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Dutch vertical farmer Growy expands to 500 Jumbo supermarkets nationwide

Job Board | Newly added vacancies

more job offers
“The system that feeds us makes us sick”

Rob Baan publishes book on the future of food and horticulture

Propagate!2026 focuses on ‘Labour in propagation’

Up to 50% of a strawberry plant's sale price goes towards transport

Sector | Climate control

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US (CA): Smarter HVAC strategies help growers improve efficiency and climate control

New generation of sensors introduced

US (NY): Harlem's shipping containers are more than steel boxes
Airlux Technologies’ Reinier Donkersloot:

"Smart farming isn’t plug and play"

Blue Radix strengthens position in France
Ramon van de Vrie, CCO at Ledgnd:

"We are seeing a clear shift among growers towards a plant-centered approach"

Sector | Aeroponics

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New Delhi startup develops India’s largest indoor aeroponic saffron farm

China: Shenzhou-21 crew reported harvest of ‘space tomatoes’

Does soil really need added nutrition? A key question for aeroponic saffron growers
Freya and German Aerospace Center partner to develop crop systems for space

"If it is reliable enough for orbit, it is built to last in any greenhouse”

Optimizing plasma discharge and spraying times for aeroponically grown lettuce
BotaniX’s Yishai Nissan on how vertical farming unlocks the full potential of medicinal plants

“Growing great plants is only half the battle, keeping their natural power intact is what matters”

Growing dill on aeroponic towers

Sector | Hybrid solutions

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US (PA): InventHelp inventor develops portable hybrid grow system

Sector | Product information

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Rooted Robotics COO on machine upgrades, building software, and the case for industry standards

"There needs to be standardization and sharing of knowledge so that the industry can grow"
Design and utility patents pending in Canada and the US

Rethinking the net pot: Improving cube stability and root handling in NFT systems

New high density float for horticulture introduced
Updated reference for fertigation practices: Nutrient Solutions for Greenhouse Crops v5

"Growers work with a single recipe for a season, while the crop's nutritional demand is changing"
India: Mechanisation and the role of tractors in greenhouse operations in medicinal and exotic crops

“Even minor environmental variations can affect active compound levels and commercial acceptance”

Finland: The challenge of feeding the planet without costing the earth

Extending viable shelf life from hours to several days

Sector | Breeding

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UF/IFAS close to lettuce bacterial leaf spot breakthrough

"We are now at the point where we have multiple promising lines and are narrowing them down"

Horticoop invests in 25:2, specialist in AI-driven plant breeding

Popits snack cucumber to debut in Europe at Fruit Logistica

Saudi Arabia: Hail becomes world’s third producer of rare white strawberries

"Strawberry breeders take interest in India but propagation risks stall progress"

“June-bearing and everbearing strawberries make a winning combo for more yields”
Enza Zaden lettuce trial in Leamington:

"Glimpse of performance in real-world conditions for Canadian and U.S. growers"

Sector | Farming systems

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Smart technology improves rice seedling cultivation efficiency in China

"Portable" growing system takes root in Portugal

Colorado University alum takes affordable approach to indoor farming

India: Unnati Model Farm inaugurated in Gujarat

Modular system travels on wheels through Portugal for seed germination

South Korea: Developing next-generation robotic vertical farming systems
Emerging tech like plasma-based natural lighting systems also evaluated

Combination of regenerative food forests and CEA starting in Southern Oregon

Sector | Suppliers

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resulting in higher yields

Biostimulants affect root development: higher mass and more active tips
Why grow room design is becoming a central consideration in indoor farming

“Downtime can translate directly into lost harvests and revenue”

“Steady coco peat demand expected ahead of key planting seasons”

Sector | Packaging

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Irish entrepreneur growing the future of packaging from mushrooms
Prima Verpackung on the potential applications of corrugated cardboard in the fruit and vegetable industry:

"Rising demand for vegetable trays and bag-in-box solutions"

