AUSTRALIA: Food In The Capital

Shayna Siakimotu 17 November 2020

Where:

Online and Kambri ANU

When:

17 November 2020, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

18 May 2021, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

16 November 2021, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Canberra’s First Ever Sustainable Food Event Is Here

Starting on 17 November 2020, Canberra will play host to Food in the Capital, a first-of-its kind, sustainable food conference program.
The 3-event series, scheduled across 12 months, set out to connect people from across the industry including farmers, food businesses and manufacturers, community groups, thought leaders and policy makers.The focus will be on food production, consumption and technology and is the first of its kind in the region.

Tickets starting $297 and are for all 3 events.

17 Nov '20 | 18 May '21 | 16-17 Nov '21

The three events set out to connect people from across the industry including farmers, food businesses and manufacturers, community groups, thought leaders and policy makers.

Improvements to our Food System envisaged at FIC could conservatively:

• Generate up to 3,000 jobs for the local economy.

• Reduce Canberran’s grocery costs by $200 million.

View the program and speakers online and get your tickets today!

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Join Canberra’s first ever sustainable food event, starting 17 November 2020. Photo: Supplied.

The Details

What: Food in the Capital – Sustainable food event
When: 17 November 2020, 18 May 2021, 16 November 2021
Where: Online and Kambri Centre ANU, Acton ACT 2601
Cost: Tickets start from $297 (+ booking fee) and covers entry to all 3 events. Single event tickets are not available

For more information, visit Food in the Capital.

The Fifth Annual [Virtual] NYC AGTECH WEEK

THE FIFTH ANNUAL [VIRTUAL]

NYC AGTECH WEEK

OCTOBER 20-21, 2020

Produced by the NYC Ag Collective: a Non Profit organization dedicated to educating and sharing the opportunities and benefits of AgTech. NYC AGTECH WEEK is the only AgTech conference on the East coast run by the leaders of the industry themselves.

Our 2-day virtual conference features farm tours, panels, workshops, and presentations highlighting the fast-growing and innovative AgTech sector in NYC, the US, and Internationally. NYC AGTECH WEEK brings together industry Founders, Investors, CEOs, Startups, and Thought Leaders through curated networking events and opportunities.

GET YOUR TICKET HERE

Use the following Discount Code: iGrow10

20 October 2020 - 21 October 2020

20 October

Day 1: The Local View - Session I

Session I: Introduction to NYC Urban Agriculture - Oko Farms Tour - Farm.One Tour

[Virtual]

12:00 PM - 01:30 PM

Tickets

20 October

Day 1: The Local View - Session II

Session II: NYC Food Resilience During COVID-19 - Opening remarks and introduction

[Virtual]

02:00 PM - 03:15 PM

Tickets

20 October

Day 1: The Local View - Session III

Session III: NYC AgTech Startups: Where They’re At Now - Product/ tech demos

[Virtual]

03:30 PM - 04:00 PM

Tickets

20 October

Day 1: The Local View - Session IV

Session IV: Networking Breakout Rooms

[Virtual]

04:15 PM - 05:30 PM

Tickets

21 October

Day 2: The Global-View - Session I

Session I: Spotlights & Comparisons of Global Urban Agriculture Hotbeds - Region

[Virtual]

12:00 PM - 03:00 PM

Tickets

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October 16th to 18th - Awesome Features of The First ONLINE Aquaponic Conference

Interactive Sessions, Networking &

industry Experts Sharing Exciting Developments

In The World of Aquaponics

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You're not going to want to miss this.

We want this conference to maximize your connection and engagement with other attendees. We're featuring both live and recorded speakers and by reserving a ticket you can access all these recordings until the end of the year!

You'll find sessions ranging from aquaponics in prisons, experts in decoupled aquaponics, STEM educators, and international discussion panels!

Get a greater understanding of this rapidly evolving industry and connect with the experts today.

Reserve Your Ticket ›

The Aquaponics Association

© 2020 Aquaponics Association 

October 7th Webinar - Harnessing The Growing Synergy Between Space Farming and Indoor Agriculture

OCTOBER WEBINAR SCHEDULE

Harnessing The Growing Synergy Between Space Farming & Terrestrial Indoor Agriculture

OCTOBER 7, 2020 | 2-3 PM EDT

What Do Space Farming, Greenhouse Equipment

& Triple Bottom Line Farms Have In Common?

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THEY'RE ALL PART OF THE FREE OCTOBER WEBINAR SCHEDULE >>>

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Moderator:

Dr. Joel Cuello, Professor of Biosystems Engineering at The University of Arizona and Vice Chair of the Association for Vertical Farming

Panelists:

Dr. David Bubenheim, Senior Research Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
Ralph Fritsche , NASA Space Crop Production Project Manager.
Dr. Gary Stutte, President, SyNRGE

Over the decades there has been the evolution & transformation of biologically-based life support innovations that have now been adopted in today's global vertical farming industry. And, the emergence of Industry 4.0 innovations -- from data analytics to automation to AI -- is certainly helping launch vertical farms into their exponential advancements.

