Controlled Environment Agriculture    CEA

Urban Farms, Greenhouses, ​Indoor/Vertical Farming,
​Hydroponic  and Aquaponics
helping economic and workforce development.
helping our communities.

2025

Growcer Acquires Freight Farms, Opening a New Chapter for Modular Farming

Beyond Vertical Farming Hype: Lessons Learned From 300 Global Projects

​Integrating Aquaponics Into Urban Farming for Sustainable Food Production

https://www.agritecture.com/blog/aquaponics-urban-farming-sustainable-food?

​Sunden Farms focuses on building local supply chains                                                         "‘Buy local for good’ is a call for regional self-sufficiency"

Shipping containers are increasingly being used for controlled environment agriculture (CEA). These innovative farms, often referred to as container farms, allow crops to be grown in a controlled setting, independent of external weather conditions[1][2].
Some key benefits of container farming include:

• Year-round production: Crops can be grown continuously, regardless of the season.
• Efficiency: These farms use minimal water and can be set up in urban areas or places with limited space[1].
• Sustainability: Container farms reduce environmental impact by optimizing resource use[2].

For example, Freight Farms offers the Greenery™ S, a hydroponic farm built inside a shipping container, enabling fresh food production anywhere, year-round[3]

References
[1] Green Thumbs Up: Shipping Container Farms
[2] Farm In A Box: What Exactly Is Container Farming? - Conex Boxes
[3] The Greenery S | Controlled Hydroponic Container - Freight Farms
​

​Here are some recent developments (2025) in indoor buildings being converted into urban farms, along with the types of crops being grown:

🌿 1. Vertical Farms in Hybrid Office Spaces

• Source: Work Design Magazine, April 2025
• Concept: Office buildings are being redesigned to include vertical farming zones.
• Crops Grown: Leafy greens (lettuce, kale), herbs, and strawberries.
• Purpose: Boost food security, enhance sustainability, and repurpose underused commercial real estate.

🚀 2. Game-Changing Indoor Agriculture Trends

• Source: Farmonaut, 2025
• Technologies Used:
  • LED lighting tailored to crop needs
  • Climate-controlled environments
  • Hydroponics and aeroponics
• Crops Grown: Basil, mint, arugula, spinach, and microgreens.
• Impact: Up to 95% less water usage compared to traditional farming; year-round production.

🔧 3. IFCO Systems Report on Indoor Farming

• Source: IFCO Systems, July 2025
• Trends Highlighted:
  • Vertical agriculture
  • Hydroponic and aeroponic systems
• Crops Grown: Specialty herbs, microgreens, and leafy vegetables.
• Challenges: High energy use, scalability, and limited crop variety.

Would you like a summary table of these projects or a visual timeline showing how these trends have evolved? I can also help you explore how similar concepts could be applied to spaces in your area.

​Here are some examples of abandoned malls that have been converted into urban farms, along with the types of crops being grown:
🏢 Converted Malls into Urban Farms

1. Southland Mall (Memphis, Tennessee)
   
   • Project: Converted part of the mall into an indoor vertical farm.
   • Crops: Leafy greens like lettuce, kale, and arugula; herbs such as basil and mint.
   • Method: Hydroponics and LED lighting systems.
2. Northland Center (Southfield, Michigan)
   
   • Project: Redevelopment includes urban farming initiatives.
   • Crops: Tomatoes, peppers, and microgreens.
   • Method: Aquaponics and community garden plots.
3. Valley View Center (Dallas, Texas)
   
   • Project: Some sections repurposed for community farming and education.
   • Crops: Spinach, Swiss chard, and strawberries.
   • Method: Raised beds and container gardening.
4. Randall Park Mall (North Randall, Ohio)
   
   • Project: While much of the mall was redeveloped, parts were used for urban agriculture pilot programs.
   • Crops: Mushrooms, herbs, and leafy greens.
   • Method: Indoor farming with climate control.
5. Rolling Acres Mall (Akron, Ohio)
   
   • Project: Experimental vertical farming in unused retail space.
   • Crops: Romaine lettuce, basil, and cherry tomatoes.
   • Method: Vertical towers and hydroponic systems.

These projects are part of a growing movement to revitalize unused commercial spaces and address food insecurity, sustainability, and urban renewal [1].
Would you like help creating a visual map or timeline of these transformations? Or perhaps you'd like to explore how to start a similar project locally?

References
[1] Urban Farms Sprout From Sprawl | Planet Natural

​​Container farming is quite versatile, allowing for a wide range of crops to be grown efficiently. Here are some of the best crops for container farming:

1. Leafy Greens: Lettuce, kale, spinach, and Swiss chard are excellent choices due to their fast growth and high nutritional value[1].
2. Herbs: Basil, mint, oregano, and parsley thrive in containers and are popular for their culinary uses[2][1].
3. Root Vegetables: Carrots, radishes, beets, and turnips can be grown successfully in containers, providing crunchy and nutritious additions to meals[1].
4. Tomatoes: Cherry and plum tomatoes are particularly well-suited for container farming, offering a continuous harvest throughout the season[2].
5. Microgreens: These young seedlings of vegetables and herbs pack a flavorful punch and are quick to grow[1].

