This presentation ‘Indoor Farm Automation: Lessons learned from the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenges’ was given by Dr. Ken Tran (Koidra Inc.) during our 44th café forum on September 20th, 2022. Indoor Ag Science Café is organized by the OptimIA project team funded by USDA SCRI grant

Big Tex Urban Farms announced in July that using its controlled environment production systems it had grown enough vegetables to deliver a million servings to the local Dallas community.

When Jason Hayes, vice president of branding and cofounder of Big Tex Urban Farms in Dallas, came up with the Million Servings Mission project in 2018, there was some question as to when the non-profit operation might achieve this lofty goal. Big Tex Urban Farms got its start in 2016 as an outdoor gardening project by the State Fair of Texas to better serve the local South Dallas community.

“Big Tex Urban Farms started with a small budget in 2016 using 100 mobile planter boxes to grow food outdoors,” said Drew Demler, who is the state fair’s director of horticulture and the other cofounder of the farm. “At the time Jason and I started planning the farm, the goal was to grow produce and then donate it to the community.”

During that first year of outdoor production the farm produced food that was donated to two local charitable organizations. Growing and donating fresh vegetables gave Demler and his staff an opportunity to develop good relationships with the organizations they were assisting.

“These local organizations were very happy with what we were doing to assist them in their efforts to feed people in the community that really needed help,” he said. “We also received some good media coverage which helped generate more interest in what the farm was doing.”

The positive feedback from organizations that benefitted from the fresh vegetables and favorable media coverage led to a major increase in the farm’s budget in 2017. The budget increase enabled Demler and his staff to build an additional 429 outdoor planters. An even bigger opportunity to grow more fresh vegetables came in September 2017 when a 30- by 15-foot hydroponic deep water culture pond was installed in the fair’s largest 7,200-square-foot greenhouse. The greenhouse had been used to grow ornamental plants including palm trees and bougainvillea, and to overwinter hanging baskets. It was also used as a plant exhibit room during the state fair.

“We worked with the staff at Hort Americas to design and install the deep water culture system,” Demler said. “We also installed six 8-foot tall vertical tower gardens. This was our first venture into hydroponic growing.”

Expanding controlled environment production

Demler and his staff were impressed with the amount of produce they were able to grow with the hydroponic production systems. In the short amount of time that the systems had been installed and production was ramped up enabled the farm to distribute fresh vegetables to more community organizations in South Dallas.

“Our total production indoors and outdoors in 2017 was around 2,800 pounds of produce,” Demler said. “By the end of April 2018 we had exceeded what we produced for all of 2017. This was one of the main reasons that we decided to expand our hydroponic systems. It is such a better and more efficient way to grow.

“Another reason we expanded the hydroponic systems was the overwhelming positive response from the public during the 2017 fair. In 2018 we turned the greenhouse into an indoor growing exhibit. The public had access to the hydroponic systems all 24 days of the fair.”

Focused on hydroponic production

With the help of Hort Americas, Demler and his staff began to expand the farm’s hydroponic production. 

“In 2018 we added a second deep water culture pond, a nutrient film technique (NFT) system, a Dutch bucket system for vine crops and additional grow racks,” Demler said. “We continue to add systems and do modifications to them.

“Our main greenhouse, which is part of the Innovations in Agriculture exhibit during the state fair, has been repurposed 100 percent for food production. We have nearly completely filled the greenhouse with different hydroponic systems. We also have added a gutter slab system for vine crops which we are currently using to grow tomatoes. A second larger NFT system will enable us to produce five times more plants than the original NFT system. ”

In addition to the 7,200-square-foot greenhouse the farm has installed a 40-foot shipping container that was nicknamed GroZilla.

“Hort Americas staff designed the shipping container production system,” Demler said. “Currently we use it primarily for demonstration and as an introduction to controlled environment horticulture. We have grown a variety of crops in the container. All of the produce feeds into the different local community groups including providing lettuce blends for schools. We have also grown Asian greens, baby kale and arugula in the shipping container in collaboration with another community action group called Restorative Farms. With what we are doing hydroponically, we have nearly eliminated any soil-based production here on site.”

Much of the equipment that has been installed in the Big Tex Urban Farms greenhouse was previously used in Hort Americas’ demonstration and research greenhouse in Dallas.

“Hort Americas has changed its focus from having its own demonstration greenhouse to putting our energy and resources behind making Big Tex Urban Farms successful,” said Chris Higgins, president at Hort Americas. “Hort Americas is providing human resources and grower knowledge along with access to innovative technology. The biggest thing that we are doing is teaching the Big Tex Urban Farms employees how to grow hydroponically.”

Big Tex Urban Farms is currently using LED grow lights on a variety of its crops.

“We have a few different versions of Current’s Arize LEDs along with a few OSRAM LED lamps,” Demler said. “We recently installed the new Current L1000 LED fixtures over our vine crop systems. Those will increase growth and we already have tomatoes setting fruit.”

Overcoming major obstacles

Demler said although the farm reached its goal of producing a million servings of fresh vegetables earlier than expected, there were several obstacles to overcome to achieve the goal. “The COVID-19 pandemic and February 2021 power outages that affected many parts of the state had a major impact on what the farm was able to produce,” Demler said. “We were not able to host a state fair in 2020 because of the pandemic. The state fair did a modified drive-thru event, which impacted the farm’s budget. It took having us to get through a full state fair in 2021 to get our budget reinstated. Our farm is funded 100 percent by the state fair. A portion of the proceeds of whatever our guests and patrons spend at the fair helps to fund projects like our farm.

Another major obstacle the farm had to overcome was the power outages that occurred during the winter in 2021.

“There were multiple electrical outages that occurred in February that killed many of our crops,” Demler said. “Surprisingly our deep water ponds by-and-large made it through those outages.”

Another thing that helped the farm reach its million servings goal earlier than expected was the cooperative project it began with Texas A&M AgriLife to produce outdoor crops at one of the extension service’s satellite locations.

“We donated several of our raised planter beds and then the extension service received funding to install additional planter beds,” Demler said. “There is about 1 acre of outdoor raised bed production at this location.

“We were able to harvest a large outdoor tomato crop this summer. In addition to tomatoes, we will also be producing a number of root crops including potatoes, onions, carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes and other crops that soil is just more efficient for growing compared to hydroponic production. Those outdoor crops are going to feed into our program as well.”

Push for education

Now that Big Tex Urban Farms has reached its million servings goal Demler is looking to make a bigger push for education.

“We are looking to educate both people who would come to the greenhouse to learn about the farm’s production systems and the farm reaching out to local schools,” he said. “We want to be able to teach more children about growing their own food. Some of the churches and community groups coming through the greenhouse are interested in learning more about the production systems. Some of these groups are interested in putting some of these systems into schools. 