All these set the stage for synergistic public-private partnerships for successful implementation of biologically-based life support systems for long-duration manned missions on the Moon and on Mars -- and all their powerful innovation multiplier effects extended further for application in the terrestrial vertical farming industry. Hosted by the Association For Vertical Farming, our panel will be delving into the various aspects of such brave and exciting scenarios, both present and future.

SAVE YOUR FREE SPOT

OCTOBER 21, 2020 | 2-3 PM EDT

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Why Does Greenhouse Equipment Need To Be Simple?

What is the number one thing to look for in commercial horticulture and agriculture equipment? Simplicity. The best-selling & most successfully used products are easy to learn, easy to use and easy to fix. This is not to say that they are actually simple. But, they are engineered with simplicity in mind.

Why is that so important in commercial horticulture? Our panel will explore why its so important for key equipment components to be simple and discuss what characteristics to look for in lighting, irrigation, sensors & more.

MODERATOR
Chris Higgins, President & General Manager, Hort Americas LLC & Owner, UrbanAgNews

PANELISTS
Paul Brentlinger, President, Crop King Inc.
Dr. Nadia Sabeh, President & Founder, Dr. Greenhouse
Isaac Van Geest, Sales, Zwart Systems

SAVE YOUR FREE SPOT!

OCTOBER 29, 2020 | 2-3 PM EDT

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BUILDING SUSTAINABLE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE FARMS

During this insightful and inspiring session our moderator and panelists will discuss:

• The concept of the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet and Profits

• The B-Certification process and reporting

• The contributions indoor farms can make according to the Triple Bottom Line

• Lessons learned from sustainable indoor farms that apply to all forms of indoor farming & more.

Moderator

Eric W. Stein, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture and Associate Professor of Business at Penn State

Panelists:
Dave Nichols, Director of Strategy, AppHarvest
Alexander Rudnicki, Senior Project Manager/ Plant Manager, Aerofarms

This session is hosted by Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, whose mission is to accelerate the global transition to indoor farming production methods that are safe and sustainable and to empower indoor and vertical farmers with the knowledge, tools, and resources to build profitable businesses.

SAVE YOUR FREE SPOT!

Indoor Ag-Con, 950 Scales Road, Building #200, Suwanee, GA 30024, United States

Conference Schedule; See All 80 Sessions!

Hello Aquaponics World,

We are so excited to publish our Agenda for The 2020 Aquaponics Conference, Cultivating the Future! The Conference features OVER EIGHTY SESSIONS from October 16-18. Brunno (pictured above) will be helping us unlock all that iron in our aquaponic water! Read more:

Friday Agenda

Saturday Agenda

Sunday Agenda

Early Bird Tix are only $149 and expire October 2, save $100!

Early Bird Tickets

Are you a K-12 teacher, home grower, or part of a small business or small farm? You may be eligible for STEM / Community Super-Saver Discount Tix! Learn more:

STEM / Community Ticket Info

All Conference tickets include:

• Access to all content in all four Learning Tracks – STEM Education, Commercial, Community, and Research

• Access to 100% of conference video files online through the end of 2020

• Access to all conference slide presentation files through the end of 2020

• Access to Aquaponics Virtual Vendors featuring the best products and services in the aquaponics industry

• Access to Direct Messaging, Chat Rooms, Live Polls, and Virtual Cocktail Hour to interact with growers from around the world!

• Ability to ask LIVE QUESTIONS to Aquaponics Experts!

We hope to see you there so we can advance aquaponics together!

Brian Filipowich, Chairman

Aquaponics Association

VIDEO: UNS Farms - First World Congress For Vertical Farming - Grahame Dunling

Grahame Dunling gave a talk on Hydroponics last week at the World Congress for Vertical Farming. His subject was ''The Future of Hydroponics''

Grahame gave an insight into the complex world of Commercial growing by going back on his 40-year career in Horticulture. In this time Grahame has overseen changes from Greenhouse soil crop growing right through to the latest technology in Warehouse growing. From opening vents by hand in a greenhouse right through to controlling operations via a mobile phone in multiple countries. 

Grahame has been in the GCC for over 7 years growing crops inside Greenhouses in Bahrain to Vertical Growing inside warehouses in Dubai and he is now the CEO of Uns Farms a 6,000m2 warehouse farm. 

Vertical Farming World Congress Kicks Off With Remote Site Visits

Under normal circumstances, participants in the Vertical Farming World Congress, organized by Zenith Global, would have been able to visit some vertical farming sites, see the lights, sample some produce, talk to the farm managers. With the global pandemic still raging, however, the organizers decided to take the event online. As part of that move into the virtual domain, participants were able to 'visit' some vertical farms from the comfort of their own home.

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Aerofarms in the United States, Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) in the United Kingdom, Root AI (United States), Uns Farms from the United Arab Emirates, and YesHealth Group in Taiwan all opened their doors to virtual visitors, by means of videos showcasing what their operations are all about.

