Farming of the Future Presented by: Brett Andre, Zane Jobson & Janelle Lavoie

Ideas for the Future Hydroponics Vertical farming Robots Machines Genetic Engineering Solar Energy Solar-powered machinery New types of energy Current electricity (ocean) Renewable resources Artificial sun Wave power

Hydroponics Growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, without soil Researchers discovered that plants absorb essential mineral nutrients The study of crop nutrition began thousands of years ago

Vertical Farming Vertical farms, where crops are grown in environmentally friendly skyscrapers, could be the way of the future. A vertical farm fitting in 1 city block could feed 50,000 people, with crops grown entirely in mineral nutrient solutions.

Virtual/Physical Robots Robots and automation products could be used in farming for things such as cutting and picking crops, mowing, lifting heavy things etc., which could vastly reduce the labour costs of farmers and growers.

Genetic Engineering Scientists will continue to develop “smarter” plants in the future Plants with greater nutritional value that yield more, but require less water and other resources The future is about developing plants with natural defenses against insects, disease and environmental challenges

Machines A device that uses energy to perform some activity Ex: combine, tractor, seeder, mower, bailer, cultivator, etc. Over the last 250 years, advances in farm equipment have transformed the way people are employed and produce their food worldwide

Solar Energy Radiant energy emitted by the sun There are already lots of solar panels to gather solar energy Solar panels can power all types of machinery and housing

Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface winds It is a renewable energy source It is not well known The first commercial wave power farm opened in 2008 Current Electricity (Ocean)

New Renewable Resources The current types of renewable energy are: hydro-electric energy, wind energy, solar energy, current electricity Hopefully in the near future we will discover a new type of renewable energy

Artificial Sun Artificial sun is a new way of producing energy on earth, developed in China The cost of the fusion reactor is 37 million U.S. dollars Artificial Sun Fusion Reactor

Farming From Outer Space Farming from outer space, using technology such as satellites and robots may be the way of the future. It is easier for a satellite in space to see whether a crop needs watering than for a farmer on the ground.

Farming In Outer Space? Astronauts are already growing plants in outer space. Researchers hope to transfer what they learn about growing food in space, to challenging and less fertile climates on earth. Goals include higher quality crops, higher crop yields and better controlled agricultural systems and greenhouses.

Future Impact We can predict that the possibilities are endless and that there will be new developments that will have huge impacts on how effectively and efficiently we do things like farming We can not predict all the ways energy or knowledge might be harnessed in the future