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.

Guy Blanchard’s keynote is scheduled for Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 9 a.m.

The CEA Summit East is co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con, the largest vertical farming | CEA gathering, and the CEA Innovation Center – a partnership between the IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

During his keynote, Blanchard will share how AeroFarms is emerging stronger in the months following a Chapter 11 filing, touching on growing retail partnerships with leaders like Walmart, H-E-B, The Fresh Market, Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, and other initiatives. He will also provide updates on AeroFarms’ newest farm in Danville, which continues to scale according to plan. 

Blanchard brings extensive project finance and corporate development experience for AeroFarms, a leading clean-technology company that builds and operates commercial state-of-the-art indoor vertical farms around the world, helping transform agriculture. A Certified B Corporation, AeroFarms has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies in the World and by Inc. as one of the Top 25 Disruptive Companies. Guy last served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, at Amonix, Inc., a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems equipment manufacturer and developer. 

Guy has also served as a Managing Director for Fortress Investment Group’s Drawbridge family of funds, where he was a principal investor with a focus on structured investments in long-lived assets. Prior to that, Guy was Vice President of Corporate Finance at GATX Capital Corporation and CFO for JTP Manufacturing. Guy holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA, both from the University of California, Davis.
“We are excited to welcome Guy Blanchard to our CEA Summit keynote stage. AeroFarms has been a trailblazer in the indoor farming industry, and his address will undoubtedly provide invaluable insights into the path forward for the indoor farming sector as it confronts new challenges, and new opportunities, head-on,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con.

“Having Guy Blanchard share his perspective on AeroFarms’ journey through recent challenges aligns perfectly with our mission to foster collaboration and innovation within the CEA community,” adds Dr. Scott Lowman, Co-Director of the CEA Innovation Center, and Vice President of Applied Research at IALR. 

The CEA Summit East is custom-tailored for new and well-seasoned CEA industry members from throughout the Eastern US, including indoor and greenhouse growers, facility owners and operators, educators, government officials, real estate developers, architects, construction specialists, sales and marketing teams and others.

During the two-day event, industry members will have the opportunity to hear from CEOs, researchers, and experts leading keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions; explore tabletop exhibits presenting the latest CEA innovations and services; and enjoy a host of networking opportunities ranging from meals and coffee breaks to an evening social event.

QUICK FACTS:

WHEN:                Tuesday, September 19 – Wednesday, September 20, 2023 

WHERE:              IALR Institute Conference Center, 150 Slayton Ave, Danville, VA 24540

INFO:                  For information on exhibiting or attending visit 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

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

(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.

• James Altland (USDA-ARS): “New Concepts for Managing Soilless Substrates for Sustainability & Crop Growth”
• Bruce Bugbee (Utah State University): “Turning Photons into Food”
• Murat Kacira (University of Arizona): “Advancement of Plant Sensing Technology for Sustainable Crop Production Under Controlled Environment”
• Ricardo Hernández (NC State University): “Indoor Precision Propagation of Horticultural and Industrial Crops”

To learn more about our keynote speakers, please check out their bios on our conference page. 

The conference will also feature eight invited research presentations by academic and industry based controlled environment research groups.  

Fadi Al-Daoud (OMAFRA)
Luis Cañas (Ohio State University)
Brendan Higgins (Auburn University)
Michelle Jones (Ohio State University)

Peter Ling (Ohio State University)
Yujin Park (Arizona State University)
Uttara Samarakoon (Ohio State University)
Kellie Walters (University of Tennessee)

REGISTER FOR THE OHCEAC CONFERENCE TODAY!

Join us on July 19th for OHCEAC’s second annual conference “Advancement of Sustainable Controlled Environment Crop Production Sciences and Technologies“.

The OHCEAC conference will be accessible in-person at the Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Complex (CEARC) in Columbus, OH or online via Zoom.

Please visit the OHCEAC conference main page to register!

