Rockwell Automation is a longtime Milwaukee manufacturer. Now, it’s lending its expertise to a new endeavor: growing food.
The indoor Clock Tower Farms is at Rockwell’s downtown headquarters, in what used to be manufacturing space. Sealed behind a glass-windowed wall, the hydroponic system supports lettuces, herbs and greens.
The 7,300-square-foot system will produce an estimated 300,000 pounds of food a year for people in need.
On Nov. 12, Chairman and CEO Blake Moret unveiled Clock Tower Farms.
“It’s exactly the types of things we talk about when we're using our technology to build cars and to produce medicines, so to be able to do such a relatable application is really exciting. It brings together agricultural innovation and builds an installation that's really never before been done,” Moret said.
He said 120 Rockwell employees helped build the farm, at a cost of several billion dollars.
Rockwell is partnering with Fork Farms and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin to distribute the produce.
Rockwell President and CEO Monique Kelley says the importance of the farm-in-a-factory cannot be overstated.
“One in four children that packed up their backpacks this morning and are sitting in a classroom today, one in four of them may go home to a household that does not have enough food to feed them tonight. And to infuse a food system that supports one in four children within the city that includes nutritious food, grown here locally, is incredible,” Kelley said.
Fork Farms — based in Green Bay — provides the growing expertise. Founder and CEO Alex Tyink calls Clock Tower Farms the future of food production.
“Right now, food travels thousands of miles to get from seat to plate. It undergoes a lot of transitions of hands, it leads to a lot more illness outbreaks. It's really expensive. And so by building a farm like this, we're able to grow it close to home. It's only going to change hands once or twice, and it's really cost-effective,” Tyink said.
Because Clock Tower Farms uses so little water and electricity, “We're growing food here for less than $2 a pound,” Tyink said. “And it’s nutritious.”