The presentation program was then kicked off by Richard Hall, Chairman of Zenith Global, who introduced the first speaker: Ellis Janssen, Global Director City Farming at Signify. The Dutch lighting supplier has put increasing attention on developing products for vertical and indoor farming in recent years. According to Ellis, while lighting is crucial to photosynthesis, it's only part of the puzzle: "It's a combination of factors that makes a vertical farm successful or not - the sum of all elements should add up to more."

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Ellis Janssen

Educating vertical farmers
Next up, Wythe Marschall introduced the FarmTech Society (FTS). As Education Committee Chair, he focuses on education and workforce development, pointing out that there are lots of opportunities there in the industry.

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Wythe Marschall

"In the US, there are not that many places to go for training, unlike in Northern Europe or Japan for instance," Wythe noted. "We look to work with educational institutions and members, and based on what industry members want, we offer courses with industry credentials, skills that are vetted by the academic institutions and industry." To this end, a CEA training and education consortium has been formed by the FTS.

Vertical circularity
The mic was then passed to Stephan Wullschleger and John Macdonald of Porohita Projects, who tuned in from Switzerland and New Zealand respectively. As Stephan explains, 'Porohita' stands for 'circular' in the Maori language, so it's no surprise that the company is all about circularity in indoor agriculture.

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John Macdonald

The duo met in the Middle East, where John was working on a bottled water project. Recently he also spent some time in the UAE and Saudi Arabia working on controlled-environment agriculture projects, before moving into vertical farming. "Most importantly, this project was water positive for most of the year, that made it really very exciting", he says about the latter project.

Saving energy
In the Q&A session, the discussion moved back to lighting. "It's very important that you look at the efficacy of the lighting module", Ellis explained. "In the end, some light is for free, so we need a proper business case for a vertical farm to make it economically feasible.

At Signify, they've been working on improving the efficiency of lighting modules, but as Ellis points out, the other part is also crucial: the yield of your farm. "That yield is influenced by the light spectrum. What you gain in kilograms in yield in your farm, has a direct impact on your price - not only the cost price but also the sales price.

"So it's a combination of having the right spectrum and the right module. Do not only look at capital expenditure but look at the total light plan."

John agrees that it's important to take into account energy as a critical factor and a really big cost. "Water positivity is interesting and emotionally nice to achieve, but it's not going to be your biggest cost, so energy is the one to work on."

The Vertical Farming World Congress continues until the 24th of September. HortiDaily will be posting summaries of several of the sessions in the near future, so keep an eye out for those updates!

Publication date: Wed 23 Sep 2020

OptimIA Annual Stakeholder Meeting (Virtual) - July 29, 2020

OptimIA (Optimizing Indoor Agriculture) project team invites indoor farmers, allied trades, and professionals interested in participating in our first annual stakeholder meeting (virtual). Join us as we share recent research results and discuss future activities. OptimIA is a USDA-supported Specialty Crop Research Initiative project to advance the emerging indoor farming industry to become more profitable and sustainable through critical research and extension activities. 

For more information and registration please visit this page. Or contact Dr. Erik Runkle, Michigan State University. Space is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

OptimIA Project Team
Project Director and PIs
Erik Runkle, Michigan State University (Project Director)
Murat Kacira, University of Arizona
Chieri Kubota, The Ohio State University
Roberto Lopez, Michigan State University
Cary Mitchell, Purdue University
Simone Valle de Souza, Michigan State University
OptimIA Collaborators
Jennifer Boldt, USDA ARS
David Hamby, OSRAM
H. Christopher Peterson, Michigan State University
Nadia Sabeh, Dr. Greenhouse Inc.

Click here for more information about the meeting.

Horti ASIA And Association for Vertical Farming to Launch 'Vertical Farming Pavilion'

Horti ASIA emphasizes horticultural solutions that are both relevant and important to the development of Asian markets. The Association for Vertical Farming (AVF), as an official partner of Horti ASIA, will be running Asia's first vertical farming pavilion. The AVF Forum will be integrated into Horti ASIA's overall program to ensure significant interest and traffic from the exhibit's attendees.
 
About the AVF pavilion:

• A pavilion to showcase the latest innovations in vertical farming to the world's biggest agricultural market

• Three days of events including roundtables, expert panels, and presentations

AVF Forum - Topics including:

• Developing the right light recipe

• Driving investment in vertical farming

• Efficiency and green energy in vertical farming

• Business models and many more to come…

For more information:
Horti ASIA
www.horti-asia.com

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Publication date: Thu 25 Jun 2020

Future Farm Technology Expo Announces That The UK Urban Vertical Farm Association Urban Agritech UK (UKUAT) Has Joined Future Farm Technology Expo As An Official Supporter of The Event

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Future Farm Technology Expo is delighted to announce that the Uk urban vertical farm association Urban Agritech UK (UKUAT) has joined Future Farm Technology Expo as an Official Supporter of the event as an Official Association.  UKUAT will be working with the team at FFT Expo to help promote, educate and support UKUAT exhibiting members and connecting the UK urban vertical farming industry to suppliers, farmers, and those who are researching the industry. FFT Expo will run from 11th & 12th of November 2020, at the NEC Birmingham.

