Hydroponic Vegetable Production Starts November 13!

Learn to manage different hydroponics systems, as well as the fundamentals of climate, water, nutrition, and plant health in these systems. Hydroponic Vegetable is part of the award-winning Greenhouse Online Training courses offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. This intermediate course is designed for growers with some experience and training. Topics covered include hydroponics growing systems and structures, specific vegetable crop examples, business management, and food safety. The course is offered in English and Spanish. Rated 4.4 out of 5 by grower participants, with an 83% graduation rate last year! Over 190 growers have successfully taken this course.

The course is taught by a team of instructors from the University of Florida and Cornell University led by Bob Hochmuth and Dr. Tatiana Sanchez-Jones at UF/IFAS. Past participants have liked that it was “a well-done course with plenty of relevant information for all aspects of hydroponic growing throughout the industry” and described instructors as “attentive, responsive, and enthusiastic”.

The course runs from November 13 to December 15, 2023. The cost is $US265 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 4 hours per week.

Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.

Weed Management Starts October 16!

Understand all aspects of weed management in nurseries and greenhouses including weed identification, developing herbicide programs, and the latest non-chemical methods of weed control that work. Weed Management is part of the award-winning Greenhouse Online Training courses offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. This course is intermediate level and designed for people with some experience or entry university level, who are in production, technical, or sales role for greenhouse and nursery crops. Topics covered include weed identification, herbicides, calibration, non-chemical methods of weed control, impact of production practices on weed control and herbicide efficacy and managing difficult and unique weed control issues. The course is offered in English and Spanish. Rated 4.4 out of 5 by grower participants, with an 88% graduation rate last year! Over 230 growers have successfully taken this course.

The course is taught by Dr. Chris Marble, associate professor of ornamental and landscape weed management in the Department of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida. He focuses on teaching horticulture professionals about the importance of identifying weed species before applying treatments. Growers in the course have described him as an instructor who “is very methodical and easy to learn from” who presents “weed management in an in-depth, clear manner.”

The course runs from October 16 to November 10, 2023. The cost is $US265 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 6 hours per week. Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).

Weed Management is one of six courses that counts towards the Plant Health Professional certificate offered by University of Florida UF IFAS Extension (UF Greenhouse Training Online) and the Michigan State University Floriculture Program Extension (MSU Online College of Knowledge) to help greenhouse clientele grow their career in plant health management.

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.

PhD instructors include Paul Fisher from University of Florida, Erik Runkle and Roberto Lopez from Michigan State University, Jim Faust from Clemson University, John Erwin from University of Maryland,
Jennifer Boldt and Kale Harbick from USDA-ARS, Charlie Hall from Texas A&M, as well as environmental control experts from Argus, Priva, and Wadsworth. This well-rounded team will help you select and operate climate control equipment and sensors for ideal crop growth.

The course runs from October 16 to November 10, 2023. The cost is $US265 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors and industry experts, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 6 hours per week. Our courses are highly rated by participants with over 80% completion, and your resume will be enhanced with a customized certificate of completion from UF. Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu. The course is supported by the American Floral Endowment and the USDA-ARS Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative.

This is the world’s first closed-loop, comprehensive autonomous growing solution developed for
the greenhouse industry. Other solutions focus on smoothing climate and are typically based on
small sampling datasets. The solution developed by IUNU uses computer vision to
comprehensively monitor crop growth for every plant in the greenhouse and autonomously
executes crop strategies based on how crops are performing.

“WPR has long served as a leader in the horticulture industry and we are thrilled to work
together to bring truly autonomous growing to the greenhouse industry. Having exclusive access
to world-class research facilities and talent accelerates our ability to bring products to market and
to drive value for growers around the world,” said Allison Kopf, Chief Growth Officer at IUNU.
IUNU has installed its computer vision system at WPR facilities in Bleiswijk in both traditional
and semi-closed greenhouse compartments with both Moving Gully Systems (MGS) as well as
Deep Water Culture (DWC) pond systems.