“Most of the school groups we are working with want to do something with a vertical hydroponic system such as grow racks or tower gardens. Space is limited in the classrooms so they are looking at some type of vertical system. In a lot of cases they are going to locate the system near sunny windows and probably add some LED lighting to supplement the natural light.”

For more: Big Tex Urban Farms, (214) 565-9931; info@BigTex.com; https://bigtex.com/urbanfarm.

Editor’s note: This year’s State Fair of Texas is scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 23 in Dallas, https://bigtex.com/.

This article is property of Urban Ag News and was written by David Kuack, a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas.

Zafferano Siciliano Crocus produces large saffron stigmas.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L., a member of the Iridaceae family) is prized for its unique yellow color in culinary dishes and loved by chefs for its flavor in many of our foods. The high cost comes from the fact that it needs to be grown in a particular climate and the long red stigma must be laboriously collected by hand. 

In the US, saffron is traded for up to $10,000 per kilo but this is highly dependent on the final graded product (graded 1- 4, 4 is the best quality and has a high safranal content with the red stigma separated from the yellow anther). The problem is, it takes around 150,000 flowers to produce 1kg of dried saffron. So we want to know, is it really worth it for CEA farmers? Let’s take a closer look at saffron’s history and the pros and cons of growing the most expensive spice in the world.

A long illustrious history of production 

Ancient artworks revealed saffron was domesticated around 300 to 1600 BC and was thought to have been originally harvested as a mutant of Crocus cartrightianus which was abundant around the time in the Mediterranean.

The origins of saffron agronomy date back to Iran and today the country is responsible for producing over 90% of the world’s saffron where it has both historical and ceremonial importance in Persian culture. Other areas of production stretch across the Mediterranean where conditions are perfect for growing most notably North Africa, Morocco, Spain, Greece, Italy and India. The Spanish love the color in traditional paella whereas the Italians use it for signature risotto dishes like Risotto alla Milanese. 

How does it grow naturally?

Visible two to three flowers per saffron corm

Saffron is adapted to arid regions and has an annual life cycle, but it is generally cultivated as a perennial crop by controlling corm bulb growth for the following year. It is a sterile triploid geophyte and is relatively slow to replicate through daughter corms each year. In the field, corms that die back after flowering and unusually have no cold requirement to break their dormancy. They can be lifted from the field during this time and stored in a dry shed before planting out again in spring, although they are hardy and can withstand low soil temperatures. 

Saffron has immense health benefits 

Saffron is abundant in phytochemicals, particularly picrocrocin which breaks down during the drying process to form safranal, which gives it the distinctive earthy taste. Another carotenoid pigment crocin, produces the golden yellow color when mixed with rice. Saffron also contains non-volatile antioxidants including lycopene and zeaxanthin which we identify with a Mediterranean diet, that are great for a long healthy life.

Crocus sativus L. has a wide array of medicinal and nutritional uses. Traditionally it goes way back as a drug alternative for many conditions such as heart disease, obesity, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. Several studies confirm the medicinal effects of the plant. Antioxidant effects demonstrate free radical scavenger activity that modulate inflammatory mediators, humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity responses.

There are several clinical studies of these effects in its derivatives, safranal, crocin and crocetin. Researchers in Iran recently identified saffron as an effective treatment for mild postnatal depression. Saffron has since been shown to have mood altering effects thought to be the result of balancing neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. In placebo comparison trials saffron had significant effects on levels of depression and displayed similar antidepressant efficacy to pharmaceuticals. 

A double blind study of more than 80 people found the effects of the spice effective in treating depression in adolescents, without any side effects or fear of withdrawal symptoms when stopping the saffron. Saffron extract (affron®) was given for 8 weeks and it was found to improve anxiety and depressive symptoms in youths with mild and moderate symptoms. Adults reported more mixed results so more studies are needed to be conclusive in the understanding and role of saffron in the treatment of depression.

Why do we need high value crops like saffron in CEA?

Growing saffron in a controlled environment can have many advantages; it’s cleaner, free from pests and disease, nutrients are delivered directly to the root mass, aeration with dissolved oxygen increases biomass, temperature can be maintained without fluctuations and light intensity can be well managed. Saffron needs high intensity light and this can be delivered by high efficiency LEDs without fluctuation, eliminating weather dependent uncertainty in the field. 

Despite the relative ease and low maintenance of growing in a controlled environment, it is the high flower numbers required to produce the end product and subsequent labor intensive ‘picking’ time that are the limiting factor. While in the field it is possible to grow three or more flowers per bulb per season (due to the daughter corms still being attached) the spacing requirements are more difficult to estimate in CEA until trials show optimized growth in a square meter space as smaller daughter corms will produce smaller stigma. We have no knowledge of large scale CEA production data and comparison to field harvests but scaling up in CEA may be more prohibitive due to labor costs. Perhaps automating this process in the future with robotic tweezers or re-engineering tissue culture pickers to use image analysis software with an ability to pick out the red stigma and separate from the anther would be useful, but we are some way off that at present.

Saffron has a high Market Value 

Regardless of the issues, saffron continues to be of interest to CEA growers due to its high value and growing global demand as a medicinal plant and diverse applications in the food industry as well as for cosmetics and dyes.

The global saffron market size is expected to reach USD 721.5 million by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, expanding at a CAGR of 8.5% over the forecast period.

Buyer beware! If you buy saffron and it seems cheap it’s more than likely to be fake!

Fake saffron is rife within this market and includes corn silk threads, safflower (an unrelated thistle), coconut filaments or even dyed horse hair, or shredded paper. 

Safflower (in tissue culture above) Carthamus tinctorius, is the most likely culprit. It is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant in the sunflower family Asteraceae and is often substituted for saffron. Each flower head contains 20–180 individual florets that can be confused with saffron to the untrained eye but the color gives it away as they are less intense than saffron stigma. 

Dyes used to color fake saffron will dissipate quickly and this can be tested easily in water. Despite this, safflower has some excellent qualities as an oil in its own right and is commercially traded in the EU. 

Growing conditions 

Temperature, light intensity/spectrum and humidity are particularly important in saffron cultivation. According to researchers in Vermont there are five main phases to the lifecycle of saffron production, sprouting, flowering, vegetative phase, production of replacement corms, and the dormant phase. Leaf area index, crop growth rate, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, and leaf area ratio are all important.

A few entrepreneurs are paving the way by growing saffron in CEA. Dr Ardalan Ghilavizadeh pictured above is an expert hydroponics saffron grower from Iran and currently working in Munich.

