S8E103: Nona Yehia / Vertical Harvest Farms - A People-First Approach to a Fairer Food Future

Get ready for an enlightening conversation on vertical farming and food justice as we chat with Nona Yehia, CEO and co-founder of Vertical Harvest. Discover the growing importance of indoor ag tech and understand the significance of intersectional discussions within this evolving industry. Learn how fresh food access and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) are playing a crucial role in fostering positive change, and how technology is championing this transformation.

Join us as we discuss Vertical Harvest's expansion and their people-first approach. Nona shares how their commitment to diversity and inclusion has helped the company stay agile and adapt to the ever-changing industry. Hear about the development of the Grow Well Employment model and how understanding community employment needs has shaped their success. We also delve into the critical role of transparency in this maturing industry.

Lastly, we reflect on the challenges and triumphs of the CEA industry. Uncover how technology and innovation can empower people, augment teams, and create smarter and better ways of working. Nona reveals Vertical Harvest's approach to prioritizing yields and production alongside people while optimizing costs. Don't miss this insightful conversation about the importance of having a strong vision, mission, and transparency in creating a sustainable business within the vertical farming industry.

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Key Takeaways

• 0:01:48 - Food Justice and Access 0
• :06:13 - Vertical Farms as Urban Infrastructure
• 0:11:44 - Building Templates for Farm Success
• 0:17:23 - Employment Model for Community Growth
• 0:26:18 - Vertical Harvest's Community Impact in Detroit
• 0:34:24 - Democratizing Access to Fresh Food
• 0:45:15 - AI and Innovation in Food Production
• 0:53:50 - Social Media for Team Connection

Tweetable Quotes

"The promise of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) lies in the tech, of course, but the tech is there for a reason. Why do we use the tech, and why is it important? And why is it not only important to investors, but why is it important to you, your family, your neighborhood, your city?"

"We have shown that access to this very exciting space can be democratized right. And our farmers, who, prior to Vertical Harvest, were washing dishes, cleaning hotel rooms, that's all great. We got to start somewhere. But now they have fed our community good food, healthy food, food that inspires fresh food, and now they're leading the charge in Maine."

"This isn't only about Vertical Harvest or everybody else. This is about something whose time has come because people need it. I think we're close to unlocking that, because this is a movement.”

Resources Mentioned

Nona's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nona-yehia-3b2266a/

Nona's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/verticalnona/

Nona's Email - [email protected]

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VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPod

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Mentioned in this episode:

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report