Photo report: Global Berry Congress

Despite a significant surge in input costs, particularly in labor, the pricing of berries has not kept pace, placing substantial pressure on profit margins in the global berry industry. Further complicated by climate challenges and extreme weather conditions, the industry is actively seeking a more…

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Pest management strategic plan (PMSP) workshop for strawberries

The PMSP for Strawberries in the Southern Region outlines pest management priorities, including EPA registration of pesticides, research funding allocation, grower, and scientific support. A PMSP workshop is planned to update the outdated 2000 version of the document. Workshop participation from growers,…

Growtech 2023: Low lira exchange rate pros and cons

From a Dutch perspective, Growtech is not exactly the fair to go to for innovations. Nevertheless, last week, during the four-day fair, the necessary innovation awards were presented. Turkish horticulture is developing despite the challenge of the lira's low value. Tansel Bükülen of Royal Brinkman,…

Bluelab unveils controller upgrade

Bluelab has unveiled the latest upgrades to its controller product lineup at the MJBIZ Con 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bluelab pH Controller, Pro Controller, and IntelliDose Controller are now compatible with the Edenic software. This new development brings Wi-Fi connectivity for the pH Controller and Pro…

US (TX): Controlled Environment Horticulture Conference to be held in Dallas

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is holding the fifth annual Controlled Environment Horticulture Conference on Dec. 7 -8 in Dallas. The event will be held from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Water Education Building at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas, 17360 Coit…

“We are pleased with the opportunity to show our soluble liquid and soluble powder products”

KISAN is India’s biggest trade fair for agriculture, taking place over the course of five days from Wednesday 13 to Sunday 17 December 2023, and will be held in Pune, Maharashtra this year. At the event, Indian government officials, policymakers, and media representatives have a chance to meet up with…

Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit moves to Chicago

After several editions held in New York, the Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit moves to Chicago. The organizers announced the event is coming to Chicago on June 24-25, 2024. The event is a meeting point for the global indoor agriculture ecosystem and is visited by 500 people annually. This year, the event…

Transforming CO2 supply in CEA using the power of DDAC

Skytree is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at 5 pm CET that will unleash the power of Direct Air Capture (DAC) to generate CO2 out of ambient air. Get a better understanding of how it can boost the crop yield in CEA as well as its grand role in mitigating climate change. What to…

Sixth I-Grow Inside: working together is key

On November 7, the World Horti Center organized the sixth edition of I-Grow Inside. A panel of three talked about the topic 'CEA: a game changer for retail?'. With a breeder, a grower, and a retailer at the table, the audience got a broad look into the world of controlled environment agriculture in…

Robots, vertical farms, algae and aquaponics shown at new German platform

Today, the first official day of the Agritechnica, is in full swing in Hannover, Germany. It's one of the biggest fairs for agricultural machinery. A new part of the show is Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show, DLG's new platform for the agricultural and food systems of the future. Of course, that…

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US (NY): Rondout Valley Growers’ Association expands Farm-to-School programs

At its annual Harvest Hoedown last month, the first since before the COVID pandemic, the Rondout Valley Growers’ Association (RVGA) celebrated its 20th year as an established organization. “It was 45 degrees and raining, but about 150 people turned out,” says Matthew Igoe, who now serves as RVGA’s…

UK: Vertical farms to mass produce rare medicinal drugs

"We imminently expect to close our seed funding round of more than £2.5m from a consortium of UK venture capital investors. The endgame for HotHouse Therapeutics will be the generation of novel plant-produced drugs, probably made in specifically engineered plant lines. Such lines will require secure…

Which startups are to meet at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit?

A total of 15 start-ups offering scalable solutions and technologies for the climate-stressed regions of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia will take center stage at the…

The European Horticulture Congress 2024 to be held in Romania

Held under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), the 2024 edition of EHC – “European Horticulture at Crossroads” will be organized in Bucharest, Romania, from May 12-16. This is the fifth edition of EHC, an event taking place every 4 years (previously known as the…

Raising the limits of vertical farming

"We've observed a growing interest in more eco-friendly and sustainable farming practices. Growers are increasingly dedicated to optimizing their resource utilization, including water, energy, and space, while also striving to enhance the quality and yield of their crops. The increasing demand for…

Horticulture: practical demonstrations in the field

"Orticoltura tecnica in campo" was conceived more than 25 years ago in Guidizzolo, a small town in northern Italy that is not far from Lake Garda. This was an idea coming from 3 founding companies: Ferrari Growtech, Idromeccanica Lucchini, and Gremizzi Nurseries. Their will was to open the doors of their…

