S11E156 Rick Langille/Harvest Today - Harvest Wall 2.0: Engineering the Next Generation of Farming

Ever wondered how vertical farming could revolutionize food production and make fresh, flavorful produce more accessible? In this enlightening conversation with Rick Langille, CEO of Harvest Today, we explore the cutting-edge developments in vertical farming technology and their potential impact on the future of agriculture.Rick shares exciting updates on Harvest Today's progress, including the launch of their Shopify site and upcoming innovations in their Harvest Wall system. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability and customer-centric approaches in the vertical farming industry, highlighting the need for diverse crop solutions beyond just lettuce or strawberries. Rick's insights into the company's expansion into international markets, particularly in India and the Middle East, showcase the global potential of their technology.We delve into Harvest Today's partnerships and technological advancements, such as their collaboration with Ecoplume for AI-driven plant growth monitoring and their work with Rooted Robotics for automated cleaning solutions. Rick also discusses the company's plans for cost reduction, including strategic manufacturing decisions and the potential establishment of a private equity fund to support farmers.If you're curious about the future of sustainable agriculture and how vertical farming is evolving to meet global food demands, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to gain valuable insights from an industry leader and learn how Harvest Today is working to make fresh, flavorful produce more accessible through innovative vertical farming solutions.Thanks to Our SponsorsCEA Summit East - https://indoor.ag/cea-summit-east-2025/Indoor AgCon - https://indoor.ag/Key Takeaways5:05 Industry outlook and diversifying crop offerings9:43 Harvest Wall's unique microbiome approach15:28 Navigating challenges and maintaining patience20:13 Manufacturing partnerships and cost reduction strategies25:31 Developing a super app for wellness 31:00 Success story of small-scale vertical farmTweetable Quotes"We need to be much more broad spectrum. We need to be able to address diets that are more than lettuce.""The harvest wall was really based around the plant biology of rooted plants. Because as we vertically irrigate or we use hydroponic technology in order to feed plants, hydroponics never allows a true microbiome to get going.""Quality is number one, though. Always, always, always. This isn't a toy."Resources MentionedWebsite - https://www.harvest.today/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvest-today/YouTube - @harvesttodayInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/harvest.today/?hl=enFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/HarvestTodayLLC/Connect With UsVFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcastVFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPodVFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPodSubscribe to our newsletters!AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.comThe Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/🎙️🎙️🎙️Podcast Production and Marketing by FullCastDiscover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/Mentioned in this episode:Indoor AgCon 2025Indoor AgCon 20252025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report