IUNU intends to bring this solution first to commercial lettuce growers, then to high wire crops.
To learn more about autonomous growing, visit IUNU’s website at www.iunu.com.

About IUNU
Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Seattle, IUNU aims to close the loop in greenhouse
autonomy and is focused on being the world’s leading controlled environment specialist. IUNU’s
flagship platform, LUNA, combines software with a variety of high-definition cameras — both
fixed and mobile — and environmental sensors to keep track of the minutiae of plant growth and
health in indoor ag settings. LUNA’s goal is to turn commercial greenhouses into precise, predictable, demand-based manufacturers that optimize yield, labor, and product quality.
www.IUNU.com

OptimIA project members are sharing their indoor farm research findings with the controlled environment agriculture industry and the public through a variety of educational and informational outlets.

The indoor farm industry is very fluid right now with changes occurring on a weekly basis. New companies are starting, some are leaving the industry, while others continue to receive millions of investor dollars to expand their operations. While financial stability is a key factor in the sustainability of some of these businesses, the need for production- and economic-related information is crucial to profitably producing quality leafy greens crops. Those with the financial backing have been able to develop and implement their own technology to produce indoor crops. New indoor farm growers, existing operations with limited financial resources, and even large-scale farms already in operation continue to look for sound production- and economic-related information that they can apply to their businesses.

Improving the indoor farm industry

In 2015 when members of the OptimIA project team initially submitted a USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant proposal for funding, the primary focus of their research was on the production of leafy greens in indoor farms, but the focal points were moderately diverse.

“We went through the proposal submission process for several years before USDA approved the grant for the OptimIA project,” said Erik Runkle, who is project director and a horticulture professor at Michigan State University. “The proposal that was finally approved was to study the aerial environment as well as economics for leafy greens grown indoors. The aerial environment refers to air circulation, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, light and temperature.”

One of the major objectives of the OptimIA project was to focus on industry outreach.

“The outreach program objective was to engage with stakeholders in the indoor vertical farming community,” Runkle said. “Prior to submitting the proposal to USDA, the project team members worked with an industry advisory committee and stakeholders from the indoor farm community.”

OptimIA team member Chieri Kubota, who is a professor and director of Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (OHCEAC) at Ohio State University, said proposals submitted for USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grants usually require both a strong research and outreach focus.

“USDA SCRI-funded projects focus on problem solving to move a specific industry forward,” Kubota said. “Not only is the research important, but also implementation of research findings in the industry sector. This is basically outreach extension. The proposals cannot just focus on research alone. It is important to have strong outreach activities.”

Multiple outreach activities, educational materials

Even before the grant proposal was submitted to USDA, OptimIA team members had already begun interacting with members of the indoor farm industry.

“We had been engaging stakeholders as a sort of proposal activities,” Kubota said. “We started doing the Indoor Ag Science Café almost a year in advance of submitting the grant funding proposal. That way we were engaging our stakeholders trying to develop a community educational platform that was a main activity. Indoor farm growers and equipment manufacturers are the general target audience of the project’s research. Team members are also constantly answering questions from growers and venture capital companies regarding indoor vertical farms.”

The OptimIA website includes a variety of educational materials including Research Highlights articles , scientific research journal publications and trade magazine articles, including Urban Ag News.

The OptimIA team members have also shared information from their research at various scientific- and grower-focused industry conferences. In July several members shared their research findings at Cultivate’23 during an educational workshop on the Essentials of Hydroponics Production: A tHRIve Symposium.

Team members have also been developing online educational materials under OptimIA University, which include YouTube videos.

“We have posted several lectures with topics based on discussions among the project members,” Kubota said. “The concept of OptimIA University is free access to whoever wants to use the online materials. The grower sector is the targeted audience.

“Rather than offering courses for a fee, we decided to make the information available to everyone, including growers and other companies that want to use it to train their employees. It consists of YouTube video lectures with pdf slides and additional reading materials. The OptimIA University website is about half completed and there are other course lectures still pending.”

