Our vision is to accelerate the growth of the indoor farming industry. We believe we can do that by recognizing excellence. Consequently, we have embarked upon an ambitious program to collect bench-marking data on indoor farm operations and equipment used to run vertical farms and greenhouses. Each year we will review the data and publicly recognize key stakeholders for their excellence in several categories.
Who can enter:
COE encourages all types of indoor farmers growing food to participate:
- Indoor vertical farms
- Plant factories
- Greenhouses
Equipment manufacturers are also invited, including:
- Grow system solution manufacturers
- Lighting companies
There are different surveys for growers and manufacturers. Companies that score the highest in each category will be nominated for an “Indoor Ag Center Best in Class Award” (TM). Areas for benchmarking are provided below.
Deadline for submissions: January 15, 2021
The survey for indoor growers is designed to collect data on indoor farm operations for a particular cultivar and facility. Multiple entries are permitted by larger companies that produce several cultivars at one or more facilities. We recommend assembling the necessary data beforehand regarding inputs (e.g., energy, water, light, nutrients, labor, etc.) and outputs (e.g., yields, solid waste, etc.).
The survey for equipment manufacturers is designed to collect data on indoor farm equipment including lighting systems and grow systems. Companies that offer both grow systems and lighting will be considered in each category. We recommend assembling the necessary data beforehand regarding inputs (e.g., energy, water, light, labor, etc.), outputs (e.g., yields) and technical data (e.g., lighting specs).
“Best in class” benchmark categories
Criteria for growers are evaluated according to the following categories.
Indoor farm equipment manufacturers are evaluated according to the following categories
COE (Center Of Excellence for indoor agriculture)
team@indooragcenter.org
www.indooragcenter.org