Statement from Mark Horler here:

Mark Horler, Chairman, and Founder of UKUAT commented “We are very excited to announce UKUAT’s partnership with FFT Expo and to have the opportunity to promote urban agriculture and the related technologies at such a leading and exciting event. Urban farming is an integral and rapidly growing part of farming. UKUAT is proud to represent and promote our members who are creating new technologies, sharing knowledge, and ultimately producing food in urban and peri-urban areas. It’s a truly exciting time to be involved with UKUAT, as we have networked with different internationally recognized institutions to promote the fantastic new technology that is arising from the sector. We seek always to create new strategic links with experts, organizations, institutions, and to share knowledge. This partnership with FFT Expo will enable us to expand and promote these activities, utilizing this event, online webinars, whitepapers, and networking events in the future.”

Mike Enser, Marketing Manager for the show said ‘the launch edition in 2019 attracted motivated and engaged visitors from across the farming community, with 96% of attendees having buying power. We are delighted that UKUAT is working with us. The knowledge they have of the UK sector is second to none and we at FFT Expo are looking forward to working with Mark and his team to ensure the UK urban vertical farm market is showcased through its exhibiting members, through the associations thought leadership and through its vision ‘To utilize Urban Agritech as a tool to achieve greater sustainability & resilience in the UK food system. Expanding the horizons of Urban Agritech to better inform communities across the UK.’

Future Farm Technology Expo is run by Farmers Weekly and Reed Exhibitions. The event hosts demonstrations of new technologies and the multitude of capabilities that data provides as well as bringing together innovators in agricultural technologies with farmers looking to improve their productivity and yields.

Editors notes:

The UK Urban AgriTech collective, or UKUAT, brings together the UK’s key players in modern agricultural technologies. We’re a cross-industry group devoted to promoting urban agtech as a solution for food and environmental crises. We influence policy by sharing information, educating, and communicating practitioner needs as one. We promote the uptake of agtech in urban and peri-urban settings by uniting to attract funding and customers.

Future Farm Technology Expo is one of the only UK events dedicated to solving the challenges faced by farmers through agricultural technology solutions.

Whether you are looking to optimise your production or reduce waste, here you have direct access to the experts and technological solutions that will benefit you long-term and plant those seeds for positive change.

For immediate circulation:

To get in touch with UKUAT please email info@ukuat.org

If you would like to talk to the team behind FFT Expo, please email Mike Enser –michael.enser@reedexpo.co.uk

Dr. Anu Rangarajan From Cornell University Joins The GLASE Webinar Series - Thursday, June 18 - 2 PM EDT

June 12, 2020

The National Science Foundation-funded research project entitled “Strategic FEW (food, energy, water) and Workforce Investments to Enhance Viability of Controlled Environment Agriculture in Metropolitan Areas” (CEA Viability in Metro Areas) seeks to help the CEA industry develop a skilled workforce that will allow it to scale.

As part of this project, Anu Rangarajan’s team has conducted research to understand the workforce/labor needs of the broader hydroponics industry (greenhouse and indoor vertical farms). The project has surveyed dozens of stakeholders. In 2019, twelve industry members were brought together in an intensive Designing a Curriculum (DACUM) workshop whereby participants reflected on the skill sets required to be an Indoor Farm Operations Manager.

The chart is currently being reviewed by peer growers worldwide, who are being asked to respond to how important each skill set is and how frequently it is conducted. Based on stakeholder input the chart will be used as a starting point for prioritizing training modules.

Next, a deeper analysis of each skill will be conducted in order to translate this research into a teachable vocational curriculum. In this presentation, we will share preliminary research findings, outline our ongoing efforts to develop a solid empirical basis for CEA workforce development training programs and invite GLASE webinar audience members to participate in this important study.

Title: CEA Workforce Development Study: What Makes a Successful Indoor Farmer Operations Manager?

Date: June 18, 2020

Time: 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. EST

Presented by: Anu Rangarajan and Whyte Marschall

Click here to register

Erico Mattos

Executive Director 

Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE)

Phone: +1 302-290-1560 

Email: em796@cornell.edu

TAGS Business GLASE Greenhouse Greenhouse Technology Indoor Farming Technology

Vertical Farming webinar

Special thanks to our Industry partners

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VIRTUAL MEET UP: Women In Agribusiness - Thursday, June 18 - 5 PM CST

Join us for a WIA Virtual Meet Up, sponsored by Faegre Drinker. Connect with Women in Agribusiness from across the country to share industry insights.

RSVP via our Home Page
 

Virtual Meet Ups are free during this time of social distancing but space is limited.  

Know someone that would benefit from a Meet Up?

Please spread the word.

 Learn more about becoming a Member of Women in Agribusiness.

Please contact us if you have questions

See you there!

Women in Agribusiness Team
eventinfo@highquestgroup.com

Online Course: Wednesday, June 17 - Plant Response to CEA Variables - 3 PM CST

Learn how plants respond to different environmental variables and how to apply this knowledge to improve your indoor system management and crop production!

