Irvine, California The landmark indoor vertical farm, Urban Produce, LLC is now under new management. Based in Irvine, California, Urban Produce previously grew micro greens, culinary herbs and wheat grass. The primary focus of Urban Produce is now solely on growing USDA-certified organic wheat grass for the cold-pressed juice beverage industry. Effective immediately, Urban Produce is under the leadership of Managing Members, Jim Nichols and Val Dodd, Head Grower Andres Ovalle, Production Manager, Ramiro Hernandez and General Manager, Jim Pantaleo. Urban Produce is singularly focused on providing only the highest quality wheat grass to our customers while at the same…
Author: urbanagnews
Urban Ag News proud to feature Dr. Chieri Kubota’s class on Greenhouse Plant Physiology and Technology. Dr. Kubota was a professor at the University of Arizona and has moved to The Ohio State University this summer. Week 7-1: Plant nutrition Over the past six weeks, you became familiar with those aerial environments affecting plant growth (photosynthesis and development) and most importantly their interactions in the canopy. This week, we are going to learn plant root zone environments. Lectures cover plant nutrients, irrigation, and substrates. Plant nutrition could be a full 16-week long college course and so in my lecture I only touch the basic part…
In an effort to provide support post Hurricane Irma, Village Farms employees volunteered their time at the local Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando, Florida. Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida distributes tens of millions of meals per year through 550 local nonprofit feeding programs geared toward the most vulnerable people such as seniors and children. In addition, the Food Bank provides a vital emergency food supply for the community in time of need. Village Farms employees spent the morning sorting food donations slated for disaster victims residing in six counties in central Florida. “Village Farms takes the business…
Brooklyn, New York – Leading urban agriculture companies Agritecture and Blue Planet Consulting are proud to announce their merger. The new entity, Agritecture LLC, will be better suited to pioneer the optimization of food cultivation in urban environments. The Agritecture platform was founded in 2011, beginning as a blog curated by the founder, Henry Gordon-Smith. The platform focuses on urban agriculture design, aiming to juxtapose the present and future of the sector, inspiring new entrants to the movement and guiding them towards success. In 2014, Agritecture launched its first design workshop, bringing interdisciplinary professionals together in person to collaborate and co-learn…
Urban Ag News proud to feature Dr. Chieri Kubota’s class on Greenhouse Plant Physiology and Technology. Dr. Kubota was a professor at the University of Arizona and has moved to The Ohio State University this summer. Week 6-2: Canopy environment 2 This week, your “system” of interest expands from a single leaf to a whole plant canopy (community). Canopy refers to ‘community’ of plants and in greenhouse crop production system, it often consists of plants of relatively same physiological age. This week’s lectures overview plant canopies and their microclimates. The first key content is to understand how light transmits inside the canopy and what is…
University of Florida Greenhouse Training Online courses Earn CEUs with Weed Management Join the 488 growers who have successfully graduated from Greenhouse Training Online courses offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension (UF). This intermediate course is designed for growers with some experience and training, and offers Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for many States in the United States. The course is offered in English and Spanish. Manage all aspects of weed management in nurseries and greenhouses, including weed identification, developing herbicide programs, and the latest non-chemical methods of weed control that actually work. The course runs for 4 weeks,…
Tentative Schedule The Aquaponics Association 2017 Conference, Putting Down Roots, is about growing more of our food with aquaponics. We will become the backbone of local food economies with efficient systems that can be placed anywhere, grow year-round, create jobs, save resources, and make us healthier. The conference will help YOU put down roots in your community with aquaponics. Click Here for conference homepage and ticket sales Tentative Schedule, November 3-5: FRIDAY 11/3/2017 Morning Rural Aquaponics Tour “The Secret Aquaponic Build in the Forest,” is a 2K sq. ft. research and development aquaponic system that is currently being constructed. This…
Originally published in Issue 12 By Eri Hayashi, Japan Plant Factory Association, Industry Expert The Japan Plant Factory Association is a nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by the faculties of Chiba University engaged in the Plant Factory Project funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF) of Japan. JPFA targets to support the industry of sustainable plant factory systems to expand locally and globally, which could be a viable solution to current international issues, including food, the environment, energy and resource use. Research and development JPFA has been conducting a R&D program of plant factories with artificial lighting (PFAL)…
Urban Ag News proud to feature Dr. Chieri Kubota’s class on Greenhouse Plant Physiology and Technology. Dr. Kubota was a professor at the University of Arizona and has moved to The Ohio State University this summer. Week 6-1: Canopy environment 1 This week, your “system” of interest expands from a single leaf to a whole plant canopy (community). Canopy refers to ‘community’ of plants and in greenhouse crop production system, it often consists of plants of relatively same physiological age. This week’s lectures overview plant canopies and their microclimates. The first key content is to understand how light transmits inside the canopy and…
Crops Subcommittee of National Organic Standards Board Sends Forward Formal Recommendation to Ban Hydroponics, Aquaponics and Aeroponics While Proposing Limits on Other Forms of Container Production Systems The USDA recently published on their website the proposals written by the Crops Subcommittee of the National Organic Standards Board. The full membership of the NOSB will take up these proposals during the November 1Crops portion of the meeting with a potential vote coming that day or on November 2. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposals in writing, via a web conference on October 24, or in person on October 31. What would be…
How to leverage environmental control for profitability Whether you’re growing in a greenhouse, warehouse, or container, climate management is key to the success of your operation. If you’re ready to improve your understanding of HVAC systems, how they impact crop health and productivity, and aren’t afraid to use a calculator, this hands-on workshop is for you! Dr. Nadia Sabeh (aka. “Dr. Greenhouse”) is an Agricultural and Mechanical Engineer with nearly 20 years of experience designing climate management systems (HVAC) for indoor plant production facilities, including greenhouses, vertical farms, plant factories, container farms, cannabis grows, and mushroom houses. Dr. Sabeh is…
SAN FRANCISCO– Light Polymers, a nanochemistry startup with R&D operations in Silicon Valley, Taiwan and Korea, is debuting their GrowBlade™ flat-panel horticulture lighting at the third annual NYC AgTech Week. Light Polymers is debuting their GrowBlade™ horticulture lighting at the annual NYC AgTech Week. #nycagtechweek Hosted by the NYC Agriculture Technology Collective, NYC AgTech Week 2017 includes tours, workshops and presentations that engage attendees on the bleeding edge of urban agriculture knowledge and development. AgTech Week 2017 kicks off on September 16th followed by 6 days of events across the city. Light Polymers is also September’s featured sponsor for Agritecture, a leading urban agriculture blog…
By Peter van den Bosch Originally published in Issue 12 A new initiative in the Netherlands looks to bring together Dutch companies in an organization that would market their horticultural expertise worldwide. Though a small country, the Netherlands has an important economy and is a key world player in both horticulture and agriculture. Its success is driven by innovative production methods, high tech growing and plant breeding. Holland is the biggest “roundabout” in flower trading, selling product locally as well exporting product to many other countries. The Dutch have always acted with an international frame of mind. In the past…
Urban Ag News proud to feature Dr. Chieri Kubota’s class on Greenhouse Plant Physiology and Technology. Dr. Kubota was a professor at the University of Arizona and is moving to The Ohio State University this summer. Week 5-3: Energy balance 2 This week, you will complete the “Plant Responses to Environmental Conditions” by taking the last lecture on humidity. Then we will learn the “leaf energy balance”, which is the first lecture of “Canopy and Aerial Microclimates”. Some students may feel a bit challenging to follow these physics-heavy contents. But I promise you that it is really “not too bad”! Once you understand why…