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

CONFERENCE MEDIA PARTNER

DANVILLE, VA–  The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East is proud to announce its return on September 19-20, 2023 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, VA. Focused on convening the CEA industry and academia, the annual event is co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con, the premier global gathering of the vertical farming/CEA sector, and the Virginia Tech-IALR CEA Innovation Center, a joint project between IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center.  

Following the success of its debut edition in October 2022, which brought together more than 200 attendees from 28 states, the CEA Summit East will continue to foster connections and collaboration among growers, educators, scientists, extension specialists, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architect/developers, and other industry members.

“The enthusiasm and engagement we saw at our inaugural event were truly inspiring and we’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the CEA Innovation Center to bring the CEA Summit East back in 2023,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “Both organizations see tremendous value in growing an event like this that brings business and academia audiences together at an incredible research facility setting that really fosters an environment for sharing ideas and new business opportunities.”

The two-day event will feature keynotes, panels and breakout conference sessions, as well as tabletop exhibits from industry-leading companies and research facility tours. Attendees can expect to learn about the latest advances in CEA and explore opportunities for collaboration and growth. 

“We are excited to build on the momentum of our first event and continue to bring together leaders in the CEA industry,” said Dr. Scott Lowman, Co-Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center and Vice President of Applied Research at IALR.  “We look forward to showcasing the innovative research and education programs we are developing to support the growth of the CEA industry.”

For more information and to register to attend,exhibit and to learn more about speaking opportunities for the CEA Summit East 2023, please visit the event website at www.ceasummit.com

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the largest trade event for 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 –www.indoor.ag | 404.991.5186

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AT VIRGINIA TECH
The School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech trains the next generation of professionals in the fields of plant breeding and genetics, agronomic and horticultural crop production, plant protection, soil and water systems management, agricultural technologies, environmental restoration and agro-environmental stewardship.  It conducts research to improve agricultural productivity, reduce negative impacts on the environment and improve soil and water health.  Through extension programs, it provides science-based information to stakeholders to help them feed the world while protecting the environment.  More information —www.spes.vt.edu

ABOUT THE VIRGINIA SEAFOOD AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER AT VIRGINIA TECH
The Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Virginia Tech works to support the future of the historic seafood industry — in Virginia and beyond. Its extension specialists work with industry and research partners to identify and respond to emerging needs and provide technical guidance to stakeholders in every level of the seafood supply chain. Through technical assistance, training, process validation, value-added product development, and more, it helps stakeholders ensure product quality, safety, and viability. More information — www.arec.vaes.vt.edu

ABOUT IALR
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation. Core focus areas include research that provides a clear path to commercialization, advanced learning opportunities where education meets experience, training and rapid-launch space for advanced manufacturers, and economic development through conferencing and a partnership with the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance. It is located in scenic and historic Danville-Pittsylvania County on the VA/NC state line, within a short drive of Roanoke, Greensboro and Raleigh.  More information – www.ialr.org

After a pivotal year for the CEA sector, the summit will explore what’s needed to ensure the indoor  farming industry can continue innovating and growing into a crucial part of the global agri-food supply  chain.  

From multi-acre scale facility design to seed optimization for vertical growing, and from multi-million dollar funding rounds to the fine margins of running profitable farms, an international speaking faculty  will discuss the critical success factors for CEA in today’s economic environment. 

Delegates can take advantage of the dedicated meeting platform to meet future investors and  business partners in the 1-1 networking room or sit down with a thought-leader at a roundtable break out to dig deeper into the technologies and business models that are shaping the industry in 2023. 

With an exhibition showcasing growers, seed companies, climate controls and automated growing  equipment, as well as a menu featuring fantastic fresh produce from indoor farms, this is a summit  focused on high-profile networking and deal-making. 

