An Economic and Environmental Comparison of Conventional and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Supply Chains for Leaf Lettuce to US Cities
Metropolitan agriculture, the production of food in urban and peri-urban areas, has captured the attention and excitement of municipalities and entrepreneurs as a means to improve fresh food access while contributing to environmental sustainability (Mougeot, 2000). What began as a community gardening movement has been transformed over the last five years with the emergence of larger-scale commercial Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) operations in metropolitan areas. These greenhouses and plant factories enable year-round intensive production of vegetables by creating controlled environments that supply an optimal balance of light, heat, CO2 and water to optimise plant growth (Harbick & Albright, 2016). These systems have the potential to alter metropolitan food supply chains by decentralising vegetable production, reducing food waste and food miles, using less water than soil-based production, and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs and workforce development.