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Leading Indoor Agriculture Event Returns with More Content, CropKing Mini Workshops & SananBio Plant Factory Tours
Leading Indoor Agriculture Event Returns with More Content, CropKing Mini Workshops & SananBio Plant Factory Tours
SananBio Tech at Indoor Ag-Con Asia
Our two-day event will be hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center on May 2-3, 2018 and will include an exhibition hall and an exciting lineup of speakers
The good folks at @indooragcon did it again. Great show in Singapore.”
— @IntravisionLS
LAS VEGAS, NV, USA, March 5, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques, is one of the fastest growing areas of agriculture. Investors and large companies are joining the industry in record numbers as they recognize consumer demand for fresh, local produce anytime, anywhere. Indoor Ag-Con is the premier event covering the technology of growing crops in greenhouses, warehouses and containers. It is returning to Las Vegas for the sixth year in May 2018. This years’ event includes several new features; a new business track, mini workshops and a plant factory tour.
Our two-day event will be hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center on May 2-3, 2018 and will include an exhibition hall and an exciting lineup of speakers including representatives from Autogrow, Fresh Box Farms, Microsoft, Plenty Ag, Priva, Square Roots and Urban Crop Solutions, among many others. We will be covering a broad range of crop types – such as, leafy greens, cannabis, insects, aquaculture and medicinal crops – as well as technologies ranging from artificial intelligence to LED lighting to control systems. Participants will receive an exclusive hard copy of the newest edition in our popular white paper series in the event gift bag, along with novel items such as insect-based snack bars. They will have the opportunity to network during the day, through our event app and at our after party in the exhibition hall on the first evening of the event. The event’s lead sponsors are CropKing and Plenty Ag, and other sponsors include Agrinamics, Autogrow, Fresh Box Farms, Joe Produce, Kennett Township, and Urban Crop Solutions.
The exhibition hall already includes companies such as Certon, Fluence Bioengineering, Illumitex and Priva. Options for exhibitors include furnished booths, product showcases and business suites in addition to regular ‘space only’ booths. Container farm suppliers again have dedicated pitches to showcase their products. The exhibition hall will also feature a dedicated media area for the first time this year. Further details on exhibiting can be found at indoor.ag/exhibitlv.
Our sponsor, leading industry consultant CropKing, has long hosted well-regarded two and five-day workshops to get growers up and running in a commercial hydroponic greenhouse. So, we're delighted that the CropKing team will be bringing that wisdom to Indoor Ag-Con in the form of half-day mini-workshops onsite. They're open exclusively to registered Indoor Ag-Con participants, and there's no additional charge.
In addition, we’re excited to be adding plant factory tours to the 6th Indoor Ag-Con thanks to our sponsors SananBio and Oasis Biotech. They’ll be hosting free tours of the phase 1 launch at their new 215,000 sq/ft Las Vegas plant factory on May 4, exclusively for Indoor Ag-Con participants. Tours are on a first come, first served basis and will run on the hour from 9am to 12pm, and each tour is expected to last 30-40 minutes.
Indoor Ag-Con, which hosts meetings in Singapore and Philadelphia in addition to Las Vegas, is the leading convener of growers, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and investors involved in the indoor agriculture sector. Our audience includes greenhouse and vertical farm growers, technology companies, executives from the food and beverage sector, venture firms, startups and established urban farmers. Since it was founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has captured an international audience at all its, attracting some of the top names in the business. Events have welcomed over 2,500 participants from more than 20 countries.
Newbean Capital, the host of the conference is a registered investment advisor; some of its clients or potential clients may participate in the conference. The Company is ably assisted in the event’s production by Origin Event Planning and Freeman.
6th Annual Indoor Ag-Con
Date – May 2-3, 2018
Place – South Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
Booths – Available at indoor.ag/exhibitlv
Registration – currently open to the general public from US$399
Features – Two-day seminar, with keynote speakers, exhibition hall, after-party, and optional mini-workshop and plant factory tour
For more information, please visit www.indoor.ag/lasvegas or call +1. 877.609.6202
Nicola Kerslake
Newbean Capital
7756237116
email us here
Indoor Ag-Con Experience
5 Plant Factory Questions With SananBio
Indoor Ag-Con
5 Plant Factory Questions With SananBio
Dr. Shao Hua Li is an agriculture academic at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and director of Institute of Plant Factory, Fujian Sanan Sino-Science Photobiotech Co., Ltd. SananBio has a 100,000 ft2 commercial plant factory in Xiamen, China. Ahead of his presentation at Indoor Ag-Con in May, we asked Dr. Li five questions about his experience with plant factories.
1. Suncore and
SananBio are owned by one of the largest LED chip manufacturers in the world. What inspired you to get involved with vertical farming?
Food safety and security is a global concern that needs to be addressed. Suncore and SananBio saw a unique opportunity to leverage the parent company’s high efficiency LED horticulture lighting and expertise to help inspire the adoption of urban agriculture for small and larger commercial farms, primarily through the reduction of cost and complexity of vertical farming grow systems.
2. How is your grow system different from the many other grow systems on the market?
We wanted to ensure three things when designing the grow system: simplicity, affordability, and high yield. A tremendous amount of engineering effort has taken place over the past few years to achieve simplicity and high yield. The integrated lighting fixture and water circulation save farmers time and resources so that they can focus on their business. In addition, the installation of each system takes less than 20 minutes with a two-person team. The modular approach allows an enormous amount of flexibility for farms of all sizes and designs. We believe that technology should work for people, not the other way around.
3. You’re operating a 100,000 ft2 commercial growing facility in Xiamen, China with multiple other large farms under construction using your technology. What were the most important lessons you learned from the experience of building your first large commercial farm?
The impact of electricity usage in farm overall economics is very important. The majority of electricity comes from the lights and the HVAC systems. The latter is partially dependent on the light, which is why we are intensely focused on continually improving light efficiency for our customers. Over the past year we have improved light efficiency over 20% which is a huge savings for our customers. Automation is another way we are saving our customers money and future farms will have a much higher degree of automation to save on labor.
4. What do you think have been the most exciting developments in indoor farming over the past few years?
We’re excited to see more resources being allocated to the study of lighting spectrum and intensity, and its effect on plant growth, flavor, and nutrient content. Well engineered lighting can do so much more than just grow a plant quickly! Additionally, there are some very exciting advancements on farm automation to help reduce the cost of direct labor, that we will be providing to the market in the near future.
5. What’s the most exotic crop that you’ve managed to grow in your system to date? When do you expect it to be available commercially?
Crystalline Ice Plant, or glacier lettuce, is a specialty item that is currently being grown commercially in our farms. The plant has the look of a leafy green, but the taste and texture is quite unique. Our team of botanists and plant scientists are constantly optimizing a wide variety of crops for customers using our systems including fruiting varieties and crops used for medical purposes like pharmaceuticals. The crop diversity growing in our systems are thanks to the system’s versatility and to our team of dedicated plant scientists. Everything from microgreens to obscure Asian greens and herbs can be grown commercially and cost effectively. Our customers are currently growing well over 100 varieties of plants and the list grows with each passing day.
See Shao Hua speak at Indoor Ag-Con Asia on January 16-17, 2018
World Food Programme Italia Named As Patron For The Fourth Edition of Seeds&Chips, The Global Innovation Summit
World Food Programme Italia Named As Patron For The Fourth Edition of Seeds&Chips, The Global Innovation Summit
“2.6 million people in Northeast Nigeria are facing hunger and 450,000 children are severely malnourished”.
