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GroSouth 2018 Held on 1st November at Roundstone-Newey Nursery in Chichester Was An Important Day For Intelligent Horticultural Solutions (IHS)
It was their official launch into the fast-growing horticultural market and the first showcase of their new Florence product range. The “Ready to Grow” LED lights were the talk of the show this year. So much so, that the GroSouth judges announced the IHS to be the winner of the Award for Best Innovation 2018. Managing Director of Newey Nurseries Chris Hall presented a glass plaque and a bottle of champagne.
IGS Group Managing Director Richard Williams accepted the award on behalf of the IHS team. Richard said ‘IHS are absolutely delighted to have won the award at the premier Horticultural Show for the South and East of England’.
The IHS stand was lit up with hues of blue and red light, showing off the eight standard versions of the Florence Grow Light, all of which are designed and manufactured in the UK at the IGS Group facilities. Visitors from various Horticultural backgrounds including nurseries, universities, commercial and urban growers, were very interested in the LED lighting being exhibited.
There are currently eight different standard Florence LED recipes to choose from including “Biomass, Seeding, Flowering, and Fruiting” (available with or without supplementary lighting). There are also three different lens options per recipe – narrow, wide and oval to direct the lighting onto the correct areas. These recipes were devised in conjunction with experts from LED manufacturer Osram Opto Semiconductors, who are the market leader in the supply of quality LEDs for the horticultural lighting sector. These lights enable a longer growing season and also increase the speed of growth for plants, when under the correct recipe. LED lighting is now cost-effective, thus making it viable for both the backyard gardeners and the large commercial growers alike. Ideal markets for these grow lights include polytunnels, environmental chambers, propagators, vertical farms and indoor farms, as well as schools, universities and research institutes.
IHS has a full range of customisable PYO (pick your own) LED lighting products so that growers can develop their own LED recipes specific to their application. IHS also have controllers available to make this easier to do.
If you are interested in any of IHS products or would like to discuss your requirements with IHS, please contact Ann Kelleher or the rest of the Horticultural team on 01635 294606 or email on info@i-hled.co.uk
IHS is a LED Light for You (LLFY) Partner, who draws on world leading quality LEDs from Osram Opto Semiconductors and combine them with other quality components, materials and services to provide the LED solution you want.
IHS will be attending Workshop Iberia in Spain, hosted by LLFY on the 26th, 28th, and 30th November. Where LLFY and their partners will provide a vision of the growing market and present the latest developments in LED technologies for the horticultural field.
"Indoor Growers Lacked Important Seed Knowledge, Limiting Their Businesses"
As indoor agriculture matures, many advanced farms are looking to develop seed programs to improve their farm economics and give them an edge over competitors, especially in leafy greens. Given this, former American Seed Trade Association executive and Asia & Pacific Seed Association board member Michelle Klieger of Stratagerm Consulting was asked to join Indoor Ag-Con Asia on January 15-16, 2019 to discuss her views on seeds in indoor systems. Ahead of that, Indoor Ag-Con caught up with her to ask her 5 seed questions.
How did you come to form Stratagem Consulting? What do you do?
I’ve always been interested in wildlife conservation. Many people don’t think of it this way, but the greatest threat to wildlife is agriculture. So, I started working in agriculture to help farmers grow more food on less land. I’ve become increasingly fascinated by the next generation of technology that is transforming agriculture. Many of these changes are helping increase the amount of food farmers grow and reducing the environmental costs associated with producing food.
After engaging with indoor growers, I realized that they lacked important seed knowledge and that not having this information was limiting their businesses. My background as a consultant and working in the seed industry meant that I had the missing puzzle piece and could help growers make the powerful connection between seed selection and their growth potential.
Stratagerm helps indoor growers pick better seeds for their system based on their farm’s technical requirements and their customers’ needs. The goal is to increase profitability by producing more vegetables or growing higher quality vegetables. Once a farmer understands HOW to pick new seeds and integrate them into their farm, we help them better communicate with their seed supplier to reduce business risks, such as a seed shortage.
What are the trends in seed development that are most exciting to you?
Seed companies are increasingly interested in controlled environment agriculture of all kinds and they are starting to invest in this sector. This investment is focused on researching new varieties that will grow well in high tech vertical farms. Also known as plant factories, these farms have LEDs, nutrient baths, and sensors that monitor every aspect of the operation.