Instructor: M.S. Karla Garcia
- Hort Americas Technical Service
- Master in Plant Sciences from The University of Arizona
- Recognition by ISHS in strawberry hydroponic research
- Editor: Book Roadmap to Growing Leafy Greens and Herbs
- CEO at Microgreens FLN

DATE: Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Schedule: 3 pm to 5 pm (Central Standard Time)

Platform: ZOOM US

Price: $50 US

Once you have registered, we will make contact to provide access to our LIVE session.

Course Content

-Advantages of controlled environment agriculture
-Energy balance

-Light

a) Solar radiation

b) Artificial lighting

c) How improve net photosynthetic rate

-Wind

a) Fans/ Air circulation

-Humidity

a) Plant transpiration

-Temperature

a) Effect in plant metabolism

b) How plants respond to temperature?

c) Treatments

-CO2

-Nutrients

a) Nutrient function and uptake

-Oxygen in root zone

-Water and root zone temperature

Indoor Ag Science Cafe - Tuesday, June 16th - 11 AM EST

June Indoor Science Cafe

Please sign up!

Tuesday, June 16th, 11:00 AM EDT

Selecting An LED Fixture For Indoor Plant Production

Presented by

Dr. Erik Runkle
(Michigan State University)

• Please sign up so that you will receive Zoom link info.

• Indoor Ag Science Cafe is an open discussion forum, organized by Chieri Kubota (OSU), Erik Runkle (MSU), and Cary Mitchell (Purdue U.) supported by USDA SCRI grants.

Sign up for June 16 Cafe

GreenTech Americas Program Focuses On 2 Main Themes

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By urbanagnews

February 21, 2020

Press Release – During GreenTech Americas fifty Mexican and international speakers will present various topics for ‘crop optimization in protected horticulture’ and ‘strategic themes focused on business and investment’. The objective is to present trends, knowledge and new solutions to all levels of professionals in the horticultural industry of Latin America. The show and program will be held from March 24 to 26, 2020, at the Congress Center, Querétaro Mexico.

Program
Within the framework of this event, a program of conferences and panels is developed with 2 main themes 1: Crop optimization
and 2: Business and investment. A few of the many highlights are:

• Saber Merismailli, CEO of Ecoation, talks about “How artificial intelligence can help us grow clean food. And how early detection of issues can increase the revenue in your greenhouse”;

• Chris Higgins, Hort Americas, tells you all you want to know about vertical farms. “Do vertical farms build stronger plants? How will the vertical farming industry develop and how does it impact you?”;

• Peter Hendriks, director of LetsGrow.com, gives an update about big data. “Big data is no longer a stranger. How can you implement it to your business?”;

• “The world’s population is growing and with it the demand for raw materials. However, the supply of crucial raw materials is limited”. A delegate of The World Bank explains the importance of Circular Economy, trends and developments for a sustainable future;

• Héctor Manuel Cotero, Dummen Orange, discusses the trends in high-quality flower production. “What are the latest technologies and trends in this industry?’.

Experts and panel leaders
To name a few of the experts who will participate:

• Erik J. Plaisier, Agricultural Counsellor for Mexico and Cuba, Nature and Food Embassy of the Netherlands;

• Aldo Mares, President of the National Association of Exporters of Berries, Aneberries;

• Oscar Woltman de Vries, General Director of Hortinvest Mexico;

• Ricardo Martínez, Director General de Asesores en Invernaderos;

• Alfonso Torres, Director General, Koppert Mexico, Koppert Biological Systems;

• Edison Torrado León, Founder of Naturavisión;

• Mauricio Revah, CEO, United Farms;

• Paul Arkesteijn, Product Manager & Consultant, Ludvig Svensson;

• Remy Matt, Manager, Cultilene;

• Rene Beerkens, Consultant, Hoogendoorn. 

About GreenTech Americas
GreenTech Americas is a spin-off of GreenTech Amsterdam with the goal to meet the needs of regional growers, breeders, and suppliers. GreenTech Americas will enable a greater exchange of knowledge, experiences, and success stories of the horticultural industry from Mexico and its region. The show is organized by RAI Amsterdam and Tarsus México. Please find more information and to register at www.greentech.nl.

About GreenTech Amsterdam
GreenTech Amsterdam will be held Monday 8 – Wednesday 10 June 2020. The exhibition is a global meeting place for all horticultural technology professionals. GreenTech focuses on the early stages of the horticultural chain and the current issues growers face. All Dutch front runners, greenhouse builders and suppliers are present. Last year a total of 12,489 professionals from 114 countries visited GreenTech Amsterdam.

