Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
Pick-Your-Own Fruit And Veg At A Retail Park?
Source: Holdsworth Associates PR
03/02/19
Is there a business case for widescale commercial vertical farming in the UK or will it remain a niche opportunity for high-end restaurants and retail? This is the challenge to be discussed by early adopters at the Agri-Tech East conference ‘Innovating for Controlled Environment Agriculture’ next month (19 March). Advances in logistics and the falling cost of LED lighting may enable year-round growing of undercover produce in the UK, but will energy costs and technical issues delay scale-up and integration within the food supply chain?
GrowUp Farms' vertical lettuce growing | credit: GrowUp Farms
“We do think there is the potential for indoor farming to be commercially viable and there are some immediate gains for growing crops such as leafy salads in high hygiene environments,” comments Lindsay Hargreaves, MD of Frederick Hiam, a farming and fresh produce business with farms in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. “Growing indoors provides greater control of quality and quantity and fewer inputs of plant protection products.
“There is also the matter of growing crops closer to the point of consumption. Being able to grow more exotic crops in East Anglia close to distribution centres would reduce the food miles. Additionally, there are opportunities to grow crops for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and vaccines within a controlled environment.”
There are many approaches to indoor cultivation, such as deep-water hydroponics, vertical soilless cultivation, and aeroponics, where exposed roots are sprayed with nutrients. All of these methods are to be discussed at the conference along with advances in monitoring and robotics.
However, despite the news that Sterling Suffolk, one of the UK’s most technically-advanced glasshouses, is set to produce millions of tomatoes starting in February 2019, the cost (£30M) and the technical challenges mean there are few commercial installations in the UK.
Also, it is proving difficult to demonstrate to retailers that controlled environment agriculture (CEA) can bring tangible benefits to their supply chain.
Kate Hofman, co-founder of GrowUp Farms, which from 2015 to 2017 operated 'Unit 84', a commercial-scale aquaponic urban farm inside an industrial warehouse. The 8,200 square feet of growing space could produce enough for 200,000 salad bags and 4,000 kg of fish each year. It sold directly into restaurants, through a New Covent Garden distributor and also through bricks and mortar supermarkets and Farmdrop, the online supermarket.
Kate comments: “A key learning over the last six years is that we can’t just focus on technology – we have to partner along the supply chain to create a business model that ultimately delivers commercial success for growers and retailers.
“One of the major challenges for CEA is to optimise operations to bring down the cost of production to match existing imported products. Our prototype urban farm showed that it was possible to use CEA commercially, and we were able to demonstrate the demand for the produce we could grow. This ranged from specialist micro-greens and cut herbs through to mixed baby leaf salad.
“We are now working on scaling up our business. This will involve relocating, so that our production is co-located with a renewable energy plant and working in partnership with more traditional farming businesses to integrate their experience and expertise.”
There are also technology challenges to be addressed when trying to meet the highly variable consumer demand for high quality, fresh produce.
G’s Fresh supply baby leaf crops all year round, with much of the winter supply grown in Spain and Italy to ensure security of delivery. In summertime it produces a huge amount of outdoor salad crop, particularly lettuces and celery in the UK. Ben Barnes is investigating how controlled environment agriculture can increase the long-term viability and profitability of both of those parts of the business.
The organisation has a large standard greenhouse facility that is used to propagate seedlings for planting out into the field. It is running two projects: Smart Prop, which is looking at increasing the efficiency of the propagation facility to improve growth and make stronger plants so they transplant better back into the field. And Winter Grow, a pre-commercial trial, to see if it is feasible to produce baby leaf crops during the winter at an affordable price point.
Ben explains: “I'm going to be talking at the Agri-Tech East event about the commercial journey, in terms of the go and no-go decision-making process and what the key things are that we need to learn in order to be able to make those kind of investment decisions.
“One element of this is the development of ‘lighting recipes’ to enhance plant growth characteristics. We've got multi-spectrum LED lights, so we can turn up the different amounts of red, blue, green and white, and even far red light. These are fairly expensive, so once we have worked out what works best we can buy fixed spectrum lights, which are a tenth of the cost.
“You think LEDs are very efficient, but they still generate a heck of a lot of heat when you’ve got them turned up to full. It is more about keeping the space cool, and the plants obviously are transpirating so we've got dehumidifiers in there sucking the moisture out of the air.
“One of the biggest problems with the vertical farming concept is this interaction between moisture and temperature. You’ve got the two factors constantly fighting against each other and that ends up sucking up huge amounts of energy if you're not careful.”
Dr Belinda Clarke is director of Agri-Tech East, an independent membership organisation that is facilitating the growth of the agri-tech sector, comments that the commercial challenges need addressing along with the technical and agronomic aspects: “The promise of CEA is sustainable, intensive production but achieving that may require a different type of value chain.
“It could be that supermarkets of the future allow you to pick your own fruit and baby leaf instore, or we may see large-scale distribution of veg boxes, with produce grown indoors in optimum conditions or perhaps traditional growers would have more flexibility to grow a greater range of produce all year around with less waste.
“These ideas all have potential but also require significant capital investment and creative solutions for energy management. These are some of the themes we will discuss in the conference.”
'Bringing the outside In – Innovating for Controlled Environment Agriculture' taking place on 19 March from 10.00 – 16.00 at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden. It will look at the different growing systems, emerging technologies, the challenges of implementing a system and the logistics involved with integrating a controlled environment agriculture into the food value chain
www.agritech-east.co.uk/upcoming-events/
About Agri-Tech East: www.agritech-east.co.uk
Agri-Tech East is a business-focused membership organisation that is supporting the growth of a vibrant agri-tech cluster of innovative farmers, food producers & processors, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs.
Agri-Tech East brings together organisations and individuals that share a passion for improving the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture. It aims to help turn challenges into business opportunities and facilitate mutually beneficial collaboration.
22nd Annual Open House Gives Horticultural Pros An Upfront And Personal Look At All That Is New
(LOUDON, NH) – Building on the success of more than two decades of open house events, Pleasant View Gardens (PVG) and D.S. Cole Growers are at it again – opening their doors to industry professionals from around the world to visit their magnificent greenhouses and gardens on August 2nd.
“It sounds cliché, but after 22 years, we still get excited by all the opportunities this event affords attendees,” smiles Andy Huntington, National Sales Manager of Pleasant View Gardens. “Think about it. Where can you go to learn about all the wonderful introductions from Proven Winners®, pick up new ideas on how to successfully grow and sell these outstanding plants, rub elbows with some of the industry’s top professionals, AND have a little fun? Precious few. Which is what makes this event so popular with growers from all over,” affirms Huntington.
This year, Pleasant View and Cole will be showcasing more breathtaking annuals and recipes than ever before. Plus, they’ll have hundreds of perennials, shrubs, and vegetables on display, including PVG’s own Savor™ Edibles & Fragrants, as well as the new Proven Harvest™ line of herbs, vegetables, and fruit from Proven Winners®.
D.S. Cole owner, Doug Cole, is equally excited. “Getting a chance to show everyone what’s coming next year is always a rush for us. Even more so when we’re featuring plants that many may not have seen at Spring Trials.”
