Becoming an Environmentalist while trying to turn a profit

Photo: Close friend and Kansas farmer enjoys a break. Credit: Chris Higgins Thoughts of a businessman just trying to figure it out, while not messing up. “Isn’t it pretty to think so?” – The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway In a previous article, I posed the question, Who Should Lead The Environmental Movement? In this […]

Continue Reading

We are all somewhere on a Spectrum

The role of light and spectrum on plant growth and metabolite production in CEA We know light exerts a powerful influence on plant growth. These effects can range anywhere from seed germination to leaf expansion and from flowering to fruiting. But, did you know it’s not only plants that benefit from changes caused by light? […]

Continue Reading

How will the Inflation Reduction Act affect indoor agriculture businesses?

By Sam Milton For business owners and operators in the indoor agriculture or controlled environment agriculture (CEA) space, whether you grow leafy greens, strawberries, or cannabis, or those  support these businesses, the main questions about the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 are most likely going to be:  What is the Inflation Reduction Act?  How will […]

Continue Reading

Why the Jury is still out on Robotics and Autonomous Intelligence (AI) In Agriculture

Photo: Chris Higgins, Hendersonville NC. Recent company failures and layoffs will likely have people second guessing their commitment to the agtech movement and possibly controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The past 15 years of my career have seen a rollercoaster of interest in my chosen industry. In the 2000s, the Canadians and Mexicans drove investments as […]

Continue Reading

How is OptimIA helping vertical farms grow more efficiently and economically?

The OptimIA project, which was funded by USDA in Sept. 2019, is focused on the study of the aerial environment and economics for producing indoor leafy greens. Photo by Rosemary Brandt, College of Ag and Life Sciences, Univ. of Ariz. OptimIA is a research and outreach project aimed at offering production and economic information that […]

Continue Reading

Indoor Ag Science Cafe talks with Robert Colangelo on the right size for a vertical farm

Last year, venture capitalist companies invested $51.7 billion in Ag Tech, but what exactly is Ag Tech? Ag Tech is technology focused agriculture that is meant to increase existing efficiency processes in agriculture and sustainability, which includes everything from aquaculture to new crops/genetics, to animal health to the controlled environment agriculture industry. With dwindling resources, […]

Continue Reading

Webinar: Labor Requirements in Indoor Agriculture

The Laboratoire sur l’agriculture urbaine (Urban Agriculture Lab) is collaborating on a webinar on labor requirements in indoor agriculture. The webinar will be led by Dr. Simone Valle de Souza, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University. The indoor agriculture (IA) offers an environmentally sustainable alternative to small or large-scale leafy green production, even in regions […]

Continue Reading

Resource Innovation Institute Releases Three New Best Practices Guides Providing Free Efficiency Resources for Indoor and Greenhouse Farming Operations

Developed in collaboration with growers, vendors, and academia,  the objective guides provide tips on energy and water conservation related to construction, lighting and HVAC    PORTLAND, Ore. (October 28, 2022) — Resource Innovation Institute (RII), the leading not-for-profit energy and water benchmarking organization providing resource efficiency best practices for CEA producers, announced today the availability of […]

Continue Reading

Academia, Business Sectors Forge New Connections at 2022 Debut Edition of CEA Summit East in Virginia

DANVILLE, VA – New connections and collaboration were clear themes that emerged from the October 25-26, 2022 debut edition of the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East held at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, VA. Co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con and the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center (a joint project between […]

Continue Reading

University of Florida course on Irrigation Water Quality and Treatment in November

University of Florida Greenhouse Training Online courses  Irrigation Water Quality & Treatment starts November 12! Interpret water quality tests for irrigation of greenhouse and nursery crops, select appropriate water treatment technologies, and design a water treatment and monitoring system. Irrigation Water Quality & Treatment is the final course for 2022 of the award-winning Greenhouse Online […]

Continue Reading

What technological advancements are being made in controlled environment agriculture?

During the International Meeting on Controlled Environment Technology and Use, Chris Higgins (left), president at Hort Americas, moderated a panel discussion on Indoor Agriculture Economic Viability. Photo courtesy of Hort Americas The International Meeting on Controlled Environment Technology and Use gave representatives from academia and the CEA industry an opportunity to discuss the advancements and […]

Continue Reading

How did Big Tex Urban Farms use hydroponics to achieve its Million Servings Mission?

Drew Demler, the State Fair of Texas director of horticulture and cofounder of Big Tex Urban Farms, and his staff were able to achieve the farm’s Million Servings Mission ahead of schedule using a variety of controlled environment hydroponic production systems. Photos by Jessie Wood, State Fair of Texas Big Tex Urban Farms announced in […]

Continue Reading

AeroFarms CTO Roger Buelow to Lead Kick-off Keynote Address at CEA Summit East

DANVILLE, VA – AeroFarms Chief Technology Officer Roger Buelow will lead the opening morning keynote address for the inaugural edition of the CEA Summit East, October 25-26, 2022. Indoor Ag-Con and the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center — a joint project of the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech, Virginia Seafood […]

Continue Reading

Upcoming Research Showcase at North Carolina State University

Save the Date – Oct. 13, 2022, from 3 – 6 p.m.Controlled Environment AgricultureControlled Environment Agriculture research at NC State spans the sector from engineering growing systems to germplasm and growth recipes. Join us on Oct. 13, 2022, starting at 3 p.m. ET for an update on NC State’s Controlled Environment Coalition (CEC). The CEC […]

Continue Reading