Saffron is a short-day plant so requires a period of around 12 hours in the dark and 10-12 hours per day lights on (16-18hrs during flowering). According to Urbanleaf, saffron can be grown indoors and they suggest it will require a DLI of 15+ mols/m²/d to flower. They go on to propose that 24W light bulbs can be placed around 6 inches away from the top of the plants to deliver a PPFD of 500 μmol/m²/s. Ideal temperatures for saffron flowering are around 70°F but anything between 50 and 100°F grows well. We have some preliminary trials with saffron but experimenting with light spectrum may achieve the best results to promote flowering and maintain a stable temperature during flowering. Growing in hydroponics follows similar conditions to other flowering plants and saffron displays a wide pH range of 5.5 – 7 but it’s best stay around 6 for maximum nutrient uptake at EC 1.4. 

As with any production, IPM is important since saffron is prone to many diseases. Pathogens include fungal corm rot, nematodes, bacteria, and viruses. Diseases mostly appear as a consequence of physical damage or attacks by insects particularly mites and aphids.

Propagation of Saffron Corms 

Saffron male seed is sterile so it is propagated vegetatively using corms. Flower yield is highly dependent on corm size and density but lack of availability and diversity of plant material presents a major constraint for large scale CEA saffron production. A large corm above 8 grams produces three to four small daughter corms, which take 2 to 3 seasons (in the field a season is one calendar year but in CEA there is potential for four harvests annually) to achieve the size and weight for flowering. 

Forcing the bulbs through regular dormancy periods via CEA may help to promote cormogenesis.

Crocus sativus corms like rock wool for support to protect them against getting too wet. The method of hydroponics i.e. NFT or aeroponics must not allow the bulb to get too wet so it should sit proud of the rock wool substrate. They will root very quickly, around a week in our experience with aeroponic growing. 

Saffron Micropropagation 

Saffron is relatively slow to propagate and only produces a few vegetative corms on the main plant annually in late summer after flowering has finished and the leaves die back. Breeding programs are needed to increase diversity of the corms and micropropagation may provide a solution to access of clean stock material. Saffron research is limited with only a handful of teams working on genetics in India, Iran and Europe. This crop needs preservation of genetic biodiversity to protect its quality and sustainability for future agricultural production. 

Genetic diversity in corm supply is an issue so indirect organogenesis may provide new routes to improve cultivation of saffron. Tissue culture micropropagation, somatic embryogenesis, organogenesis, gene editing and in vitro cormogenesis can all help regenerate pathogen free reproduction of this plant. We are working to perfect this process. 

Processing 

Harvest first thing in the morning according to Dr Sally Francis, a field grower from Norfolk in the UK. The stigmas must be dried soon after harvest as they can become moldy. Besides the important role that dehydration plays in the preservation of saffron, it is also a necessary process to generate organoleptic properties in fresh stigmas. Dehydration treatment brings about physical and chemical changes necessary to achieve the desired quality of saffron. But be careful drying as over 150F can cause degradation of the phytonutrients.

Economics of growing Saffron in CEA – is it worth it financially?

On a 1 meter square shelf with a light intensity PPFD of 500 μmols/m²/s we can potentially grow 150 saffron bulbs (and assuming they each produce one dominant flower) with a spacing at least an inch apart to allow for flower development. Assuming they are forced to produce flowers 4 times per year, this rate could produce 600 flowers in a 1m² area annually. If 150 flowers produce 1g dry weight, a yield of 4g of dry weight saffron is possible from 150 corms per square meter annually (four harvests).

Assuming a 10 layer shelf with lights spaced 20” apart, there is potential to scale up to 40g in a vertical space and 10 bays could reach 0.4kg (in reality it should be higher depending on how many flowers the corm produces). Depending on the grade this could net a return of $4,000. Not a bad return if you exclude capital startup costs. However high energy consumption and revenue costs may substantially reduce profits per meter square. Calculations are difficult as it will depend on an hourly rate for a picker and the uncertainty of rising energy costs could also hamper the return on running such a facility. 

Issues that affect future stability of growing saffron 

The adverse effects of global warming and climate change on saffron flower induction could alter the way saffron is grown. As the global north becomes warmer and extreme weather events become more frequent we will begin to find these crops in more protected geo locations. Wars and poverty also play a role in agriculture and instability in the region could lead to reduced world availability. 

Niche high value product for the food service market – is that why we should grow it? 

While saffron may not be an obvious choice for most larger commercial CEA growers, it should not be discounted as a high value crop for the service industry, fitting with more niche restaurant based container farms. Saffron is fairly low maintenance until harvest and some are even automating growing, which will reduce labor costs as the stigma can be picked by the restaurants when required without post processing and delivered straight to the chef’s palette. The advantage is it can be grown anywhere, close to restaurants, in cities and of course we are biased but it may also go well with sushi and a side of real wasabi.  

Janet Colston PhD is pharmacologist with an interest in growing ‘functional’ foods that have additional phytonutrients and display medicinal qualities that are beneficial to human health. She grows these using a range of techniques including plant tissue micropropagation and controlled environmental agriculture to ensure the highest quality control.

Unless otherwise stated all images are courtesy of The Functional Plant Company and property of Urban Ag News.

PRESS RELEASE — Just four months after its covid-delayed October 2021 edition in Orlando, the Indoor Ag-Con trade show & conference welcomed the indoor|vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry back for its February 28-March 1, 2022 run at Caesar Forum Las Vegas. And what a welcome it was. Marking an 82 percent increase over the Orlando attendance figure, 800 + growers, suppliers, start-ups and other industry members came from 48 states/ territories and more than 20 countries, including a high number of c-suite executives. Bolstering the figure further, nearly 300 attendees from The National Grocers Association (NGA) Show, co-located at Caesars Forum, also visited the show, taking the total attendance figure over 1100.

The Indoor Ag-Con Expo Floor also grew by 60 percent – from 50 booths in 2021 to 80 in 2022 – filled with the latest innovations in irrigation, control systems, lighting, substrates and more. Rounding out the show statistics, the 2022 edition’s educational conference brought together 77 speakers participating in 21 panel discussions and 3 CEO keynote sessions.

“From our sold-out show floor and record-breaking attendance to reports of game-changing connections and new relationships forged, we’ve been humbled by the positive feedback we’re received for our 2022 show from exhibitors and attendees alike,” says Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “Our show theme, ‘growing your business,’ truly came to life here in Las Vegas this week. The CEA industry is growing quickly and we are proud to provide the platform for the education, networking and innovations showplace needed to take it to the next level.”

“We are also excited about the untapped networking potential that exists between Indoor Ag-Con and The NGA Show,” adds Nancy Hallberg, owner | partner, Indoor Ag-Con. “This first co-location was exploratory and gave both show teams the opportunity to start identifying ways we can really bring grocers and growers together. We think the 2 shows offer untapped business growth opportunities for our respective audiences and look forward to delivering on that when we come together again in 2023.”

Among the many highlights of the show included:

Indoor Ag-Con | Signify VIP Welcome Party

Signify partnered with Indoor Ag-Con to tee-up the 2022 edition with a VIP Welcome Party on Sunday evening, February 27 at Topgolf Las Vegas. Indoor Ag-Con speakers and other industry VIPs came together for an incredible evening of golf, networking, cocktails, food, music and fun with industry friends — compliments of Signify.