The OptimIA researchers also hold an annual invitation-only stakeholder meeting.

“The annual meetings are specifically for our advisory committee which gives team members an opportunity to share information about the research in progress and that has been recently completed,” Runkle said. “It’s also an opportunity for the committee members to provide feedback and guide future project activity.

“We also invite growers and company representatives who we have worked with in some capacity on research projects. This includes growers with whom we may have conducted research trials or representatives from companies that have provided us with equipment or supplies used in our research.”

Educating the public

Even though the primary focus of the OptimIA project outreach program is members of the indoor farm industry, the team members also extend their educational activities to the general public.

“OptimIA researchers at Ohio State participated in the COSI Science Festival organized by the Columbus Museum of Science and Industry,” Kubota said. “This is a community STEM educational event in which companies and scientists participate and showcase their technologies and science. It is held in May over multiple days. We participated as an OptimIA group. We showed how leafy greens can be produced using different hydroponic systems with LED lights. OptimIA team members at Michigan State University and at University of Arizona have also done similar STEM programs related to hydroponic crop production for the public.”

For more: Erik Runkle, Michigan State University, Department of Horticulture; runkleer@msu.edu; https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/dr_erik_runkle; https://www.canr.msu.edu/profiles/dr_erik_runkle/cell. Chieri Kubota, Ohio State University, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science; kubota.10@osu.edu; https://hcs.osu.edu/our-people/dr-chieri-kubota; https://ohceac.osu.edu/. OptimIA, https://www.scri-optimia.org/.

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

Cannabis water use efficiency (WUE) refers to the amount of water a cannabis plant uses to produce a certain amount of biomass or yield. Supplemental light, such as artificial lighting in indoor cultivation, can have significant effects on a plant’s water use efficiency. 

Here’s how:

1. **Increased Photosynthesis:** Supplemental light, especially in indoor growing environments, can enhance photosynthesis in cannabis plants. When plants can capture more light energy, they can convert more carbon dioxide and water into sugars and other organic compounds. This increased photosynthetic activity can potentially lead to improved water use efficiency, as more water is used for productive processes.

2. **Transpiration and Stomatal Regulation:** Transpiration is the process by which water is released from a plant’s leaves through small openings called stomata. These openings also allow for the exchange of gasses, including carbon dioxide and oxygen. When more light is available, plants often open their stomata wider to take in more carbon dioxide, which can lead to increased water loss through transpiration. This could potentially decrease water use efficiency if not properly managed.

3. **Optimal Lighting Management:** To maximize water use efficiency under supplemental light, it’s important to manage light levels effectively. Providing the right amount of light for the growth stage of the cannabis plant can help maintain a balance between photosynthesis and transpiration. Using light intensity and duration strategies, growers can optimize the plant’s ability to produce energy while minimizing excessive water loss.

4. **Growing Medium and Watering Techniques:** The choice of growing medium (soil, coco coir, hydroponics, etc.) and the watering techniques employed can also influence cannabis water use efficiency. Proper substrate choice and irrigation practices can help regulate water availability to the plant roots, preventing both water stress and waterlogging — both of which can impact WUE.

5. **Genetics and Environmental Factors:** Cannabis cultivars vary in their response to light intensity and other environmental factors. Some strains may exhibit better water use efficiency under supplemental light compared to others. Additionally, environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels can also influence water use efficiency.

To push these limits, Callado and Hernandez regulated and analyzed the quantity and demand of resources and plant growth factors on an ongoing basis. They added light and water-control and measuring capabilities to every plot in the greenhouse, in addition to measuring temperature and evapotranspiration. 

As shown in Figure 1, the cannabis crops were grown under four light levels using two Current dimmable fixtures per plot supplementing sunlight. The L1000 PPB lighting fixtures delivered uniform supplemental light intensities of 150, 300, 500, and 700 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for 18 hours, while the Daily Light Integral (DLI) from the sun and LEDs were on average around 18, 30, 40, and 52 mol m⁻² d^-1. However, they present preliminary results for the three highest light levels. 

