Stockbridge Technology Centre in UK to assess latest ‘urban farming’ techniques

Assessing composted conifer bark as a growing media for tomato production and reducing waste disposal costs at Stockbridge.

A facility for LED lighting for investigating potential yield gains from vertical farming

Horticulture Week
03 June 2011

Centre’s tenth anniversary event issues rallying call to build on research into food production in face of Government cuts.

Stockbridge Technology Centre (STC) is working with industry partners to develop an applied research and development facility for LED lighting in the UK for investigating potential yield gains from vertical farming.

The facility will compare conventional production systems with tiered glasshouse production using LEDs as well as tiered production using an insulated warehouse to assess the economics of an “urban farming” scenario.

In a document celebrating the 10th anniversary of the creation of the independent grower-run centre from the ashes of Horticultural Research International’s Stockbridge House, science director Dr Martin McPherson said the board was willing to make a significant financial investment in the facility. But he stressed that it will require a commitment by the industry to encourage long-term funders to make returns acceptable to bank lenders.

He said: “This is the modern model of technology transfer as the Government has stopped its capital facility investment of years past.”

The plans were revealed at an event held earlier this month to celebrate the centre’s achievements, to which local MPs were invited.

Speaking at the event, Horticulture Development Company chairman Neil Bragg paid tribute to STC’s efforts to keep UK research afloat while reminding guests of the research stations that have closed, thanks to Government funding cuts.

“The industry is on its own now. Our support from central Government is abysmal. We are constantly told we need to be producing more food, but how can we do this without more translational research?” he asked.

Since its launch, STC’s research achievements have included award-winning work by a team led by McPherson into a new beet disease and its treatment.

Other projects have focused on minimising nitrates in protected lettuce, identifying the first UK case of impatiens downy mildew and developing effective prevention advice for growers.

The event was held in the Michael Holmes Centre. Holmes played a key role in the development of the STC.

BUILDING UP BUSINESS – MEETING THE STOCKBRIDGE CHALLENGE

HRI Stockbridge House was closed to meet Government financial cuts in 2001 and all assets removed.

Stockbridge Technology Centre chief executive Graham Ward said: “We had a very tough challenge to establish from scratch the first privately-owned horticultural technology business since before World War Two.” The centre struggled to pioneer company structures that would allow it to compete for public money projects, Ward added. “Our public-owned competitors were able to do this without VAT.”

Ten years on and much of this seems like a bad dream, he confided. “We have built a commercial business using our staff expertise and technology transfer skills.

“Our public funded work has remained low but now that industry research restructuring has taken place, we are well placed to take up the challenge and compete for such work.

“We have reinvested capital on updating facilities to ensure we are competitive. New partnerships have been forged with research bodies as well as commercial groups.”

See the Stockbridge Technology Centre here.