CEO Keynote Sessions

Attendees had the chance to hear from executives from some of the industry’s top growing operations. Steve Platt, CEO, BrightFarms and Steven Bradley, Vice President of Cox CleanTech, Cox Enterprises, kicked off the conference on Monday morning, February 28. Later that day Jonathan Webb, CEO, AppHarvest took the stage. On day two, Matt Ryan, CEO, Soli Organic (formerly Shenandoah Growers) started the day with the morning keynote address.

Educational Tracks & Expo Floor Theater Panel Discussions

The 2022 edition featured 3 educational tracks – Grower, Business & Technology – that brought industry experts together covering a wide range of topics from lighting specs and substrates to energy optimization, water technology, fertilizer, workforce development, robotics, automation investing/finance and sensor technology. In addition, the Expo Floor Theater offered up additional content with sessions on everything from seeds and produce branding to grocer/grower relationship development, why vertical farms succeed and more.

Sold Out Expo Floor

Expanding to 80 booths, this year’s Expo Floor was home to some of the biggest names in CEA as well as up-and-coming suppliers. From lighting and grow systems to substrates and irrigation, growers were able to see the newest innovations all under one roof.

Networking Opportunities

Daily lunches and an afternoon cocktail reception on the expo floor expanded the show’s networking opportunities.

Looking ahead, Indoor Ag-Con Las Vegas will return to Caesars Forum February 27-28, 2023 and will once again co-locate with The National Grocers Association Show.

About Indoor Ag-Con

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for indoor | vertical farming | controlled environment agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. More information is at www.indoor.ag

Soli Organic, formerly known as Shenandoah Growers, Inc., is the nation’s only soil-based, controlled environment agriculture company delivering 100% USDA certified organic produce to more than 20,000 retail stores nationwide. The new name — Soli Organic — which is derived from the Latin word for soil, reflects the pivotal role of soil in enabling the company’s mission to make low-cost, high-quality, organic produce grown nearby available to everyone.

During his keynote presentation on March 1, 2022, 8 – 8:50 AM, Matt Ryan will share more about his company’s plans to change the world of organic produce by “Bringing Nature Indoors” with its soil-based, certified organic biofarms.

With 7 growing facilities, 12 operating facilities, 20,000 retail locations served and well over a hundred million units of fresh herbs and greens annually, the company is just getting started. The recently announced $120 million financing arrangement with leading real estate development firm Decennial Group is a key component of the Company’s strategy to further expand production capacity to meet growing demand.

As CEO, Matt’s focus is on strengthening the company’s competitive advantages and achieving scaled topline growth. Prior to his role at Soli Organic, Matt served as both the chief marketing officer and the chief strategy officer at Starbucks where he developed and executed strategy, managed the food and beverage portfolio, instituted a data analytics function, oversaw the development of the digital experience, and led all other marketing, product, brand, and consumer functions. As the head of brand management for The Walt Disney Company, he oversaw the company’s brand management, brand development, franchise management, customer data, and CRM.

Ryan currently sits on the Board of Directors for Kaiser Permanente. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude.

Learn more about Matt Ryan and his Indoor Ag-Con keynote session here.

“We are thrilled to have Matt join us in Las Vegas,” says Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con LLC. “From his proven leadership roles with Starbucks and Walt Disney to his exciting vision for Soli Organic, Matt brings a unique perspective to our keynote stage.”

ROBUST 2022 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOW IN DEVELOPMENT
Matt Ryan joins the Indoor Ag-Con 2022 CEO headliner keynote line-up, which also includes the opening morning kick-off session with Steve Platt, CEO, BrightFarms and Steven Bradley, VP, Cox Cleantech, Cox Enterprises; and a day one mid-morning session from Jonathan Webb, CEO | Founder, AppHarvest. The 2022 conference will also include a full roster of panel discussions offering a deep dive into three core tracks – Grower, Business & Technology – as well as panel sessions on the expo floor theater.

Attendees will find more new initiatives and show highlights to explore in February, including:

CO-LOCATION WITH NATIONAL GROCERS ASSOCIATION SHOW
New for 2022, Indoor Ag-Con will co-locate with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show, the leading trade show and conference for independent grocers, offering even more networking and business opportunities for attendees and exhibitors alike. The NGA Show and Indoor Ag-Con visitors will have access to all exhibits, and discounts will be available for cross-over educational event attendance. Look for more details coming soon.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR
2022 will also welcome the largest expo floor yet for Indoor Ag-Con. From irrigation and LED lighting to environmental control systems, substrates, greenhouse equipment, energy solutions, business services and more, attendees will have the chance to see the latest introductions and innovations from some of the biggest names in the business, as well as emerging leaders.

MORE NETWORKING
Exhibitors and attendees can enjoy complimentary luncheons on the show floor each day, a show floor cocktail reception, breakout sessions and other opportunities to reconnect with friends and meet new business partners.

QUICK FACTS:

WHEN: Monday, Feb. 28 – Tuesday, Mar. 1, 2022
WHERE: Caesars Forum, 3911 Koval Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89101
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email suzanne@indoor.ag

___________________________

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. More information: www.indoor.ag

ABOUT SOLI ORGANIC
Founded in 1989 as Shenandoah Growers, Inc., Soli Organic Inc. is the leading grower and marketer of fresh organic culinary herbs in the United States, providing sustainable, USDA certified organic, regionally grown produce to retailers coast-to-coast. The Rockingham, Virginia-based company has developed the nation’s largest commercial indoor organic, soil-based growing system and continues to redefine how to bring fresh, organic, and sustainably farmed produce to market – operating across a nationally integrated platform of farms, production, and logistics facilities. For more information, please visit www.soliorganic.com.

Themed “Growing Your Business,” the trade show and conference for indoor | vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture will give attendees the opportunity to explore new resources on the expo floor and hear from Webb, other CEOs and experts from today’s cutting-edge farms and innovative companies.

“We are thrilled to welcome Fifth Season’s Austin Webb to the CEO stage in October. He and his pioneering vertical and robotic farming company have been making headlines this past year. We are so excited to offer a platform for forward-thinking industry leaders like Austin to share his company’s incredible origin story, how Fifth Season is using AI and data to improve crop quality, its mission and plans for the future,” says Brian Sullivan, co-owner, Indoor Ag-Con LLC.

Scheduled for opening day, October 4, 2021, Austin Webb’s address will be held from 11:30 am – 12:20 pm

Austin co-founded Fifth Season while obtaining his MBA at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. His interest in robotics sparked while at Tepper, as did a vision for a new, high-tech farming system that would use technology to produce fresher food and make it available anywhere. Fifth Season’s farming system now operates in Braddock, PA, and in just one year is already setting industry standards for efficiency, productivity, and cost.