Attendees will also be given the opportunity to help chart the horticultural future by voting on some of the plants and recipes that will be created and trialed in the coming year. And, as always, visitors will learn the importance of how strong genetics deliver greater grower success – something on which Pleasant View, Cole, and Proven Winners® have always prided themselves. Open House guests will also be able to get answers to technical questions from staffers in-the-know, while gaining valuable knowledge networking with other industry pros. Add free refreshments and a tasty catered lunch, and the event’s a hit all around.
The 22nd annual Open House runs from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. on August 2nd, giving attendees a full day to tour and enjoy the beautiful gardens at Pleasant View and D.S. Cole – both of which are in Loudon, New Hampshire and just a short drive from each other.
Loudon, New Hampshire is around 35 minutes from the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, and 1 hour 20 minutes from the Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. Located in the south-central area of New Hampshire, Loudon and its surrounding areas provide many recreational opportunities in early August.
Chris Schlegel, Head Grower at D.S. Cole suggests adding a couple side trips for those attending this year’s Open House. “The coast is just a short drive away, and we’re surrounded by gorgeous mountains and lakes. Coming in for our Open House would be the perfect time to explore all that our state has to offer.”
While the Pleasant View and D.S Cole Open House event is free to attend, greenhouse and nursery growers, retailers, landscapers, and brokers are required to register in advance to ensure their spot. For more information, or to register, contact D.S. Cole Growers at 603-783-9561 (office@dscolegrowers.com) or Pleasant View Gardens at 603-435-8361 (shanaf@pwpvg.com, www.pwpvg.com).
Indoor Ag-Con Las Vegas 2019
February 25, 2019
7th Annual Las Vegas Edition Heads To Red Rock Resort With Expanded Educational Conference And Exhibit Floor Offerings
LAS VEGAS, NV (February 24, 2019) – Indoor Ag-Con, the premier event covering the technology of growing crops in indoor systems using hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic techniques, heads to Red Rock Resort from May 22-24, 2019 for its 7th annual Las Vegas edition. Themed “Growing the Future,” this year’s event moves to a new location and welcomes a number of new features, including a special hemp spotlight, exclusive white paper release, expanded exhibition floor and conference schedule.
“Our ‘Growing the Future’ theme celebrates the tremendous growth potential we see for indoor agriculture,” says Nancy Hallberg who, along with other event industry veterans Brian Sullivan and Kris Sieradzki, acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC from founder Newbean Capital in December 2018. “From timely conference tracks to the top names and emerging leaders joining our show floor, this will be the place to get a first-hand look at the industry’s breaking trends and innovations.”
Show highlights for Indoor Ag-Con Las Vegas include:
HEMP SPOTLIGHT JOINS CROP AGNOSTIC, TECH-FOCUSED OFFERINGS – New for 2019, Indoor Ag-Con will put a special spotlight on the hemp sector – from grower through manufacturer – on the show floor and in conference programming. What’s more, Indoor Ag-Con provides a venue for those working with any crop — from leafy greens and mushrooms, to alternate proteins, to medicinal crops — to meet and exchange ideas. At a time of rapid technology-led progress in indoor growing, the event will also showcase the latest innovations in artificial intelligence, LED lighting and control systems.
WHITE PAPER RELEASE: AUTOMATION, AI & THE NEXT GENERATION OF INDOOR AGRICULTURE –Indoor Ag-Con began releasing white papers at its events in 2015, and has provided participants with an exclusive hard copy of the newest white paper every year since. A culmination of months of research by Contain, Inc. and other Indoor Ag-Con team partners, the 2019 white paper, Automation, AI & The Next Generation of Indoor Agriculture, will be released in hard copy to all attendees during the Las Vegas event. To contribute or to receive more information, send a message to hello@indoor.ag
NEW LOCATION: RED ROCK RESORT – As a great trade show city, Las Vegas is hard to beat with its easy access, world class dining, top name entertainment and more. Previously held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Indoor Ag-Con heads to Red Rock Resort for 2019. Nestled in the amber glow of the beautiful Red Rock Canyon, the new location provides the perfect backdrop for this year’s event and Indoor Ag-Con attendees and exhibitors can take advantage of discounted rates when they book through the event hotel block. Visit the show website for details – www.indoor.ag
FIVE TRACKS, 40+ INDUSTRY LEADING SPEAKERS – The Indoor Ag-Con conference agenda will bring together 40+ industry-leading speakers offering a deep dive into five key tracks: Grow Equipment, Crop Selection, Customers & The Supply Chain; Business; Policy and Societal Impact.
The full conference schedule will be posted on the event website soon – www.indoor.ag
EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES – Attendees will have the chance to meet face-to-face with some of the biggest names in the business as well as emerging innovators. From equipment and accessories to vertical farming and greenhouse solutions to technology providers, lighting and climate control systems, the industry gathers here. Indoor Ag-Con also offers a wide range of networking opportunities, including evening drinks receptions on May 22 and 23, continental breakfast and lunch gatherings, as well as extended networking breaks between conference sessions.
QUICK FACTS:
WHEN: Wednesday, May 22 – Friday, May 24, 2019 (Exhibits Open May 22-23)
WHERE: Red Rock Resort, 11011 W. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89132
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email hello@indoor.ag
ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has grown into the premier event in indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops, raising fish and insects in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are tech-focused and crop-agnostic, covering produce, legal cannabis, alternate protein and non-food crops. It hosts events in Las Vegas, Singapore and the US East coast. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – purchased Indoor Ag-Con LLC from Newbean Capital, so setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. More information: https://indoor.ag
Urban Ag News Invites You to Virginia For The Innovation in Greenhouse and Vertical Farming Conference
Innovation in Greenhouse and Vertical Farming
9 am – 4 pm, Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Will be held at Virginia Farm Bureau
12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, Virginia
Controlled environment agriculture is growing in the field of agriculture. Join academic and industry experts for this one-day event focused on the latest advances in hydroponics, sensor technology, lighting, automation, and vertical farming. Hear from technical experts as well as Virginia producers who have successfully incorporated controlled environment agriculture into their business models.
Keynote Speaker
Neil Mattson, Ph.D.,
Cornell University
Special Guest Speaker
Chris Higgins
Hort Americas
Special Guest Speaker
Travis Higginbotham
Fluence
Pre-registration $75 (before Feb. 28)
Late registration $125 (closes March 8)
Click here for more information or email Joyce Latimer at jlatime@vt.edu
Register now!
Thank you to our current sponsors:
Limited exhibit space available!
Contact Martha Walker at walker53@vt.edu
September 20-22 @ Kentucky State University!
Hi Everyone!
We have big news: this year's Aquaponics Association Annual Conference will be September 20-22 at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, KY.
Stay tuned for the first round of early bird tickets within a few weeks.
Kentucky State University hosts one of the most advanced aquaculture research programs in the nation, including indoor aquaponics research systems, saltwater aquaponics research, a 30’ x 70’ aquaponics demonstration greenhouse, a 10,000sq foot recirculating aquaculture research building, and 33 research ponds.
