The company has entered into an agreement with Second Bloom Auctions to facilitate the sale of its greenhouse structures, equipment, and nursery supplies.

Founded in 1956 by Norm and Hetty White, White’s Nursery has been a cornerstone of Chesapeake, VA, for over six decades.

Known for producing high-quality potted flowering plants and annuals, White’s recently decided to wind down its wholesale greenhouse operations due to economic challenges.

“The decision to sell our assets was not an easy one, but we believe it creates an exciting opportunity for a. new owner to build upon our legacy and take the business to new heights,” said Norm White, founder of White’s Nursery & Greenhouses, Inc. “We are confident that Second Bloom Auctions will find the right buyers who share our passion for quality and customer service.”

For over six decades, Whites Nursery & Greenhouses, Inc. has been a leading producer of premium potted flowering plants and annuals, servicing a loyal customer base throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

The company has consistently invested in state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure, positioning it as a top choice for wholesale buyers and garden centers. The assets, located at 3133 Old Mill Road, Chesapeake, VA, will be available through an online auction running until July 1, 2024.

The auction will feature a diverse range of greenhouse structures, equipment, and garden center items, with starting bids at $1. Potential buyers can view the full catalog and register for the auction at secondbloomauctions.com.

Key Assets to be Auctioned:

• Greenhouse Structures: Multiple structures for diverse growing needs including doubly-poly X. S. Smith Criterion Quon set Hoop Houses, double-poly X. S. Smith Arched-Roof Gutter-connected greenhouses, and double-poly X. S. Smith Gutter-connected Sun Roof greenhouses (VenloStyle)

• Equipment: Equipment includes Bouldin & Lawson Hopper, Pot/FlatFillers, Planting Robots, Watering Tunnels and Conveyors. Cherry Creek Watering Booms and Echo Hanging Baskets systems can be found throughout the greenhouses as well as expanded metal benches, HVAC systems, and other horticultural equipment.

• Vehicles: Including on and off road trailers, tractors

• Delivery Carts: Multiple styles of delivery racks including sliders, 40’ x 48’ pallet style, and new “CC-Racks” style

• Garden Center Items: Display benches and other garden center infrastructure elements.

Potential buyers should note that the sale includes assets only, and all purchased items will need to be removed from the current location. The land and permanent structures are not part of the offering.

“This is a unique opportunity for anyone looking to enter or expand their presence in the horticulture industry,” said Christian Lange, CEO at Second Bloom Auctions.” This is a chance to acquire well-maintained assets from a long-standing operation. With the right strategy, these assets can be leveraged to establish or expand a profitable horticulture business.”

“The assets available through this auction represent a turn key opportunity for buyers looking to quickly establish or expand their presence in the horticulture industry,” added Lange. “With the strong foundation built by Whites Nursery & Greenhouses, Inc., a new owner can hit the ground running and capitalize on the growing demand for high-quality plants and flowers.”

KeyDates:

• June 4 – June 30: Marketing and promotion of the auction event.

• July 1: Auction concludes.

• July 8 – August 2: On-site logistics, including pick up and post-auction activities.

• August 5 – November 1: Greenhouse structure removal.

To learn more about the Whites Nursery & Greenhouses, Inc. asset auction and to register as a bidder, visit secondbloomauctions.com or contact info@secondbloomauctions.com

About Second Bloom Auctions:

Second Bloom Auctions is a premier auction house specializing in the sale of horticultural and agricultural assets. Second Bloom has grown rapidly, leveraging technology-driven solutions to handle diverse auction types and streamline logistics. The company serves a wide range of clients in the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector, offering services like automated bidding, reserve auctions, and comprehensive asset management.

About White’s Nursery and Greenhouses, Inc.:

Whites Nursery & Greenhouses, Inc. is a leading whole sale nursery located in Chesapeake,VA. Founded in 1956, the company has been providing high-quality annuals, perennials, mums, poinsettias, and other crops to the mid-Atlantic region for decades. Known for its state-of-the-art growing facilities and commitment to excellence, Whites Nursery & Greenhouses has established itself as a trusted name in the horticulture industry.

Meteor Systems’ HDPE floating rafts are easy to clean and exceptionally durable, outlasting traditional EPS rafts by four to five times. This longevity reduces the need for replacements, minimizing landfill waste and promoting more sustainable agricultural practices.