More information via
Facebook • Linkedin • Twitter • Youtube

Fireside Chat With Square Roots CEO & Co-Founder Tobias Peggs: Scaling Indoor Farming At Speed

Square Roots Co-Founders Tobias Peggs and Kimbal Musk Empowering Next-Gen Farmers

Indoor Ag-Con is excited to announce that Square Roots Co-Founder & CEO Tobias Peggs has joined our conference line-up for the May 18-20, 2020 edition!  Tobias will join Nicola Kerslake, Indoor Ag-Con Founder and Co-Founder, Contain, for the afternoon Fireside Chat: Scaling Indoor Farming At Speed. If our industry is to bring high-quality, local produce to customers all year round, we must collectively understand how to scale farming at speed to reach as many people as possible. Using a unique and scalable ‘farmer-first’ technology platform, Square Roots is doing just that. Tobias will share how this tech-enabled urban farming company is training and empowering the next generation of leaders in urban agriculture to grow local food that is delicious, responsible, nutritious, and profitable. And, be sure to check out the story further down in this issue highlighting our special guest blog post from Square Roots Co-Founder Kimbal Musk, too! 

CHECK OUT FULL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE >>> 

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During Indoor Ag-Con, we’ll be featuring the panel presentation, What Is the Next Technical Frontier for LED Lighting” on Monday, May 18 from 10 – 10:45 am. Moderated by Dr. Morgan Pattison, SSLS, Inc., the panel will include Blake Lange, Signify, formerly Philips Lighting – City Farming; Brandon Newkirk, LumiGrow; and Xander Yang, Sananbio.

Ahead of the session, we reached out to our participants to find out, from an LED perspective, what is the next hot thing in lighting? 

WHAT'S THE NEXT HOT THING IN LED LIGHTING? >>> 

KIMBAL MUSK: 10 WAYS SQUARE ROOTS' FARM-TECH PLATFORM EMPOWERS THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS 

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Ahead of Square Roots CEO & Co-Founder Tobias Peggs' Fireside Chat at Indoor Ag-Con, Co-Founder & Exec Chairman Kimbal Musk has shared a guest blog post with us.

"There are a lot of smart people in this industry, many with different visions for the optimum architecture and model for indoor farming (e.g. plant factories)," says Musk. "But all working hard to bring better food to market — which, given our wider vision to bring real food to everyone, is wonderful to see. The more of us working on the real food revolution the better — and we want all of these systems to flourish. But here are 10 reasons why we think container farming rocks.....”

10 WAYS SQUARE ROOTS' FARM-TECH PLATFORM EMPOWERS NEXT-GEN FARMERS>>>

YOU COULD WIN 2 TICKETS TO BIOSPHERE 2!

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When you arrive at Indoor Ag-Con, be sure to enter for your chance to win two general admission tickets to Biosphere 2 and an overnight stay at B2 cabanas!

The winners will get to tour one of the world’s most unique facilities dedicated to the research and understanding of global scientific issues. The Biosphere 2 facility serves as a laboratory for controlled scientific studies, an arena for scientific discovery and discussion, and a far-reaching provider of public education.

What’s more, as part of the package, the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (UA-CEAC) would like to also extend an invitation for the recipients to its vertical farm research and educational facility (UAgFarm) at UA-CEAC and other UA-CEAC projects/facilities as an additional welcome!

SEE WHO'S SPEAKING  |   SEE WHO'S EXHIBITING   

INSIDE INDOOR AG |  INDUSTRY NEWS HARVEST

PRODUCE GROWER:   Elevate Farms Closes on $1.8 Million In Round Of Funding
GREENHOUSE GROWER:   Gotham Greens Opens Another Massive Greenhouse
NEW YORK POST:  I Tasted A Bug Diet, the Sustainable Protein That Could Save The WorldIGROW NEWS --CubicFarm Systems Announces Largest Sale To Date

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GROWING ROSTER OF
SPONSORS, MEDIA ALLIES & INDUSTRY PARTNERS

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In addition, Indoor Ag-Con is proud to be a member of the Hemp Industries Association.

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United Fresh Talks Produce Trends, Opportunities For Indoor Growers

Don't Miss United Fresh Produce Association Panel Discussion With

Walmart, BrightFarms, DNO Produce!

PRODUCE TRENDS & BUSINESS GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDOOR GROWERS

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Indoor Ag-Con is pleased to announce that the  United Fresh Produce Association will host a panel presentation during our May edition on Monday, May 18 from 10-10:45 am.  During this insightful and idea-packed session, United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel (pictured top left), will share some of the association's latest produce trend research findings.  He'll also moderate a top-notch panel, including (clockwise) Paul Lightfoot, CEO, BrightFarms; Victor Verlage, Senior Director of Agricultural Strategy, Walmart, Inc; and Alex DiNovo, CEO, DNO Produce, as they share business opportunities they see with indoor growers.  You won't want to miss this one!  Learn more about this program and the growing line-up for the May 18-20, 2020 edition.

CHECK OUT GROWING CONFERENCE SCHEDULE ›

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WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MAY '20 EXHIBITORS

Each week we're adding new companies to our growing show floor. Among our most recent additions are  Ceres Greenhouse Solutions and Percival Scientific.

Learn more about these innovative companies, and many others who will be showcasing their latest introductions and solutions for your indoor growing needs!

