Effective agribusiness growth starts with steel buildings

The need for local, adaptable food chains

Meeting the increased demand for a healthy and stable food supply is becoming a daunting prospect at the individual operator level. Farms face a variety of internal and external challenges when building profitable operations. At the same time, consumers are becoming more knowledgeable and demanding about the food they eat, along with a desire to support local farms.

These factors are leading producers in search of solutions that meet year-round pressure for increased production for both crops and animals. Reduced emphasis on imports, higher demand by restaurants and grocery stores to buy directly from growers (i.e., the locavore movement) create a need to find ways to improve yields traditionally fixed to annual schedules. 

In some circles, attention has turned toward controlled environment agriculture (CEA), also known as indoor farming, as a significant opportunity. The system increases resilience in food supply chains while shortening supply time and accelerating production cycles. It also addresses a wide range of other issues like food safety, population growth, food insecurity, labour shortages and consumer sustainability expectations.

Switching from traditional farming to a system of controlled environment agriculture can provide a wide range of benefits:

• Increased productivity per square foot
• Reduced input requirements
• Lower environmental footprint
• Reduced labour requirements
• Reduced land requirements.

While CEA will never completely replace traditional field-based agriculture, the potential for some locations and with some crops, is immense. 

Steel buildings and improved technology are keys to enhancing Canadian farming

Taking advantage of what technology has to offer is a tremendous opportunity for agribusiness. Larger farms are already adding digital platforms and automation to innovate new ways of disrupting old ways of doing things. Reinventing agricultural processes for both livestock and plants requires infrastructure to support it – from providing shelter, to storage, to creating protected areas for processing.

Steel buildings are one important component to modernizing farms and supporting the technology being incorporated into most aspects of growing and distribution. Steel buildings allow for increased production and improved efficiency in farming practices by offering:

• Controllable LED lighting systems
• Electrical and support systems for automation
• Modern greenhouses for precision agriculture
• Remote sensing
• Robotics and automation for seeding, feeding and harvesting
• Structural capabilities for smart irrigation
• Vertical farming where crops are planted in stacks or inclined surfaces to produce higher yields in less space
• Solar power energy for sustainable power with less energy costs and dependence on fossil fuels
• Rainwater capture – collect, treat and store for re-use in watering plants
  

Efficient farm operations require investment in infrastructure

Any change to operations capacity requires an investment in time, money and effort. As with any long-term planning, meeting the challenges is rewarded by a strong return on investment over time. The start-up costs to design/build pre-engineered steel buildings are surprisingly reasonable and affordable compared to the costs of traditional construction. Energy-efficient lighting and heating systems can be added to keep on-going costs manageable. Although indoor cultivation limits crop sizes and varieties, it also creates an opportunity to take a small commodity crop and transform it into a value-added consumer product that can be sold direct, such as the success of Arthur’s Fresh Smoothies. The future of farming requires courage to adopt new technologies, new skills, new processes and methods of collaboration to ensure a long-standing and resilient local food supply.

Meeting the growing needs of agribusiness takes innovation and an understanding that change is sometimes necessary. Adopting new methods of cultivation, or for raising livestock, need not be an overly costly proposition – but it may require an addition to buildings, systems and methods. Expanding annual yields is an investment into your farm’s future that comes offers many benefits:

• Custom made – Design the exact specifications you need to support your operations, including building new or around existing structures and equipment. Metal building engineering is particularly designed to suit structures that are heavily loaded, such as with elevated wet-holding bins and their supporting frames. Choose the exact components you need, including doorway headers or lintels spanning wide openings.
• Protects – Livestock, animal feed and equipment are kept safe from fire and weather severe conditions, like high winds, rain, tornadoes, etc.
• Less maintenance – Steel buildings do not crack or face insect infestation without any wooden poles or siding that may rot or require painting.
• Flexible – Facilities can be easily and affordably expanded to whatever size is needed whenever more space is required. 
• Cost-effective – Structure stands tall and beautiful for a long time giving a great return on investment.
  

Your premier supplier of steel agricultural buildings

At Summit Steel buildings, our engineering team has been passionately developing agricultural structures for over 25 years. Our approach combines art and science into designing a variety of farming systems that enhance your capability to cultivate plants or raise livestock and horses. We value the protection and preservation of your animals, plants and farming equipment as much as you do. That’s why it’s our mission to provide you with the most advanced and cost-effective agricultural building that’s right for your needs.

Concrete and steel ensure your harvests are protected from invasive pests and climate controlled against the harshest weather conditions. Our agricultural metal buildings last long so you don’t need to worry about the poles rotting when exposed to moisture or disintegrating against weather conditions like snow, wind, ice or excessive heat. With unlimited interior re-configuration options and high-performance paints and coatings, your steel building will maintain its look and feel for years to come. 

Our agricultural buildings are designed to reduce costs by eliminating any unneeded steel without changing the structural integrity. You'll be able to secure your valuable equipment and increase the volume of crops and livestock you can safely store. Be it farm buildings of all types or storage needs for dairy, grain, hay, cannabis, livestock or equipment, we’ll help you find your best steel building solution. 

Contact our team today for a free quote.

About the author

Frank Melo has a construction engineering and business background with over 25 years of experience as a business owner and contractor. He was born in the Azores on the island of São Miguel and moved to London, Ontario at the age of two. After studying architecture, Frank graduated from Fanshawe College’s civil engineering technology program. He divides his time between projects primarily in Ontario and British Columbia. Frank can be contacted at Summit Steel Buildings at (778) 951-4766, by email at frank.melo@summitsteelbuildings.com or you can connect with him on LinkedIn.