Seeds&Chips ticket sales will go to supporting World Food Programme works in North East Nigeria, and the Summit will also promote ShareTheMeal, the first app designed to fight global hunger.
Milan, 26 February 2018 – The fourth edition of Seeds&Chips – The Global Food Innovation Summit (7-10 May 2018, MiCo Milano Congressi) will be under the patronage of the World Food Programme (WFP) Italia.
The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian organization dedicated to combatting world hunger, which currently afflicts 815 million people around the globe. Seeds&Chips, which each year brings influential figures in the field of food and agricultural innovation from across academia, politics, and international institutions to Milan, will donate a portion of its ticket sales to the WFP’s emergency food operations addressing severe malnutrition in Nigeria.
Marco Gualtieri, President and founder of Seeds&Chips commented: “This year, we have once again enthusiastically joined the WFP’s initiatives and we are happy to be able to contribute to aiding the Nigerian people. The Summit has always united food, sustainability, and innovation through partnerships between startups, companies, opinion leaders and global media to address larger themes within food and the new solutions that technological development can offer, not just for the most economically advanced countries but particularly for those populations who live in poverty and struggle with a scarcity of resources.”
Beyond supporting the food assistance programs of the WFP, Seeds&Chips will be promoting ShareTheMeal, the app developed by the WFP which allows users to give food assistance to a child with a simple tap on a smartphone. Through the app, it takes only 0,40EUR cents to provide one day of food relief to one child.
“Since ShareTheMeal’s launch two years ago, more than one million people have downloaded the app and have shared more than 21 million meals with thousands of hungry children, in order to support WFP’s most critical food emergencies.” says Massimiliano Costa, Head of ShareTheMeal. “In the world, smartphones outnumber hungry children 20 to 1. This means that if we join our forces and donate through ShareTheMeal, we can reach zero hunger. For this reason I thank WFP Italia and Seeds&Chips for giving the possibility to all Summit’s participants to support WFP operations in North East Nigeria, where ShareTheMeal is aiming to provide life-saving food assistance for 100 days to those children most at risk.
“Innovation has a crucial role to play in the fight against hunger, not only for the World Food Programme but for everyone working to improve the lives of those furthest behind,” said Robert Opp, Director of Innovation and Change Management at WFP. “The availability of new technologies and approaches today presents a tremendous opportunity. We need to test these approaches to find out what works and what doesn’t, and then scale up the most promising innovations.” Mr. Opp also noted the importance of conferences like Seeds & Chips, which represents an opportunity to further our thinking and forge new partnerships for Zero Hunger.
"New technologies and innovation applied to sustainable development represent an extraordinary opportunity for WFP", said Vincenzo Sanasi d'Arpe, President of WFP Italia. "In some of the most remote areas, the use of innovative technologies has allowed us to find more effective and unprecedented solutions to provide food assistance to the most fragile populations. We are proud,” continued President Sanasi, “to give our patronage once again to Seeds&Chips, to whom we are very grateful for their continued support of WFP humanitarian operations in North-East Nigeria. Together with Seeds & Chips we encourage everyone to support WFP by downloading ShareTheMeal, the first app against world hunger. "
The WFP notes that in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in North East Nigeria, violence inflicted by Boko Haram affects the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. 2,6 million of people suffer from hunger and 450,000 children are severely malnourished. Violence and insecurity are causing a mass exodus: 1.62 million people live in IDP camps or communities in Nigeria and tens of thousands are forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries, such as Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Many of those who left the country are now beginning to return, and lack basic needs like food and housing
***
Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit, founded by entrepreneur Marco Gualtieri, is the largest Food Innovation event in the world. The Summit is a showcase entirely dedicated to promoting innovative food solutions and talent from around the world, with an exhibition hall for innovators to present their work. Together, actors from all points in the global food chain discuss the themes and projects that are changing the way in which food is produced, transformed, distributed, consumed, and recycled. At the Third edition of the Global Food Innovation Summit, President Barack Obama made his first post presidency appearance as a Keynote speaker, taking his place among 300 speakers and 240 exhibitors from around the world. In four days, the Summit recorded 15,800 visitors and 131 million social media impressions. The Fourth edition of The Seeds&Chips Global Food Innovation Summit takes place at MiCo, Milano Congressi, from May 7-10, 2018. Among the speakers scheduled to appear are Former US Secretary of State John Kerry and Howard Schultz, Executive Chairman of Starbucks.
The United Nations World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian agency dedicated to fighting global famine through emergency food assistance and improving the nutrition and resilience of communities suffering from malnutrition. Every year, WFP provides assistance to approximately 80 million people in nearly 80 countries. The WFP is 100% funded through voluntary donations and takes contributions from governments, companies and individuals.
WFP Italia is a non-profit organization working in support of the World Food Program and is the reference point in Italy for those who wish to support the WFP.
WFP’s ShareTheMeal app is a mobile-first fundraising tool that allows users to feed a child, with just a tap on their device and for as little as US$0.50. Since its launch two years ago, more than 1,000,000 people have joined the community worldwide. Users have shared over 21 million meals with thousands of hungry children in some of WFP’s most critical operations, including Yemen, Syria and South Sudan. The app has been awarded the Social Impact Award at the 2017 Google Play Awards.
Pegasus Food Futures Will be Showcasing Their Pioneering Hydroponic Farming Capability At The Global Forum For Innovations in Agriculture, in Abu Dhabi on February 5th and 6th.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, February 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/
Pegasus Food Futures Will be Showcasing Their Pioneering Hydroponic Farming Capability At The Global Forum For Innovations in Agriculture, in Abu Dhabi on February 5th and 6th.
With the world population set to grow from 7.3 billion to 8.5 billion by 2030 and 11.2 billion by 2100, an agricultural solution to the growing food needs of the population is essential.
- Hydroponic farming is an innovative, soil-less system that uses up to 90% less water than conventional farming, uses less land producing high yields of sustainably high quality, reasonably priced crops.
- Farms in arid areas such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries can make the most of the long hours of sunlight, providing the region with crops and reducing the need to rely on expensive imports.
- Visit the Pegasus Food Futures stand at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre and hear farming, technology and business specialist James Yau give an expert talk on Combining Operations and Finance to Provide Best Fit Solutions: Bringing the Offline of Traditional Farming Online at the Controlled Environments and Indoor Farming conference session at 11.30am on 5th February.
Leading owner and operator of hydroponic farming facilities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Pegasus Food Futures will be showcasing their pioneering hydroponic farming facilities at the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) Exhibition in Abu Dhabi on February 5th and 6th at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre.
With the world population set to grow from current levels of 7.3 billion to 8.5 billion by 2030 and 11.2 billion by 2100, ensuring long-term food security has never been more important. Providing an affordable and reliable food source that is also environmentally sustainable is essential to meet the needs of the growing population. Pegasus Food Futures provides solutions for these global food supply challenges through its operations and innovations in farming, livestock, feedstock and food production.
Their primary goal is to provide security for our food and agricultural future. Through continued investment into hydroponic farming technology, techniques and innovation they aim to support food security by growing sustainable and consistent produce that offers consumers a high quality, reasonably priced and fresh harvest each and every time.