These crops are not only efficient in terms of space and resources but also provide a steady yield, making them ideal for container farming.
Are you considering starting a container farm, or do you have specific crops in mind that you'd like to grow?

References
[1] Container Farm Crop Guide | Vertical Farming Tips - Freight Farms
[2] 16 Vegetables That Are Easily Grown in Pots or Containers - Epic Gardening

​US: Plenty enters into chapter 11 bankruptcy

​Cultivating the Future: Enhancing Farm Viability in Western Connecticut

click on logo for news

US: Fighting for equality in the urban growing space

Fresh from Montreal

2024

• Agtech seedlings: Plenty closes flagship indoor lettuce farm in California
• Oshi moves plant-based salmon production to US
• There’s a New Tomato Coming to Stores That Promises To Be Perfectly Ripe Year Round
• ​High-end strawberry grower Oishii opens solar-powered indoor vertical farm utilizing robots
• Vertical Harvest secures $59.5 million project financing for its Westbrook Maine farm
• Canada: Growcer raises $3 million in series A

​​The daily structure and personal fulfillment of a job well done is an essential part of life—and it’s just as important for individuals with autism as it is for anyone else. Yet, nearly half of 25-year-olds with autism have never held a paying job. At Greens Do Good, a hydroponic, vertical farm in Hackensack, NJ. 

Vertical strawberry grower Oishii clinches $134M amid indoor farming woes 
Report: Global Seafood Production Could Rise 20% to 2050

“We forecast an increase in overall marine seafood production of about 20% to 2050,” said Bente Pretlove, Program Director of Ocean Space at DNV Group, in the report. “While capture fisheries output is stagnant, marine aquaculture will double and finfish production almost triple in this period.”

In 2023, the world's production of finfish is estimated to be around 39.6 million metric tons (MMT), which is a 1.8 percent increase from 2022. Global production is expected to increase by 4.3% in 2024 and 3.9% in 2025, if there are no unforeseen biological problems. 

Finfish species include: 

Baitfish, Catfish, Salmon, Striped bass, Tilapia, Trout. 

Finfish aquaculture uses many different farming methods, including:

• Land-based recirculation
• Flow-through tanks
• Nearshore cages
• Coastal ponds
• Offshore cages 

The West Coast's commercial finfish aquaculture process starts in land-based hatcheries. Salmon are then transferred to in-water net pens or larger land-based tanks for grow-out and harvest. 

According to a UN study, aquaculture can improve food security and nutrition by increasing the amount of seafood available for people to eat. 

Humans of Hydroponics: Meet Ashly Trask of Grand Hyatt Kauai
​

2023

• Putting horticulture back into CEA
• Healthy Greens Jersey City & Oura: Measuring the Impact of Urban Farming in Food Deserts
• Aerofarms exits from Chapter 11 and appoints new CEO
• Indoor farm company Plenty scales up
• 1st Gene-Edited Produce for U.S. Retail Coming Soon
• ​Another Vertical-Farming Company Files for Chapter 11                                                AppHarvest pursues financial and operational transition to reduce outstanding liabilities
• AeroFarms updates bankruptcy restructuring efforts
• The industry responds to AeroFarms' bankruptcy news
• ​BEYOND PRICE PARITY, CEA MUST FOCUS MORE ON CONSUMER DEMAND TO TRULY SCALE
• Six Greenhouse HVAC Trends to Watch in 2023
• AeroFarms’ Newark farm transitioning to R&D
• MASTRONARDI ACQUIRES INDOOR LEAFY GREENS FARM FOR $127 MILLION

Projects that inspire.​

In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a town centered around its tourism industry, 78 percent of people living with disabilities are unemployed. But now, a local farm is working to change that. In partnership with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, Matter of Fact Correspondent Leone Lahkani travels to Wyoming to see how Vertical Harvest is creating economic options for people with disabilities.  

​Vertical Harvest How A Farm Provides Upward Mobility for People with DisabilitiesDisney hydroponicsHydroponics is a method of growing plants using just water and nutrients, and Disney uses this technology throughout their greenhouses. ... But it's quicker than growing crops in the soil, it uses less water, and it allows growers to stack plants closer together.