The goal of the conference is to unite growers from around the world and advance the practice of aquaponics. The Aquaponics Association looks to build on the momentum of the last annual conferences Putting Down Roots in Portland, Oregon, 2017; and Putting Up Shoots in Hartford, Connecticut, 2018. Each hosted the world’s top aquaponics experts, a vendor showroom of the top aquaponics technology and services, and tours of large-scale aquaponics projects.
Frankfort, Kentucky is a small, quaint town with some of the nation’s top bourbon distilleries, the Keenland Racetrack, and other cultural attractions close by.
Frankfort is reachable from Bluegrass Airport (LEX); Greater Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky Int’l Airport (CVG); and 60 minutes from Louisville Airport (SDF).
We hope to see you in September!
Brian Filipowich, Chairman
Aquaponics Association
The Southeast's Largest Urban Agriculture Conference of the Year!
The Southeast's Largest Urban Agriculture Conference of the Year!
Sunday, April 14, 2019 - Monday, April 15, 2019
On April 14-15th, 2019 the AGLANTA CONFERENCE will once again host innovators, business leaders, and AgTech rising stars to celebrate, share, and grow together in the capital of the South.
Over the past two years, the AgLanta Conference has become well known for its informative content, honest conversations, and exceptional networking opportunities. Now, for its third consecutive year, AgLanta 2019 will bring together a wide array of enthusiasts and professionals from across the globe to hear from industry leaders and experience urban agriculture innovation within the City of Atlanta.
The AgLanta Conference 2019
Why Atlanta? The city has emerged as a leading advocate for both community-focused and commercial forms of urban agriculture, with initiatives like the Urban Food Forest at Browns Mill; Grows-A-Lot program; and IoT.ATL Living Labs Challenge.
This year's AgLanta Conference will spotlight Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Attendees will hone in on three crucial stages of development for any endeavor - Create | Pilot | Grow - by participating in tours, networking, speaker sessions, creative workshops, and locally-sourced meals.
A limited number of Early Bird tickets are now on sale! You'll save 15% vs. a full-price ticket when you buy today.
Atlanta, Georgia
Sunday, April 14 - Monday, April 15
Register Today
2019 Virginia Innovation In Greenhouse And Vertical Farming Conference
By urbanagnews
January 12, 2019
Join us on Tuesday, March 12, and explore additional tools for expanding farm revenue through vertical farming innovations.
Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension invite you to register at http://bit.ly/Register-2019-Vertical-Farming for the 2019 Virginia Innovation in Greenhouse and Vertical Farming Conference
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Virginia Farm Bureau
12580 West Creek Parkway; Richmond, Virginia
Keynote Speaker
Neil Mattson, Ph.D., Cornell University
Special Guest Speaker
Chris Higgins, Hort Americas
In addition, you will hear from:
Jerry Conner, Four Oaks Farms
Travis Higginbothan, Fluence Bioengineering
John McMahon, Schulyer Greens
Ryan Pierce, Fresh Impact Farms
Join academic and industry experts in exploring the latest advances in vertical farming, greenhouse technology, sensor technology, lighting, and automation. Hear from technical experts and Virginia producers who have been successful in incorporating controlled environment agriculture into their business models.
Register by visiting http://bit.ly/Register-2019-Vertical-Farming before Thursday, February 28.
TAGS: Chris Higgins Conference Cornell University Education Hort Americas Neil Mattson
We Are Proud To Be A Media Partner For The Rethink Agri-Food Innovation Week
Use our discount code IG500 to save SGD $500
Already confirmed to attend Rethink Agri-Food Innovation Week in Singapore (November 27-29) is a powerful mix of regional and global agri-food leaders, investors and innovators.
They are focused on the rich potential for partnerships to accelerate technology innovation and investment across Southeast Asia's agri-food supply chain. Will you join them?
The programme is designed to maximise your networking time, with themed days to focus your diary and a meeting tool to connect with other delegates in advance.
Book now for a two or three day pass to suit your interest:
Tuesday November 27: Crops, Farming and Supply Chain Technology
Wednesday November 28: Indoor Farming and Sustainable Aquaculture
Thursday November 29: Nutrition, Health, Protein and the Future of Food
Roundtables on Wednesday November 28 will feature topics across the entire agri-food ecosystem, hosted by an industry leader.
We look forward to welcoming you in Singapore.
For more information, please contact Jennie Moss, Founder & MD, Rethink Events
T: +44 (0)1273 789989 jennie.moss@rethinkevents.com
With thanks to our partners:
Innovation Partner:
Gold Partners:
Silver Partners:
Country Partners:
Supported By:
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Hosted by:
Organisers of:
Welcome To The Future of Farming In Australia
Just Days To Go Before The Start of Australia’s Largest Ever Agricultural Innovation Trade Fair
Australia’s largest ever agricultural innovation trade fair, GFIA In Focus Australia is set to kick off in Brisbane next Tuesday – and with some of the country’s top food producers in attendance, it’s a prime opportunity for farmers, growers and agribusinesses to learn more about the latest innovations in agriculture.
Part of a global series of exhibition and conferences driving sustainable food production and innovation, GFIA In Focus Australia takes place at Brisbane’s Convention & Exhibition Center from 27-28 November. Leading producers Mort & Co National Feedlot, Mighty Green and Sundrop Farms are just some of the featured guests, and for Cy Kovacich, owner/manager of Mighty Green, the event is a chance to share his experiences diversifying his sugarcane operation:
“The sugar cane industry is traditionally a monoculture – but with margins closing up through soil stress and other issues, my focus is on optimising soil health and finding production gains and economic savings through diversification, by growing other crops like rice, beans and soy. I’m honored to be involved, and to have the chance to hopefully inspire others through discussing my own experiences.”
Amongst the many innovative exhibitors showcasing the latest game-changing innovations and technology is Ceres Tag, who have announced they will be doing a live demonstration at the event, in what will be a world first for the GFIA. In the days leading up to the event, Ceres Tags will be tagging over 100 cattle in Townsville with their Smart Ear Tags, before live streaming their location, health and behaviour 1,000 kms away at the conference.
Guest speaker at the opening ceremony on the 27th November will be The Honourable Mark Furner MP, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, Queensland. Mark describes the event as “a brilliant opportunity for farmers, growers and agribusinesses across the country to understand more about some of the latest innovations that can better support Australia’s agricultural industry.”
Tim Gentle, Founder, Digital Crusader and Educator of Think Digital will be the second guest speaker at the opening ceremony. He’ll be talking about the some of the immersive new technologies available for agriculture, including the most exciting advancement to date in the world of Virtual Reality – a VR Platform for Agriculture. “If you thought Virtual Reality is just for gamers, and Augmented Reality is to catch Pokemon Go’s, then think again,” he says. “In agriculture, immersive technologies will increase productivity, improve safety, enhance training and help you to communicate more effectively than ever before, and I’m excited to be able to unveil the details of this new technology at the conference.”
For Sales Director at One CMG Group David Stradling, the company behind GFIA In Focus Australia, the event looks set to be a game-changer for those involved. “We anticipate that this event will deliver huge business opportunities for ag-tech suppliers in markets expected to experience significant growth over the next few years,” he says.
