MOREHEAD, Ky. - Once completed it will be one of the largest of its kind in the world. A convoy of earth movers has already been leveling the ground on an open stretch north of I-64 along Highway 801. 

Jonathan Webb says the 60-acre greenhouse he's building will dramatically change the agriculture industry in the U.S.

Webb is the founder and CEO of, App Harvest.

"By 2050 our planet is going to need 50 to 70 percent more food to support 9 billion people so how are we going to grow more food and by using less land and less water?" Webb asks.

His answer is, "controlled-environment agriculture.” By summer 2020 Webb expects his 82-million-dollar greenhouse to be operational.

"App Harvest was founded on a couple founding principles and one was to attract capitol from outside the region in and build large-scale sustainable projects," Webb explains.

The high-tech grow operation will produce tomatos and cucumbers and deliver them to US grocers 5 days faster than produce grown in Mexico, according to Webb.

"All of the 50 million pounds of this produce will be distributed to the top 25 grocers in the US. The Demand for produce grown in the US, regionally, and also in controlled environments like this, from a food-safety standpoint, the demand well exceeds the supply," Webb adds.

The Kentucky native and UK alum says his facility will create approximately 100 construction jobs and as many as 285 permanent jobs with starting pay at $13/hr.

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