Who we are
Wert-Berater, Inc. has prepared independent feasibility studies for lenders, certified development companies, and federal agencies since 1998 — more than four thousand engagements representing $40.2 billion in evaluated project value across all fifty states and international assignments. Our fiduciary duty runs to the lender and the agency, never to the sponsor’s optimism: fees are fixed, quoted up front, never contingent on findings, and a determination is never changed under pressure.
What we do
Aquaponics couples a fish system to hydroponic crop production, and the honest analysis prices each side on its own economics before crediting the coupling: produce typically carries the margin, fish carries the brand, and the nutrient symbiosis carries less of the pro forma than promotional literature claims. The study sizes both production systems, builds channel-level revenue for greens and herbs against local wholesale and retail prices, and tests whether the operation survives as a greenhouse business if the fish side only breaks even.
How we do it
Dual-system modeling with shared-infrastructure cost allocation, crop-cycle revenue at documented yields per square foot, fish-side cohort modeling, labor builds for the dual skill set, and sensitivity on the produce price premium — the assumption that actually decides these projects.
How we can help you
Greenhouse-scale aquaponics fits SBA and USDA structures by location and scale; VAPG applies where production is processed or branded; the management dimension weighs heavily given the dual-discipline operating demand. The engagement draws directly on the firm's greenhouse and CEA practice, where channel-level produce revenue modeling is already standard equipment.
How to engage us
Standard delivery is 10 to 15 business days from complete project data. Rush delivery for deals already in underwriting is accepted case by case for an additional fixed fee, quoted up front and committed in writing. Engagements are typically initiated by the borrower, with lender or CDC confirmation obtained before work begins — institutions differ, so confirm the procedure with your lending contact.