Northern Ireland's McShane Packaging celebrates 30 years as second generation joins leadership

CAN: Weighing performance, cost and credibility as sustainable packaging options expand

Michiel Valk new CEO at Taks Handling Systems
Weber Verpackungen at IPM 2026

Delivery of sleeves within 4 weeks of ordering

Aweta announces new CEO

Sector | Aquaponics

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US (PA): Aquaponics operation looks to expand

Malaysia: Fresh look for Johor library farm

Bahrain: Agriculture Minister visits Dar Aqua Aquaponic Farm

US (MT): Taking a look at Swanky Roots, a year-round aquaponics grower

Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force celebrates first aquaponic harvest

Maltese agritech company turns patented aquaponics system into global model

Aquaponics Education Exhibit unveils at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

Sector | Energy

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Improving energy efficiency for vertical growers

Singapore: Growers face pressure from rising energy, fuel costs
UK company eyes £300 million market

Pilot initiative to test transparent solar films in West Africa

Battery swap in 30 seconds gives electric trucks new impetus
Shows potential to reduce HVAC energy usage by up to 40%

Implementing liquid desiccant cooling in vertical farms
Insights from the ACDC system vertical farm trial

Turning plant data into energy savings
"Exactly the type of circular solution the industry needs"

Renewable energy project launched to aid next-gen growing

Sector | Cultivation

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Valefresco's Joe Pilade:

"We can produce more cheaply and consistently without the need to use energy for light or heat"
Controlling large scale propagation from papayas to sugarcane:

A new temporary immersion bioreactor system in plant propagation

Aquaponics Lab launched at Holmdel High School

Texas A&M AgriLife modernizes greenhouses to support innovative plant science

Scaling Quebec herb production through advanced greenhouse management

U.S. vertically grown strawberries launch in Ontario retail

Hydrogen-rich irrigation systems shows promise for greenhouse crop performance

Sector | Investments

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North Carolina A&T researcher awarded $260,000 USDA grant

"It's important to understand how cold stress affects lettuce yields"

South Korea aims to make AI more accessible to growers

Forever Feed Technologies secures $15M contract for hydroponic fodder project

Singapore’s agri-food sector to get S$70 million in second round of government funding
CGS webinar March 5

Glazing, crop economics and capital discipline: Greenhouse investment in 2026
Deadline to apply is February 19th

Hawai'i opens micro-grant applications for food security initiatives

Green funding, big plans and a very good day for vGreens strawberries

Sector | Container farms

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USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Charleston, South Carolina

“From tissue culture to field trials, container farms allow us to control every step of plant development”

US (PA): Growing strawberries with container hydroponics while ignoring the seasons
FarmBox Foods systems now running on seven US school campuses

"We have a focus on getting these interactive farms in the hands of more educators and students"

From the UK to the UAE: Fischer Farms deploys first overseas system in Abu Dhabi
"This is an important step for Carbon Less Future and our international growth"

Carbon Less Future partners with Jibreen Group to expand vertical forestry containers in the Middle East
In Canada’s northernmost community, a container farm operates under Arctic winter conditions

At -36°C in 24-hour darkness, fresh greens grow in Alert

Hapag-Lloyd to acquire ZIM in US$4 billion deal

Sector | Substrates

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Belgian strawberry grower starts new cycle on reused substrate

"Steaming kills pathogens and weeds but does not alter the particle size or structure"
Coir substrate demand grows as India’s protected‑cultivation footprint expands

"Polyhouse growers and first-time hydroponic entrepreneurs make up the bulk of our customer base"
American Biochar Institute outlines how the S668 standard can help growers

"Non-compliant biochar means inconsistent data, and inconsistent data means risk"

US Biochar Initiative rebrands as American Biochar Institute, launches core industry resources
Legro brings Botanicoir products to the Dutch market

"Coco is a logical step for many companies"
Stefan Kreft, Gramoflor:

"We know and understand the challenges of professional horticulture and are equally aware of our strengths"
FibriTech: virgin cellulose fibers, green compost, and small amount of coir

“Peat-free horticulture finally possible with first high-performance bio-substrate”

Sector | Hydroponics

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"Monitoring and control can be done from Korea"

Korean smart farm technology drives hydroponic strawberry production in Uzbekistan
Belgian grower trial shows microbiome data can verify water treatment performance

"Sterile water is the enemy of horticulture, it gives a false sense of security"

University of Bologna brings vertical hydroponics to Nairobi landfill settlement

US (SC): Department of Corrections to launch 'nation’s first' vertical farm inside a prison
“It created some extra work, but we ended up with a much better product because of that collaboration”

Integrated design and careful planning: A collaborative path to successful CEA projects
Bas Dirven, hydroponics expert at Meteor Systems:

“A smart, simple and scalable system makes a difference every single day”

NASA-engineered YieldX hydroponic system scales commercially in Australia, expands to India

Sector | Technique

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Riccardo Russo, Vifra:

“Managing the full water cycle starts with water quality for the crop and continues with reusing water whenever possible"
Plant Primers:

Plant Intelligence redefines how plants prepare before stress occurs
Marco de Bruin:

“If you want to make impact in the market, you have to compete with outdoor lettuce”

Germany: Disinfectant successfully used for four decades in stable hygiene and disease control
Boštjan Veronik, CEO of Waboost:

"Preventing conditions that allow Pythium to thrive"

First national CEA Training Certificate for design and construction professionals

What will it take to grow food in space?

Sector | Technology

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Bosch Rexroth on mastering efficiency in CEA controls

"If you're not doing data collection today, you really need to start"
Nordetect launches analytics platform to turn lab reports into actionable nutrient insights

“We’re helping growers optimize every input from fertilizer to fertigation timing”
IGS' Niels Kortstee:

"The conversation must shift from 'what can be grown?' to 'what can be grown sustainably and profitably?'"

€1.6 billion Irish data centre campus to include vertical farming facility as part of district sustainability scheme

Robotic hand developed to handle fragile items such as soft fruit

South Korean AI device tracks bee pollination activity across 310 smart farms

India: Kerala startup develops AI-based system to automate mushroom farms, greenhouses

Sector | Lighting

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Louis Golaz steps down from RED Horticulture leadership
P.L. Light Systems celebrates 45 years anniversary:

"Our lights are built to last so long you’ll be handing them down for generations"

Delivering light uniformity at the top of plants and between the rows

Silent failures and invisible lighting losses push Dutch growers to look closer

South Korean LED specialist targets global plant factory market with IoT-controlled growth lighting system

"Thermoplastic lenses can result in discolouring and reduced light output"

Vertical farming gains traction in Ukraine with focus on urban vegetable production

Sector | Alternative products

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Zimbabweans urged to tap into profitable oyster mushroom farming as imports surge

UAEU launches smart mushroom farm to boost food security

China: Smart indoor farming helps scale up edible mushroom output

India: Oyster mushroom cultivation programme held at Kezieke

India: Growers use Awareness Workshop to level up on knowledge

Mushroom Council announces newly elected board members and officers

Zimbabwean youth turn indoor mushroom farming into climate-resilient livelihoods in Bulawayo

Sector | Events

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US (CO): Healthy Archuleta’s 2026 Food Summit set for April 18
Dutch growers welcome over 100,000 visitors to Kom in de Kas

Changing the narrative by opening the doors to the public

Change of date for HortiContact 2027
back on Tuesday

Happy Easter!

