protein crops) in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and Vertical Farming (VF) systems

Mark Horler is speaker at the 2022 edition of the Vertical Farming Conference, part of the Agrifood Innovation Event.