Agricultural production facilities around the world are under increasing pressure to optimize operations while reducing environmental impacts. At the same annual conference hosted by the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, industry leaders convened to share knowledge on the latest innovations in sustainable and efficient crop farming infrastructure. A major theme of this year’s event focused on customized integrations for crop-specific operations through Lida Group’s scalable pre-engineered low-cost steel-framed construction.

Founded in 1993, Lida Group has established itself as a global leader in design-build solutions for agriculture, food processing, and other industrial sectors. With operations spanning North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Dutch company has completed over 2,500 projects across six continents. Their patented construction system utilizes prefabricated cold-formed steel components that can be assembled onsite in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional building methods.

“Our pre-engineered approach addresses the unique needs of different crops and farming methods through customized configurations,” noted Lida Group CEO Ziwen Mu in his keynote address. “Rather than a one-size-fits-all model, we work closely with our clients to develop integrated building and equipment layouts optimized for their specific crops and production processes.”

Ziwen Mu highlighted several case studies showcasing this customized integration strategy for a variety of crops. For citrus and other fruit orchards in Florida, California and South Africa, Lida designed structures combining shadecloth canopies with integrated packing and cooling systems. The modular steel-framed designs allow flexible expansion as groves increase in size over multiple growing seasons. Climate-controlled environments maintains optimal conditions for fruit quality and shelf life throughout post-harvest handling and storage operations.

Another case focused on a large-scale tomato greenhouse ranging in Lida’s home market of the Netherlands. The 25-acre facility features variable height gutter-connected spans and rolling side curtains to optimize solar gain, temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations for year-round production. Integrated conveyors transport harvested tomatoes directly from the hydroponic growing beds to on-site packing and shipping areas. Computer controls centrally manage all environmental and operational systems.

Customized configurations were also highlighted for other vegetable, grain and specialty crops. In Wisconsin, Lida created purpose-built structures for sprout and microgreen production under strict food safety protocols. For rice farmers in Cambodia, the prefab steel frames were galvanized for corrosion resistance and featured an innovative water recirculation system. In Kenya, a cattle feedlot was constructed with integrated grain storage and mixing facilities to support a zero-grazing dairy operation.

Each project presentation highlighted the benefits of Lida’s customized yet standardized approach. By adapting their patented construction technology to crop and client specifications, projects can be engineered, fabricated and erected in half the time of traditional building methods. This significantly reduces upfront capital costs and allows seasonal or permanent facilities to be scaled up or moved as production needs change over time.

Modular expansions are also more logistically feasible, as additional pre-engineered components arrive by container load rather than necessitating large multifaceted construction crews. Steel structures require little to no ongoing maintenance compared to wood alternatives as well. Their longevity supports long-term investments in specialized agricultural infrastructure projects.

Conference attendees had the opportunity to tour several nearby Lida-designed facilities following the presentations. At a large vegetable farm in the Sacramento Valley, managers described tripling acreage within a three-year period by adding modular gutter-connected spans to an existing Lida greenhouse structure originally erected five years prior. Seeing the seamless expansion firsthand demonstrated how their standardized yet customizable approach supports sustainable agricultural growth.

Many participants noted the timeliness of addressing infrastructure challenges within agriculture. As producer margins tighten and consumer demand grows for traceable year-round supplies of safe and sustainably-grown crops, optimizing existing farmland and cultivation methods is increasingly critical. The scalability and flexibility of pre-engineered building systems could help ease this transition for crop producers around the world, empowering continued innovation in both operations and environmental stewardship.

In summarizing the conference, IFAP President Henk Janssen praised Lida’s leadership in developing “infrastructure solutions attuned to the unique and evolving needs of specialized agriculture worldwide.” By highlighting real client case studies demonstrating customized integrations for various crops, the event reinforced how standardized construction technologies can be adapted to diverse geographies, production scales, and commodity types.

As populations increase and arable land diminishes, optimizing and expanding existing agricultural infrastructure will be crucial to meet global food demand sustainably. Lida Group’s model addresses this challenge through prefabricated yet customizable building systems engineered for crop-specific growing, processing, storage and operational needs. Conferences such as this one help spread knowledge of the latest innovations that empower producers while protecting precious environmental resources for future generations.

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