CEA Cultivation and The Future of Texas Water

Everything is bigger in Texas. CEA will be one of the biggest industries in Texas agriculture because of its cost-effectiveness and water conservation efforts.

Texas for the first time since 1991 (compared to historical data from 1991–2020) has received below-average rainfall. At the end of March, 80.88% of the state was in the D0 (abnormally dry)[1]. With the population growth exploding throughout Texas, we are on track to hit 25 million more people living in Texas by 2070. This would consequently increase the water demands in the state where drought has reduced the inflows into rivers, streamflow, soil moisture, and aquifers. What will this do to the more than 10% of the irrigated agricultural acres in the country? Texas’ economic dependence on irrigation, improvements in state-wide irrigation efficiency, and problems the state faces as water reserves dwindle. 4.7 billion dollars in Texas agriculture relies on irrigation. In the High Plains alone, irrigated agriculture accounts for nearly 9 percent of the Texas economy, including 7,300 jobs. Growing food in Texas also secures availability to produce for the state, dependence on more costly imported goods. What could Texas do to decrease the dependence on costly imported goods further and maximize water resources within the state?

It starts with securing rainwater collection, building a controlled environment, and creating a water treatment plant with a by-product that is a fresh produce product, fruits, or leafy greens for the state.

I know it in every Texans heart when we say independence the ears perk up a bit and a “YEEHAW” is on the verge of being shouted but with more agricultural projects putting all eyes on the great state it seems like everybody’s talking about controlled environment agriculture (CEA) it Texas. If you can figure out how to mitigate the massive humidity, heat, and energy cost problem you may have a gold mine on your hands. Investors are drooling over the idea of creating a closed-loop system next to the booming metropolitan areas of Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, or Houston using either Highway 35, 45, or 10 with a production facility and distribution hub. But what could it really do for water conservation in the state?

?Research and development firms continue to look at the applications of CEA in their field. Food producers love how an agricultural-controlled environment keeps contaminants out for a safer food supply and reduce pesticides and other synthetic applications to ZERO. And its ability to grow food in harsh climates and protect crops from dangerous conditions like storms and floods make it an increasingly useful method in our ever-changing world.

What is Controlled Environment Agriculture?

Let’s start with the basics. CEA stands for controlled environment agriculture. According to the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center:

“Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is the production of plants and their products, such as vegetables and flowers, inside controlled environment structures such as greenhouses, vertical farms, and growth chambers. By using CEA, we can produce high-value crops at maximum productivity in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.”

CEA relies on a hydroponic system to cultivate its produce.

Hydroponic farming means plants are grown in water rather than soil. Nutrients are added to the water to ensure healthy plants with maximum output. The water can even be captured from rainfall or processed through RO and UV filtration prior to being nutrient-filled and then applied to the system.

What Are the Main Objectives of Controlled Environment Agriculture?

There are three main objectives for CEA growers (CONTROL IS CRITICAL)

1.??????Protect crops – CEA vertical farming systems and other CEA operations are an excellent way to protect crops from damaging outdoor elements. Indoor crops are not susceptible to the same pollution, hazardous weather, and pests as their outdoor counterparts.?

2.??????Provide optimal growing conditions – The other primary objective of CEA farming is to provide the best possible growing conditions for each crop. This allows them to grow out-of-season crops or even crops that require a completely different climate.

3.??????Reduce water consumption and be water conscious – The third and most important concept with a CEA system is the mindfulness of water conservation and maximizing water usage throughout the system. From capture of condensate to rainwater capture to recirculation and oxygen treatment, water is critical for a cost-effective system with a small footprint.

What Are the Advantages of Controlled Environment Agriculture?

CEA offers five main benefits over traditional outdoor farming:

1.??????Farmers can grow year-round – Seasonality is no longer a concern when you control the temperature, humidity, and light cycle surrounding your crops. Indoor farming lets growers plant their most popular crops all year round, regardless of weather, season, or climate.

2.??????Minimal possibility of crop damage – Crops grown indoors aren’t susceptible to damage from pollution, drought, flooding, bad weather, or pests.

3.??????Uses less water and land – Because indoor growing often involves vertical farming, it takes up far less space than traditional outdoor farming. It also uses far less water with no concern for runoff or evaporation. Modern Hydroponics CEA greenhouses use 99% less land and 98% less water than conventional growing practices.

4.??????Farmers can grow anywhere – Since the conditions around the crops are designed and controlled by the grower, a CEA farm can be planted anywhere in the world. This lets them grow healthy, fresh veggies in the middle of the desert or deep within an urban setting.

5.??????Fewer food miles – Since CEA farms can be planted anywhere, they tend to exist far closer to their eventual consumers than most traditional farms can manage. Creating a zero-food mileage scenario. This means that food doesn’t have to travel as far and can arrive fresher and with less food waste in transit.

Why is CEA Important?

There are several arguments for the importance of controlled environment agriculture. It uses less water, doesn’t rely on increasingly degraded soil for its production, and can grow plants year-round, regardless of climate or weather conditions. Additionally, controlled environments allow farmers to precisely control conditions and keep pests and contaminants at bay. This kind of production will allow Texas to grasp its agricultural independence from California again while maintaining more control over its watershed and reducing dependence on outside producers of crops.

How can Texas conserve water in the future?

Texas water irrigation has greatly improved in efficiency. Much of that improvement has come from using better sprinkler systems, like center pivot systems and low-pressure sprinklers. Farmers are also using networked weather stations to plan out the most efficient times to water their crops. In fact, agricultural water use in the state has remained at a steady level, the report says, since the 1970s, while yields have increased.

Though the report cites advances in irrigation efficiency, it also acknowledges the need for more improvement and a switch to CEA systems for more localized food production. The state population is projected to double in the next 50 years, and municipal needs are already straining agricultural use in some parts of the state. Texas aquifer reserves are diminishing while the residential demand for water is increasing and droughts are becoming more frequent.?

[1] Texas Water Conditions Report – March 2023 -