Key Themes:  

• Finding New Sources of Funding in a Changing Economic Landscape  
• Alleviating the Impact of the Energy Crisis through Efficiencies and Alternatives
• Accelerating Automation to Improve Crop Care and Reduce Operational Costs
• Balancing Biology and Technology for Crop Growth and Profitability 
• Unlocking the Potential of Plant Genetics to Sow the Seeds of Growth  
• Growing Margins Through New Product Innovation from Crop to Shelf
• Exploring the Global Potential of Indoor Farming and the Next Regional Hotspots
• Promoting CEA as a Critical Piece of the Food Security Puzzle 
• Creating Industry Standards to Build Confidence and Communicate the Benefits of CEA 

Registration: www.indooragtechnyc.com/register 

One Summit Pass – Indoor AgTech (including virtual access):  

In-Person: 
Super Early Bird Price: $1695 (ends April 6) 
Full Price: $2295 

Virtual Access Only: 
Super Early Bird Price: $295 (ends April 6) 
Full Price: $595

Two Summit Pass – Indoor AgTech and Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins (including virtual  access): 

In-Person: 
Super Early Bird Price: $2695 (ends April 6) 
Full Price: $3295 

Virtual Access Only: 
Super Early Bird Price: $495 (ends April 6) 
Full Price: $895

Conference Programme – highlights

Tuesday 21 March

• 12:00 – 13:00: ‘Alternative crops and opportunities in the controlled environment agriculture sector’ by Sonny Moerenhout (Cultivators), María Pérez Vázquez (OLEOFLOR), Erick Ponce (ICAN LATAM), Juan Gabriel Succar (Verde Compacto) and moderated by Mariana Larrea (Santuario Uh May).
• 15:30 – 16:30: ‘It is not about high-tech, it’s about the right-tech: The experience of Agropark Querétaro and Agropark Honduras’ by Saul Baez (Agropark Greenhouse Association), Ricardo Lardizabal (AgroAlpha, Honduras) and moderated by Homero Ontiveros (AgTech América).

Wednesday 22 March

• 10:00 – 11:00: ‘Digital agriculture: How data collection and artificial intelligence are helping growers to increase productivity’ by Celene Solis (WayBeyond), Martin Helmich (Hoogendoorn Growth Management) and moderated by Pharis Rico (HortiConnect NL).
• 11:00 – 12:00: ‘Human resources: Strategies for the selection, training and retention of employees’ by Carlos Arteaga (Rancho Medio Kilo) and moderated by Georgius R. Gotsis (Eleven Rivers Grower).
• 12:30 – 13:30: Keynote Silke Hemming (Wageningen University & Research) will talk about: ‘The road to autonomous greenhouses’: 1: The greenhouse industry plays an important role in the supply of fresh produce. However operators have to make many decisions to achieve high yields with good product quality and at the right time. 2: Also managing crop production using all resources (water, energy, labour) efficiently is becoming increasingly important. The right greenhouse equipment, sensor technology and artificial intelligence (AI) achieve advances that make growers’ work easier.
• 15:00 – 16:00: ‘How private investment is changing the perception of the controlled environment agriculture industry and investment opportunities’ by Claudio García Salgó (AGreenVesting), Andrés Vázquez Lamont (Farm Capital), Juan Carlos Alderete Macal (Grupo Financiero Banorte) and moderated by Pablo Ricaud (Rising Farms).
• 16:00 – 17:00: ‘State of the industry: What are the threats and opportunities in the regional and global controlled environment agriculture industry’ by Georgius R. Gotsis (Eleven Rivers Grower), Guillermo Jiménez (AMHPAC), Tyrone Orozco (CJT Traders) and moderated by Oscar Woltman (MagicSun Farms).

Check out the full conference programme at https://www.greentech.nl/americas/conference-programme.

Partners of the event
The event is supported by the Asociación Mexicana de Horticultura Protegida A.C. (AMHPAC); the Centro Universitario CEICKOR; the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; among other prestigious organizations and institutions, which will provide a greater exchange of knowledge, experiences and success stories among industry suppliers from Mexico and other countries.

About GreenTech Americas
GreenTech Americas is part of the GreenTech portfolio and focuses on Mexico as well as the rest of the Americas. The goal is to meet the specific needs of growers, breeders and suppliers. GreenTech Americas enables a greater exchange of knowledge, experiences, and success stories of the horticultural industry in this region. The show is organized by RAI Amsterdam and Tarsus México. More information at www.greentech.nl/americas/.

