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Sustainable microgreen farming
Environmental Commitment

Grown Sustainably

Indoor microgreen farming is one of the most resource-efficient ways to grow food. MicrogreenUSA uses about 93% less water per pound than field crops, never uses pesticides, cuts food miles by about 80% versus California or imported greens, and composts its spent substrate.

93%
Less water than field crops per pound produced
0
Pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic growth hormones - ever
80%
Reduction in food miles vs. California or international field greens
Water Efficiency

The Water Story

Indoor microgreen production uses approximately 93% less water per pound of produce than conventional field-grown vegetables. This is not a minor efficiency gain - it is a fundamental structural difference between controlled-environment and field agriculture.

In field production, the vast majority of applied irrigation water is lost to evaporation, runoff, and soil absorption that never reaches plant roots. In our system, water is applied directly at the root zone of the plant with no runoff and minimal evaporation loss. Every drop is accountable.

Additionally, our reverse osmosis water treatment system eliminates chemical impurities from the water supply, reducing the environmental impact of any discharge while ensuring product safety.

Field Lettuce
~13 gallons water per ounce of produce
Greenhouse Greens
~4 gallons water per ounce of produce
MicrogreenUSA
~0.9 gallons water per ounce of produce
Other Commitments

Our Full Sustainability Picture

No-Till Production
Indoor production eliminates the soil disturbance, compaction, and carbon release of conventional tillage. No plowing, no tractor passes, no soil erosion.
LED Energy Efficiency
Commercial LED grow lights consume 60-70% less energy than HPS lighting of equivalent output, and produce zero heat waste that requires additional cooling energy.
Local Distribution
Growing in the Southeast serves Southeast customers - eliminating the truck and air freight miles of California or international greens. Dramatically reduced food miles and packaging waste.
Zero Pesticide
Our controlled indoor environment requires no pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. The substrate, water, and air management eliminate the conditions that require chemical intervention in field production.
Compostable Packaging
We offer compostable packaging formats for accounts that prioritize this. Our standard packaging is fully recyclable. We are working toward 100% packaging sustainability by 2026.
Waste Reduction
Our staggered daily production model eliminates inventory waste. We produce to order - no overproduction, no landfill waste from unsold product. Spent coco coir substrate is composted.
Environment FAQ

Sustainability Questions

How much water do microgreens use compared to field crops?

Indoor microgreen production uses roughly 93% less water per pound than conventional field-grown vegetables. Our system uses about 0.9 gallons of water per ounce of produce, compared with around 4 gallons for greenhouse greens and around 13 gallons for field lettuce. Water goes straight to the root zone with no runoff and minimal evaporation.

Do you use pesticides on your microgreens?

No. Our controlled indoor environment needs no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or synthetic growth hormones at any stage. Substrate, water and air management remove the conditions that call for chemical intervention in field production, and pest exclusion systems protect the growing rooms. Pesticide-free status is checked at every production step.

Is MicrogreenUSA packaging recyclable?

Our standard packaging is fully recyclable, and compostable packaging formats are available for accounts that prioritize them. Packaging waste is also limited by producing to order: the staggered daily production model means no overproduction and no landfill waste from unsold product, and spent coco coir substrate is composted.

How does growing in the Southeast reduce food miles?

Growing in the Southeast for Southeast customers removes the truck and air freight miles of California or international greens, which we estimate cuts food miles by about 80%. It also means fresher product at lower freight cost. LED lighting adds to the savings, using 60-70% less energy than HPS lighting of equivalent output.