U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods pose a big risk for the greenhouse sector, which relies heavily on exports south of the border and would suffer if importers buy less because of the trade war. For the relatively small but growing vertical farm industry, which tends to focus on the domestic market, the trade war could open a window of opportunity.
Lenny Louis, CEO of Welland, Ont.-based Vision Greens, said he's seen a "tremendous uptick" in demand from grocers and suppliers for his lettuce and spring mix in the wake of tariffs. That includes companies that don't already stock his products.
"It is quite different because I think (vertical farms) really have positioned themselves to be seen as a local alternative," said McCauley.
However, McCauley said the greens often grown by vertical farms tend to be a bit more expensive than the other options at the grocery store — but the more they are able to scale up, the better positioned they will be to lower prices.
Read more at Milton Today