SEE WHO'S EXHIBITING >

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INDOOR AG-CON EXHIBITOR NEWS: JIFFY OFFERS SUSTAINABLE NETTING SOLUTION  Reducing the use of plastic in packaging and production purposes is an important global issue. As Jiffy points out in their latest news alert, plastic does not belong in nature and it should not be in the process of cultivation. This is why Jiffy aims for lowering the use of plastics for their growing media. Just recently Jiffy decided to switch from PE and PP plastics to PLA netting for all Jiffy Grow Blocks and Jiffy Pellets.  See them in booth 3001 in May and read their full announcement here!

LEARN MORE ›

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SPEAKER ROSTER ›

BOOK YOUR DISCOUNTED HOTEL ROOM

AT TREASURE ISLAND & SAVE!

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Indoor Ag-Con has secured discounted hotel rates at Treasure Island -- an easy walk from the show site at the Wynn.  It's going to be a busy week in Vegas so we encourage you to book early for the best rates!  Book online or call the hotel direct at 888.503.8999 and reference discount code AGCON20 

RESERVE HOTEL & SAVE›

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GROWING ROSTER OF
SPONSORS, MEDIA ALLIES & INDUSTRY PARTNERS

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In addition, Indoor Ag-Con is proud to be a member of the Hemp Industries Association.

Website | Twitter |Facebook | Instagram

Indoor Ag-Con LLC, 2900 S Rancho Dr, Las Vegas, NV, 89102, United States

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New Date Announced For Women in Agribusiness Summit Europe: July 2-3

PARIS, March 5, 2020 – A new date has been set for this year’s Women in Agribusiness Summit Europe: 2-3 July at Les Salons Hoche here. Previously scheduled for 9-10 March, the conference was rescheduled out of concern for the welfare of all participants with respect to the coronavirus.

Joy O’Shaughnessy, chief operating officer for HighQuest Group (parent company of WIA) and event director for Women in Agribusiness (WIA) initiatives, explained that while the decision was a difficult one to make, “due to an abundance of caution and concern for the welfare of all of our event participants in regard to the threat of the coronavirus, we felt it was best to postpone the event.” O’Shaughnessy conferred with sponsors, speakers, and attendees, as well as reviewing the recommendations from the World Health Organization, before announcing the postponement.

“We are grateful for the support and collaboration among our participants regarding this decision, and look forward to welcoming the Women in Agribusiness community to Paris in July where they can expect in-depth industry insight, detailed outlooks of the agri-food sector, and boundless opportunities for networking,” said O’Shaughnessy.

The jam-packed agenda will remain the same for the July event and include topics such as:

• Geopolitical Overview of European Agriculture

• Reforming the Agricultural System

• Reducing Food Waste

• Farming 4.0 - Ushering in the Age of Digital Agriculture

• Green Funding: Critical or Counterproductive?

• Agricultural Trade After Brexit

• Executive Roundtable: A Spotlight on Senior-Level Women in Ag

  The annual Women in Agribusiness Summit began in the U.S. in 2012 and is now renowned for annually convening close to 1,000 of the country’s female agribusiness decision-makers, with 30 percent at the CEO/executive level and another 25 percent at department management level. The European event is modeled after this successful series and includes the support of a community that engages 365 days a year via news blogs, social media, content for women-owned businesses, job opportunity postings, scholarships for young women, networking Meet Ups, leadership training and more.

  Find out more about the Women in Agribusiness Summit Europe at womeninag.com, or follow us at @Womeninagri, on Facebook and LinkedIn. Register for the event with a 10% discount using promo code: PARIS2020. Additional sponsors and event partners are welcome for this event.

Farming 4.0 - Ushering in the Age of Digital Agriculture

Green Funding: Critical or Counterproductive?

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About Women in Agribusiness

Women in Agribusiness is a business unit of HighQuest Group, a global agribusiness consulting, events and media firm, based north of Boston, Mass., USA. The Women in Agribusiness initiative took root in 2012, with the first conference held in New Orleans. WIA initiatives have grown to include the WIA Membership, WIA Demeter Award of Excellence, Scholarships, and WIA Today. Learn more at womeninag.com.

CONTACT:

Michelle Pelletier Marshall

Senior PR/Media Manager
10 South Main Street, Suite 209 Topsfield, Mass. 01983 USA mmarshall@highquestgroup.com +1.978.790.0565

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Stimulating Debate In Controlled Environment Agriculture - 18th March, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

DESIGNED FOR THE FUTURE: STIMULATING DEBATE IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE

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Can we really feed 40,000 people with a ‘SkyFarm’? Or will everyone in London have a ‘Personal Food Computer’ by 2040? These are the sorts of provocative questions being posed ahead of the upcoming Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) conference being held on 18th March at the John Innes Centre.

The event is hosted by Agri-TechE, a business-focused membership organization that is supporting the growth of a vibrant agri-tech cluster of innovative farmers, food producers and processors, scientists, technologists, and entrepreneurs.

Matt Millington, of Method Strategic Design Studio, is a speaker at the event. He comments: “Humans only evolve when they are pushed to. There are technological advances that can contribute to making urban farming a wider reality, but more importantly, there are drivers: climate change, soil degradation, urbanization…”

He’s right about there being drivers of change: models indicate that 70% of the human population will live in cities by 2050*.