In Crimea, the selection for the floral queen is underway as the Chrysanthemum Ball 2023 exhibition has opened

The 70th Chrysanthemum Ball is taking place at the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, founded in 1812. The jubilee exhibition is titled 'Autumn Sun,' featuring approximately 40,000…

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'‘Expo 2023 Doha unique opportunity to showcase Qatar’s horticultural strides’'

Expo 2023 Doha offers a unique chance to showcase Qatar’s significant progress in the advancement of its agricultural and horticultural sectors, as well as the nation’s determination to establish itself among the international community in this field, Abdullah Salem Al Sulaiteen, Chairman of Al Sulaiteen…

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CAN: Ontario Agri-Tech Pitch Competition open for entries

Early-stage Ontario agri-innovation start-ups are encouraged to participate in the second annual Ontario Agri-Tech Pitch Competition run by the University of Guelph’s Research Innovation Office (RIO) in collaboration with the Government of Ontario. T he competition supports promising pre-seed and seed…

NL: Is CEA a game changer for retail?

On Tuesday, November 7, the World Horti Center organizes the sixth I-Grow Inside webinar. A strong panel of professionals is ready to talk about the topic 'CEA: a game changer for retail?'. In recent years, the agricultural landscape has been revolutionized by the advent of Controlled Environment…

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US: Meeting of federal advisory committee for urban agriculture and innovative production to be held in November

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to submit comments for and virtually attend the upcoming public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (Committee) on Nov. 29, 2023. “USDA…

"Retailers are forced to move into CEA given the stability and quality of products"

”What has happened in the North American market is consolidation, a key trend is taking place. Especially within the vine crop markets, they consolidated down to almost a classic industry structure. Retailers are in the very same breath saying ‘I want local- and fresh products from a small producer’.…

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5th annual Texas A&M Controlled Environment Conference to be held on December 7-8

The 5th annual Texas A&M Controlled Environment Conference is designed for new and prospective growers interested in specialty crop production under a controlled environment and for experienced growers who want to learn more about the latest research by local and national experts in the field. The…

"The objective was to significantly improve performance while simultaneously reducing material costs"

"We're eager to showcase what we've been working on and share our latest developments and innovations. We continue to develop and refine our products to help cultivators positively affect canopy output while saving time and money by creating a more efficient facility and streamlining operations," says…

Photo report: Novelties on display during IFPA 2023

During the Global Produce & Floral Show, novelties and innovations are shown on on-site display shelves. This year, over 200 companies listed their product here. These were the novelties on display during the 2023 event. Click here for the 2023 Novelties photo report. Showcase categories include On-The-Go,…

Breeders & Distributors Conference travels across the Netherlands and Germany

On 3-4 October, breeders and distributors of pot and bedding plants united in Venlo (NL) for a two-day program packed with inspirational visits and informative presentations in both the Netherlands and Germany. The first day of the event was dedicated to Energy and Research. Erik Bax from AAB provided an…

Broadening vertical farming: connecting academia and company needs

Nowadays, the vertical farming sector is constantly growing, and we witness new ideas and innovations every day. During this seminar, various topics related to vertical farming will be explored, looking at what are the next steps in the field, which improvements in light management we can have, how to…

US (TX): 5th CEA Conference held in Dallas

The Texas A&M AgriLife, the Dallas Center, is hosting the 5th Annual CEA conference in Dallas. The event will take place from 7-8 December 2023, in-person and online. Numerous topics will be discussed, from greenhouse to vertical farming cultivation, including a visit to Eden Green Technologies' Cleburne…

Photo report: Growers and suppliers present at IFPA 2023

Purple tomatoes, more convenience products, an expansion of sustainable packaging options, the appearance of vertical farm booths, and the recent acquisitions in the produce industry. It’s a small impression of what happened at the Global Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, California, this past Friday and…

CAN: UGA Extension provides ‘boots on the ground’ to fight farmer mental health crisis

It is no secret that the success of Georgia's No. 1 industry rests in the hands of one key group: farmers. But across generations of farmers who have passed down land and trades to their children, the pressure and stress that comes with carrying on the strong agricultural legacy continue to mount — so…

Unveiling the realities of vertical farming

Critics often emerge as passionate individuals driven by a genuine desire to see improvements in their field. One such individual, Thomas Williams, brings us a thought-provoking presentation entitled ‘The Elephant in the Growroom.’ While criticism can be irksome, Williams’ critical perspective stems from…

