AppHarvest

C1 3 states is starting here in kentucky... 'appharvest' broke ground on its second high-tech growing facility...the first is in rowan county....the latest in madison county....where abc 36's chelsea smith reports.

"the world's watching" these 60 acres will be used to grow vine crops... all indoors and will be non-gmo and chemical pesticide free... and bumblebees will be used for pollination.... according to kentucky native... appharvest founder and ceo... jonathan webb... the region's biggest asset is water and recyled rainwater will be used to grow the plants jonathan webb: "we use 90 percent less water than open field agriculture and we get 30 times yeild per acre."

Webb says the pandemic opened the eyes of the investors to food insecurity... jonathan webb: "we're heavily relying on the imports from mexico to the u-s , we've got to change that."

Madison county judge-executive.... reagan taylor says this is great for the county and eastern kentucky reagan taylor: "i don't think words can describe what this means for our community.

You know, bringing over 300 jobs, growing the economy, giving opportunity."

Jonathan webb: "even an entry level job here is going to make almost double minimum wage, full healthcare, paid time off.

Something that is virtually unheard of in agriculture."

Life-long farmer keith parke...says he was skeptical but now sees the impact it could have on kentucky keith parke : "it's really going to put us on the map of the world as being able to feed, you know, millions of people food.

Our state is very special, you know, it makes you be kentucky proud."

Appharvest has not announced a timeline for when the facitlity will be operational but says it will likely compare to its first location in morehead that is growing tomatoes...that project took about a year and a half to complete.

In madison county, chelsea smith, abc 36 news.

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