“Our goal continues to be focused on offering products that last, and we feel this is our best option for cost-effective, sustainable solutions at this point in time,” said Chris Higgins, president and co-founder of Hort Americas. “Offering a durable HDPE floating raft aligns with our commitment to bring more environmentally friendly solutions to the market. These rafts provide a longer lifespan and better insulation capacity than traditional EPS rafts.”

The HDPE floating rafts offer benefits designed to increase operational efficiency and profitability. They can be handled both manually and automatically, making them suitable for various farming systems, including deep water culture and vertical farming. 

The unique design also allows for customization in plant hole shapes and sizes. This makes for easier plant removal and transplanting.

“Our HDPE floating rafts are engineered to provide higher yields per square meter compared to traditional EPS rafts,” said Bas Dirven, head of research and development at Meteor Systems. “Also, their ability to be fully automated makes them an ideal choice for modern, smart farming environments.”

A standout feature of the HDPE floating rafts is their ease of cleaning using chemicals, high-pressure washing and hot water. This ensures a clean start for each growing cycle and reduces the risk of disease. The rafts can even be recycled into new ones.

“The total cost of ownership for HDPE floating rafts is less than 50% per lettuce head compared to EPS rafts, making them a much more profitable long-term investment,” Dirven added. “This partnership allows North American growers to transition to a more sustainable, cost-effective solution that supports higher yields and reduces environmental impact.”

In addition to floating rafts, Meteor Systems’ water culture tabletops for growing leafy greens and herbs combine deep-water culture, nutrient film technique, and ebb and flow systems. These tabletops provide plants with direct access to oxygen and nutrients, resulting in faster and healthier growth. The roller container system maximizes space in controlled environments to enhance efficiency.

About Hort Americas

Hort Americas is dedicated to playing an integral role in the different niches of commercial horticulture. We work closely with key manufacturers to develop and bring the highest quality, technically advanced and most cost effective products to the greenhouse growers and vertical farmers in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and Mexico. Learn more today about our commitment, services and products at www.hortamericas.com.

About Meteor Systems

Meteor Systems is a global supplier of complete growing systems for greenhouse farming. The company designs, produces, and delivers innovative solutions that ensure optimal plant growth while minimizing water and fertilizer use. Meteor Systems’ products are known for their sustainability, user-friendliness and ability to reduce labor costs. Learn more about their horticultural solutions at www.meteorsystems.nl.

One characteristic the company is proud of is its impressive employee retention rate. Among their 1,500 employees, there are more than a few individuals who have been with Village Farms Fresh since the company was founded in 1989. Two employees who have been with Village Farms for over 26 years and are responsible for the company’s farms in British Columbia and Texas are Dirk de Jong and Arie van der Giessen. Both have an interesting history with the company since they immigrated together from their home country of the Netherlands, the birthplace of high-tech greenhouse agriculture, to the USA. They both coincidentally also come from a long line of greenhouse growers. This growing legacy is what Village Farms Fresh is known for and helps guide the next generation of growers in the company while fueling innovation.

Dirk de Jong, Vice President, Regional Facility Manager in BC, Canada, recalls, “I was raised in a greenhouse. My mom and dad had a small family farm, and along with my brothers and sisters, we all pitched in to do everything that was needed in the greenhouse. I learned from an early age what it takes to run a business. I have been around plants and greenhouses since I could first walk. Today, I do not see my job as work because I enjoy what I do every day immensely.”

Arie van der Giessen, Vice President, Regional Facility Manager for Marfa & Fort Davis, Texas, tells a similar story. His father had a small farm, and he remembers always being in the greenhouse from the time he was a child. He says he has always enjoyed being in this type of environment and describes it as “his passion.” He adds, “I get paid for my hobby.” Arie also notes, however, “Back in the early days, we did not have the convenience of the automation we have today in greenhouse growing, and this has evolved tremendously, creating efficiencies in labor, plant health, and food safety.”

One such innovation is an AI tool used to predict optimum climate conditions in the greenhouse for autonomous growing by Crop Controller Blue Radix. This technology helps in precisely controlling the greenhouse environment, optimizing temperature, humidity, and light conditions to maximize plant health and yield while minimizing resource use. This cutting-edge tool exemplifies Village Farms Fresh’s commitment to integrating advanced technology to enhance sustainable agricultural practices.