Austin received the Pittsburgh Dealmaker of the Year Award from Smart Business Network. What’s more, the company is among Fast Company’s list of World Changing Ideas. The farm itself also received recognition from the real estate industry with an NAIOP Pittsburgh award in the Built-to-Suit Industrial category.

In addition to headliner keynote sessions like this one, other 2021 event highlights include:

ROBUST 2021 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE & CEO KEYNOTES

The 2021 conference will include a full roster of keynote sessions, panel discussions, fireside chats and presentations offering a deep dive into three core tracks – Business & Marketing, Science & Technology and Alternative Crops. In addition to Webb’s keynote address, others include David Rosenberg, CEO, AeroFarms and Mike Zelkind, CEO & Co-Founder, 80 Acres Farms.

The extensive educational conference will be joined by other new initiatives and show highlights, including:

NEW LOCATION: HILTON ORLANDO – DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES, TOO

Indoor Ag-Con’s Hilton Orlando venue makes it the perfect opportunity for a business vacation. Centrally located to all major theme parks and attractions, it is just minutes from the eclectic dining scene and entertainment of International Drive. What’s more, the Hilton Orlando resort sits on more than 26 acres of lush landscaping and tropical inspirations making it a true destination of its own. Indoor Ag-Con has arranged for discounted hotel rates for attendees and exhibitors starting as low as $129/night. Complete details are available on the show website.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

The Indoor Ag-Con team is working to bring even more resources for farmers/growers to explore across all sectors – everything from IT, energy, AI and lighting solutions to substrates, vertical farming solutions, business services and much more. Attendees and exhibitors alike will also have even more networking opportunities with daily luncheon sessions, receptions on the show floor and “After Parties” hosted by Native at Pub Orlando.

SAFETY PROMISE

The Indoor Ag-Con team is closely monitoring the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines issued by the CDC, state and local officials. We are also working closely with our venue partner, Hilton Orlando, to provide attendees and exhibitors with a safe and productive environment to conduct business. Read more.

QUICK FACTS:

WHEN: Monday, October 4 – Tuesday, October 5 , 2021

WHERE: Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32819

INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email hello@indoor.ag

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. More information: https://indoor.ag

ABOUT FIFTH SEASON

Fifth Season is delivering an entirely new category of hyper-local, fresh food with their ready-to-eat salads and sustainable leafy greens grown inside their proprietary vertical farms with proprietary robotics and AI. Fifth Season’s newest vertical farm in Braddock, PA, a historic town on the edge of Pittsburgh, features a 25,000-square-foot grow room with twice the growing capacity of traditional vertical farms. For more information on Fifth Season, its technology and produce, visit www.fifthseasonfresh.com

MEDFORD, MA –The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) will host a webinar on Wednesday, September 8, aimed at helping growers and other stakeholders learn the facts about LED horticultural lighting, while debunking common misconceptions about the technology and its effectiveness.

“Mythbusting! Horticultural LED Lighting” will provide webinar participants with valuable advice and perspectives from an array of industry leaders, including:

• Kasey Holland, DLC Horticultural Lighting Program Manager
• Leora Radetsky, DLC Senior Lighting Scientist
• Erico Mattos, Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering Consortium Executive Director
• Lauren Morlino, Evergreen Consulting Group’s Technical Manager for controlled environment agriculture, emerging technologies, and underserved communities, and
• John Wilson, founding director of Fernhill Shopworks, a market research and strategy firm serving utilities and the lighting industry.

“Lighting is a crucial factor for optimizing growth in controlled environment agriculture. Unfortunately, misconceptions abound regarding the effectiveness of horticultural LEDs, thwarting widespread adoption of a technology capable of significantly reducing electricity consumption and driving energy savings,” DLC Technical Director Stuart Berjansky said. “As horticultural lighting accounts for an increasing share of electric load for many utilities, our panel will separate myths from facts and address growers’ concerns regarding the use of LED lighting solutions.”

The webinar will cover topics such as LED lighting performance, “smart” lighting, and the general feasibility of LED lighting in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The DLC’s goal is to help growers recognize and discard outdated thinking about LEDs, differentiate the pros and cons of LEDs vs. high pressure sodium lamps; and explore the performance of LED lighting in CEA today, as well as capabilities expected in the future.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) last year reported that US horticultural lighting installations consumed 9.6 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2019, up from about 5.9 TWh in 2017. The DOE noted that if all indoor horticultural lighting today was converted to LED technology, annual horticultural lighting consumption would decrease to 6.3 TWh, representing energy savings of 34 percent or $350 million. In the face of these statistics, the September 8 webinar supports the DLC’s continuing efforts to promote wider adoption of high performance, energy efficient products in indoor horticultural operations. The latest version of the DLC’s Horticultural Lighting Technical Requirements (V2.1) will go into effect in September.
Register for the webinar here.

__________________

About the DesignLights Consortium
The DesignLights Consortium® (DLC) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to achieve energy optimization by enabling controllability with a focus on quality, people, and the environment. The DLC promotes high-quality, energy-efficient lighting products in collaboration with utilities and energy efficiency program members, manufacturers, lighting designers, and federal, state, and local entities. Through these partnerships, the DLC establishes product quality specifications, facilitates thought leadership, and provides information, education, tools and technical expertise.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

— Hippocrates

For the past year we have been talking about how to boost the immune system with plant phytonutrients and how this can present new opportunities for farmers, particularly if plant pharmaceuticals can be extracted from plants grown in a controlled environment. 

With an increased knowledge of downstream processing, farmers could learn to take advantage of plant pharmaceutical power quickly and naturally and boost their market share.

More than half our medicines come from plants

If more than half of our drugs originated from plants, it should be possible to select which plants display bioactivity using artificial intelligence and machine learning to extract bioactive molecules and reduce the time to create natural plant based drugs. This is already happening with high throughput screening of secondary metabolites from plants. Alternatively farmers can use this knowledge to market the whole plant entourage effects which lead to positive health benefits.

As we begin to understand more about disease pathways there is mounting evidence that plant phytonutrients may unlock new applications through a better understanding of molecular biology and clinical trials. Examples of this include new applications for forskolin from Coleus forskohlii and phytochemicals from Stephania Glabra, which are being rediscovered as adenylate cyclase and nitric oxide activators, potentially opening new ways to treat obesity and atherosclerosis.

To Know The Future We Have to Understand The Past

Taxol is now synthesized from liquid plant cultures as direct extraction poses an ecological threat to the Yew tree. Paclitaxel works by inhibiting tubulin inside cells which is essential to cell division and prevents rapidly dividing cells growing thereby slowing cancer growth. New ways to cultivate these plants using controlled environmental agriculture could conserve our native species whilst harnessing their pharmaceutical power.