Right now, most of the varieties planted in vertical farms were either bred for traditional outdoor agriculture or greenhouses. Outdoor plants need to be ready for droughts, floods, insects, and other adverse conditions. Greenhouses might provide ideal water levels, but they still have insects and diseases inside of them. Surviving these conditions is essential for plants grown outdoors or in greenhouses. But, it is not necessary for your indoor crops. Your plants are grown under controlled and often sterile conditions. Farms like yours need new varieties intended for vertical farms. Ones that will grow quickly and taste amazing, but probably aren’t hearty enough to survive outside.
Which crops do you think we’ll see move indoors next?
I love that indoor growers are being creative with their indoor systems. I’ve seen people try to grow valuable spices like saffron, which is so innovative! Anything is possible for small operations – that’s what I want people to take away from this.
On a larger scale, I think tomatoes are a great option. They are a high-value vegetable. They already grow well in high-tech greenhouses. So farmers have valuable experience growing tomatoes indoors. Plus, they taste amazing the second after they are picked, so the quicker the tomatoes can get from the farm to a dinner plate the better. Indoor growers can sell a better tomato because they grow so close to the consumers who will eat them.
Why has there not been more indoor ag-specific seed development? Do you expect this to change?
There are two reasons that we have not seen more indoor ag-specific seed developments. First, it takes plant breeders seven to ten years to commercialize a new plant variety. As the industry grows and demand for seed increases, more investment has and will be made. But, it will take a while before indoor farmers can purchase these new varieties.
Second, indoor farm growing environments vary dramatically. Successful plant breeding matches the genetics to the environment the plant is growing in. Without standards across the industry, it makes it difficult for plant breeders to know which environments to breed for. Until we know which light, nutrient, and temperature combination will be most popular in the future it’s difficult to pick varieties specifically for indoor agriculture. As farm technology matures and certain practices become the industry standard, we can expect targeted investment by seed companies and plant breeders for these conditions.
How would you recommend a new or small grower in Asia go about setting up their own seed program?
Seeds are a strategic piece of your business and all of the choices you make about seeds should be recorded so you can keep improving your decisions. Before you purchase seeds take time to understand your farm, your customers and your goals. With this preparation work, you will have a more productive conversation with your seed supplier. The supplier will be able to make recommendations or give advice based on the information you shared, instead of recommending a variety that grows well hydroponically.
Remember, your business will ultimately be judged on the vegetables and herbs you sell. If your customers are happy with the produce they will be repeat customers. So, picking seeds that grow into beautiful and tasty vegetables will remain very important to your business.
For more information:
indoor.ag
The Transforming Power of Vertical Farming - Scaling Businesses
NOVEMBER 22, 2018 AT 13:00
NATIONAL EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTER SHANGHAI, CHINA
The AVF will return to Asia for its 4th Vertical Farming conference. Horti China is Asia’s most important agriculture and horticulture trade exhibition, with over 40,000 attendees expected. Taking place during Shanghai’s China Green Week, Horti China divides its showcases between pre- and post-harvest, Horti Fresh and Horti Tech.
The AVF welcomes you to join them at the Exhibition held on 21-23 November 2018 in Shanghai. The exhibition connects China with the worldwide horticulture business of fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and plants.
As official partners of the event, AVF will be hosting a Vertical Farming forum on the afternoon of the 22nd; their headline of the half day conference is:
“The Transformative Power of Vertical Farming – Scaling Businesses!”
They expect to welcome over 100 experts and stakeholders in the industry to exchange ideas and propose solutions for the future of the vertical farming industry.
This will lead into the second Design Thinking Workshop, on the morning of the 23rd, in which the AVF continues to develop the 5-year Roadmap for Vertical Farming. This event’s topics will include:
Business Models
Finance & Investment
Government Institutions
This is the AVF’s first collaboration with Horti China (VNU/Richland) and they plan to use this international platform to bring greater awareness of vertical farming and plant factory development.
All AVF members will receive a 10% discount on exhibition space. If you would like to partner on this event, contact the AVF about their sponsorship scheme.
Date and Time: November 21-23, 2018
Location: National Exhibition and Convention Centre 168 Yingagang E Rd, Qingpu Shanghai, China
Pre-Registration for Exhibition and workshop:
Exhibition: www.hortichina.cn – DTW: jf@vertical-farming.net
EMAIL US AT INFO@VERTICAL-FARMING.NET
Source:: https://vertical-farming.net/events-page/transforming-power-vertical-farming-scaling-businesses/