Author: urbanagnews

The USDA is inviting urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to virtually attend a public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on April 10 from 2-4 p.m. Eastern.  Meeting details can be viewed in the Federal Register Notice. Written comments can be submitted via UrbanAgricultureFederalAdvisoryCommittee@usda.gov by April 24 at 11:59 p.m. The Committee will deliberate and vote on proposed recommendations and address public comments during the meeting. USDA will share the agenda between 24 to 48 hours prior to the meeting on the Committee’s webpage. The Committee is managed by the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production…

The Cornell University Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium will offer its latest virtual short course with a focus on three interactive greenhouse systems. Experts from academia and industry will share how growers can select and operate greenhouse coverings, climate screens, and supplemental horticultural lighting. The 2024 GLASE Short Course will take place from April 4 to May 9 and will feature six 90-minute modules presented over six weeks on Thursdays from 2:00 to 3:30 pm ET. Attend live sessions to participate in question-and-answer sessions with speakers and receive a discounted individual GLASE membership. Recordings will be made available on-demand in…

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for grants to support urban agriculture and innovative production. Applications for USDA’s Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grants are due April 9, 2024 via grants.gov. “This grant program has proven very popular and impactful in recent years, and we look forward to partnering with more communities nationwide to strengthen local food systems and increase access to healthy foods,” said Terry Cosby, Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which leads USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). “These projects will add to the important work communities are…

16% Attendance Increase For Las Vegas March 11-12, 2024 Event That Drew CEA Industry Members from 49 U.S. States, 31 Countries Indoor Ag-Con marked its 11th edition with increases in attendee and exhibitor participation for its March 11-12, 2024 run at Caesars Forum Las Vegas. The exhibiting company roster grew by 54% with a sold-out show floor featuring 207 companies in 287 booths vs. 134 companies in 174 booths for 2023. Attendance saw a 16% increase over 2023 with 1584 attendees from 49 states, the District of Columbia and US territories, as well as 31 other countries. Attendees included C-level…

Shortage of trained labor is a challenge for all growers. Today’s production methods are increasingly technical, and staff need to know the why of their day-to-day work. Providing young employees with professional development opportunities is also a great way to increase staff retention. To meet these needs, University of Florida IFAS Extension (UF/IFAS) has an award-winning program called Greenhouse Training Online, where all courses are taught in English and Spanish. The first of 8 courses of the year, Greenhouse 101, starts on June 3, 2024. Thanks to a very generous gift by Ken and Deena Altman, and an education grant…

SEATTLE, WA — Plants are the driving force of greenhouse operations, dictating labor, forecasting, and livelihoods while sustaining global food systems. Over the past 50 years, advancements in technology have propelled growers to yield over 30 times more than their predecessors, ushering in a promising era for agriculture. Yet, two critical theories have emerged: the necessity of putting plants at the center of the growing process and the acknowledgment that crop uniformity is not automatic despite efforts to control genetic variables. In light of these insights, IUNU, a pioneer in greenhouse technology, is challenging conventional crop registration methods prevalent in…

Ferme Gadbois in Quebec using the Verjure Arize Element L2000. Photo credit: Harnois Industries The recent partnership between Acuity Brands and Hort Americas marks a new chapter in horticulture lighting, one focused on advancing technology and improving energy efficiency. With Acuity Brands’ acquisition of the Arize® family of horticulture lighting products in January, the company expanded its presence in controlled environment agriculture. Jacob Palombo, director of horticulture lighting at Acuity Brands, and Chris Higgins, president and general manager of Hort Americas, are key players in this initiative. The collaboration between both companies aims to bring advanced lighting solutions and new technology…

DALLAS—Commercial horticultural supplier Hort Americas announced today an exclusive partnership with utility rebate specialist Lee Levitt, Energy Advisors 360.  The collaboration marks a significant step in providing comprehensive financial solutions and incentive opportunities for greenhouse growers and vertical farmers across North America. Levitt brings over two decades of experience in utilities, incentives and financial solutions to the partnership. As co-founder of Encentiv Energy, Levitt was instrumental in introducing new rebate tools and incentive solutions to lighting manufacturers and their sales channel partners (agents and distributors), contractors, ESCOs, and facility stakeholders. This ultimately led to the rebate tool used by leading…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making available up to $6.1 million for grants through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. The grant will help support urban agriculture. Bozeman, Mont. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making available up to $6.1 million for grants through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). The competitive grants will support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects through two categories, Planning Projects and Implementation Projects. USDA will accept applications on Grants.gov until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 9, 2024. Planning Projects initiate or expand efforts of…

Chicago, IL February 28, 2024 – SecondBloom™ Auctions, a leading auction management firm in the controlled agriculture space, is thrilled to announce the addition of Jim Pantaleo to our team as the new Business Development Director. With a rich heritage in agriculture and horticulture, SecondBloom has continually pushed the boundaries of innovation to meet the evolving needs of indoor growers, from greenhouses to vertical farms. Our mission to facilitate equipment sales in the controlled environment agriculture industry has been further empowered with Jim’s joining. Jim Pantaleo, with over two decades in software licensing and a significant tenure in the indoor…

Root health and growth have a huge effect on the yield, crop time and losses, and profitability of container-grown and hydroponic crops. This symposium will showcase the latest advancements in root zone and controlled environment crop management, with presentations by University researchers from Florida, Arkansas, Georgia, and Purdue and technology demonstrations by industry. Topics will include water treatment, control of soil pests and diseases, biocontrols, recirculating nutrient solutions, heavy metals, irrigation, automation, and growing transplants under LEDs. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about the latest developments in research and technology! Designed for: Greenhouse growers of hydroponic vegetable,…

GreenTech Americas will take place from March 12 – 14 at Querétaro Congress Center (QCC) in Mexico. It will focus on bringing together knowledge and cutting-edge technologies for growers in controlled environments in the region of Americas. With 200 companies and more than 3,000 expected attendees GreenTech Americas marks a pivotal moment in shaping a future for the region’s horticulture.Leading experts will highlight all about the latest developments in controlled environment and crop optimization during the conference programme. Conference programme – highlights: Tuesday 12 March 10:20 – 10:50: ‘Agriculture 4.0: Adoption of advanced technologies’ by José Carlos Arredondo (UTEQ) and Alfredo Diaz (AMHPAC) 12:45 – 13:30: Keynote:…

Las Vegas, NV (February 28, 2024) – Indoor Ag-Con returns March 11-12 to Caesars Forum Las Vegas offering attendees an insider look into the driving forces behind the ever-evolving vertical farming | greenhouse | controlled environment agriculture industry. Boasting an expanded Expo Hall with 200+ exhibiting companies showcasing the most cutting-edge products, services and tools on the market, Indoor Ag-Con will offer an immersive experience to farmers, growers, ag tech leaders, suppliers, advocates and enthusiasts. As a follow-up to Indoor Ag-Con Trend Report One issued earlier this year, below are some of the latest trends shaping the indoor agriculture industry…

Business leaders share why diversity is critical to success in the 2024 market LAS VEGAS, NV, February 23, 2024 – Cornell University’s Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium announced today the launch of its Vivid Canopy network to celebrate and foster diversity in the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry. The new professional network will kick off at Indoor Ag-Con with a session on Monday, March 11 from 3:00 – 5:00 pm PT. An interactive panel led by Women in CEA (WiCEA) will feature leaders from Vertical Harvest Farms, Dr. Greenhouse, and Skout Strategy. Participants will engage with panelists and other attendees at roundtable discussions led by Eden…