Moreover, the fertigation system was triggered independently at each plot when the pots’ water container capacities were 80%. This maintained consistent water and nutrient levels in pots regardless of the crop growth rates. Finally, the water use was quantified with load cells (scales) under the plants.

The Results and Conclusions

It’s easy to conclude from known knowledge that the impact of supplemental light on cannabis water use efficiency can be complex and depends on various factors, including light intensity, duration, genetics, and environmental conditions. Proper management of these factors, along with optimized growing practices, can help improve water use efficiency in cannabis cultivation. 

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, research and experimentation in this area will provide more insights into how to achieve the best water use efficiency outcomes.

The results from Callado and Hernandez suggest that increasing the light amount not only increases the number of branches or cuttings per plant but also could increase the water demand (Figure 2b) and water-use efficiency to produce cuttings (less water per cutting) (Figure 2b). 

In other words, plants grown under an average DLI of 30 mol m^-2 d^-1 for 21 days produced close to 29 cuttings per plant, while plants grown at 52 mol m^-2 d^-1 produced 47 cuttings per plant from new secondary branches. 

Furthermore, plants grown under 30 mol m^-2 d^-1 produced 2.5 cuttings per every liter of water, while plants grown under 52 mol m^-2 d^-1 produced 4.3 cuttings per the same liter of water. This means the crops were more efficient at transforming water into branches under higher light intensities.

So how does this impact commercial growers?

The current research highlights the ability of a cannabis crop to use higher light levels to increase yield and water-use efficiency (higher yield per liter of water). The water-use efficiency for cutting production went from 2.5 to 4.3 cuttings per liter of evapotranspirated water when growing plants under 30 versus 52 moles of light per day, respectively. This would mean that to produce 100 cuttings using 52 moles of light, growers needed 23 liters of water instead of 40 liters under 30 moles of light. 

Figure 1. The top-left picture shows the experimental layout and greenhouse with two L1000 PPB fixtures at each plot or light treatment area (12 plots in total). The top-right picture shows a plot sensor that measures light from the two LED fixtures and the sun. The bottom pictures and arrows represent typical cannabis flower and plant production cycles.

Figure 2 shows the number of secondary branches or cuttings (a) water use per plant, (b) water-use efficiency (branches or cuttings per liter of water) and (c) under three light levels (30, 40, and 52 mol m⁻²) using LED lighting in addition to the sunlight.

To see other research from Hernandez and Callado, please follow this link:  www.gecurrent.com/eu-en/inspiration/researching-the-impact-of-supplemental-lighting-on-cannabis-production

The course is offered in English and Spanish. Rated 4.2 out of 5 by grower participants, with over 80%
graduation rate last year! Over 480 growers have successfully taken this course.

Dr. Carrie Harmon, Director of the UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center in Gainesville, FL and Co-Director of the National Plant Diagnostic Network, teaches the course. Growers have described the training as “detailed but digestible, with an emphasis on practical, field-applicable knowledge”, and that the course material “is very dynamic, which makes it easy to understand and apply to our day-to-day work in the greenhouse.”

The course runs from September 11 to October 6, 2023. The cost is $US265 per participant, with a 20%
discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 6 hours per week.

Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).

Disease Management is one of six courses that counts towards the Plant Health Professional certificate
offered by University of Florida UF IFAS Extension (UF Greenhouse Training Online) and the Michigan State University Floriculture Program Extension (MSU Online College of Knowledge) to help greenhouse clientele grow their career in plant health management.

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.

There will be keynote speeches on the latest technology and interdisciplinary research on PFALs and open discussions on business trends, needs for technology development and collaboration specific to PFALs, and future possibilities for social activities with key players such as PFAL operators actively involved internationally. Poster presentations, exhibitions, and sponsored lunch sessions will also be held at the venue, providing an opportunity for interaction and high-level networking among the world’s plant factory leaders and enthusiastic community.