ISF underscores international seed trade as a pillar of global food security

Japanese Delegation Visits Csillagváros Kft. Egreen Farming Solutions R&D Vertical Farm

US (PA): Tour of new aquaponics farm set for May 21st in Waynesboro

Sector | Market information

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Rwanda’s capital embraces urban farming as development squeezes rare land

Critical success factors for new CEA operations

CEA Alliance publishes second edition of food safety guidelines for leafy greens

Rwanda's urban farming push: vertical farms and hydroponics tackle land scarcity

Uzbekistan seeks to upgrade strawberry production with smart technology

US (WI): Vertical growing finds life amidst market struggles

South Africa: Using vertical growing to fight the unemployment crisis

Sector | Education and Research

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Plant molecular farming comes of age

US (PA): Wayne County pilot program uses food lockers to boost access to local produce

US: Ohio State University to host mushroom education day

Australia: Leafy vegetables identified as potential metal mining tools

US (IN): Purdue University offers hydroponic crop production workshop

US (NV): RHS students enjoy ‘Trout in the Classroom’ with aquaponics system
Learning plant science through vertical hydroponics

US (OH): "I wanted students to have an authentic and hands-on way to experience science"

Sector | Retail

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OurCoop invests £9.3mln in new stores

Sales in January-March grow from the previous year for S Group
Sodexo slashed its annual sales and profitability targets

Coop Danmark A/S: Recovery in FY 2025
Lidl has begun building its first ever pub

Coopérative U is expanding its international reach
Boards of the Co-op Group and Southern Co-op have announced proposals to join forces

Carrefour Spain works with a network of 300 fruit and vegetable suppliers across the country
REWE has opened a fully unstaffed mini-store

Ahold Delhaize is transitioning to Product Carbon Footprinting
SOK and Coop Estonia have agreed on a business transaction

Morrisons: A range of fresh Market Street produce will see price reductions
Fantastico Group opened its first store in Plovdiv

Jumbo Belgium: 4 new stores set to open

Sector | Grower in the Spotlight

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Vertical options draw youth to growing in South Korea

Berry greenhouse in new Turkish greenhouse zone proposed

Baltimore mushroom farm turns former office into specialty fungi operation for top restaurants
UNS Vertical Farms opens 10,000-square-metre tomato facility in Al Ain

"Food security today is about building a resilient, sustainable, and future-ready UAE food ecosystem"
Avisomo says Coop Norway testing data confirms pathogen-free product with stable sensory quality

"Results exceed even our highest expectations"

UK: Margate entrepreneur launches microgreens operation supplying local restaurants from indoor unit
70 crop varieties grown for over 350 of the region's top restaurants and hotels

How a $5 million UAE vertical farm tackles food security

Sector | Company news

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US: Former mushroom kit specialist celebrates expansion

Royal Brinkman announces new head for Horti Essentials division

Update on lawsuit around 'secret vertical farm in the Netherlands'

Vireo Health announces acquisition of The Hawthorne Gardening Company

Belgian plastic crates find their way into Dutch aubergine nurseries
Urban Crop Solutions selected in FoodTech 500 rankings

"We continue to focus on realistic business models and industrial applications that already create demonstrable value"
Growcer recognised for modular farming's role in Canadian food resilience

"Vertical farms aren't a silver bullet, but there are cases where they make a lot of sense"

Sector | Today on social media

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OnlyGreens Farm

Teens for Food Justice

Zoltán Mag

Grønt fra Nord AS

Sector | New projects and expansions

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University of Sheffield and Farm Urban to test crop production 1.1km underground

"This project will be the deepest vertical farm in the world"

Daejeon Station revitalizes space with underground smart farm
John Innes Centre and Sainsbury Laboratory receive £5m for new glasshouse and research facility

"TP1 will enable us to grow over a million plants each year and test crops under future climate scenarios"

South Korean delegation meets Punjab CM, discusses smart farming cooperation

Pakistani farmers provided tools for vertical farming
GoodLeaf and Sobeys vertical farming demonstration on the road across Canada

"People want fresh, Canadian-grown food they can feel good about"

Philippines partners with Asian Institute of Technology to achieve food security and sustainability targets