From a business press release:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Will Join Valcent's Advisory Board
CORNWALL, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - 12/03/09) - Valcent Products Inc. (OTC.BB:VCTZF - News) announces that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has agreed to join the Company's advisory board. Over the past two months Valcent has launched a major sales and marketing campaign aimed at developing interest for the concept of urban farming in a number of major US cities in association with EMLINK LLC of Boston Massachusetts.
I have frankly wondered a bit about the reception press releases in the past praising the Kennedys got on Wall Street. As a disclaimer, I have no personal stake in this ultimate factory farmer and do not recommend or not recommend the stock to anyone.
No Valcent doesn't raise cows or goats or baboons but it does grow bubbly lettuce for baboons:
Baboons love to play with their food. All plants are grown under computer control in modules that the company has offered for about half a million smackeroos. So far their sales are zero.
The origins of this endeavor were growing algae in plastic bags hanging from rotating panels in "clean" rooms. I use the term advisedly since the spaces hardly fit the category of scientific labs dealing with such things as nukes or the ebola virus.
The vegetable growing modules look pretty much like a display in most any large garden shop but are basically the same advanced hydroponic technology.
So what's with this factory farming? Lettuce and tomatoes aren't as adorable as pigs and baboons.
Just this:
There is a conservation of water and nutrients. Other chemicals are eliminated. Labor is minimized and incidentally less abused. Pollution is minimal and global warming takes a setback.
It's good for polar bears and penguins as well as people and promises harm only to large corporate interests and the blather of faux environmentalists.
Like with factory farming generally.
Best, Terry