The GFIA are giving away 2,000 free tickets – but with only a small number left, farmers and agribusinesses are encouraged not to miss out on the chance to attend this unique mix of exhibitions, conferences, innovation sessions and educational workshops.
To register your place at GFIA In Focus Australia before it begins, visit www.gfiaaustralia.com
Protected Cropping Heralded As The Ideal System To Help Supercharge Australian Agriculture
‘Sustainable growth’ is the key phrase underpinning the Australian Government’s plans to make the nation’s agricultural industry a $100 billion industry by 2030. Yet with widespread and continued drought conditions challenging these ambitious plans, growers are looking to new solutions to ensure more consistent crops and higher yields – and protected cropping is one increasingly attractive proposition.
There’s no doubt that indoor and controlled environments, speed breeding and hydroponic systems are currently driving food production like never before. The Protected Cropping Industry is the fastest growing food producing sector in Australia, valued at around $1.8 billion per annum. As Vertical Farming Systems Executive Director John Leslie explains, that’s no surprise. “Australian agriculture currently has a return on investment of about 3-5%, and that’s not sufficient to attract investment into the sector,” he says. “Vertical farming removes much of the labour cost, which is the most expensive component of farming, so the ROI can be increased to 20% and upwards – and then agriculture does become an attractive investment proposition.”
With a $3.9 billion fund recently set up to support water infrastructure and drought-related projects, protected cropping has never been more relevant. Controlled environment farming protects the industry from unfavourable weather conditions like drought, contributing to more consistent crops and higher yields. John sees vertical farming as the ideal solution for some parts of the industry, because the process is impervious to climate, and the dehumidification process generates a massive amount of water. “We’re actually producing water out of the air, and that makes vertical farming highly viable, even in places as arid as the Sahara desert. While vertical farming isn’t a fix-all for every drought situation, it’s another tool we can use to combat the effects – and it will certainly support some parts of the food supply chain and help address things like drought.”
Current advancements in the technology mean that protected cropping will soon be applicable on a broader scale. John explains how his company is developing systems that will soon be able to produce animal feed and proteins. “It’s based on the same technology we’re right now using for vegetables, and over time that will begin to address the problem on a wider scale,” he says.
Hydroponics is another production sector currently experiencing rapid growth – and as hydroponic grower and consultant Brian Ellis explains, it’s highly efficient in its use of inputs including water, fertilisers, labour, land and energy. “It’s possible to produce 5-10 times as much per hectare using hydroponic systems compared to growing in soil. There’s no doubt that adverse weather is impacting everyone as the climate continues to change – but with hydroponics you have much more control over your environment. Essentially there’s much more predictability, and less effect from extreme weather.”
Brian explains how hydroponic systems use only minimal water, which contributes further to their viability. “We often only use as little as 5% of the water for re-circulated hydroponic crops, compared to growing the same crop out in the field. That gap may have closed a little with the introduction of new technologies, but it’s still nowhere close to that figure. As drought continues to affect growers, there’s no doubt that hydroponics will become even more important, and more relevant to the success of the industry.”
In the face of food security and global climatic variability concerns, safe, sustainable protected cropping in the form of vertical farming, hydroponics and speed breeding could well be the way of the future. With protected-crop growers at the forefront of highly sustainable, efficient and innovative food production processes, protected cropping will increasingly help to secure a profitable and more sustainable future for Australian agriculture.
The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) will present the latest innovations and technologies for the controlled environment and protected cropping sector at Australia’s largest agricultural innovation event, GFIA in Focus, in Brisbane on November 27-28. John and Brian will join a host of guest speakers discussing everything from vertical farms and greenhouses to hydroponic and aquaponic systems and much more.
To register for a free entry badge or to find out more, visit www.gfiaaustralia.com
The Transforming Power of Vertical Farming - Scaling Businesses
NOVEMBER 22, 2018 AT 13:00
NATIONAL EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTER SHANGHAI, CHINA
The AVF will return to Asia for its 4th Vertical Farming conference. Horti China is Asia’s most important agriculture and horticulture trade exhibition, with over 40,000 attendees expected. Taking place during Shanghai’s China Green Week, Horti China divides its showcases between pre- and post-harvest, Horti Fresh and Horti Tech.
The AVF welcomes you to join them at the Exhibition held on 21-23 November 2018 in Shanghai. The exhibition connects China with the worldwide horticulture business of fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and plants.
As official partners of the event, AVF will be hosting a Vertical Farming forum on the afternoon of the 22nd; their headline of the half day conference is:
“The Transformative Power of Vertical Farming – Scaling Businesses!”
They expect to welcome over 100 experts and stakeholders in the industry to exchange ideas and propose solutions for the future of the vertical farming industry.
This will lead into the second Design Thinking Workshop, on the morning of the 23rd, in which the AVF continues to develop the 5-year Roadmap for Vertical Farming. This event’s topics will include:
Business Models
Finance & Investment
Government Institutions
This is the AVF’s first collaboration with Horti China (VNU/Richland) and they plan to use this international platform to bring greater awareness of vertical farming and plant factory development.
All AVF members will receive a 10% discount on exhibition space. If you would like to partner on this event, contact the AVF about their sponsorship scheme.
Date and Time: November 21-23, 2018
Location: National Exhibition and Convention Centre 168 Yingagang E Rd, Qingpu Shanghai, China
Pre-Registration for Exhibition and workshop:
Exhibition: www.hortichina.cn – DTW: jf@vertical-farming.net
EMAIL US AT INFO@VERTICAL-FARMING.NET
Source:: https://vertical-farming.net/events-page/transforming-power-vertical-farming-scaling-businesses/
Accelerating Technology And Investment In Southeast Asia’s Agri-Food Supply Chain
Accelerating Technology And Investment In Southeast Asia’s Agri-Food Supply Chain
www.agrifoodinnovation.com
Singapore’s first Rethink Agri-Food Innovation Week will investigate the growing role of technology in building an efficient, resilient and sustainable agri-food supply chain that can deliver fresh, nutritious food to today’s fast-changing consumer market.
Secured your place at the Rethink Agri-Food Innovation Week in #Singapore?
Want to know more about the agri-food supply chain in Asia? Join the Rethink Agri-Food Innovation Week in #Singapore and save $500 on a delegate pass.
Your discount code is:
IG500
https://bit.ly/2m9NoI9 @RAFISingapore
Wednesday November 28 morning focuses on 'Indoor Farming'. Sessions include:
A Vision for the Future of Cities Feeding Cities
Finding the Right Business/Commercial Models for Urban Farming
Plant Science: Optimising Traits to Indoor Systems
Robotics and Automation in Indoor Agriculture
Technology Presentation: Light Recipes
PLUS:
Technology Showcase presentations from dynamic early stage agri-tech companies seeking investment and collaboration for their solutions targeted to indoor farming and aquaculture.
Breakfast Briefing by CSIRO focusing on Australia's AgriFood 4.0 Future.