Hydroponics explained
The hydroponic system is a soil-less culture for crops in which water and nutrients are delivered directly to the roots of the plant, dispensing with the need for the plant to expend precious energy growing long roots through the soil to reach these vital ingredients. Produce is grown in advanced, environmentally- friendly greenhouses, equipped with technology that controls and monitors each plant's nutrient intake with optimum accuracy. The design of the hydroponic farming systems ensures that the system uses up to 90% less water than traditional agriculture. Not only does this preserve precious natural resources, it also helps to reduce costs. This is particularly important for farms located in arid regions like the GCC, where water is scarce. Hydroponic farms in such regions can make use of the long periods of natural sunlight and produce affordable crops that reduce the need for the region to rely on expensive imports. Moreover, the controlled conditions mean the crops require no pesticides and produce consistently high yields.
A hydroponic farm can continue functioning for more than 100 consecutive years, resulting in a secure, stable source of both food and employment for the local area.
The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture
Pegasus Food Futures will be exhibiting at GFIA on Feb 5th and 6th and the farming and business expert James Yau will be giving a talk on Combining Operations and Finance to Provide Best Fit Solutions: Bringing the Offline of Traditional Farming Online at the Controlled Environments and Indoor Farming conference session at 11.30am on 5th February.
James Yau has 20 years' experience in management consulting in North America and Asia. In early 2009, he established and operated more than 10 farms within Asia Pacific. In 2013, he founded a retail chain to sell safe, high quality food produce in Hong Kong. During 2016, he partnered with a well-established Hong Kong wholesale company and penetrated the south China region which now trades over 65 million kilos annually. With extensive knowledge of financing and operating farms combined with technological expertise, James offers a unique opportunity to learn about how to bring traditional farming online.
Exhibition attendees can visit the Pegasus Food Futures stand in B20 and attend James' talk in the Conference Theatre, with the session starting at 11:30 pm, Monday, 5 February.
Keep an eye on the Pegasus Food Futures social media channels from for updates, news and pictures from the show (Instagram @pegasusfoodfutures, Twitter @pegagsusff, Facebook @pegasusfoodfutures)
Currently, hydroponic farming comprises only 1% of world agriculture. There is huge room for expansion of this innovative, sustainable solution to the problem of the growing demand for food. Pegasus Food Futures are keen to expand their portfolio and will be on hand to talk to farmers and investors alike.
About hydroponic farming
The System
The Pegasus Food Futures System (PFFS) combines intellectual property, seed germination processes and bespoke nutrient formulas that produce superior crops compared to competitors. From 2013 this system has been refined and adapted with continued investment into innovation ensuring that Pegasus Food Futures remains the market leader in the Europe, Middle East and Africa.
With further farms under construction in Europe, the PFFS has been further modified through research and development, investing in people and recruiting new skills into the team. The system and team now have an impressive track record in hydroponic farming technology and the ability to produce a wide range of fresh salad items, soft fruits, herbs, and vegetables.
The PFFS needs to also incorporate other key elements which will ensure all of our farms work under a defined efficiency and produce a stable, sustainable, high quality produce each and every harvest.
The controlled environment
Having the right environment is essential for the hydroponic farm. Key elements to a proper environment include humidity, temperature, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and air circulation/exchange. Most crops grow and bloom according to the amount of light they are given. Generally produce require 10-12 hours of sunlight per day. PFFS uses natural lighting (sunlight) and this is achieved by building our farms in locations where there is an abundance of natural sunlight throughout the year.
All living things need space in which to live, grow, and reproduce. Different crops have different spacing requirements so the growing frames are specifically designed for each crop that is grown.
The water that supplies the plants is tightly monitored and controlled, from the pH to the nutrient balance, which varies throughout the growing cycle. The PFFS uses a unique formula for nutrients, specific to each crop and stage of the growing cycle, enabling the ideal produce to be grown.
About Pegasus Food Futures
What's New?
In 2017 Pegasus Food Futures acquired farms in Abu Dhabi, Ras-Al-Khaimah and two sites in Portugal. For more highlights of 2017, visit: http://pegasusfoodfutures.com/highlights-of-2017/
Social media and web
Web: http://pegasusfoodfutures.com/
Investors: http://go.hydroponic-investment.com/invest
Instagram @pegasusfoodfutures, Twitter @pegagsusff, Facebook @pegasusfoodfutures
About GFIA
Cultivating Change.
Born with the belief that continuous innovation in agriculture is the only way to sustainably feed nine billion people by 2050, 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 Middle East, Europe and Africa. Since 2014, GFIA events have welcomed over 20,000 visitors and worked with over 50 globally significant partners committed to using the Forum as a catalyst for change.
Global Vision. Local Relevance.
Showcasing the latest game-changing innovations and technology, each GFIA exhibition and conference offers stakeholders a pioneering forum and marketplace to foster meaningful dialogue, collaboration, recognition and year-round action between regional food producers, buyers, innovators, policy makers and investors.
Abu Dhabi.
At the centre of the arid world and with a rapidly growing population, the MENA region's need to address food security is more urgent than almost anywhere else. Hosting a large exhibition and free conference programme, GFIA Abu Dhabi will present the latest innovations and technologies to regional food producers across six key areas: indoor farming and hydroponics; date palm production; aquatech; livestock and animal health; smart honey production; and sustainable crops.
Part of UAE Innovations Month, GFIA Abu Dhabi is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and enjoys strategic support from Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
For more information, visit: http://innovationsinagriculture.com/
SOURCE Pegasus Food Futures
What Does The Future of Conventional Agriculture Look Like? Does it Include Vertical Farming and Indoor AG?
Leading Japanese indoor ag tech companies to visit the heart of U.S. agricultural research and biotechnology community to attend controlled environment networking event.
What Does The Future of Conventional Agriculture Look Like? Does it Include Vertical Farming and Indoor AG?
Leading Japanese indoor ag tech companies to visit the heart of U.S. agricultural research and biotechnology community to attend controlled environment networking event.
If you are involved with the vertical farming or indoor agriculture industries, then you should plan on attending Ag Tech Worlds Collide. Scheduled for Feb. 21, 2018, at North Carolina State University, this event will tackle the big questions currently being addressed in the vertical farming and indoor agriculture industries worldwide.
Urban Ag News and the Japan Plant Factory Association in coordination with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are pleased to announce this joint networking event with U.S.-based agricultural organizations and operations. Participating Japanese organizations/companies include: Japan Plant Factory Association, Keystone Technology Inc., Shinnippou 808 Factory, Nihon Advanced Agri Corp., ESPEC MIC Corp. and MIRAI.
Presentations focus on CEA impact
Key presentations at this controlled environment agriculture (CEA) event will be made by Dr. Chieri Kubota, professor of controlled environment agriculture at The Ohio State University, and Dr. Ricardo Hernandez, assistant professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at North Carolina State University.
Dr. Kubota’s presentation will discuss “Optimizing input and output in controlled environment agriculture.” Dr. Kubota received a PhD. in horticultural engineering and M.S. in horticultural science from Chiba University in Japan. She worked for six years as a faculty member at Chiba University, 16 years in the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona and recently joined the faculty at The Ohio State University. At Chiba University Dr. Kubota studied under and worked with Dr. Toyoki Kozai, one of the most published and greatest minds in indoor agriculture.