Both Vincristine and Vinblastine extracted from the Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) are commonly used in treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Vinca periwinkle grows very easily in plant tissue culture and with hydroponics it can be controlled to grow under different light spectrums. Like Paclitaxel these alkaloids work by preventing cells from dividing by blocking tubulin in cancer cells. This also affects healthy rapidly dividing cells at the same time which is why hair loss occurs during chemotherapy. 

The quest for new antimalarial compounds remains strong as it is one of the deadliest diseases in the developing world. So the discovery of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua L. to combat multi drug resistant malaria was awarded the Nobel prize  for medicine in 2015. It works by killing the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum by indiscriminately binding to proteins in many of the organism’s key biochemical pathways.

There are challenges however as another close genus of wormwood  (Artemisia Absinthium L.) contains high levels of the toxic phytochemical thujane. Distilling the herb in alcohol increases the thujone concentration,  which is why the alcohol beverage Absinthe was banned in the US. 

Medicinal extracts of wormwood have not been shown to cause seizure or other adverse effects at usual doses. This shows the importance of validation through scientific processes to ensure plant phytonutrients have a high safety profile for human use.

During the last decade a few new plant derived drugs have been launched including Arteether, an endoperoxide sesquiterpene lactone derived from Artemisinin. 

Recent research at the Max Planck Institute suggests a role for Artemisinin in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Wormwood is initiated easily in tissue culture to produce clean clones and grows easily and quickly in aeroponics. 

Medicinal cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is used for neurological disorders including Multiple Sclerosis, Autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Tourette’s, Huntington’s and also for Neuropathic pain and Epilepsy since legalisation began across the States. Benefits for chemotherapy induced nausea, glaucoma, appetite stimulation, cancer pain, inflammatory conditions and asthma have also been reported. 

Approval was granted in 2018 for Epidiolex (Cannabidiol), the first plant derived Cannabis drug to be approved by the US FDA for use in severe refractory Epilepsy. It is important to reiterate that science needs to validate physiological health benefits due to cannabis related effects within clinical trials since long term negative side effects are possible.

Not all our plant drugs came from the Amazon and in 1775, Dr William Withering who studied medicine at Edinburgh University discovered an alternative treatment for heart problems when one of his patients used a local gypsy herbal remedy from Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) and promptly improved his condition. 

Digitalis sometimes called ‘dead man’s bells’ contains the glycoside digoxin which works by slowing the heart rate and increasing the intensity of the muscle contraction so only minute doses are required daily to be effective in treating cardiac arrhythmia. 

Poppy (Papaver somniferum) contains the active opiate morphine (named after the Greek god of dreams, Morpheus) used for pain relief during trauma and as the traditional ‘end of life’ drug to ease suffering. The earliest images of opium poppies were found in ancient Sumerian artefacts (dating around 4000 BC), later named by ancient Greeks who called it Opion, eventually leading to its modern name Opium. The active opiate ingredient of the opium poppy morphine is collected by extracting the fleshy seed pod. An opioid attaches to the receptors found in the brain, gastrointestinal tract and spinal cord to reduce the transmission of pain messages to the brain.

Opiates are used in UK medicine as strong painkillers but are prescribed with care due to the addictive nature of the drug. The first commercially pure product introduced for therapeutic use was morphine marketed by Merck in 1826.

Quinine (Qualaquin) is an alkaloid from the Cinchona Calisaysa tree that grows in South America forests used for centuries in the prevention and therapy of Malaria. It was a popular herb used by the Quecha tribes of the Amazon rainforest. Modern research has shown it to also be a very effective treatment for fevers, cold and influenza although side effects are common with permanent kidney damage a concern.

Hypericin, an anthraquinone from  St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has received much attention for use as an antidepressant.

Rauwolfia Serpentina commonly called Indian Snakeroot contains the extract reserpine which depletes adrenergic neurotransmitters and remains an effective treatment for hypertension today. 

The key chemical component of Salix (Willow) Salicylic acid, was first described by Hippocrates who referred to a white powder derived from willow bark used for pain relief, fever and for anti-blood clotting.  In 1763, chemist Edward Stone isolated the active ingredient and it has since been used in medicine both for analgesic and anti-clotting properties. The first semi-synthetic pure drug aspirin, based on a natural product salicin isolated from Salix alba, was introduced by Bayer in 1899. Aspirin is now synthetically created through a chemical reaction between salicylic acid and acetic acid. Americans consume around 16000 tonnes of Aspirin every year due to its wide ranging medicinal properties. These include pain relief, reduction in cerebral thrombosis and a reduction in rheumatoid arthritis as scientists discovered it prevents the growth of cells that cause inflammation. 

Willow bark often turns up as a natural alternative to salicylic acid, because it contains salicin. When orally ingested, salicin is converted into salicylic acid by specialized enzymes in our digestive system. Willow bark (white or black) sold as a dietary supplement, herbal tea, or topical ointment, is known as ‘liu shu pi’ in traditional Chinese medicine. 

Will we grow our medicines in CEA in the future? 

From the Amazon rainforests to the coral reefs of the Caribbean, scientists search for cures to both old and new diseases. Bioprospecting is labor intensive and only one in thousands of compounds tested may demonstrate pharmaceutical promise. Despite this we know half of all human pharmaceuticals now in clinical use were derived from plant based natural sources. 

Nature may hold the key to finding the cure for emergent diseases, not least for new Coronaviruses. With hundreds of Coronaviruses discovered, only a few have become so virulent to cause epidemics and of course Covid-19, the cause of the current pandemic. It is possible that many pathways may be disrupted by bioactive chemicals in plants. For example, Wasabi Japonica displays anti-thrombotic effects which could have applications to treat blood clots in patients with SARS-CoV-2.

Pushing the boundaries of controlled lighting to make these plants produce stable disease fighting nutraceuticals

Plant factories with artificial lighting (PFAL) can aid steady production of high quality medicinal plants all year round by artificially controlling the environment (light, temperature, humidity and fertilizer) and allow growers to plan their production. This is best observed in Japanese PFALs, leading the world in terms of CEA to produce plants with a range of attributes that aid human health. For instance growing under controlled environment conditions may increase anthocyanin concentrations to enhance uniform metabolites with clean precision production.

While we don’t anticipate it is economically viable to grow many of these traditional medicines in hydroponics, there is no doubt they could be adapted for new purposes of extraction. With a combined approach of plant identification, controlled growing and research of the entourage effect and combined efficacy against disease we believe these tools can aid future discoveries. To do this we need production of clean virus free clones grown in plant tissue culture and acclimated in controlled environments. This enables us to keep production uniform and close to extraction facilities. We encourage you to reach out if you are interested in our approach to grow some of these unique medicinal plants as we have many years experience in controlled environment trials.

Janet Colston PhD is pharmacologist with an interest in growing ‘functional’ foods that have additional phytonutrients and display medicinal qualities that are beneficial to human health. She grows these using a range of techniques including plant tissue micropropagation and controlled environmental agriculture to ensure the highest quality control.

