How Hydroponics Is Revolutionizing Farming Jobs in the Agriculture Industry

The word “farming” paints a specific picture in many minds. If you envision someone working in a field, sweating in the hot sun as they plant and harvest by hand, it’s time to update your mental picture of farming. Today’s modern farmers are increasingly technology-savvy, and new AgTech and Agribusiness models are revolutionizing the modern agricultural industry. We’ll explore the ways vertical hydroponic farming is changing farm work for the better.

Farm Work and Earnings

Farm labor is often a thankless, grueling, and underpaid, yet essential, job. In general, farm work was traditionally performed by self-employed farmers, their families, and hired labor brought in to help out in busy times. 

Farmers and their households were once able to earn a decent living by working the land, growing crops and livestock, and selling it at market prices. Today, most farm households must supplement their earnings with off-farm income, as small family farms are often not even profitable, even in a good year. 

Instead, most of our agricultural needs are currently handled by large, commercial farms controlled by corporations. In these settings, most of the earnings are typically far from the laborers working in the fields. Wages for year-round, non-supervisory farm employees tend to be about 40% lower than non-farm wages, making even full-time farm work an incredibly low-paid profession.

But this is only a part of the story since a good portion of the work done on farms is seasonal. Seasonal farm laborers are brought onto farms when it’s time to plant or harvest. These positions are typically filled by migrant workers, often with little or no education, and often making wages that fall far below the poverty line.

Beyond Dollars and Cents

The problems with seasonal farm labor go far beyond wages. These workers routinely face challenges related to health and safety, housing, child labor, and so much more. Indeed, being a migrant farm laborer can be a harrowing and difficult experience for so many whom we scarcely hear about.

Migrant farmworkers, as a seasonal workforce, are not provided the basic benefits that most US or Canadian workers enjoy. They aren’t afforded any sort of health insurance, and since their pay is tied to manual productivity rather than hours worked, they get no compensation for sick days or even breaks.

In addition to this complete lack of benefits, seasonal workers often face extremely harsh working conditions. They toil outdoors on some of the hottest days of the year in physically demanding jobs, often leading to heat stress and exhaustion. They are often exposed to toxic chemicals from pesticides, many of which are known carcinogens. In fact, agriculture is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in  North America today. And through all of this, workers have little or no access to medical care, nor the ability to take time off to recover when they are injured or sick.

A Vertical Farming & AgTech Revolution

Traditional farming involves acreage and soil and is heavily dependent on climate and weather. With the increasing volatility of our planet’s climate and the added problem of soil degradation, many wonder how agriculture will feed the population going forward. Enter hydroponics.

In a vertical hydroponic farm, crops are grown indoors. They are planted in trays or towers and fed by water alone, with no soil needed. The water that cycles through the hydroponic system includes key nutrients to ensure optimal growth for each plant type. Conditions inside the greenhouse are closely monitored and adjusted for the correct amount of light, heat, and humidity for each plant. 

This hydroponic plant growth method means farmers can grow crops year-round, using far less space than traditional farming methods. The complete lack of soil and closely controlled microclimates for each plant answer concerns relating to climate change and soil degradation. In fact, an acre and a half of vertical hydroponic farming can produce 500 tons of healthy, leafy greens spread over 11–13 harvests each year. The plants aren’t left out in the elements, susceptible to flooding, freezing temperatures, or drought. It’s not a stretch to say that hydroponic greenhouses may just be the answer to feeding our population in the future.

Perhaps more impressive for those directly involved, the same acre and a half greenhouse at Eden Green Technology can provide 30 full-time jobs for the surrounding community. And these aren’t minimum wage hard labor positions. Hydroponic greenhouse workers enjoy a living wage, full benefits, and far better working conditions than traditional farmworkers. They get regular breaks, work in a climate-controlled environment, and aren’t exposed to toxic chemicals as a part of their daily work. These jobs include roles in plant health, horticulture, food safety, integrated pest management, production and packing, as well as facilities and maintenance.

But beyond this, workers in hydroponic farms have jobs that are both fulfilling and beneficial to their health. They can literally see the fruits of their labor as they grow and harvest healthy produce in clean, safe conditions. It’s a viable long-term career in a growing industry that would make any worker proud.

If you’re considering getting involved in the world of agriculture, vertical hydroponic farming is the answer to many of the industry’s problems, including working conditions and the health of produce. If you’re in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, check out our job openings to learn more about the different types of roles. If you’re interested in learning more about how our technology can commercially grow produce year round, contact Eden Green Technology to learn more about our turnkey solutions today.