Dr. Kubota’s research program focuses on the development of science-based CEA technologies. She has been very active in interdisciplinary collaborations contributing to horticultural crop production under controlled environments. Her research includes value-added CEA crop production, vegetable grafting, hydroponic strawberry production and CEA LED lighting applications.
Dr. Hernandez will discuss “Using vertical farming/indoor ag to support traditional farming.” He is a faculty member in the Department of Horticultural Sciences in the area of horticultural energy at North Carolina State University. He has a B.S. in agronomy–crop consulting from New Mexico State University. His M.S. is in entomology–biological control from Texas A&M University. His PhD. is in plant sciences–plant physiology from the University of Arizona. He has a doctoral minor in entrepreneurship from the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, Eller School of Business and a minor in ag and biosystems engineering from the University of Arizona.
Dr. Hernandez’s research is focused on making CEA tools and techniques an integral part of sustainable agriculture and horticulture.
Event registration, location specifics
Ag Tech Worlds Collide will be held in the York Auditorium of the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, N.C. Entry to this event is $25 and includes morning coffee service and lunch. Attendance is limited and the event will sell out quickly. Click here to register.
The Vertical Farming Conference
How will we feed 10 billion people? Where will food for 400 Megacities be produced? And how can we grow as healthy, sustainably and independently from fossil resources as possible?
THE VERTICAL FARMING CONFERENCE
The international conference SKYBERRIES explores the emerging topic of vertical farming for the first time in the German-speaking region. SKYBERRIES presents the state-of-the-art of vertical farming and urban gardening and invites all participants to take part in this future business field. Both conference days define knowledge baselines, raise current and future challenges of food security, outline possible solutions and bring them into action. SKYBERRIES is an interactive, networking and knowledge exchange focussed new art of conference.
Learn more about vertical farming and our team
PART OF URBAN FUTURE GLOBAL CONFERENCE
SKYBERRIES is part of the URBAN FUTURE global conference and thus combines the largest global meeting of city-changers with the first Vertical Farming conference in the German-speaking world. Participants of the conference, like architects, city-planners, mayors and sustainability managers will have access to any part of the SKYBERRIES and URBAN FUTURE conferences and will have the opportunity to participate in discussions with scientists, entrepreneurs, and start-ups at the Congress Center. All tickets are valid for both conferences.
MEET OUR INSPIRING SPEAKERS
BUY YOUR OFFICIAL TICKET HERE
Take advantage of our special rates for SKYBERRIES and buy your official conference ticket in our ticket shop!
All tickets guarantee full access to both conferences SKYBERRIES and URBAN FUTURE.
WELCOME TO VIENNA!
SKYBERRIES and URBAN FUTURE will take place at the Vienna Exhibition & Congress Center. The conferences are an official green event – we make all efforts to provide all conference materials digitally, also we encourage all participants to travel as eco-friendly as possible. Thank you for your contribution to the environment!
MESSE WIEN, Exhibition & Congress Center:
MORE WEBLINKS:
Directions map within Vienna (PDF)
Info on parking at Messe Wien (Website)
Exhibition and Congress Center (Website)
Floorplan of Messe Wien (PDF)
ADDRESS & DIRECTIONS:
Messeplatz 1, 1020 Wien, Austria
ACCESSIBILITY
It is our goal to make SKYBERRIES as accessible as possible. Please let us know of any individual needs of yours that we could take into consideration. Contact us, we are happy to assist.
CONTACT SKYBERRIES
CONFERENCE OFFICE
+43 (0) 660 1128544
office@skyberries.at
MEDIA PARTNER
We are looking forward to working with you and welcoming you to our SKYBERRIES vertical farming conference in Vienna!
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More information on the vertical farming institute
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10 Key Learnings From Indoor Ag-Con Asia
10 Key Learnings From Indoor Ag-Con Asia
JANUARY 24, 2018 URBAN AG NEWS
By Jacob Eisenberg, Editor of Agri-Futures
Marina Bay Sands in Singapore — venue for Indoor Ag-Con Asia
This year’s Indoor Ag-Con Asia, hosted in Singapore, was filled with idea’s, innovators and enthusiasts alike — all eager to hear new promises and perils of indoor farms and vertical farming from around the world. For a fairly nascent industry, there was a strange aura that made it difficult to separate the inspiring success stories and potential from the soul-crushing, science-based reality this sector faces as it continues to grow. While financial and operational challenges are clear, there were also a number of interesting patterns throughout the two-day event — all likely to shape the industry in 2018 and beyond.
1. There is no silver bullet system… yet
As most enthusiasts and operators in the industry would expect, there was no grand showing of a fully viable, scalable and profitable solution for a vertical farm this year at Indoor Ag-Con Asia. With so many different growing systems, ranging from high performing hydroponics to scaleable aquaponics, the silver bullet still remains elusive for the best performing and most versatile crop cultivation system.
While many of the notable presentations covered the pros and cons of certain growing systems, none were clearly comparable in the cultivation of the same crops or products. And further industry comparisons become even more difficult as many of the turn-key solution companies keep proprietary aspects of their system, well, proprietary.
As disappointing as that may seem for the event, there was a diverse range of applications for new crop varieties grown indoors. Companies and research groups continue to push the frontier of plant recipes and techniques in their growing system using new lights, better controls, and more meaningful data.
2. Governments are finally taking notice
Singapore’s Minister of State, Koh Poh Koon, browsing the exhibition hall
It seems fitting that Singapore was chosen to be the venue for this year's Indoor Ag Con Asia event. Since 2015, the Singaporean government has publicly pursued a new smart agriculture future’ with significant policy and private sector activity as a result. New small-scale ventures as well as large corporate forays into the world of indoor Ag are receiving both support and increased scrutiny to produce food efficiently without compromising its quality and safety.
“We are committed to creating a robust food and agricultural sector of the future”.
This year, Singapore’s Minister of State, Koh Poh Koon, gave the opening keynote to the event. He described the Singapore government’s stance as
“Committed to creating a robust food and agricultural sector of the future”. Singapore is a clear example of a country with fast-moving policies intended to accommodate and possibly foster indoor agriculture.
However, the Netherlands also had a large presence at the event, sharing their respective successes and challenges in the first morning of presentations. Additionally, other government representatives were in attendance, ranging from countries around the world like Israel and Malaysia. Many of them hoping to learn about new technologies to better upgrade the efficiency of their respective countries traditional agricultural sectors.
But for urban planners and zoning commissions, big questions remain in how to fit the binary of classifying these farms as industrial or truly agricultural if marketed as ‘organic’.
3. Consistency is key
Among all aspects of indoor agriculture, consistency remains a critical benefit and continued challenge in using these systems. The quality of plants produced in indoor agricultural operations was one aspect, almost religiously touted throughout the event. Advancements in better environmental controls for air, light, water and plant nutrition are helping farmers ensure a more reliable look and taste for growing a variety of produce.
However, quantity and price continue to be clear challenges for systems that operationally still have many hiccups. Though most presenters shared success in better forecasts and reliability for the quantity of crops produced in their system, there were shared concerns in the difficulty to scale quickly and meet consumer or wholesale demands in time. Setting up new precision growing systems take some time to test and fine tune, complicating a clear picture of quantity and price.
4. Microbiome and nanotechnologies are making new headway
Aside from the core operating technologies of indoor farms like LEDs, sensors and growing beds, new technologies also made an appearance. Like many technologies in this sector, the benefits focused on growing more with less, in an attempt to reduce crop loss from disease, minimize the water required, and improve crop quality and health.