Village Farms Fresh’s focus on innovation is not limited to technology alone. The company actively engages in sustainable practices, such as water recycling systems and integrated pest management, reducing the environmental footprint of their operations. By implementing such practices, Village Farms not only boosts efficiency but also ensures that their farming methods are environmentally responsible. Village Farms Fresh was recently recognized as a “Giga Guru” by its valued retail partner Walmart as part of their carbon reduction initiative called Project Gigaton.

Moreover, the company’s dedication to its employees is reflected in its comprehensive training programs and career development opportunities. These programs aim to equip employees with the skills needed to excel in modern greenhouse management, emphasizing both traditional agricultural knowledge and the latest technological advancements. This holistic approach ensures that the workforce remains competent, motivated, and aligned with the company’s vision of sustainable and innovative agriculture.

Village Farms Fresh’s story is one of growth, innovation, and community. From its roots in the Netherlands to its expansive operations across North America, the company continues to lead the way in high-tech greenhouse agriculture. With a strong foundation built on the expertise and dedication of its employees, Village Farms Fresh is well-positioned to continue its legacy of producing high-quality produce while embracing the future of farming.

For more information about Village Farms Fresh please visit www.villagefarmsfresh.com

About Village Farms Fresh

Village Farms Fresh, a wholly owned subsidiary of Village Farms International, Inc. (Nasdaq: VFF), is one of the largest growers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow is all harvested by hand from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily while utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms Greenhouse Grown® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms Fresh has been guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms Fresh is Good for the Earth® and good for you. Good for the Earth® and Garden Fresh Flavor® are not only taglines for the company but the value proposition Village Farms Fresh lives by.  And this is why it Takes a Village® to deliver on this promise.

Designers Paul Fisher and Maria Kinslow (UF/IFAS) and Bruce MacKay (FreshLearn) encourage growers to link to this web app for easy access to English/Spanish grower calculator tools, training videos, and fact sheets on a wide range of production topics.

The Tools section includes calculators for fertilizer and agrichemical dilutions, container substrates, light levels, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), crop budgets, and water quality. For example, you can calculate parts per million concentrations of fertilizers or how much daily light integral is contributed by electric lamps. The Training section links to videos and fact sheets on production topics such as handling tissue culture transplants.

UF IFAS Extension provides training on use of the website tools in Greenhouse Training Online grower courses (https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training), including the Greenhouse 101 course which begins on June 3.

The website is sponsored by industry partners in the Floriculture Research Alliance, the Ken and Deena Altman Online Extension Gift, and UF IFAS Extension. For more info about Back Pocket Grower or online courses, contact greenhousetraining@ufl.ifas.edu.

A selection of the 80 knowledge sessions:

Vision Stage:

• Tuesday 11 June, 13:45 – 14:30hrs: ‘From hops to cheers: beyond data integration’ moderated by Tiffany Tsui (Springtide Strategy) and speakers Rick Schneiders (Siemens), Dick Veerman (Foodlog), Jacques Gros (AB Inbev) and Ines Sagrario (Ekonoke)
• Wednesday 12 June, 13:45 – 14:30hrs: ‘Pioneering the energy transition with greenhouse technologies from startups’ moderated by Henry Gordon-Smith and speakers Mike Poodt (Rijk Zwaan) and Rob van Straten (Skytree)
• Thursday 13 June, 12:00 – 12:45hrs: ‘T&U: Future vision: A valuable tasty & healthy horticulture’ moderated by Harrij Schmeitz (Impact T&U) and speakers Marco Retel (MiFood) and Anne Elings (Wageningen University & Research)

Technology Stage:

• Tuesday 11 June, 11:00 – 11:45hrs: ‘What is most important when choosing a new LED installation for tomatoes?’ with speakers Peter Klapwijk (2HARVEST), Orchan Koelijev (Orance), Thomas Grebner (ams-OSRAM International GmbH), Rebecca Nordin (Heliospectra) and Octavio Perez Rodriguez (Nature Fresh Farms)
• Tuesday 11 June, 16:15 – 17:00hrs: ‘Crop Health: Nutrient Uptake Driver to a More Resilient Crop’ moderated by Frank van der Helm (Hogeschool Inholland) and speakers Marta Streminska (Wageningen University & Research), Felix Tarrats (Ceickor) and Peter Kamp (Priva)