The symposium will feature the keywords, including “Global trends, challenges, and prospects of plant factory business, large-scale strawberry plant factory, fully automated plant factory, improving light and other resource use efficiency in plant factories, plant phenotyping, plant factories with generative AI, next-generation nutrient solution management, breeding, space farms, plant-made pharmaceuticals and functional food, urban farm, plant factories for the circular economy, plant factories in the smart city.” These topics will be covered through open discussions and international collaboration at smart city Kashiwa-no-ha, and online, with a view to achieving “staying healthy simply by living.” The symposium will offer highly interactive sessions from various perspectives with leading international researchers and the hottest business leaders of the moment. 

Speakers/Panelists

Chieri Kubota Professor, the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, U.S.

Leo Marcelis Professor and Head of Chair Group Horticulture and Product Physiology,　Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Hiroki Koga Co-founder and CEO, Oishii Farm, U.S.

Seishi Ninomiya Emeritus Professor, The University of Tokyo, Japan

Francesco Orsini Full Professor, the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Italy

Roel Janssen Chief Business Officer, Planet Farms, Italy

Eiji Goto Professor, Chiba University, Japan

Yoshiaki Kitaya Professor Emeritus and Director of R&D Center for the Plant Factory, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan

Masayuki Hirafuji Project Professor, The University of Tokyo, Japan

Paul Gauthier Professor, Protected Cropping, The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Australia

Katashi Kai General Manager, Shinnippou (808 factory), Japan

Nagateru Nozawa CEO, MIRAI CO., LTD, Japan

Eri Hayashi President, Japan Plant Factory Association

Click https://select-type.com/e/?id=DFQu2EcoBas&w_flg=1 for onsite registration
or https://select-type.com/e/?id=9USB5nqn1p4&w_flg=1 for online registration.

For more information, go to JPFA International Symposium on Plant Factory 2023, or contact the JPFA at symposium@npoplantfactory.org. 

Japan Plant Factory Association

The Japan Plant Factory Association, a nonprofit organization founded in 2010, is devoted to advancing the plant factory industry and controlled-environment agriculture in and outside Japan through academia-industry collaborations.

Its mission is to develop and disseminate sustainable plant factory systems in a bid to address issues concerning food, the environment, energy, and natural resources.

Activities range from research and development in collaboration with research institutes and industrial companies, technical and business support, planning and operation of human resource development programs to educate plant factory specialists, organizing onsite tours, and international projects, including public relations activities.

Facilities: 15 Plant factories and more on the Kashiwa-no-ha campus site

R&D projects by consortium members, applied research at facilities suitable for demonstration, collaboration with academia and industry

Website: https://npoplantfactory.org/en

The speakers and topics are:

Dr. Jim Owen, USDA-ARS, Water in Ohio – nursery use and return including reservoirs

Dr. Sarah White, Clemson, Reservoir water quality and management

Dr. Jeb Fields, LSU, Substrates and water management

Dr. Jake Shreckhise, USDA-ARS, Irrigation frequency and container color affect substrate temperature and controlled-release fertilizer longevity

Dr. Garrett Owen, OSU, Basics of substrate pH and soluble salts sampling and monitoring

Dr. Raul Cabrera, Texas A&M, Managing soluble salts in nursery and greenhouse production

Dr. Amy Fulcher, UT-Knoxville, TBD

Click here to enroll: https://cfaesosu.catalog.instructure.com/courses/water-management-and-quality-for-greenhouse-and-nursery-crop-production

The course runs from August 14 to September 8, 2023. The cost is $US530 per participant, with a 20%
discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 6 hours per week.
Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.

PORTLAND, Ore. (June 29, 2023) — Resource Innovation Institute (RII), the leading not-for-profit energy and water benchmarking organization for CEA producers, announced today the availability of its long-awaited Water Circularity Best Practices Guide for Controlled Environment Agriculture Operations. It can be downloaded from RII’s resource catalog at this link.