​​Behind the Seeds Tour | Walt Disney World Resort
​
Disney World Has A Magical Greenhouse Where Giant Produce Is Grown

Vertical Farms

• ​Indoor Vertical Farm Breaks Ground in Virginia
• BrightFarms to hosting virtual grand opening of NC indoor farm​
• ​Do You Want To Be An Urban Farmer? Now There Is A Way
• ​Indoor Vertical Farming Expands Retail Presence
• AeroFarms Expands Global Headquarters to Support Growth and Innovation

Top Vertical Farms

• AeroFarms
• Plenty
• Green Spirit Farms
• Bowery Farming
• BrightFarms
• Gotham Greens
• Iron Ox
• InFarm.

Aquaponics Feeding the World While Protecting Our Oceans
​
According to the United Nations, the planet must produce 70 percent more food by 2050 to meet growing global hunger needs.  The World Wildlife Fund says approximately 3 billion people in the world currently rely on seafood as a primary source of protein.  The Bumble Bee Seafood Company is working closely within the industry and with NGOs and governments globally to rebuild ocean abundance and diversity to ensure seafood remains a viable and vital long-term source to feed a surging population.


American shoppers are also increasingly sharing concerns about the health of the planet. According to a 2020 study conducted by IBM and the National Retail Federation, 57 percent of consumers surveyed said they were willing to change their buying habits to reduce their impact on the environment.  And in a GlobeScan survey from that same year, 55 percent of U.S. seafood consumers – including many who live hundreds of miles from an ocean shoreline – agreed that fish and other seafood should only be consumed from sustainable sources.
Aquaponics refers to a food production system that couples aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish, snails or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) whereby the nutrient rich aquaculture water is fed to hydroponic grown plant, involving nitrifying bacteria for converting ammonia into nitrates.
​
As existing hydroponic and aquaculture farming techniques form the basis for all aquaponic systems, the size, complexity, and types of foods grown in an aquaponic system can vary as much as any system found in either distinct farming discipline.

Hydroponics​Hydroponics is a type of horticulture and a subset of hydroculture which involves growing plants (usually crops) without soil, by using mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent. Terrestrial plants may grow with their roots exposed to the nutritious liquid, or, in addition, the roots may be physically supported by an inert medium such as perlite, gravel, or other substrates. Despite inert media, roots can cause changes of the rhizosphere pH and root exudates can affect rhizosphere biology.

The nutrients used in hydroponic systems can come from many different sources, including fish excrement, duck manure, purchased chemical fertilizers, or artificial nutrient solutions. Plants commonly grown hydroponically, on inert media, include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuces, cannabis, and model plants like Arabidopsis thaliana. Hydroponics offers many advantages, notably a decrease in water usage in agriculture. To grow 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of tomatoes using intensive farming methods requires 400 liters (88 imp gal; 110 U.S. gal) of water; using hydroponics, 70 liters (15 imp gal; 18 U.S. gal); and only 20 liters (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 U.S. gal) using aeroponics. Since hydroponics takes much less water to grow produce, it could be possible in the future for people in harsh environments with little accessible water to grow their own food.

cow created by Matthew Fugazzie

​I’m reaching out to introduce the Invertebrate Studies Institute (ISI) — the nonprofit I founded to protect and celebrate the most essential and overlooked forms of life on Earth: invertebrates.
Today, biodiversity is vanishing at an alarming rate: 75% of flying insects have disappeared in the last 30 years. Invertebrates pollinate our crops, regenerate our soils, and sustain ecosystems — yet they are disappearing before we even understand their potential for medicine, sustainable technologies, and climate resilience.
Our Vision🌍 The ISI Biotech Biodome — the world’s first insect-focused research & education facility, shaped like a giant beetle. A public insect zoo, conservation hub, and biotech lab under one roof.
🖥️ The Virtual Gamified Biotech Biodome — a global, immersive web & app platform that mirrors the real facility. Visitors can explore insect biology, exotic plants and fruits, and even simulated biotech tools like genome sequencers and PCR pipelines. This creates a revenue-generating educational experience long before the physical biodome is complete.
🎓 Education & Outreach — hands-on experiences with nature and real science to reconnect people to biodiversity, and inspire folks now and for generations of innovators.
🧬 Research Impact — sequencing the genomes of all insect species to unlock breakthroughs in AI, synthetic biology, drug discovery, and food security.
Why Support ISI Now?People protect what they experience first-hand. When they see, touch, and engage with science and nature, they begin to care, fund, and fight for biodiversity. ISI is designed to make that connection unforgettable.
We are now:

• Recruiting new Board members 
  
• Seeking philanthropic and corporate partners to support staffing and operations
  
• Raising bridge funding to:
  
  • Hire a nonprofit development professional + bookkeeper
    
  • Expand digital media and launch the Virtual Biodome
    
  • Secure new storage for our -80°C frozen insect biobank — priceless specimens at immediate risk
    