International agribusinesses, indoor growers, food brands and ingredients manufacturers will join equipment manufacturers, entrepreneurs and investors to share innovation and experiences from around the globe, with a specific focus on:
The power of drones in precision farming of oil palm and rice
Empowering smallholder farmers through data and digitization
Targeting protein innovation to healthy, sustainable aquaculture
Achieving supply chain traceability with big data and blockchain
Advances in plant science, robotics, and lighting for indoor agriculture
Building commercial-scale vertical farming operations
Delivering targeted nutrition through food ingredient innovation
Harnessing the power of biotech in food: Gene editing and clean meat
As the regional agri-food innovation ecosystem grows, the summit will explore the latest models for technology investment, incubation, and commercialization, and showcase the most exciting start-ups from around the world. Extensive networking opportunities throughout the event include a full program of 1-1 meetings.
Produced by Rethink Events, organizers of the World Agri-Tech, Future Food-Tech and Indoor AgTech Innovation Summits.
Choose from a two or three day delegate pass depending on your interest across the full agri-food supply chain.
Tuesday November 27: Crops, Farming and Supply Chain Technology
Wednesday November 28: Indoor Farming and Sustainable Aquaculture
Thursday November 29: Nutrition, Health, Protein and the Future of Food
Maximise your networking potential among this important gathering of international and regional agri-food leaders. Use the 1-1 meetings tool to connect in advance and schedule meetings around the agenda sessions you don't want to miss.
iGrow.News
Roots In Aqua (Farm) And Innovation Oriented Novel Farm Is Born
The new international conference & exhibition will focus on the new cultivation systems, vertical farming and innovative methods of food production and it was presented at Greentech. Pordenone, June 15 - NovelFarm, the international exhibition-conference completely dedicated to innovation in agritech (new cultivation techniques, soilless and vertical farming) will be held on February 13th and 14th 2019 at Pordenone Fiere Exhibition Center (Venice Area).
In 2017 in Italy more than 100 million euros were invested in large-scale hydroponic greenhouses with a production mainly destined to tomato for table consumption. This trend is rapidly growing, motivated by the need to shorten the food supply chain and the increasing attention to high-quality products. A research conducted by the Coop Italia Observatory shows that in 2017, for the first time, ready-to-eat products in Italy reached the top 3 positions regarding the consumption of packaged fresh products sold by the GDO. Italy ranks second in Europe, after England, for the per capita consumption of these products.
The horticulture market will be just one of the topics that will be presented during Novelfarm. A growing interest for medicinal and pharmaceutical plants, whose return allows investments to be made in plants in "useful" times. An example? Cannabis, which is now also legal for personal use (even if with important limits of active ingredients). Technology will be the protagonist showing (by LED) how light can affect the taste and consistency of salads and strawberries.
Novel Farm will, therefore, be the first B2B event in Southern Europe that will offer professional updating and networking on these topics, the possibility of comparison and meeting between supply and demand. The new event dedicated to new production methods was presented last June 12 in an exceptional context: GreenTech, the global meeting in Amsterdam, a reference point for horticulture technology. What is Novel Farm born from? The roots have grown in AquaFarm, the conference & exhibition dedicated to aquaculture, algaculture and sustainable fishing, through conferences and an area dedicated to the techniques of aquaponics and vertical farming.
In the last two years, the collaboration and the guests have been important: the Association for Vertical Farming, the international association that lead the sustainable growth and develop the vertical farming movement; Vertical Farming Italian and ENEA; Dickson Despommier, the creator of the vertical farming concept as keynote speaker and the participation of important companies as Osram, Planthive, Idromeccanica Lucchini, Wasp.
Finally, the fully equipped conference rooms and the success of the exhibiting companies led NovelFarm to be the exclusive event for the most innovative production companies and future soilless cultivation scenarios.
Novelfarm will be held in conjunction with Aquafarm.
More information is available on www.novelfarmexpo.it
PRESS INFORMATION
Novelfarm Sales & Marketing info@fierapordenone.it +39 0434 232111
Leading Agribusiness Groups Throw Their Weight Behind Australia’s Largest Ever Agricultural Innovation Trade Fair
GFIA in Focus Australia is fast becoming a much-anticipated event within the agricultural community – and with some of Australia’s leading trade bodies recently announcing their commitment to the upcoming exhibition, it’s set to be one of Australia’s most exciting business-to-end-user sector trade fairs in the 2018 calendar.
REGISTER HERE
Nine of Australia’s key agribusiness member organisations have now pledged their support for the show, a satellite edition of a series of fairs that run internationally, driving sustainable food production and innovation. Promoting it as a great opportunity for agri-food professionals to freely attend the exhibitions and adjoining conferences, the organisations include Agribusiness Australia, Queensland Farmers’ Federation, AgForce Queensland, Irrigation Australia, Growcom, Passionfruit Australia, Queensland Olive Council, Society of Precision Agriculture Australia and Northern Territories Farmers Association.
Tim Burrow, CEO at Agribusiness Australia welcomed the collaboration:
“Our mantra is to advocate, to be inclusive and to spread knowledge, with the sole aim of advancing agri-business for the national good. A stronger agri-business sector benefits not only our communities, but also our nation’s financial and cultural wealth, and this event will no doubt be invaluable in creating new business opportunities, advancing knowledge and supporting greater collaboration.”
For Travis Tobin, CEO at Queensland Farmers’ Federation, the upcoming fair aligns with QFF’s key strategies. “In representing the interests of peak state and national agriculture industry organisations, we engage in a broad range of economic, social, environmental and regional issues of strategic importance to the productivity, sustainability and growth of the agricultural sector. With our mission being to secure a strong and sustainable future for Queensland farmers, GFIA In Focus is a great opportunity to learn more about developing sustainable farming for the future.”
The Australian edition takes place at Brisbane’s Convention & Exhibition Centre from 27-28 November 2018, and organisations like these, which represent tens of thousands of corporate agri-businesses, farmers and growers across the country will now be involved – a move which it’s anticipated will greatly extend the exhibition’s reach and influence.
With the world’s population expected to increase from seven billion to almost nine billion by 2040, the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) was born with the belief that continuous innovation in agriculture is the only way to sustainably feed us all.
To support the Australian Government’s ambition to increase our agricultural output to a $100 billion industry by 2030, the Queensland Government is committed to growing agriculture as one of the ‘four pillars’ of the state’s economy. However, as David Stradling, Sales Director of One CMG Group, the company behind GFIA In Focus Australia explained, government’s efforts alone will not achieve the target:
“Unlocking agriculture’s growth potential requires a collaborative effort from all levels of government, industry, researchers and vested interest communities. In the face of continued drought and calls to raise productivity, farmers, growers and agribusinesses will increasingly need to implement more sustainable technologies.”
“We see GFIA In Focus Australia as a prime opportunity for farmers, growers and agribusinesses across the country to learn more about the latest innovations in agriculture,” he continued. “We’re pleased to have nine of the country’s most influential agri-business member organisations on board for this unique event.”
David described the exhibition as the beginning of a progressive long-term strategy to create opportunities that strengthen and support Australia’s agricultural industry. “We anticipate this event will deliver huge business opportunities for ag-tech suppliers in markets expected to experience significant growth over the next few years,” he said.
The two-day show features two world-class showcases of leading-edge technology in precision and smart farming on one side of the Convention Centre’s Grand Hall, and on the other, an exhibition of suppliers in technology for controlled environment and protected cropping. The events are supported by their own dedicated conference and side-event programs, and visitors will have access across the entire event.