“This report is the result of a comprehensive, collaborative effort between equipment manufacturers, academia, regulators, utility providers and RII’s in-house experts,” said Derek Smith, Executive Director of Resource Innovation Institute. “It is the first comprehensive guide on water efficiency in CEA in North America and will prove invaluable to any operation working to implement efforts to reduce water consumption and increase efficiency.”

According to Smith, environmental sustainability is just one reason to implement water efficiency best practices. As reported in a 2016 study from Alberta, Canada, resource efficiency also makes a direct impact on a CEA facility’s bottom line. For example, the study found that recirculating irrigation water has been shown to reduce water consumption by 20-40% and fertilizer costs by 40-50%. The Water Circularity Best Practices Guide covers topics such as reducing irrigation water use in hydroponic and horticultural substrate culture, reducing the use of climate control water and process water, how to recapture water and other critical issues.

“Any size operation will be able to implement the best practices for reducing water consumption identified in this report,” Smith said. “Larger or more advanced facilities can apply the strategies for recycling and remediating multiple water streams using physical, chemical, and biological technologies, putting them on the path to become zero-discharge facilities. There really is a comprehensive focus to this guide that will be beneficial for everyone.”

Through actionable tips and tools on the operational benefits of adopting water-saving practices, the guide offers practical solutions to reduce, remediate and recycle a CEA facility’s water usage. It can be downloaded at this link from RII’s resource catalog.

About Resource Innovation Institute: We Empower Farm Resilience
Resource Innovation Institute (RII) is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership advancing climate resilience. RII provides resource efficiency education, training, and verification services, in collaboration with CEA producers, researchers, governments, utilities, and the design & construction sector. Visit our website at ResourceInnovation.org. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

(JULY 17, 2023 – LAS VEGAS,NV) — Indoor Ag-Con, the largest trade show and conference for vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture (CEA), has partnered with Ceres University, a leading provider of IACET-accredited food safety training and certification, to host a CEA Food Safety Workshop ahead of the March 11-12, 2024 edition of Indoor Ag-Con at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas. Scheduled for Sunday, March 10, 2024 from 1-5 pm, the “Internal Review Class” is designed to help industry professionals build their careers and prepare to meet the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) requirement for internal auditing certification.

Internal audit certification is a mandatory requirement of the GFSI as it demonstrates an individual’s ability to conduct internal assessments of any food safety program.  By developing and maintaining a robust and effective internal audit system, operations can enhance their food safety and food quality processes through actionable improvements. This CEA Food Safety Workshop will provide valuable insights into best practices and common mistakes to avoid for successful programs, as outlined by  GFSI level professors in Food Science.
“We are thrilled to add this important CEA Food Safety Workshop to our growing line-up of educational offerings,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO of Indoor Ag-Con. “Food safety is of paramount importance in today’s rapidly evolving CEA industry, and our collaboration with Ceres University underscores our dedication to arming our attendees with the necessary skills to meet global standards.”
“Partnering with Indoor Ag-Con to host the CEA Food Safety Workshop is an exciting opportunity for Ceres University,” adds Karl Kolb, Ph.D., President, Ceres University. “Our aim is to empower professionals in the CEA industry with the knowledge and skills required to achieve and maintain the highest food safety standards. This workshop will provide attendees with proven tools and insights needed to enhance their internal audit processes and drive continuous improvement in their operations.”
The registration fee for the workshop is $575 which includes:

• Admission to 4-hour workshop and course materials
• Ability to earn up to 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) upon completion  
• Indoor Ag-Con Expo Hall Only Pass, which includes access to Expo Floor March 11-12, 2024; admission to all Indoor Ag-Con Expo Theater presentations; Expo Floor Welcome Happy Hour; and access to expo floor of National Grocers Association (NGA) Show running concurrently at Caesars Forum

Workshop instructors include Dr. Karl Kolb, president of Ceres University and Ceres Certifications, International (CCI) and Kellie Worrell, GlobalG.A.P. Scheme Manager, CCI. Dr. Kolb is a  microbiologist with a quality background and more than 30 years as an industry professional. In addition to her current role with CCI, Kellie Worrell has managed the Food Safety Program for multiple vegetable farms, including a wide variety of crops. CCI features GLOBALG.A.P. among its many GFSI food safety schemes.

