University of Sheffield Launches World's Deepest Underground Farm

Researchers from the University of Sheffield and Farm Urban have established the world's deepest underground farm, located 1,100 metres below the surface at the Boulby mine in North Yorkshire. The project utilizes disused mining infrastructure for vertical farming to reduce energy costs and protect crop production from extreme weather.

Current trials at the Science and Technology Facilities Council Boulby Underground Laboratory involve growing lettuce and pak choi in vertical towers. The team plans to expand production to include tomatoes and samphire. The facility also hosts international research into quantum mechanics and dark matter.

The initiative is supported by the Government of the United Kingdom as a strategy to create jobs and improve food access in deprived areas. Former science minister Patrick Vallance endorsed the project, noting that reducing reliance on changeable British weather could strengthen national food security and protect the environment.