CHRIS RADCLIFFE
AppHarvest, which operates a 2.76-million-square-foot flagship facility in Morehead growing tomatoes, plans to build five high-tech indoor growing facilities in Kentucky by 2025.
AppHarvest, a Lexington-based AgTech company focused on the sustainable production of greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables, has announced the start of construction on two new high-tech indoor farms in Central Appalachia.
The company’s new farms, a 30-acre facility located in Somerset and a 15-acre facility in Morehead, will grow berries and leafy greens, respectively.
AppHarvest also operates its 2.76-million-square-foot flagship facility in Morehead, growing tomatoes, as well as a 15-acre facility in Berea that will grow leafy greens, and a 60-acre facility in Richmond that will grow vine crops.
"With today’s dual announcement, we put ourselves ahead of our development schedule,” said AppHarvest founder and CEO Jonathan Webb. “Our Somerset and Morehead farms will build on the success of our flagship farm to provide higher quality produce using cutting-edge technology at a large scale.”
AppHarvest has announced it plans to operate 12 high-tech indoor farms in Kentucky by the end of 2025.
“I am excited to welcome AppHarvest to Pulaski County and the Lake Cumberland area,” said Congressman Hal Rogers (R-KY 5th District). “Our rich farming history and skilled workforce makes southern Kentucky a prime partner for this innovative AgTech industry. As AppHarvest expands efforts to farm for our future, they are also inspiring a new generation of ingenuity and stellar work ethic that will benefit our region for generations to come.”