You can follow The Functional Plant Company on Instagram. 

The autumn of 2006 saw the launch of a number of cultivation trials at the Delphy Improvement Centre and Wageningen University & Research (Greenhouse Horticulture Business Unit) sites, both located at Violierenweg in Bleiswijk (Municipality of Lansingerland). Pioneering research was conducted in support of both the Dutch and international greenhouse horticulture sector at this Horti Science Park in the past decade and a half.

In addition to devising and developing the Next Generation Greenhouse Cultivation project, a great deal of research was carried out on the application of LED lighting with a view to creating sustainable cultivation systems. The development towards digital cultivation in autonomously controlled greenhouses with the application of newly developed plant sensors is in full swing and will result in far-reaching changes regarding the management of greenhouse horticulture. The development of production systems has always been a part of this, just as several greenhouse prototypes are now being tested and scientific knowledge in the area of cultivation is being developed in support of Vertical Farming practices.

The Municipality of Lansingerland is pleased with the presence of these two leading research institutions in greenhouse horticulture and therefore wishes to further develop its position as a knowledge-intensive municipality focusing on greenhouse horticulture. It is currently collaborating with entrepreneurs and residents on a ‘Horti Science Vision’, which should comprise the basis for guiding greenhouse horticulture research and future plans on themes such as education, employment and space.

The opening of the ‘Vertical Farming Fieldlab’ by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Delphy is scheduled to take place during the ‘Horti Science Park Event Weeks’, which will be held from 20 September to 8 October. In addition to the above, the Municipality of Lansingerland, WUR and Delphy, in conjunction with organisations such as Glastuinbouw Nederland and Greenport West-Holland, will be organising at least ten other events. Examples are the Knowledge Day for entrepreneurs in horticulture, the WaterEvent and an afternoon symposium on taste research. Meet-ups on the ‘Horti Science Vision’ will also be planned with young people who are interested in the horticultural sector and residents of the municipality. All events will be looking towards the future based on the knowledge we have today.

More information about the ‘Horti Science Park Event Weeks’, the programme and the content of the various meetings will soon be available online.

www.wur.eu

Upcoming Cafes:

• September 21st (Tuesday), 11AM Eastern – ‘Introduction to Aquaponics‘ by Dr. Paul Brown and Dr. Cary Mitchell (Purdue University)
• October 26th (Tuesday), 11AM Eastern – ‘Vertical Farming – Past, Present and Future‘ by Robert Colangelo (Green Sense Farms)
• November TBA
• December 7th (Tuesday), 11AM Eastern – ‘Plant-Made Pharmaceuticals under Controlled Environment‘ by Dr. Nobuyuki Matoba (University of Louisville)

Interested in giving a talk to share your thoughts and experiences? Please contact Chieri Kubota

The announcement will take place in the context of a virtual panel discussion on the importance of metrics to indoor farm sustainability and future investment in indoor agriculture. Finalists and industry thought leaders will sit on the panel. Those interested may register for the event at: indoor.ag/webinar.

The winners will be announced virtually in two categories: top commercial indoor production systems and the top indoor farm lighting fixture. Indoor production systems are turnkey systems that are optimized for the production of leafy greens and other vegetables in indoor vertical farm facilities. The top systems use the least amounts of water, energy, labor, and other resources to produce the greatest yield. The top lighting fixtures are energy-efficient, affordable and yield-optimizing.

“We are really excited to recognize excellence among the Agtech manufacturers supporting the indoor and vertical farming industry. Our finalists offer solutions that help indoor farms achieve operational efficiency and sustainability. We believe the awards can help spur innovation in this space,” stated Eric W. Stein, Ph.D., founder and Executive Director of the Center of Excellence.

The winning products were selected through a process that includes being nominated and then evaluated according to their technical and operational merits in several categories. The Center performs a quality check on the data before being input into a weighted multi-factor model. Products are also evaluated based on interviews and an analysis of online data.

More Info: More detailed information on the Center’s awards can be found at https://indooragcenter.org/awards. Growers and manufacturers are invited to become nominated and begin the application process. Winners receive numerous benefits including industry recognition, social media exposure as well as participation in future panel discussions and conferences.

About the Center
The Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture provides insights about the economics of indoor farming based on a careful analysis of industry data and from thought leaders in industry and academia. As the first U.S.-based Center of Excellence dedicated to indoor farming, it promotes best practices, bench-marking, networking, knowledge development and research. Its annual Best in Class Indoor Farming Awards (TM) recognize top indoor growers and manufacturers. The Center is located in the Philadelphia metro region.

About Indoor Ag-Con
Indoor Ag-Con is an organization which hosts premier events centered around building the indoor agriculture community. They unite growers and engineers alike to create a prime networking opportunity through discussions, workshops, and exhibits enhancing the participants’ knowledge of growing crops in indoor systems.

Mike Zelkind 80 Acres CEO keynote speaker at Indoor Ag-Con 2021

“80 Acres has been making headlines this year in a number of areas – from plans to expand its produce offerings to new research initiatives. We are so excited to be returning to our live, in-person format in October and offering a platform for forward-thinking industry leaders like Mike Zelkind to share the indoor farming innovations he and the 80 Acres team are working on,” says Brian Sullivan, co-owner, Indoor Ag-Con LLC.

Scheduled for day two, October 5, 2021, Mike Zelkind’s address will be held from 11:30 am – 12:20 pm. In addition to his CEO role with 80 Acres Farms, Mike is also Board Member of Infinite Acres (est. 2019), a vertical farming leader providing customers with fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables at affordable prices.

Utilizing world-class technology and analytics, 80 Acres Farms offers customers pesticide-free food with a longer shelf-life and the highest food safety standards while using fewer natural resources to produce over 300x more food on less than 1% of the footprint. Winner of Fast Company’s eighth “Most Innovative Company in North America,” 80 Acres was also a finalist for Red Herring’s Top 100 North America award, featured two years in a row on Forbes “Best Start-up List,” and awarded the eleventh spot on the “FoodTech 500” list.

For more than 25 years, Mike has been working with top-tier food companies such as General Mills, Del Monte, Bumble Bee, and ConAgra Foods and top-tier consultancies and start-ups AT Kearney and ICG Commerce, focusing on the food industry. Over the last 15 years, he has worked with Private Equity (such as Oaktree Capital and Bain Capital’s Sankaty) to drive over $2.5B of shareholder value.

In addition to headliner keynote sessions from leaders like Mike Zelkind, other 2021 event highlights include:

ROBUST 2021 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOW IN DEVELOPMENT

The 2021 conference will include a full roster of keynote sessions, panel discussions, fireside chats and presentations offering a deep dive into three core tracks – Business & Marketing, Science & Technology and Alternative Crops. Other keynotes will be led by David Rosenberg, CEO, AeroFarms and Sonia Lo, CEO, Sensei Ag.