Presentations highlighting recent advancements in genomic extraction offer new opportunities for farms. Microbiome analysis is one example of one method to better cultivate healthy plant ecosystems from the molecular and bacterial level. Instead of introducing synthetic solutions, companies like Metabiome, highlighted their success in optimizing natural mycorrhizae ecosystems.
Other technologies, like nanotechnologies, were showcased in one successful application to inoculate fish with the equivalent of ‘flu shots’, to prevent the spread of bacterial and fungal diseases common in aquaponic systems. And this seems to be just the start in use cases for nanotech among these indoor systems.
5. Artificial Intelligence comes big and small
One feature that was alluded to in almost all presentations throughout the event were new opportunities for automation and the insinuation of artificial intelligence (AI). While many indoor farms have started to build systems to reduce labor costs, there is still a critical need for farming operators in quality and process management of the plants.
Yet Improvements in one technique of AI, called computer vision, are bolstering new applications for anomaly detection and harvest quality in indoor systems. However, there is still a steep learning curve for computers to successfully utilize AI in practice.
While manual automation is one goal for indoor farms, Blackbox automation (e.g. where to plant and when) offers another incredible opportunity to reduce the complexity farmers face mixing and matching different systems, lights and crop varieties. With so many variables involved in operating an indoor farm, computational assistance and automated planning will likely reduce many farmer headaches — and create shared opportunities — in the very near future.
6. Growing lettuce and big data
ZipTower System showcased in exhibition hall
While most presentations focused on the quality of production inside indoor growing facilities, there was also a great deal of interest in a fairly new byproduct of these farms — data. Big data.
Much of the focus in the industry has centered around basic viability of growing certain crops like leafy greens and tomatoes. But new improvements in sensor and IoT tech is shifting focus toward actionable insights from the farm data collected. Ramy Sanad from the sensor and controls company Autogrow, described in his presentation how having data isn’t enough, it needs to a priority to “make data meaningful” for the farmer. And for some in the industry, these data could be a priceless byproduct.
Some presentations did disclose “plant recipes” or the specific environmental factors required to grow healthy lettuce and leafy greens. But conversations primarily stayed away from any data or metrics to more profitable commercial plants like strawberries.
While many indoor facilities struggle to profitably sell their product in the market, it is possible that their crop data could be even more valuable for other farmers and companies alike — that is, if they are willing to sell it for the right price.
7. The new frontier of online delivery
Aside from the long list of technical difficulties involved in indoor growing systems, reaching a reliable market also remains elusive for many small to medium scale indoor growers.
Despite the high quality output of indoor farms, meeting demand at scale and in time seems to deter many wholesalers and 3rd party distributors from long-term partnerships. However, online food delivery services in countries like the United States, Singapore and China seem to offer a new frontier of opportunities connecting farmer directly to the consumer.
As Robert Chen, President and CEO of AEssense, noted in his presentation, growing food close to online food distribution centers can help cut costs in storage and delivery. This allows the grower and the distributor to pass savings down to consumers — making their products more competitive in the market.
8. Diversifying factory farms to the niche
Presenters repeatedly recognized the need for farms to better define their value proposition as cleaner, better, more nutritious products, etc. However, some speakers at Indoor Ag-Con suggested widening the scope of indoor ag products to secondary and even non-edible crops.
Cannabis is an example, but rarely mentioned throughout the entire event in Singapore for obvious legal reasons. But it isn’t the only high value, non-edible crop that can be grown well inside. Nishida Shin, of Japan’s Nihon Advanced Agri highlighted recent success in organic food coloring from plants cultivated inside a plant factory.
The rising demand for specialized ‘organic’ products used in or around food production seems to also provide new opportunities for profitability in the sector. While the same benefits for growing food inside apply, these secondary commercial products, like natural food coloring, can be better controlled for their quality, while sold at an even higher premium in these niche markets — speeding up ROI for the facility capex costs.
9. Pain Point obscurity
In addition to unclear comparisons between systems growing similar crops, it was also challenging to ascertain specific pain points. Product feedback is critical for these systems, especially the turnkey solutions. While most of these companies work closely with their customer/farmers to improve systems, their proprietary nature prevents startups from building novel solutions, sharing feedback from customers or focus groups, or collectively improving system optimizations based on shared experiences.
Indoor Ag is an industry still early in its development, yet it remains riddled with gaps in efficiency and operational pain points. Also, obscurity helps to protect the existing IP of turnkey product systems and companies, it prevents tinkering improvements and solutions for the industry as a whole.
Though each system is different in requirements for operation and management, seeding and harvesting both remain major labor hurdles for indoor agriculture operations with fairly apparent pain points.
10. ROI is still a curse word
For many indoor farmers starting to operate facilities in this space, the term ROI still seems to conjure speculation and deep anxiety for farmers and investor alike. On the one hand, these numbers are critical to truly assess the viability of indoor agricultural operations. On the other hand, ROI forecasts are subject to change drastically (for better or worse) based on crop health, facility size, development of disruptive and scalable technologies, and market demand.
At the conference presenters of larger facilities seemed to suggest an ROI ranging between 3 to 5 years, while others in the industry continue to suggest a more conservative range of 5 – 7 years. Again, both of these estimates continue to depend on the size of the facility and the market they are growing for (and actively selling to). To date, there is still no highly profitable large scale prototype.
Iowa Power Farming Show Expands For 2018
Billed as the third-largest indoor farm show in the U.S., the Iowa Power Farming Show features more than 750 companies from 27 states, three Canadian provinces and the Netherlands,
SEE YOU THERE: The Iowa Power Farming Show, the third-largest farm show in the U.S., spreads across 7.7 acres.
Iowa Power Farming Show Expands For 2018
Changes are set for show running Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 in Des Moines.
Rod Swoboda 1 | Jan 16, 2018
The Iowa Power Farming Show is fast approaching, and the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines will soon be filled with more ag-related machinery and technology displays than ever before.
Billed as the third-largest indoor farm show in the U.S., the Iowa Power Farming Show features more than 750 companies from 27 states, three Canadian provinces and the Netherlands, says Tom Junge, show director. “It just got bigger,” he says.
Presented by Farm Credit Services of America and Ag Direct, the show now covers 7.7 acres across all three buildings and seven floors of the Iowa Events Center. It is loaded with more big iron, precision ag, aerial imaging, livestock production, inputs and data management than ever before.
The three-day show from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 is expanding after its staff had to manage exhibitor waiting lists for more than 10 years. “We continually got requests from companies wanting to exhibit at our show,” Junge says. “As a result, we felt there was no better time than the present to expand.”
The show will expand to the lower level of Hy-Vee Hall for 2018, making room for 75 additional exhibit booths. “We invested in modifying the lower level to make it more exhibitor-friendly and to help with traffic flow,” Junge says. The new floor will also feature a lunch buffet and seating.
Register online to save $5
To date, the Iowa Power Farming Show is the only event to use all three facilities of the Iowa Events Center, making it the largest indoor show of any kind in Iowa. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30-31 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 1. Parking and shuttle are free at Iowa Cubs-Principal Park. Farmers may register online at iowapowershow.com to save $5 off the $8 admission.
