AppHarvest Founder & CEO Jonathan Webb spoke with members of the United Nations Security Council over the weekend about the benefits of controlled-environment agriculture. The practice is key to solving the looming crisis noted in United Nations studies that found we will need to feed at least 50% more people by 2050.

Kentuckian Kelly Craft, who was appointed the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations earlier this year, organized the trip to Kentucky, which showcased development in Middle America. Webb described AppHarvest’s plans to locate a series of indoor farms across Appalachia to improve Americans’ access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The first such facility, which will span 2.76 million square feet, is under construction in Morehead, Ky., and will open in the second half of next year.

Attendees included U.N. Security Council representatives from the United Kingdom, China, Russia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Ambassador Craft remarked how the group “saw firsthand how innovation, aspiration, and investing in people can fuel lasting, positive change.”

Beyond the panel discussion, the group joined newly elected Gov. Andy Beshear for dinner at the Governor’s Mansion on Friday night.

Construction Rapidly Progressing in Morehead

Construction continues on AppHarvest’s controlled-environment agriculture facility in Morehead, Ky., which will open in the second half of 2020 and create 285 jobs.

Nearly 20 acres of the 60-acre structure are already under glass with work now starting on walls for remaining parts of the facility.

By starting the company from within Appalachia, AppHarvest can reach nearly 70% of Americans in just a day’s drive, reducing diesel use in transportation by 80% compared to foreign imports.

To learn more about AppHarvest, visit their website.