Earlier this summer, Pentair, a UK-based water filtration giant, announced the completion of one of the world's largest indoor farms in St. Paul.
Called Urban Organics, the 87,000-square-foot facility is located in the recently-renovated Schmidt Brewery, and is nearly 10 times larger than the other facility they built in the old Hamm's Brewery in 2014.
Minnesota is one of the leading agriculture producers in the country. But, to state the completely obvious, its long, arduous winters prevent year-around harvesting. Urban Organics is able to outsmart the regular growing season, farming both plants and fish through a process called aquaponics.
It's a big word, but a relatively simple concept. Fish create waste, which pollutes their water. Plants need this kind of waste for fertilizer. By creating a contraption that allows plants to sit on top of the water and absorb fish waste, the two types of organisms form a mutually beneficial relationship that feeds one and cleans the other.
At full capacity, the new Urban Organics farm will be able to produce 275,000 pounds of fish and nearly a half-million pounds of greens, including arugula, bok choy and kale. At this capacity, Urban Organics is easily among the largest aquaponics farms in the state, but there are several other enterprising Minnesota companies that have been using similar systems for years.
Here are three other Minnesota companies utilizing aquaponics:
Mariner Farms: Located in Silver Bay, Mariner Farms' greenhouse is a partnership between the city and the University of Minnesota that aims to improve local food quality and community sustainability. The farm uses renewable energy to control the growing environment, which enables them to raise fish and grow greens during the harsh winters in the northeastern corner of the state. The farm sells its organic produce and fish to local restaurants and grocery stores.
Spark-y: Spark-y is a nonprofit, urban agriculture lab in Minneapolis that partners with schools and local youth programs to educate kids about urban farming. Through their internships, lab programs and Minneapolis lab, the organization claims to reach 1,200 youth annually. The agriculture lab, which opened last year, is a commercial-scale aquaponics system that offers more than 1,300-square-feet of growing space. The lab serves as a space for youth to test sustainable innovations. Spark-y offers free tours of its the lab every other Thursday.
Tru Shrimp: Shrimp typically aren't considered Minnesota natives. But one farm in southwestern Minnesota is looking to change that with its new inland shrimp business. Located in Balaton, Tru Shrimp creates 30-foot-long "tidal basins" which they stack in groups of eight in their warehouse. The company is currently seeking to raise $21 million and expand their systems to other parts of the state.