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Vertical Farming World Congress wraps up

As many have wandered the streets of Soho, Camden, or Hampstead, it's that time of the week again. The photo report of the Vertical Farming World Congress after 120+ attendees came down to London and others tuned in online for some spicy discussions. Click here to view the photo report. Ahmad Mohseni…

AgraME in snapshots

What's the future of horticulture and vertical farming in the Middle East? What's going on, and how will the industry develop? Those topics were central in Dubai earlier this week when the AgraME took place, the region's largest agriculture event organized at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 9-10. AgraME is organized…

Italy: Vertifarm 2024 registration is open

The 3rd International Workshop on Vertical Farming (Vertifarm2024) is an international event organized by the University of Bologna and sponsored by the International…

The importance of brands, co-locating, and true sustainability in vertical farming

"The power of a real brand is to connect shoppers with the product and how the product has been made. If you want people to make more sustainable choices of the food they buy, we have to give more information on the business behind the food," says Kate Hofman, Founder of GrowUp Farms, as she dives into…

UK: Hiccups in energy, business models, ‘the right crops’ and most importantly, opportunities in vertical farming

“If energy is the biggest pain point, then we are definitely on the right path as traditional farmers are struggling with other great issues such as labor, pesticides, stimulants, drought and other external factors.” Pointing out that solar prices are now about the 10th of the price they used to be,…

Photo report: Canadian Greenhouse Conference 2023

The Canadian Greenhouse Conference took place in Niagara Falls last week. Over two hundred exhibitors showcased their products, and many more companies had people walking around the fair, visiting growers in the region and exploring the market. The conference is combined with an extensive speaker…

Vertical Farming: Navigating a buyers’ market

While Vertical Farming’s technical feasibility, reliability, and capacity to foster sustainability in both land use and freshwater use remains unquestionable, its significant demand for electrical energy casts a shadow of doubt on its economic feasibility. Consequently, the current flow of investments…

CAN (ON): CICS hosts Fall Festival, showcases Food Bank's hydroponic setup

The Centre for Immigrant and Community Services (CICS) today celebrated the arrival of fall with the CICS Fall Harvest Festival and Volunteer Appreciation 2023 at its very own CICS Community Garden and Greenhouse in Scarborough. This joyous occasion marked not only the changing of seasons but also the…

CEA, indoor and vertical farming: the new generation of agriculture at NovelFarm 2024

Only a few months have passed since the last edition of NovelFarm, but there are already many novelties in the industry. Vertical farming is the focus of the country's leading investors and financial institutions, particularly for Agricola Moderna, Planet Farms, and Kilometro Verde.Agritech companies are…

US (NY): Green Bronx Machine to hold first-ever gala and 'Game Changing awards'

On Oct. 9, at Inside Park at Saint Bart's, Green Bronx Machine will host its first-ever Growing Something Greater Gala, an immersive one-of-a-kind cocktail and culinary showcase prepared by a team of Restaurant Associate Chefs at Google, honoring a community of transformative leaders in innovative…

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Qatar: Forum stresses climate-smart agriculture for food security

The second Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) high-level forum on food security has stressed climate-smart agriculture (CSA) to mitigate environmental impacts with a number of other innovations to ensure food security in member countries. CSA is an approach that helps guide actions to…

Sold-out Canadian Greenhouse Conference well on its way

As a new, fresh day is to start in Niagara, Canada, the second day of the Canadian Greenhouse Conference is about to kick off as well. The sold-out show brings together more than 220 suppliers and North American greenhouse growers. The team with Plant Products Prospiant present at the show Settling…

Singapore: Meet 30+ startups at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit

Meet the innovators accelerating the transition to a climate-smart food system at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit on 31 October – 2 November, Singapore. As climate change and population growth increasingly put increasing pressure on the stability of food production and distribution, new…

CGC 2023 kicks off with a bus tour, trade-show opens today

After years of rapid expansion, North American growers appear to have shifted their focus. Nowadays, the key emphasis is on optimizing their existing businesses, often achieved through automation solutions. This trend is driven by several factors, including increased competition in the market, high labor…

Seed Meets Technology increasingly international: 77 nationalities in 2023

The ninth edition of Seed Meets Technology was recently held in the Netherlands. Some 1,500 people of 77 nationalities visited the trade show in week 39. Organizer Wendy Houdijk of Vertify says: "The proportion of international visitors and companies is striking and increases yearly. The West Frisian dialect had to give way for a few days, as English was the main languag…