The Iowa Power Farming Show is produced by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association in conjunction with local Iowa-Nebraska farm equipment dealerships. The show is sponsored by:
• Diamond sponsors Farm Credit Services of America and AgDirect
• Platinum sponsor AgLeader
• Gold sponsors Mitas, Stine Seed Co. and Sukup Manufacturing
• Silver sponsors Machinery Pete and Stewart-Peterson
What to expect for 2018
In addition to the 75 spaces designated for new exhibitors on the lower level of Hy-Vee Hall, including a lunch buffet and seating, get set for Ag Innovation and Pitch Competition.
• The Ag Innovation Pitch Competition is Jan 31 at 3 p.m. at inside the east entrance to Hy-Vee Hall. You can watch six ag-tech startups pitch their latest ideas to help producers manage their farming operation more effectively. The winning company receives a $20,000 prize. This competition is presented by Farm Credit Services of America along with Advantage Capital, Figured, Innova, Iowa AgriTech Accelerator, Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, Midwest Growth Partners and Open Prairie.
• New mobile interactive floor plan, an exhibitor list, and product category directory are available.
• The new mobile responsive website can be accessed at iowapowershow.com.
• A total of 99 new exhibitors will be showing their wares and technology at this year’s show.
Seeds&Chips and Saatchi & Saatchi Italy Partner to Address the Future of The Food Industry
Seeds&Chips and Saatchi & Saatchi Italy Partner to Address the Future of The Food Industry
Milan, January 15th, 2018
Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit founded by Marco Gualtieri, has appointed Saatchi & Saatchi to handle its advertising for their next event scheduled in Milan from 7th to 10th of May 2018.
Seeds&Chips, now in its fourth year, has become a point of reference within the food industry for food innovation. The yearly summit held in Milan showcases the best of Italian and international advancement and explores themes, models, and ideas that are changing the way food is produced, distributed, consumed and talked about. With the food production industry placing such great demands on our planet and ecosystem, the Seeds&Chips summit also aims to broaden the scope of discussion and develop solutions to become more sustainable.
The annual summit has gained worldwide recognition in recent years and has attracted high profile speakers such as the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, who spoke at the 2017 event, marking his first international engagement since leaving the White House.
Saatchi & Saatchi Italy will promote the event through an integrated campaign that will launch in February 2018.
" Seeds&Chips is a fantastic opportunity not only for our country but for the future of the planet. Everything about the future of the food industry, from production to the application of technology, is of global importance. We are excited to partner with Seeds&Chips and to be promoting this fantastic event" said Simone Masé - CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Italy.
Marco Gualtieri, Founder, and Chairman of Seeds&Chips added: "The fourth edition of Seeds&Chips will have an even greater visibility and international presence. It’s fundamentally important to spread the message that food innovation and sustainability is a global priority. Its connection to climate change, population growth, and health care means that events such as Seeds&Chips are pivotal. The Saatchi & Saatchi campaign will give us the opportunity to reach stakeholders and consumers, and in particular young people who are the protagonists of this great change taking place."
Saatchi & Saatchi Italy
Saatchi & Saatchi Italy is part of the Saatchi & Saatchi network, which has 114 offices and more than 6500 people.
Saatchi & Saatchi Italy is one of the most awarded advertising agency in Italy with 19 Lions (of which 10 golds) won at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity in the last 5 years. Saatchi & Saatchi Italy has 2 offices, one in Milan and one in Rome, with 100 people. Main clients: Ania, Bauli, Carrefour, Deborah, Enel, Fater, Ferrarelle, Ferservizi, Folletto, Groupama, GSK, Intesa Sanpaolo, Mutti, Nostromo, Peroni, Procter & Gamble, Salmoiraghi & Viganò, Salumi Gardani, Sofidel, Twinings, and Whirlpool.
Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit
Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit, founded by entrepreneur, Marco Gualtieri, is the world-leading flagship event in the Food Innovation field. A showcase of excellence entirely dedicated to the promotion of solutions and the latest state-of-the-art technological talents from worldwide.
An exhibit as well as a conference with over 30 sessions to present and discuss themes, trends and innovations that are changing the way food is produced, processed, distributed, consumed and communicated. In its III edition, Seeds&Chips,
The Global Food Innovation Summit hosted President Barack H. Obama as a keynote speaker. The event featured over 300 speakers from across the world, over 240 exhibitors, 15,800 visitors and 131 million social media hits in 4 days.
The IV edition of the Seeds&Chips Global Food Innovation Summit will take place at MICo, Milano Congressi, from May 7 - 10 2018, and participants will include, among others, Ex-US Secretary of State, John Kerry.
Abu Dhabi To Host GFIA 2018
Abu Dhabi To Host GFIA 2018
January 09, 2018
ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi is set to host the Global Forum for Innovation in Agriculture (GFIA Abu Dhabi 2018), which will run from 5th to 6th February 2018 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The event will coincide with the UAE Innovation Month, Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), and in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and ADFCA, the event will showcase the latest innovations and technologies in sustainable agriculture and food security from across the Middle East and North Africa.
GFIA Abu Dhabi is sponsored by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and will draw the participation of several leading speakers and innovators from across the world. The fifth edition of the event will focus on six key areas: indoor farming and hydroponics, date palm production, aquaculture, livestock and animal production, sustainable crops and beekeeping.
The forum will also highlight various agricultural practices, environmental conservation, crop promotion, pest control and tackling the challenges of climate change. Additionally, 600 companies from different countries and scientific centres will present their ideas and vision for sustainable food production to more than 15,000 visitors expected to attend the three collocated events.
The forum will feature panel sessions on food security focusing on five main themes to develop the blueprint for increasing local production and attracting foreign investment in fish farming, milk and dairy production, poultry products, as well as date and date palm waste industries.
Thamer Al Qasemi, Chairman of the GFIA 2018 Organising Committee at ADFCA, said, "In keeping with the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed's vision and values of promoting sustainability, GFIA seeks to find effective solutions to the most pressing issues facing the agriculture sector globally and regionally.
In addition to providing an ideal platform to share experiences, skills, and ideas through convening top experts, farmers and local and international farmers... In representing the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in international forums dedicated to food and agriculture, ADFCA has succeeded in globalizing the Agricultural Innovations Forum by hosting its European edition in the Netherlands. This reiterates the Emirate's leading status as a top destination for organizing high-caliber international exhibitions and events in this vital domain."
WAM
What’s The Future of Conventional Agriculture? Does it Include Vertical Farming?
What’s The Future of Conventional Agriculture? Does it Include Vertical Farming?
JANUARY 10, 2018 URBAN AG NEWS
Leading Japanese indoor ag tech companies to visit the heart of U.S. agricultural research and biotechnology community to attend controlled environment networking event.
If you are involved with the vertical farming or indoor agriculture industries, then you should plan on attending Ag Tech Worlds Collide. Scheduled for Feb. 21, 2018, at North Carolina State University, this event will tackle the big questions currently being addressed in the vertical farming and indoor agriculture industries worldwide.
Urban Ag News and the Japan Plant Factory Association in coordination with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are pleased to announce this joint networking event with U.S.-based agricultural organizations and operations. Participating Japanese organizations/companies include: Japan Plant Factory Association, Keystone Technology Inc., Shinnippou 808 Factory, Nihon Advanced Agri Corp., ESPEC MIC Corp. and MIRAI.