About GreenTech Amsterdam
GreenTech Amsterdam will be held from Tuesday 13 – Thursday 15 June 2023. The exhibition is a global meeting place for all horticultural technology professionals with the focus on the early stages of the horticultural chain and the current issues growers face. GreenTech is supported by AVAG, the industry association for the greenhouse technology sector in the Netherlands. More information via www.greentech.nl or follow Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube.

Indoor Ag-Con marked its 10^th Anniversary Edition with record increases in attendee and exhibitor participation for its February 27-28, 2023 run at Caesars Forum Las Vegas. The exhibitor booth roster doubled with a sold-out show floor featuring 134 companies in 174 booths vs 70 companies in 80 booths for 2022.  Attendance saw a 62% increase over 2022 with 1453 attendees from 48 US states, the District of Columbia and US territories, as well as 29 other countries. Attendees included C-level execs and other decision-makers involved with every sector of controlled environment agriculture — growers, investors, tech providers, start-ups, academia, government, food service retail, suppliers and more.
For the second year, Indoor Ag-Con once again co-located with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show, attracting 200+ attendees from that event to the Indoor Ag-Con expo floor — taking the total attendance number over the 1600 mark.

“We are thrilled with the incredible growth Indoor Ag-Con continues to experience year-on-year,” says Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “This tremendous response from the industry — particularly our growing international attendance – positions Indoor Ag-Con as the global event for CEA  and confirms the growing importance and potential of vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture.  As we continue to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of our community, we are committed to delivering a high-quality event that provides unparalleled education, networking, and business growth opportunities for our attendees and exhibitors.  We look forward to an even brighter future for Indoor Ag-Con and the entire indoor agriculture industry”

Among the 10^th Anniversary Edition highlights:

CEO Keynote Sessions

Attendees had the chance to hear different perspectives from key executives from both the investment and farm operation sectors.  Arama Kukutai, CEO, Plenty kicked off day one with the opening morning keynote on February 27, 2023.  During the second part of his address, he welcomed surprise guest, Mark Hagan, Chief Investment Officer, Realty Income, who joined him on stage for a fireside chat sharing more about the recently announced strategic  real estate alliance to support the development of Plenty’s indoor vertical farms. Later that day Vonnie Estes, Vice President of Technology for the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) moderated the keynote panel, “The Ever-Changing Business Model Of Controlled Environment Agriculture Farming,” with Steve Platt, CEO, BrightFarms; Matt Ryan, CEO, Soli Organic; and Dave Vosburg, CIO, Local Bounti. On day two, February 28, 2023,  Dave Chen, CEO, Equilibrium, took the stage to share his thoughts on  “The State of CEA and the Road Ahead.”

Educational Tracks & Expo Floor Theater Panel Discussions

The 2023 edition featured 3 educational tracks – Grower, Trends & Innovation and Funding & Guidance– that brought industry experts together covering a  wide range of topics from lighting solutions outside of standard wavelengths, to lessons learned from business failures, food security, strawberry production and workforce development and more.  In addition, the Expo Floor Theater featured a Hardball session on the state of vertical farming; and fireside chats with leaders from Unfold and GoodLeaf and a session on installation success.  In addition, the 2023 edition welcomed a  new debate format with sessions like greenhouse v. vertical farming, pre-built v. custom-built controlled environments and container v vertical farming. 

Sold Out Expo Floor

Doubling in size over 2023, 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.

Indoor Ag-Con |Philips VIP Welcome Party

Back by popular demand, Philips Horticulture LED Solutions teamed up once again with Indoor Ag-Con to tee-up the 2023 edition with a VIP Welcome Par-tee on Sunday evening, February 26 at Topgolf Las Vegas.  Indoor Ag-Con conference speakers and other industry VIPs came together for an incredible evening of golf, networking, cocktails, food, music and fun – all compliments of Philips Horticulture LED Solutions.

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 March 11-12, 2024 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 largest trade show and conference for vertical farming | controlled environment agriculture in the United States. 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 – www.indoor.ag