The workshop is designed for anyone in the CEA industry dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of food safety and quality, including food safety managers, quality assurance professionals, compliance officers, and executives with a vested interest in protecting their brand’s reputation.   During the workshop attendees will learn how to organize an internal auditing program;  master risk-based approaches; educate and empower teams to become food safety advocates; effectively document findings; conduct an interview; uncover root cases, and more.

For more information and registration details for the CEA Food Safety Workshop, visit: www.indoor.ag/ceafoodsafety.

By encouraging students to showcase their work through poster presentations, the competition seeks to foster collaboration opportunities between individuals in academia and private industry, while also connecting commercial companies with qualified candidates.

“We are proud to co-host the graduate student poster competition at the CEA Summit East Conference,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “This competition not only provides a great platform for students to share their research, but also enables commercial companies to discover talented individuals who can contribute to the future growth and innovation of the CEA sector.”

The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is dedicated to advancing research and development in CEA. The center’s Co-Director and IALR Vice President, Scott Lowman, Ph.D., adds, “The graduate student poster competition is one more way we’re bridging the gap between academia and industry, promoting knowledge exchange, and opening doors to new collaboration in the CEA field.”

Graduate students interested in participating in the competition are invited to learn more and submit abstracts detailing their research by August 1, 2023, via www.ceasummit.com/#poster-competition.

A panel of experts will review the abstracts and select ten finalists to present their work through poster presentations at the conference. Selected candidates will receive a complimentary full access graduate student conference pass ($395 value) to attend the conference/competition. Judging will be held during the event and the winner will be announced at the day two keynote breakfast session on September 20, 2023.

Following its successful debut edition in October 2022, which brought together more than 200 attendees from 28 states, CEA Summit East 2023 will continue to foster connections and collaboration among growers, educators, scientists, extension specialists, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architect/developers and other industry members. Throughout the two-day event attendees will have the opportunity to explore the latest innovations from tabletop exhibitors, enjoy networking opportunities, and attend a full roster of keynote, panel presentations and research/industry showcases.

For more information about the graduate student poster competition and the September 19-20, 2023, edition of CEA Summit East, visit the conference website at www.ceasummit.com

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Indoor Ag-Con is the premier global event series focused on the future of indoor farming. Since 2013, the trade show and conference, the industry’s largest, has been at the forefront of the rapidly expanding vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture sector, providing a platform for industry leaders, innovators, and researchers to connect, share knowledge, and drive the industry forward. More information- www.indoor.ag

ABOUT THE VIRGINIA TECH-IALR CEA INNOVATION CENTER
The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project between IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center. By developing strategic partnerships with both industry and academia, the goal of the Innovation Center is to conduct research and educational programming to develop, promote and advance the CEA sector in the U.S. and internationally. More information–www.ialr.org/cea

Nutrient Management Level 1 Starts July 10!

One of the biggest factors affecting the success of your crop is correctly managing nutrients in the root zone. Nutrient Management Level 1 is part of the award-winning Greenhouse Online Training program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. This course is intermediate level and designed for people with some experience or entry university level, who are in production, technical, or sales role for greenhouse and nursery crops. Topics covered include common nutrient problems, essential nutrients, fertilizer types, growing media, and testing (soil, nutrient solution and tissue). The course is offered in English and Spanish. Rated 4.4 out of 5 by grower participants, with over 90% graduation rate last year! Over 900 growers have successfully taken this course.

The course runs from July 10 to August 4, 2023. The cost is $US265 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 6 hours per week. Click here to register.

Nutrient Management 1 is one of six courses that counts towards the Plant Health Professional certificate offered by University of Florida UF IFAS Extension (UF Greenhouse Training Online) and the Michigan State University Floriculture Program Extension (MSU Online College of Knowledge) to help greenhouse clientele grow their career in plant health management.

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.