How You Can Help🔗 Donate or share our GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-invertebrate-studies-institutes-mission
🤝 Introduce us to mission-aligned philanthropists, foundations, or companies
🌟 Join us as a board member or strategic advisor
📣 Connect us with Hollywood creatives, celebrities, and influencers who care about biodiversity and biotech storytelling
With your support, we can make the ISI Biotech Biodome — both real and virtual — a global hub for science, education, and conservation. Together, we’ll preserve life’s diversity and inspire millions.
Thank you for considering this urgent and exciting opportunity. I would be honored to discuss ways we can collaborate.
With gratitude and determination,
Dr. Aaron T. Dossey
President & Founder | Invertebrate Studies Institute
📞 352-281-3643
🌐 www.isibugs.org
📬 [email protected]

Hello,
I hope this message finds you well.
My name is Dr. Aaron T. Dossey, and I am reaching out to explore executive-level career opportunities through your firm. With over 20 years of experience spanning biotechnology, biomedical science, food and agriculture, sustainability, and entrepreneurial leadership, I bring a unique and proven record of founding impactful organizations, securing significant funding, leading teams, and driving innovation in multiple industries.

You can find my CV and resumes attached to this email in PDF format for your convenience.

About Me
​Ph.D. in Biomedical Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Founder & Entrepreneur:
• All Things Bugs LLC – the world’s first wholesale insect-based ingredient company, securing $5M+ in competitive funding (DARPA, USDA, Gates Foundation, NASA).
• Invertebrate Studies Institute (ISI) – a nonprofit creating the world’s first Biotech Biodome + Insect Zoo, a global hub for biodiversity conservation, biotech R&D, and immersive STEM education.

Business & Nonprofit Leadership: Proven ability to launch, manage, and scale organizations — from early-stage R&D to global visibility, from securing grants to leading nonprofit fundraising campaigns.

Innovator: Holder of multiple patents; developed sustainable protein technologies; published the textbook Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients (Elsevier).

Recognized Expert: 40+ peer-reviewed publications; consultant for film/TV productions (BBC Life, Reagan biopic, Let Them Eat Bugs documentary); frequent speaker at conferences worldwide.


Multidisciplinary Expertise:
• Food science, food manufacturing, product development, marketing, logistics & supply chain.
• Alternative proteins, nutrition, food security, and sustainable agriculture.
• Molecular biology, analytical chemistry, genomics, gene editing (CRISPR), and natural products drug discovery.
• Horticulture, farming, and plant propagation.
• Publishing, academic research, textbook publishing, and grant/contract management.
• Public policy, government contracts, nonprofit development, and science advocacy.
• Film and media consulting — ensuring accuracy, engagement, and storytelling impact.

What I’m Seeking
I am pursuing executive or senior leadership roles where I can leverage my experience to build, scale, and innovate — ideally in biotech, foodtech, sustainability, life sciences, or adjacent industries.

• Target compensation: $100,000+
• Location: Remote or Florida-based (open to relocation for the right opportunity)
• Strengths: Visionary leadership, interdisciplinary innovation, product and R&D strategy, grant and funding strategy, business development, public/media engagement, and cross-sector partnerships.

Why Me
I am not only a scientist and entrepreneur — I am a builder. I take bold ideas from concept to reality, while inspiring teams, securing resources, and delivering measurable results. Whether leading cutting-edge biotech research, scaling sustainable food innovations, or shaping nonprofit cultural landmarks, I thrive at the intersection of science, business, and impact.

You may review more about my work here:
🎬 IMDB Profile: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14948052/
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarontdossey/
🌐 Leadership at All Things Bugs LLC: www.allthingsbugs.com/the-team/
🌐 Leadership at Invertebrate Studies Institute, Inc.: www.isibugs.org/aaron/
📖 Textbook: https://shop.elsevier.com/books/insects-as-sustainable-food-ingredients/dossey/978-0-12-802856-8  https://isibugs.org/aaron

I would welcome the opportunity to connect with you or your team to discuss potential opportunities and explore how my background may align with your clients’ needs.
Thank you sincerely for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Warm regards,
Dr. Aaron T. Dossey
Executive Director, President & Founder | All Things Bugs LLC & Invertebrate Studies Institute, Inc.
📞 352-281-3643
📧 [email protected]


CONFIDENTIAL and PROPRIETARY -- Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biomedical Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
https://allthingsbugs.com/the-team/
Check out my BOOK!: Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients https://www.elsevier.com/books/insects-as-sustainable-food-ingredients/dossey/978-0-12-802856-8

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14948052/ President, Founder and Owner of All Things Bugs LLC (a for-profit biotech firm); Founder of Invertebrate Studies Institute, Inc. (a 501c3 nonprofit; www.isibugs.org) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarontdossey/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Dr_Bugenstein PHONE: 1-352-281-3643

​To speak with someone from our team please request a meeting at the following link: https://calendly.com/aarontdossey