CEA, the concept of growing crops in a secure indoor space, is seen by many as the ultimate solution to food security in an urban context and the upcoming conference will provide an opportunity for stakeholders in the field to discuss how to reach the future that they want to see.

Speakers include visionaries: Matt, from Method; and Thomas Cox, a Bristolian Architect with ambitious plans for a modular high-rise farming block. Both will arrive at the upcoming Agri-TechE conference with plenty of thoughts to fuel a debate on the future of CEA.

Food Computers and Cooperatives – Matt Millington, Method

Method is a strategic design studio, making products, services, experiences, and businesses for the digital age. They use design as a tool to help organizations make better strategic decisions about the future of business.

Matt says: “At Method, we often make things that are designed to trigger controversy and promote a conversation about what a future might look like, and in this case, we hit upon the Personal Food Computer as just that – an object to frame a conversation around.

“What does it mean for the food system, if something like the food computer became common-place?” According to Matt, it’s all part of the mission to simulate debate: “Rather than asking people what they want, we show them that potential future.”

“The food computer is an experimental growth chamber designed to be built by anybody, and at a low cost, with detailed instructions also available for free online,” Matt adds. 'Growth recipes', shared via the cloud, enable the grower to control specific attributes of the crop through close monitoring of ‘environmental inputs' such as lighting.

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Matt expects that as CEA is picked up in urban centers, growers could begin to form into cooperatives, which will provide a big boost to the overall productivity: “Much as we’re starting to see local urban energy production in parts of London, producing their own electricity and selling it back, I think you’ll see in future cooperatives within London who are producing their own food on a relatively large scale.

“So, I think you’ll see CEA in cities develop more on a cellular basis – areas of cities providing the urban farming model, which then influences perhaps what a supermarket sells in that region. I think supermarkets will play a big role influencing the sorts of crops that get grown and sold within local communities.”

At the Agri-TechE conference, Matt is ready to fuel debate: “We need to provoke a conversation around what the future should look like… in order to make decisions to design toward that future or, more importantly, away from that future that we don’t want.”

SkyFarms – Thomas Cox, Wotton Donoghue Architects

Thomas Cox is a ‘grey-sky’ thinker. He is concerned by levels of air pollution in dense urban centers. Smog, caused by the release of Nitrogen Oxides from internal combustion engines, is a major health issue in the world’s largest population centers such as Los Angeles, Beijing, and Delhi, and is becoming increasingly prevalent in London. Thomas’ response is a building design that he calls the ‘Sky-Farm’.

“The Sky Farm is covered in beans and pulses that take in nitrogen from the air and store it in their roots. Essentially, you have a big greenhouse, which is cleaning up air pollution and converting this into green fertilizer and food.”

Thomas designed his Sky Farm to sit on a small footprint of land in Battersea, on the south bank of the River Thames in London. “The ‘Sky Farm’ was designed to be a small-scale supplement to traditional farming, but I worked out that it could sustainably feed half of the population of the borough of Battersea – approximately 40,000 people.”

“I think we need to plan now, so we’re ready to act when population increase starts to detrimentally affect our quality of life. I know that’s a bit of a bleak vision, and we’re maybe talking 100 years’ time, but we need to stay ahead of the curve.”

Matt and Thomas will be joining the fray at Agri-TechE’s ‘Controlled Environment Agriculture – The Industry is Growing Up’ conference, alongside some twenty other speakers. Other participants include IGS, world-leaders in vertical farm engineering; LettUs Grow, looking at total in-farm automation; and Growpura, designing hydroponics solutions on a massive scale.

The all-day event will be held at The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park NR4 7UH on 18th March, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. For tickets or more information, please visit www.agri-tech-e.co.uk/events

Contacts for media

Ewan Richardson / Rachel Holdsworth, Holdsworth Associates PR

Tel: 01954 202789 or email: ewan.richardson@holdsworth-associates.co.uk

About Agri-TechE www.agri-tech-e.co.uk

Agri-TechE is a business-focused membership organization that is supporting the growth of a vibrant agri-tech cluster of innovative farmers, food producers, and processors, scientists, technologists, and entrepreneurs.

Agri-TechE brings together organizations 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.

Discussing Green Funding At WIA Paris

Giving the Green Light to Green Funding

Green Funding or Impact Investing is when lenders and investors make their decisions based on if the company in question has environmentally conscious business practices such as alternative energy, water, and waste management, or socially positive goals. Companies like Danone and General Mills, as well as the major financial players in ag, are leading the path to responsible funding in the industry.

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Green Funding: Critical or Counterproductive

We’ll be discussing how the practice of green funding is affecting the ag space. What are the current metrics being used to determine if a company is green enough, and how are they being tracked? On the flip side, will this practice make a positive impact or is it just an opportunity for companies to “green wash” themselves to get through the funding hoop? Join us to learn more!

Visit our website for more details

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Women in Agribusiness Summit Europe.

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