Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds agricultural producers that Farm Loan Programs can be used to support a variety of climate-smart agriculture practices, which build on many practices that farmers and ranchers already use, like cover cropping, nutrient management and conservation tillage. “Farmers and ranchers are already doing their part to be stewards of our land, but some may lack the financial resources to take their efforts to the next level,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “USDA’s Farm Service Agency offers a variety of loans that can help those who would like to…
Author: urbanagnews
Village Farms Fresh is pleased to announce the company has been recognized as a ‘Giga Guru’ by its valued customer Walmart through their sustainability initiative ‘Project Gigaton’. There are currently over 6000 Walmart suppliers participating in Project Gigaton and Village Farms Fresh is in the top 18% of suppliers who have earned the status of Giga Guru. This milestone collectively with other suppliers’ actions reported is expected to reduce, avoid, or sequester over one gigaton of CO2 emissions which helped Walmart to reach their intended goal 6 years early. To make a comparison, according to Walmart this is equivalent to…
Free, downloadable report provides guidelines to improve the resource efficiency by reducing energy consumption and peak loads, as well as water consumption PORTLAND, Ore. — Resource Innovation Institute (RII), a not-for-profit, public-private partnership advancing climate resilience, announced today the availability of its Controls and Automation Best Practices Guide for Controlled Environment Agriculture Operations. It can be downloaded from RII’s resource catalog at this link. “The technologies serving Controlled Environment Agriculture have advanced at an exhilarating pace over the past decade,” said Rob Eddy, Resource Efficiency Horticulturist of RII and author of the completed guide. “One of the biggest challenges for growers and their facility design…
The upcoming edition of GreenTech Amsterdam shines the spotlight on emerging technologies for the future of horticulture. In the extensive knowledge programme, market leaders discuss, among other things, the journey towards achieving zero-footprint in greenhouses and explore futuristic technologies such as robotics and the delicate balance between solar panels and plant yields. The event will be held from 11 to 13 June at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre. A selection of the 80 knowledge sessions: Vision Stage: Technology Stage: Medicinal Plants/ Vertical Farming Stage: Medicinal Plants: Vertical Farming: Registration policy visitorsGreenTech offers a 3-day entrance ticket for €95 excl. VAT per…
Event Brings Academia and Greenhouse, Vertical Farm, Urban Ag, Other CEA Business Sectors Together To SpurIndustry Collaboration, Innovation DANVILLE, VIRGINIA (April 16, 2024) — The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East returns to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia from October 1-2, 2024. Co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con, the leading trade show and conference for the vertical farming | greenhouse | CEA sector, and the Virginia Tech-IALR CEA Innovation Center, a joint project of the IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, the summit continues to…
In 2024, Indoor AgTech takes the spotlight for the first time in Chicago, the vibrant agri-food hub of the US. On June 24-25, over 600 growers, investors, suppliers, and retailers at the forefront of the global indoor farming community will come together to explore new business models and technologies driving profitability in CEA. In the wake of market shifts impacting industry growth, discussions will focus on unit economics, with expert speakers sharing their perspectives on optimizing productivity, diversifying crop varieties, expanding global footprints and increasing the market share of indoor-grown produce. Alongside high-level keynotes, insightful debates, and small-group breakouts, delegates…
Developed by a team of collaborating entities involved in the CEA Footprint Project, the guide is a how-to resource for energy, water and carbon emissions accounting and reporting PORTLAND, Ore. (April 8, 2024) — Resource Innovation Institute (RII), a not-for-profit, public-private partnership advancing climate resilience, announced today the availability of its “Guide to Environmental Accounting and Reporting for Controlled Environment Agriculture Operations.” Resulting from the work of the CEA Footprint Project over the past year, the how to guide proposes standardized environmental accounting and reporting systems and methodologies, and encourages their market adoption across CEA operations. “Comparing resource outputs and inputs at a facility level and across agricultural segments…
200+ Exhibitors, Keynotes, Educational Sessions and Networking Events March 11-12, 2025 What: Indoor Ag-Con, the largest and leading trade show and conference dedicated to vertical farming | greenhouse | controlled environment agriculture, is moving to the Westgate Las Vegas for 2025. The new location provides additional expo floor and meeting room space to accommodate the event’s steady growth. Indoor Ag-Con unites farmers, growers, chefs, ag tech leaders, suppliers, advocates and enthusiasts under one roof for two days of education, inspiration and networking. Attendees will be able to explore an expanded Expo Hall with 200+ world-class exhibitors featuring the most cutting-edge technologies, products and services in the indoor…
Experience the future of horticulture at GreenTech Amsterdam, set to host 12,000 visitors and 560 exhibitors, from 11 – 13 June at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre. Delve into pioneering topics like ‘Tools and vision in Data and AI’, ‘Greenhouse: The road to a zero footprint?’, and ‘Future vision: A valuable tasty & healthy horticulture’, while exploring the side events, expert pavilions, and themed routes.What visitors can expect Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the front runners in the industry, engage in open discussions, and connect with like-minded professionals passionate about shaping the future of horticulture. At various…
GreenTech Americas, the premier international protected horticulture event, concluded its fourth edition with remarkable success. The show attracted a total of 5,867 professionals including exhibitors; nearly 12% increase comparing to the previous edition. Hosted at the Querétaro Congress Center from March 12th to 14th, the event featured 220 exhibiting companies from 20 countries, solidifying its position as the leading platform for the controlled agriculture sector across the Americas. Reflecting the industry’s enthusiasm and confidence, 80% of the exhibitors have already secured their stands for the 2025 edition. GreenTech Americas, organized by RAI Amsterdam in partnership with Informa Markets, serves as a pivotal…
The Grow Dat Youth Farm teaches young adults to work the land using sustainable agricultural practices. Grow Dat operates at City Park an area of New Orleans that was once a golf course that was destroyed after Hurricane Katrina and was given to Tulane University to develop Grow Dat Youth Farm. The mission of Grow Dat Youth Farm is to nurture a diverse group of young people based on the premise of growing food using sustainable practices. By working with Grow Dat, youth between the ages of 15 – 25 learn not only important life skills but also the importance…
The USDA is inviting urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to virtually attend a public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on April 10 from 2-4 p.m. Eastern. Meeting details can be viewed in the Federal Register Notice. Written comments can be submitted via UrbanAgricultureFederalAdvisoryCommittee@usda.gov by April 24 at 11:59 p.m. The Committee will deliberate and vote on proposed recommendations and address public comments during the meeting. USDA will share the agenda between 24 to 48 hours prior to the meeting on the Committee’s webpage. The Committee is managed by the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production…
The Cornell University Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium will offer its latest virtual short course with a focus on three interactive greenhouse systems. Experts from academia and industry will share how growers can select and operate greenhouse coverings, climate screens, and supplemental horticultural lighting. The 2024 GLASE Short Course will take place from April 4 to May 9 and will feature six 90-minute modules presented over six weeks on Thursdays from 2:00 to 3:30 pm ET. Attend live sessions to participate in question-and-answer sessions with speakers and receive a discounted individual GLASE membership. Recordings will be made available on-demand in…
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for grants to support urban agriculture and innovative production. Applications for USDA’s Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grants are due April 9, 2024 via grants.gov. “This grant program has proven very popular and impactful in recent years, and we look forward to partnering with more communities nationwide to strengthen local food systems and increase access to healthy foods,” said Terry Cosby, Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which leads USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). “These projects will add to the important work communities are…