GFIA are giving away 2,000 free tickets for November’s In Focus exhibition to food producers, policy makers and investors. Visit www.gfiaaustralia.com to register your attendance, or for further information about exhibiting at GFIA In Focus Australia.
Event details:
GFIA In Focus Australia
27 November 2018: 09.00 – 18.00
28 November 2018: 09.00 – 16.00
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
About GFIA
The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture has emerged as a global authority on sustainable food production, driving innovation through exhibitions and conferences across the globe. GFIA exhibitions have welcomed more than 25,000 visitors, and worked with over 50 international partners to showcase innovative products with a proven benefit to the agricultural industry. Their conferences offer stakeholders pioneering forums and marketplaces to foster meaningful dialogue, collaboration, recognition and action between regional food producers, buyers, innovators, policy makers and investors.
Tim Burrow, Agribusiness Australia
Peter Smith, AgForce QLD with David Stradling, One CMG Group
Travis Tobin, Queensland Farmers' Federation
Australia: Sustainable Agriculture In The Spotlight At GFIA In Focus
The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA)
Will Take Place On November 27-28 In Brisbane
The Australian government is pushing for agriculture to become a $100 billion industry by 2030 – and with the Queensland Government aiming to double the state’s food production by 2040, the leading authority on sustainable food production and agriculture is hosting an event in Brisbane designed to showcase sustainable growing practices and new agricultural technologies.
The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) In Focus Australia event will take place on November 27-28.
Exhibiting the latest sustainable ag-tech innovations and technology from suppliers across all types of food production, it’s set to be Australia’s largest ever agricultural innovation trade fair.
The event will place a particular focus on ‘growing sustainably’ and ‘unlocking new technology’, with more than 2000 delegates expected to attend from across the Asia Pacific. Featuring two adjacent exhibitions, the first will present Controlled Environments & Protected Cropping, and the second will focus on Precision Agriculture and Smart Farming products. Within ‘Controlled Environments’, exhibitors will promote the latest greenhouses, system integrators, control systems and hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic systems – and the ‘Precision Agriculture’ sector will cover everything from data analytics and modeling to harvesting and irrigation equipment, seeding and planting equipment and GPS systems.
A high-level conference programme will also run during the event – and for David Stradling, Sales Director of One CMG Group, the company behind GFIA In Focus, the event is “a rare opportunity to learn from agriculture food producers, policy makers and investors about the latest innovations and technologies for smart food production.”
Among the confirmed exhibitors will be multi-level indoor growing company Vertical Farm Systems, who will showcase their fully automated technology for growing commercial crops all year round, in any climate or location. Executive Director & Design Engineer John Leslie described the new system as the next generation of indoor growing solutions built for profitability more than spectacle.
“Over the past 9 years we have refined the system automation to achieve the best return on investment yields we have seen in the sector. Of the 28 system sizes we supply, our smallest uses only 500 square metres of floor area, yet the 20 tons annual harvest rate is the same as 8 acres of prime agricultural land. The bioponic live microbe based growing system delivers a major reduction in water use, with zero chemicals, pest issues or crop losses, and it can be installed in very close proximity to the end user – all of which is fantastic for sustainable farming.”
One CMG Group Sales Director David Stradling described the significance of the event for Australian agriculture.
“GFIA In Focus is intended to help Australian agri-businesses share knowledge, so we can continue to develop sustainable farming into the future. There are some incredibly innovative technologies and practices out there, and we’re excited to host what’s going to be an inspiring and highly informative event for attendees.”
For more information:
www.gfiaaustralia.com
Publication date : 9/20/2018
Registration Is Now Open For EcoFarm 2019
EcoFarm Conference is the oldest and largest organic farming conference in the West - an essential networking and educational hub for farmers, ranchers, distributors, retailers, activists, researchers, and educators to nurture safe, healthy, just, and ecologically sustainable farms, food systems, and communities. Join us, January 23 - 26, 2019!
Save 7% with discount code: earlyreg when you register by Sun. Dec 9.
First GLASE Meeting Is November 5th
September 19, 2018
GLASE gears up for their first meeting:
Guidelines for new Controlled Environment Agriculture energy-efficient technology adoption
November 5, 2018
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Statler Hotel, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
Lighting control is the last frontier in controlled environment agriculture. Well-designed horticultural lighting systems can reduce energy use and increase profits for greenhouses and indoor farms. GLASE is bringing together New York Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) growers with local utility companies, USDA officials and service providers to provide CEA growers with all the resources available for energy-efficient lighting and control systems technology adoption.
CEA growers attending the conference will have the opportunity to learn about all the opportunities available on the market to support new technology adoption:
• Financial opportunities
• State rebate programs
• Federal incentive programs
• Utility energy rebate programs
Speakers
• Gary Pereira – USDA Rural Development
• Dale Gates – USDA National Resources Conservation Service
• Robert Muller – National Grid
• Dustin Broderick – NYSEG
• Damon Bosetti – DesignLights Consortium
• Owen Raymond – Farm Credit East
• Neil Mattson – Cornell University
• Tessa Pocock – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• A.J. Both – Rutgers University
• Erico Mattos – GLASE consortium
For more information and to register: https://glase.org/conference/
Innovation Power of Start-Ups, Research Institutes And SMEs in The Future of Food And Biomass Production
Whether for digitisation in agriculture, urban and marine farming, improved crop efficiency or the production of sustainable protein, start-ups, SMEs, and research institutes play a major role in bringing innovation into the market.
Which technologies are available today and who are the major inventors actively contributing to the development of the nine innovation areas of food industry? At the conference "Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)" in Cologne, 1 - 2 October 2018, leading founders and researchers will share their novel products and developments to help shape the future of food production.
The digitisation of the agriculture is one of the promising fields where the number of start-ups increases, blooming with their solutions to support farmers achieving more efficiency and protecting their crops from unexpected climatic conditions. India is a great example of a thriving innovation ecosystem. Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (IN) is a representative of the digital movement in agriculture. They will present the possibilities of these technologies to shape the future of Indian farming at the REFAB conference.
At the same time, European research on robotic solutions for precision farming has advanced remarkably, which will be presented by the Centre for Robotics in Industry and Intelligent Systems (PT) and the Flourish (CH) EU funded project. Meo Carbon Solutions (DE) with ISCC certification system is the first government-approved certification for sustainability and greenhouse gas savings that can be used gobally for all types of biomass and its derivatives.
Worldwide, the interest in the development of microorganisms as biostimulants, biocontrol agents and agricultural probiotics has grown rapidly over the last two decades. Solutions on how to use the potential of microorganisms for biostimulation purposes and their delivery onto the field will be presented by French start-ups BIOVITIS (FR) and Kapsera (FR). Integration of mycorrhizae and nano-biostimulants and challenges and opportunities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi applications will be presented by a well-known research institute TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre (IN) and the Austrian start-up Evologic Technologies (AT) accordingly.
Home, urban and vertical farming will play a central role in the future food supply of metropolitan areas. While Farmers Cut (DE) and Click & Grow (EE) provide home gardening solutions with fully automated cultivation methods, SPREAD (JP) contributes to the vertical farming movement in Japan by achieving profitable operation of their large-scale vertical farms. German leading research Institute Fraunhofer Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik UMSICHT (DE) will present their findings within the inFARMING® project.
