Recognizing Farmedhere For Being Named A Top 10 ``Up-And-Comer'' For The 12th Annual Chicago Innovation Awards
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize FarmedHere, a revolutionary vertical farming facility in Bedford Park, IL for being named a Top 10 ``Up-and-Comer'' for the 12th Annual Chicago Innovation Awards. In March 2013, FarmedHere opened the…
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize FarmedHere, a revolutionary vertical farming facility in Bedford Park, IL for being named a Top 10 ``Up-and-Comer'' for the 12th Annual Chicago Innovation Awards.
In March 2013, FarmedHere opened the world's largest indoor vertical farming operation. At a repurposed warehouse, FarmedHere uses cutting- edge technological advances in aquaponics and aeroponics to supply Chicagoland residents and restaurants with chemical-, herbicide- and pesticide-free herbs, vegetables, and fish. As FarmedHere's operation continues to expand and become more efficient, they are proving that sustainable urban farming is a viable option for Chicagoans.
In providing locally sourced food throughout Chicago, FarmedHere exemplifies environmentally responsible business practices. Instead of expanding horizontally over hundreds of acres, FarmedHere's fields are stacked on top of each other. This vertical growing technology coupled with local distribution reduces energy use, travel time, and costs. FarmedHere extends its green-thinking to its paper packaging, which uses 90 percent less plastic than traditional supermarket boxes. Recently, FarmedHere, in partnership with The Resource Center, a non- profit environmental education organization, established a program that allows FarmedHere to convert all of its organic waste into compost. This compost is then used at other urban farms throughout the Chicago area, helping these farms continue to grow and thrive.
In addition to providing residents with local and environmentally- friendly products, FarmedHere positively affects the Chicago community. FarmedHere provides life changing opportunities for non-violent ex- offenders by hiring and training them to work in their vertical farm. FarmedHere also aims to expand its operations and bring 200 new jobs to the Chicago community by 2014, which will help bolster the local economy.
I was pleased to hear that all of this great work has resulted in FarmedHere's recognition by the Chicago Innovation Awards. Each year the Chicago Innovation Awards recognize the most innovative new products and services in the region across all industries and sectors. By honoring Chicagoland's most creative, the Awards strengthen the region's economic future and spread the spirit of innovation. Chosen from a record-breaking pool of 562 applicants, FarmedHere was named one of ten ``Up-and-Comer'' award winners this year. The ``Up-and-Comer'' award recognizes Chicago's premier start-up organizations and provides these organizations with connections to capital, mentors, and business resources. FarmedHere's prizes include an invitation to ring the NASDAQ Bell in New York City, advertising exposure with the Chicago Transit Authority, invitations to attend meetings with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Pat Quinn, and a profile in Crain's Chicago Business. As the greatest source of new jobs for the U.S. economy, start-ups like FarmedHere deserve this praise and support.
FarmedHere and vertical farms alike are beneficial for the economy and the environment, and I am proud that this one-of-a-kind facility is located in the 3rd District of Illinois. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the entire FarmedHere family on their recent honor and to wish them many years of continued success.