The extensive educational conference will be joined by other new initiatives and show highlights, including:

NEW LOCATION: HILTON ORLANDO – DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES, TOO

Indoor Ag-Con’s Hilton Orlando venue makes it the perfect opportunity for a business vacation. Centrally located to all major theme parks and attractions, it is just minutes from the eclectic dining scene and entertainment of International Drive. What’s more, the Hilton Orlando resort sits on more than 26 acres of lush landscaping and tropical inspirations making it a true destination of its own. Indoor Ag-Con has arranged for discounted hotel rates for attendees and exhibitors starting as low as $129/night. Complete details are available on the show website.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

The Indoor Ag-Con team is working to bring even more resources for farmers/growers to explore across all sectors – everything from IT, energy, AI and lighting solutions to substrates, vertical farming solutions, business services and much more. Attendees and exhibitors alike will also have even more networking opportunities with daily luncheon sessions and receptions on the show floor.

QUICK FACTS:

WHEN: Monday, October 4 – Tuesday, October 5 , 2021

WHERE: Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32819

INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending www.indoor.ag or e: suzanne@indoor.ag

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. More information: www.indoor.ag

ABOUT 80 ACRES FARMS

80 Acres Farms is a vertical farming leader providing customers with the freshest and most nutritious fruits and vegetables at affordable prices. Utilizing world-class technology and analytics, the Company offers customers a wide variety of pesticide-free food with a longer shelf life that exceeds the highest food safety standards. More information: www.eafarms.com

Press Release – Sensei Ag CEO Sonia Lo will lead the Indoor Ag-Con keynote presentation, “Improving Human Wellness One Farm At A Time,” on Monday, October 4, 2021 from 11:30 am – 12:20 pm. A headliner event at the October 4-5, 2021 edition of the premier trade show and conference for the indoor | vertical farming industry at the Hilton Orlando, Lo’s discussion will focus on Sensei Ag’s form factor agnostic approach to building and expanding indoor farms.

Themed “Growing Your Business,” Indoor Ag-Con will give attendees the opportunity to explore new resources on the expo floor and hear from Lo, other CEOs, thought leaders and industry experts from today’s cutting-edge farms and innovative companies.

During her presentation, Lo will share more about Sensei Ag’s mission to improve human health and wellness by transforming indoor agriculture. The company’s uniquely vertically integrated value chain — from seed conception to store shelves — allows it to consistently deliver nutritious produce to consumers and actionable data to farmers. She will discuss the current challenges facing the indoor farming industry and how being a form factor agnostic company is a novel and necessary approach to overcoming such obstacles.

Tapped to head Sensei Ag in 2020, Sonia brings more than 32 years of combined agriculture, technology and business experience to her leadership role. Lo began her career in technology, building her first tech venture as CEO of eZokaGroup, a UK-based internet startup that she sold in 2002. Following eZoka, Lo founded and served as Managing Director of Chalsys LLP, an advisory and direct investment firm which has invested over $120 million in 15 global growth stage companies. From Chalsys, Lo became the Director of Localization and Global Content for Google, Inc.

Most recently, Ms. Lo was CEO of Crop One Holdings, Inc., a vertical farming company that owns a vertical farm in Massachusetts. Crop One is also part of a joint venture with Emirates Flight Catering in Dubai which is building one of the world’s largest vertical farms.

You can learn more about Sonia Lo and her Indoor Ag-Con keynote session here.

“We are very excited to have Sonia Lo join our keynote line-up. Her incredible background and proven leadership experience, coupled with the indoor farming innovations she and her Sensei Ag team are working on, promise to inspire our attendees, “ says Brian Sullivan, co-owner, Indoor Ag-Con LLC along with other event industry veterans Nancy Hallberg and Kris Sieradzki.

ROBUST 2021 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOW IN DEVELOPMENT

In addition to Sonia Lo’s keynote, look for additional announcements coming soon on other CEO keynote presentations planned for the October event. The 2021 conference will also include a full roster of panel discussions, fireside chats and presentations offering a deep dive into three core tracks – Business & Marketing, Science & Technology and Alternative Crops.

The extensive educational conference will be joined by other new initiatives and show highlights, including:

NEW LOCATION: HILTON ORLANDO – DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES, TOO

Indoor Ag-Con’s Hilton Orlando venue makes it the perfect opportunity for a business vacation. Centrally located to all major theme parks and attractions, it is just minutes from the eclectic dining scene and entertainment of International Drive. What’s more, the Hilton Orlando resort sits on more than 26 acres of lush landscaping and tropical inspirations making it a true destination of its own. Indoor Ag-Con has arranged for discounted hotel rates for attendees and exhibitors starting as low as $129/night. Complete details are available on the show website.

NEW ASSOCIATION ALLIANCES

Indoor Ag-Con is also forging new alliances with other events, industry associations/groups that will play an integral role in its marketing outreach and conference programming. Look for partnership announcements coming soon.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

The Indoor Ag-Con team is working to bring even more resources for farmers/growers to explore across all sectors – everything from IT, energy, AI and lighting solutions to substrates, vertical farming solutions, business services and much more. Attendees and exhibitors alike will also have even more networking opportunities with daily luncheon sessions and receptions on the show floor.

QUICK FACTS:

WHEN: Monday, October 4 – Tuesday, October 5 , 2021
WHERE: Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32819
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email hello@indoor.ag

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. The next edition is slated for October 4-5, 2021 at the Hilton Orlando. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. www.indoor.ag

ABOUT SENSEI AG
Sensei Ag is a market-changing AgTech company on a mission to solve global gaps and inconsistencies in nutrition, food safety, and food security through the transformative power of data. Guided by the incomparable capabilities and insights of our founders, technology entrepreneur and Oracle Co-Founder Larry Ellison and esteemed physician and scientist Dr. David Agus, we design, develop and deploy cutting-edge agricultural technologies to build a better, more stable food supply that is capable of feeding our entire world nutritionally-relevant, delicious, affordable meals. We are the present and the future of farming, fostering agricultural innovations that will improve and support human health and wellness for decades to come. Sensei Ag: driven by data; grounded in science; focused on wellbeing. Learn more about our innovations in agriculture by visiting our website at sensei.ag and connecting with us on LinkedIn.

Gene Giacomelli, Professor, Biosystems Engineering Department and UA-CEAC, University of Arizona, will moderate the panel that includes: 

• Sam Bertram, CEO, OnePointOne
• Sam Schatz, Managing Director & Global Head of Farm Development, AeroFarms
• Marta Baptista, Global Director of Strategic Research and Technology Adoption, Driscoll’s Berries
• Michael Rose, Partner, Better Food Ventures

Join the discussion on May 27, 6:00 – 8:00pm [Pacific]. Organized by Home – VLAB.