LED lighted greenhouses, desalinization of seawater (in combination with aeroponic, hydroponic and aquaponic systems) as well as solar technologies and closed biomass cycles open up completely new areas for food production under the most extreme conditions. Several companies are already successfully commercializing these systems, such as Teshuva Agricultural Projects (IL), the Sahara Forest Project (NO) and SEKEM Development Foundation (EG), which have exhibited how food can be grown in desert. Going one step further, the European Space Agency (NL) and Wageningen University & Research (NL) will showcase their already successfully tested food production in moon and Mars soil simulant.
Improved plants are of major importance for food security in the future, where climate change will create overall harsher conditions that make it difficult for farmers to protect their crops. What are current developments of global genetically modified (GM) crop cultivation, how can improved photosynthesis result in increased crop yield and how can GM methods be applied to tree breeding and the development of vegetables? Nova-Institut (DE), Wageningen University & Research (NL) and SweTree Technologies (SE) will provide answers to these questions at REFAB conference.
The proteins of the future should have reduced climate impacts. Upscaling of sustainable insects, solar proteins, artificial meat and plant-based proteins will be crucial. A number of exciting products are already on the market and science is preparing us for even more. Success stories will be presented about two different CO2-based foods (Solar Foods (FI) and Kiverdi (US)), the famous plant-based “Impossible Burger” (The Good Food Institute (US), cellular agriculture, including meat from cells (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) and the old, well known source of protein: insects (Ynsect (FR), VITO (BE), KU Leuven (BE), AgriProtein (ZA)).
Organic farming and smallholder production methods will greatly benefit from many of these new developments by increasing efficiency while respecting their original ideals and principles. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps (US), BioInnovate Africa Programme (KE) and Berlin-Institut für Bevölkerung und Entwicklung (DE) will present their experiences and knowledge how smallholders and organic farming can become ready for the future worldwide.
Leaving land-based food production, the ocean has much to offer besides traditional fish farming and, as of today, we only use a fraction of its potential. New concepts of sustainable aquaculture dissolve the borders between land and ocean. Aquaponics Iberia (PT) and Smart Floating Farms (ES) develop concepts for the urban aquaponic systems while the latter integrates these with other technologies, such as hydroponics, aquaculture and solar energy as modular floating platforms for local food production.
Additionally, the potential of microalgae in food and feed is a topic of large discussion and will be elaborated on by the Wageningen University & Research (NL). An example of cultivation and processing of seaweeds (microalgae) up to final fabrication of food products will be presented at REFAB by Seakura (IL).
Last but not least, new biotechnological and chemical processes enable biorefineries to produce proteins, flavours, fibres, chemicals and plastics sustainably and efficiently from various biomass. Biorefineries and biotechnology are the future for the production of these products. At REFAB, applied state-of-the-art technologies are shown by Godavari Biorefineries (IN), using waste streams from sugar and sugar cane, and Phytowelt GreenTechnologies (DE) will present how the production of flavours with biotechnological methods has succeeded.
These and more projects and prominent companies will be presented at the conference “Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)”, 1-2 October in Cologne, Germany. Altogether, 56 speakers and exhibitors will show the future of food and biomass production (www.refab.info).
Already 172 participants from 22 countries are registered. Dr. Bronner’s (US) and BIOCOM AG (DE) are bronze sponsors of the conference. The Fachagentur für Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (DE) supports the event as premium partner.
Revolution In Food And Biomass Production (REFAB) – Solutions And Alternatives To Secure Our Food And Biomass Supply Of The Future!
What high-tech strategies are emerging for big farms and smallholders to sustainably supply a growing world population?
The conference “Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)”, October 1 and 2 in Cologne, Germany gives a unique opportunity to meet the pioneers and forerunners of the future of food and biomass production. With the “Future Protein Award“, the conference will also address one of the main global problems: the protein supply security.
3 Keynote Speakers: Conference "Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)” (http://www.refab.info), 1-2 October 2018, Cologne Germany
Keynote Speakers:
Dr. Rafaël Schneider - Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (DE)
Thomas Arnold - European Commission, DG RTD (BE)
Michael Carus - nova-Institut (DE)
will give a comprehensive overview of the challenges and the opportunities of the future of food and biomass production at the conference Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)” (http://www.refab.info), 1-2 October 2018, Cologne Germany.
10:15 Dr. Rafaël Schneider, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (DE): Food and Nutrition Security: Global Challenge – Site-Specific Solutions
Dr. Rafaël Schneider will elaborate on the social issues of the global nutrition security:
"Food security has long been regarded as a matter of balancing supply with demand. In the past, policies were limited to increasing agricultural production and/or slowing population growth. This perspective has fundamentally changed. Nowadays concepts and policies address four central ingredients, or pillars of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability."
10:40 Thomas Arnold, European Commission, DG RTD (BE): Innovation from Across – can Cross-Pollinating Sectors, Actors and Conversations Unfold Solutions Towards Systemic Change?
Thomas Arnold believes that innovation across sectors and disciplines and communities can unfold solutions towards systemic change in food and biomass production: He will present how 9 innovation areas develop and what potential their interaction holds for us:
"Co-creation and cross-creation in the Anthropocene: Such examples highlight the importance for science, policy and business to move beyond silos. With complexity, uncertainty and unpredictability as the new normal, co-creating and cross-creating solutions on the right side of history may become increasingly important if we want to turn the emerging Anthropocene into a success."
11:05 Michael Carus, nova-Institut GmbH (DE), Sustainability Assessment of New Food and Biomass Technologies
Michael Carus will present more detail on the environmental footprint of food production and the necessity to evaluate new technologies before they disperse in the market:
"Little is known about the sustainability of different foods. This must change in order to reduce the environmental footprint of the food industry. The same is true for new technologies: they promise higher efficiency and lower environmental impact. This must be scientifically tested and proved at an early stage in order to set the right co
Register now for the conference!
