Here Comes Goliath

Doing some research on rooftop farming and I came across this Times article about rooftop greenhouses. Given how capital-intensive growing on rooftops is, is it too hard to imagine a future where we are complaining about corporate rooftop farms? One venture capitalist involved projects a billion dollars of sales by 2020. Imagine feeding the entirety of NYC with hydroponic rooftop greenhouses. Will it remain the urban dweller's farm utopia? If the profits are as some are expecting, its hard to imagine the family farm on a rooftop. Local, land-based farming remains possible by lowered shipping costs and raising the price per pound along with some subsidies via agricultural conservation easements. Corporate mega-rooftop greenhouses may drive the price too low for local land farmers and those early sky-farmers to survive. So, must we keep our romance with the rural dirt farmer, or do we not care as long as the tomato tastes good?

Brightfarms is the major capital behind this idea.