Presentations focus on CEA impact
Key presentations at this controlled environment agriculture (CEA) event will be made by Dr. Chieri Kubota, professor of controlled environment agriculture at The Ohio State University, and Dr. Ricardo Hernandez, assistant professor in the Department of Horticultural Sciences at North Carolina State University.
Dr. Kubota’s presentation will discuss “Optimizing input and output in controlled environment agriculture.” Dr. Kubota received a PhD. in horticultural engineering and M.S. in horticultural science from Chiba University in Japan. She worked for six years as a faculty member at Chiba University, 16 years in the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona and recently joined the faculty at The Ohio State University. At Chiba University Dr. Kubota studied under and worked with Dr. Toyoki Kozai, one of the most published and greatest minds in indoor agriculture.
Dr. Kubota’s research program focuses on the development of science-based CEA technologies. She has been very active in interdisciplinary collaborations contributing to horticultural crop production under controlled environments. Her research includes value-added CEA crop production, vegetable grafting, hydroponic strawberry production and CEA LED lighting applications.
Dr. Hernandez will discuss “Using vertical farming/indoor ag to support traditional farming. He is a faculty member in the Department of Horticultural Sciences in the area of horticultural energy at North Carolina State University. He has a B.S. in agronomy–crop consulting from New Mexico State University. His M.S. is in entomology–biological control from Texas A&M University. His PhD. is in plant sciences–plant physiology from the University of Arizona. He has a doctoral minor in entrepreneurship from the McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, Eller School of Business and a minor in ag and biosystems engineering from the University of Arizona.
Dr. Hernandez’s research is focused on making CEA tools and techniques an integral part of sustainable agriculture and horticulture.
Event registration, location specifics
Ag Tech Worlds Collide will be held in the York Auditorium of the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, N.C. Entry to this event is $25 and includes morning coffee service and lunch. Attendance is limited and the event will sell out quickly. Click here to register.
Please proceed to Eventbrite to reserve your ticket!
Abu Dhabi To Host GFIA 2018
Abu Dhabi To Host GFIA 2018
9 January 2018
Abu Dhabi is set to host the Global Forum for Innovation in Agriculture (GFIA Abu Dhabi 2018), which will run from 5th to 6th February 2018 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The event will coincide with the UAE Innovation Month, Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), and in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and ADFCA, the event will showcase the latest innovations and technologies in sustainable agriculture and food security from across the Middle East and North Africa.
GFIA Abu Dhabi is sponsored by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and will draw the participation of several leading speakers and innovators from across the world. The fifth edition of the event will focus on six key areas: indoor farming and hydroponics, date palm production, aquaculture, livestock and animal production, sustainable crops and beekeeping.
The forum will also highlight various agricultural practices, environmental conservation, crop promotion, pest control and tackling the challenges of climate change. Additionally, 600 companies from different countries and scientific centres will present their ideas and vision for sustainable food production to more than 15,000 visitors expected to attend the three collocated events.
The forum will feature panel sessions on food security focusing on five main themes to develop the blueprint for increasing local production and attracting foreign investment in fish farming, milk and dairy production, poultry products, as well as date and date palm waste industries.
Thamer Al Qasemi, Chairman of the GFIA 2018 Organising Committee at ADFCA, said, "In keeping with the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed's vision and values of promoting sustainability, GFIA seeks to find effective solutions to the most pressing issues facing the agriculture sector globally and regionally. In addition to providing an ideal platform to share experiences, skills and ideas through convening top experts, farmers and local and international farmers... In representing the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in international forums dedicated to food and agriculture, ADFCA has succeeded in globalising the Agricultural Innovations Forum by hosting its European edition in Netherlands. This reiterates the Emirate's leading status as a top destination for organising high-caliber international exhibitions and events in this vital domain."
Participants list: Indoor Farming
Specialty Food Association Brings Seeds&Chips to 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show
Specialty Food Association Brings Seeds&Chips to 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show
Milan, Italy - January 9, 2018
The Specialty Food Association has entered into a new relationship with the Milan-based Seeds&Chips, an organization known for providing a forum for food innovators and startups to connect and collaborate. The organization produces the annual Global Food Innovation Summit, which draws thousands of speakers, exhibitors and visitors to Milan from around the world. Seeds&Chips has also partnered with hundreds of startups to further a range of products and concepts.
As part of this relationship, Seeds&Chips will participate in the Specialty Food Association’s 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. They will present a seminar titled ‘Disrupting the Food System: Innovation from Farm to Fork,’ on Tuesday, January 23rd at 11:30 am, and will sponsor two shorter presentations as part of the show’s Excite Talk sessions, also on the 23rd. Seeds&Chips will also connect attendees to food solutions in a featured area on the exhibit floor, bringing their unique 360° perspective to highlight challenges, discuss trends, and explore investments.
”Seeds&Chips addresses global issues impacting the food chain such as the increasing world population, climate change, scarcity of resources, and changes in the processes of choice and purchase. These are important issues to SFA’s constituents,” says SFA President Phil Kafarakis. “Having Seeds&Chips help us extend the value of the Winter Fancy Food Show is a first step in our collaboration. As we develop the relationship further, we plan to reach more innovators and entrepreneurs through Seeds&Chipsnetworks and to offer more content to SFA members.”
As Marco Gualtieri, Founder and Chairman of Seeds&Chips explains, “Startups, companies, accelerators and incubators from around the world bring their ideas and solutions to the table at Seeds&Chips, all linked by the thread of innovation as key to defining a food universe that is sustainable and accessible to everyone.”
The Winter Fancy Food Show is a trade-only show held in San Francisco from January 21-23. For more information or to register for the show, please visit specialtyfood.com.
About the Specialty Food Association
The Specialty Food Association is a thriving community of food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs. Established in 1952 in New York, the not-for-profit trade association provides its 3,600 members in the U.S. and abroad with resources, knowledge and connections to champion and nurture their companies in an always-evolving marketplace. The Association owns and produces the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows, and presents the sofi™ Awards honoring excellence in specialty food. Learn more at specialtyfood.com.
About Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit
Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit, founded by entrepreneur, Marco Gualtieri, is the world-leading flagship event in the Food Innovation field. A showcase of excellence entirely dedicated to the promotion of solutions and the latest state-of-the-art technological talents from worldwide. An exhibit as well as a conference with over 30 sessions to present and discuss themes, trends and innovations that are changing the way food is produced, processed, distributed, consumed and communicated. In its III edition, Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit, hosted President Barack H. Obama as a keynote speaker. The event featured over 300 speakers from across the world, over 240 exhibitors, 15,800 visitors and 131 million social media hits in 4 days. The IV edition of the Seeds&Chips Global Food Innovation Summit will take place atMICo, Milano Congressi, from May 7 - 10 2018, and participants will include, among others, Ex-US Secretary of State, John Kerry.
Specialty Food Association Media Contact:
PR Department, (646) 878-0306, press@specialtyfood.com
Press Office Seeds&Chips, The Global Food Innovation Summit
Close to Media – Tel +39 02.70006237
Davide di Battista, Francesca Pollio
davide.dibattista@closetomedia.it; francesca.pollio@closetomedia.it
Facebook: facebook.com/craftcarejoy
Twitter: twitter.com/Specialty_Food
LinkedIn: Specialty Food Industry Group
Pinterest: pinterest.com/craftcarejoy
Instagram: specialtyfoodassociation
IPM Essen Show Preview - New Look For Top Trade Fair
IPM Essen Show Preview - New Look For Top Trade Fair
15 December 2017, by Gavin McEwan,
Venue modernization will mean better display space for exhibitors at Europe's largest trade fair for the horticulture industry, says Gavin McEwan.