Introduction and overview
Thomas Arnold, European Commission, DG RTD (BE)
Michael Carus, nova-Institut (DE)
Precision farming, robotics, drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Dr. Joachim Stiegemann, CLAAS E-Systems (DE)
Tobias Menne, BASF (DE)
Dr. Filipe Neves dos Santos, Centre for Robotics in Industry and Intelligent Systems (CRIIS) (PT)
Dr. Srinivasu Pappula, Tata Consultancy Services (IN)
Prof. Dr. Stefan Pelzer, Evonik Nutrition & Care (DE)
Dr. Anil K Rajvanshi, Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) (IN)
Dr. Marcus Remmers, DSM (NL)
Inkyu Sa, Flourish (CH)
Dr. Norbert Schmitz, Meo Carbon Solutions (DE)
Egbert Schroeer, Microsoft (US)
Biostimulants – nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza, bio pesticides
Dr. Alok Adholeya, TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre (IN)
Dr. Antoine Drevelle, Kapsera (FR)
Dr. Jonathan Gerbore, BIOVITIS (FR)
Dr. Wieland Reichelt, Evologic Technologies (AT)
Alternative protein sources – insects, bacteria, artificial meat and CO2utilization
Matt Ball, The Good Food Institute (US)
Leen Bastiaens, Vlemish Institute for Technological Research - VITO (BE)
Prof. Dr. Ir. Leen Van Campenhout, KU Leuven (BE)
David Wilco Drew, AgriProtein (ZA)
Lisa Dyson, Kiverdi (US)
Dr. Heiko Rischer, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (FI)
Hella Tokos, Ynsect (FR)
Pasi Vainikka, Solar Foods (FI)
Future of organic and smallholder farming
Julius Ecuru, BioInnovate Africa Programme (KE)
Rajnish Gupta, Tansa (ID/IN)
Björn Lagerman, FriBi Holding (SE)
Dr. Gero Leson, Dr. Bronner's (USA)
Biorefineries and Biotechnology
Bente Nersten, Borregaard (NO)
Samir Somaiya, Godavari Biorefineries (IN)
Elisabeth Stanger, Lenzing (AT)
Dr. Peter Welters, Phytowelt GreenTechnologies (DE)
Agriculture under extreme conditions (desert, ice, outer space) and in combination with solar energy
Joakim Hauge, The Sahara Forest Project (NO)
Christophe Lasseur, European Space Agency (NL)
Avner Shohet, Teshuva Agricultural Projects (TAP) (IL)
Max Trommsdorff, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (DE)
Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Wageih, SEKEM Development Foundation (EG)
Dr. Wieger Wamelink (co-author Joep Frissel), Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Improved plant varieties for the future
Niels de Beus, nova-Institut (DE)
Jeremy Harbinson, Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Magnus Hertzberg, SweTree Technologies (SE)
Dr. Venkata Kishore, Bayer (NL)
Dr. Pia Skoczinski, nova-Institut (DE)
Home, urban and vertical farming
Timo Bongartz, OSRAM (DE)
Volkmar Keuter, Fraunhofer Institut für Umwelt-, Sicherheits- und Energietechnik UMSICHT (DE)
Mark Korzilius, Farmers Cut (DE)
Matthias Lepp, Click and Grow (EE)
Hiroumi Takahara, SPREAD (JP)
Martin Veenstra, Certhon (NL)
10 reasons to join the conference “Revolution in Food and Biomass Production”, 1-2 October 2018
Maritim Hotel Cologne, Germany, www.refab.info
++ Precision Farming ++ Biostimulants - agricultural probiotics ++ Urban and vertical farming ++ Agriculture under extreme conditions ++ Improved plant varieties ++ Alternative protein sources ++ Organic and small holder farming ++ Mariculture or marine farming ++ Biorefineries and Biotechnology ++
Meet at the conference: ++ AlgaePARC/Wageningen University (WUR) ++ Aquaponics Iberia ++ Association for Vertical Farming ++ BaFa Neu ++ Bayer ++ Bergischer Abfallwirtschaftsverband ++ BIO - Biotechnology Industry Organization ++ Bioeconomy Science Center c/o Forschungszentrum Jülich ++ BioInnovate Africa Programme ++ Biolchim SpA ++ BioPark Regensburg ++ BioSolar Cells ++ Biovitis ++ Boerenbond & Landelijke Gilden ++ Borregaard Lignotech ++ CLAAS E-Systems ++ C.A.R.M.E.N. ++ Cargill ++ Certhon ++ CLIB2021 ++ Click and Grow ++ Dr. Bronner’s Europe ++ Dr. Gupta Verlag ++ EABA - European Algae Biomass Association ++ EIT Food CLC Central ++ European Commission DG for Research & Innovation ++ European Space Agency ++ EuropaBio - The European Association for Bioindustries ++ European Biostimulant Industry Council (EBIC) ++ European Professional Beekeepers Association (e.p.b.a.) ++ Evologic Technologies ++ Evonik Nutrition & Care ++ Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR) ++ Farmers Cut GmbH ++ Finanzen Verlag ++ Flourish - Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems ++ Forschungszentrum Jülich ++ Fraunhofer Institut ++ Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE ++ FriBi Holding ++ Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) ++ Godavari Biorefineries Ltd. ++ Hempro International ++ IAR Association Industries & Agro-Ressources Cluster ++ InfraServ Knapsack KG ++ Innovation Norway ++ Insec Tec ++ K.J. Somaiya Institute of Applied Agricultural Research ++ Kapsera ++ Kiverdi ++ Klasmann-Deilmann ++ KU Leuven ++ Lenzing ++ LIBERTAS - Europaeisches Institut ++ LooBio Media ++ Maschinenfabrik Reinartz ++ Meo Carbon Solutions ++ Microsoft ++ Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) ++ NMI - Natural and Medical Institut, University of Tübingen ++ Osram ++ Phytowelt GreenTechnologies ++ Pilot Pflanzenöltechnologie Magdeburg ++ Priva Horticulture BV ++ RIA NOVOSTI Deutschland ++ Royal DSM NV ++ Schweizer Agrarmedien AG ++ Seakura ++ SESVANDERHAVE nv ++ Smart Floating Farms ++ Soil & More Impacts ++ Solar Foods ++ SPREAD ++ SWARM Nutrition ++ SweTree Technologies ++ Tansa - Farmer of the Future ++ Tata Consultancy Services ++ Technologie- und Förderzentrum (TFZ) ++ TERI Deakin Nabiotechn. Centre ++ Teshuva Agricultural Projects ++ The Good Food Institute ++ The Sahara Forest Project ++ thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions ++ Toulouse White Biotechnology ++ TU Dresden ++ University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern ++ Universität Kassel – CESR ++ VITO ++ VTT ++ Ynsect ++ Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW
Special summer price until the 7th of September: 2 day ticket for only 600€ incl. Gala Dinner, for participants from developing countries and students: 520€ incl. Gala Dinner
70 % of the participants are from the industry
Already 145 participants from 20 countries registered - 400 are expected
Face-to-Face meetings through the online match-making tool
9 innovative pillars of Food and Biomass production in one conference programme creates business synergies
Exhibition with already 15 exhibitors
Cast your vote for the new “Future Protein Award” and enjoy the award ceremony at an atmospheric gala dinner in front of the impressing backdrop of the Rhine and the Cologne Cathedral
54 top presentations
Media partnerships with already 15 established trade journals and research magazines
Register now here www.refab.info/registration!
See you at Maritim Hotel in Cologne.
Join the revolution, visit the conference, meet the leading entrepreneurs of the new industry!
See you in Cologne.
Kind regards,
Michael Carus
CEO nova-Institute
New Forum With CEA Scientists
By urbanagnews
September 21, 2018
Join three CEA scientists (Chieri Kubota, Erik Runkle and Cary Mitchell) who are organizing an online monthly forum series, called ‘Indoor Ag Science Café’. This online forum has been designed to discuss the science and technologies that can contribute to indoor controlled environment agriculture (AKA vertical farms). According to Chieri, “we wish to make the forum develop as a non-competitive, informal communication platform among indoor agriculture industries”.
Please contact Chieri Kubota (kubota.10@osu.edu) if you would like to join the Café.
The most recent topic presented by Erik Runkle at the Café is now available: