AI crop pickers and vertical farming might once have been the thing of science fiction, but a set of circumstances is making them a reality.

The Jones Food Company has opened an advanced vertical farm in Gloucestershire (JFC2), showcasing how renewable solar power can provide all of its energy needs, use 90 per cent less water per kilogramme of produce grown, reduced chemical use and massively reduced food miles.

Currently the UK grows around half of its vegetables and less than a fifth of its fruit, but vertical farms allow us to grow crops year-round, delivering some crops in a third of the time it would take to grow in outdoor agriculture and producing up to 100x the yield per m2 of land whilst reducing operational costs due to automation.

The new farm is a potential turning point for vertical farming, as the efficiency makes it a viable alternative whereas previous schemes have suffered from high energy use and thus been financially difficult to justify in the light of high energy costs.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has announced a new package of support at the National Farmers Union annual conference that will focus on funding for technology and innovation for UK farming.

Around £220m will be injected into the future-focused technology and productivity schemes to ensure farmers can access new equipment, including automation to reduce reliance on overseas workers. It will also fund cost-saving energy measures, such as rooftop solar, to safeguard land for food production.

---