IPM Essen: Denmark will be in the limelight with umbrella trade body Floradania bringing almost 100 exhibitors to the event
Show Details IPM Essen
When 23-26 January
Where Messe Essen, Norbertstraße 2, 45131 Essen, Germany
Website http://www.messe-essen.de/
Tel +49 (0) 201 3101 430
Regular visitors to IPM Essen, Europe’s largest horticulture trade fair, will notice a few changes when the event opens its doors later this month. Modernisation of the event site has brought in a new Glass Foyer East, while Fair Hall 9 is being replaced by a new space that organizers describe as "flooded with light" and will be partially open for the show.
National pavilions will again be a major feature and, after a major French push at the show last year, the 2018 show will put Denmark in the limelight, with umbrella trade body Floradania bringing almost 100 exhibitors to the temporary Hall 14 and the foyer of the Grugahalle.
With around 1,600 exhibitors in all from nearly 50 nations, the show can be a little daunting to the uninitiated. With nearly 60,000 visitors expected this year, they would be well advised to plan their trip in advance.
A measure of the industry’s cutting edge can be gained from the Innovation Showcase, which brings together new products and services at the show. From these, winners of the Indega IPM Innovation Award will be selected across the categories of greenhouses and equipment; equipment for heating, irrigation, fertilization and plant protection; store construction and equipment; machines and tools for horticultural production; and fertilizer, peat substrates, and growing media.
With indoor farming making rapid advances around the world, this area is expected to throw up a range of technical innovations. Finnish LED lighting specialist Valoya plans to launch a new range of heavy-duty grow lights, the BX-Series. As well as being resistant to dust and humidity, these can withstand water submersion, chemical sterilization and even dropping. The units also expel hot air and moisture, preventing condensation and overheating,
and enabling them to function at temperatures of up to 40°C.
German manufacturer BLV will present a new LED multilayer system for the cultivation of seedlings and cuttings as well as for herbs for the food and pharmaceutical industries. It is available in two different spectra — red 2.1, which delivers maximum PAR radiation, and white 1.2, with a colour temperature close to daylight, which makes for easier monitoring of plants for colour and for signs of pests, disease or malnutrition.
LEDs: a range of technical innovations
Showcasing Novelties
Similarly, and despite the unseasonal time of year, the "Novelties" show in Hall 1A will for the 10th year running showcase a wide range of new flower and plant varieties from international breeders, with winners from among them being chosen in the categories of flowering and green houseplants, spring-flowering plants, bedding and balcony plants, cut flowers, perennial plants, woody plants and container plants.
Among entrants in the bedding and balcony category are likely to be several new releases from MNP (formerly Moerheim New Plant) — the Mandavilla Sundaville Mimi Red, a new white addition to the long-standing Pericallis Senetti series and three new colours in its Grandaisy Argyranthemum range — Gold, Ruby Red and Pink Tourmaline — combining bright colours with a more compact habit and shorter flower stems.
Fellow Dutch breeder Varinova will present Merita, a new grower-friendly F1 Cyclamen series with a compact uniform habit, firm flower stems and fine marbled foliage. Initially available in Shine Red and Shine Deep Rose, more colours will be added over the coming years.
Green Living Wall System: an uncomplicated vertical planter that is easy to install
International Award
Alongside this, the International Association of Horticultural Producers will host its own International Grower of the Year Awards, recognizing best practice in horticultural production around the world, across the categories of finished plants and trees, young plants and cut flowers and bulbs.
This year also sees the introduction of two new awards — a Sustainability Award, recognizing best practice and innovation in improving sustainability, and an Inspiring Business Award, for businesses employing fewer than 10 staff that demonstrate unique qualities and innovation. These awards will be presented at 6 pm on Tuesday 23 January.
As usual, there will be healthy numbers of UK exhibitors, most under the overseas promotion scheme run by the Commercial Horticultural Association. "We have a bigger group than usual going out with more companies trying to book than we have space left," says the association’s chair, Pat Flynn.
For all the uncertainty brought by the seemingly interminable Brexit negotiations, the UK’s decision to withdraw from the EU has had one clear, immediate and apparently lasting consequence in the weakening of the pound — making British products and services more appealing to overseas customers. However, uncertainty remains over Britain’s future trading relationship with the EU.
On whether this adds up to a favorable time for UK suppliers to seek overseas markets, Flynn says: "The current exchange rate is opening up new opportunities and the grower community have always had challenges to contend with."
She adds: "As an association, we are making sure the politicians keep horticulture at the forefront of their minds. We do have some excellent advocates in people such as Andrea McIntyre MEP."
Shop Window
For horticultural suppliers, there is no bigger international shop window than IPM, says Tyne Moulds sales and marketing manager James Sword. "It’s an opportunity to be the face of the business. We are there to be a calling point for all our European and worldwide customers. With exchange rates, sometimes they win, sometimes we do. Right now, it’s good for us."
The company will use this month’s event to launch a vertical planter system that he says is "an uncomplicated way to do a green wall that’s easy to install". Mounted on a steel mesh or wooden slats, the Green Living Wall System can hold pots or can be planted up directly.
Interest from the home market has "exploded" since its UK launch at Glee in September, adds Sword. "People like the fact that there is only one irrigation pipe, which makes it far more economical," he points out. "It’s already in use here in Newcastle in retirement homes, hospital courtyards — we’ve had some great feedback."
Also returning to IPM, INDO Lighting of Southampton will be telling growers about trials and product development over the past year using its INDO Element direct-drive grow light range. Enabling simple, one-for-one LED replacement for any high-pressure sodium (HPS) lighting without rewiring or ongoing maintenance, and with a working life of more than 100,000 hours, this has already won a Queen’s Award for Innovation.
Managing director Tom Baynham says: "We’re keen to work with customers in the EU and hope to continue building strong links with all our European partners. LED technology is developing at pace, with increasing opportunities for substantial change in horticulture lighting and growing practices."
Fellow UK lighting manufacturer Plessey will present its recent findings on combining LEDs with conventional HPS lighting. Trials with a Dutch Kalanchoe pot plant grower have shown a substantial increase in yield, quality, and maturity of cuttings, while at a Dutch tomato nursery the combination has shown a 9.4% yield boost and a slight increase in individual tomato weight.
INDO Element: direct-drive grow light - image: INDO Lighting
Growing International Trade: FitzGerald Nurseries
FitzGerald Nurseries in Ireland has a long-standing commitment to growing its international business,
and this month marks its 12th time exhibiting at IPM Essen. During this time it has gone from young plants in three countries to selling in 27.
Now the company is split into two divisions, covering food and ornamentals, and this year sees the food business growing internationally via its sister company Beotanics and Portuguese joint venture company Nativaland, which together are developing commercial-scale sweet potato growing in Northern Europe though novel genetics and the application of nursery horticultural skills to this broad-acre crop.
The venture has engaged with consumers, farmers and media through its Beotanics social media platforms.
Meanwhile, the ornamental side will exhibit its MyPlant patio and garden plant collection, along with its EverColor range of plants for year-round colour.
Think Soil - 2017 Eco Ag Conference & Trade Show
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