Medicinal Plants/ Vertical Farming Stage:  

• Wednesday 12 June, 12:15 – 13:00hrs: ‘From Farm to Pharmacy: Global Developments in Medicinal Cannabis’ moderated by Sonny Moerenhout (Cultivators) and speakers Tjalling Erkelens (Bedrocan), Atiyyah Ferouz (ICQSA), Mariana Arias Larrea (MLA Legal and Consulting Boutique)
• Wednesday 12 June, 15:30 – 16:15hrs: ‘The Dutch recreational revolution: Update on GKK experiment’ moderated by Sonny Moerenhout (Cultivators) and speaker Simone van Breda (Chairman of the union of Coffeeshop retailers, European Parliament candidate)

Vertical Farming:

• Tuesday 11 June, 14:15 – 15:00hrs: ‘CEA Unlocks the future of seed breeding?’ moderated by Roel Janssen (Planet Farms) and speakers Stefanie Linzer (Greenlux), Wim Grootscholten (Rijk Zwaan), Wolfgang Fischer (Graines Voltz) and Newton Kalengamalira (80 Acres Farms)
• Wednesday 12 June, 10:30 – 11:15hrs: ‘Retail Outlook CEA for Regional Production’ moderated by Jochem Wolthuis (Die Frische Society) and speakers Claus Ahrens (vGreens), Lee Greene (Foodhub-NRW), Michael Muller (Pflanzentheke) and Bauke vom Lentere (Rijk Zwaan)

More information at: https://www.greentech.nl/amsterdam/.

Registration policy visitors
GreenTech offers a 3-day entrance ticket for €95 excl. VAT per person, up to and including 7 June. Exhibitors can invite their clients for free until 7 June. After 7 June until 13 June a ticket costs €120. For an additional fee, upgrades such as a Premium, Overnight stay and Fun package are offered. More information and registration at https://www.greentech.nl/amsterdam/tickets.

GreenTech Amsterdam
GreenTech Amsterdam will be held from Tuesday 11 – Thursday 13 June 2024. The exhibition is a global meeting place for all horticultural technology professionals with a 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 can be found via the GreenTech website or follow GreenTech on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Instagram.

If you are considering growing specialty crops in a greenhouse or vertical farm, it pays to do your homework.

Before starting to grow any controlled environment food crop, it pays (literally) to do your homework related to production and market potential. This is especially important with any type of specialty crop. Serge Boon, founder of Boon Greenhouse Consultancy, said regardless of the crop, a greenhouse or vertical farm grower has to determine if there is a sustainable market for the crop.

“I have seen growers who have started very small and have developed a market and want to expand their production facilities to produce more crops,” Boon said. “They want to increase the volume of the crops they are growing. By increasing the size of the operation, production efficiencies should also increase.

“Unfortunately, there are still some growers who think they can produce a specialty crop and easily sell it. They may not realize that the crop may be difficult to produce and/or market.”

Boon said the terms specialty crop and niche market are often used interchangeably and can have a wide definition or application because they can mean different things to different people.

“In most cases, specialty crops would not include more common controlled environment crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and peppers, but it could include a special variety of tomatoes like heirloom tomatoes not commonly grown in controlled environment production,” Boon said.

Production systems for specialty crops

The large commercial greenhouse vegetable growers that Boon is working with are primarily producing tomatoes, cucumbers, and leafy greens. He is also working with commercial mid-size greenhouse operations that are focused on producing multiple crops, including specialty crops.

Boon said the production systems used to grow specialty crops are not usually that different than the systems used for more common controlled-environment-grown crops.

“It is different from the perspective of the growers’ needs,” he said. “Because of their production needs, these crops might require more attention from the growers in order to produce quality, salable crops.”

Boon said a well-bred greenhouse tomato will almost grow by itself.

“The lines of tomatoes bred for controlled environment production have been developed so that they produce uniform size fruit,” he said. “The emphasis is on the size and yield.”

Because specialty crops like heirloom tomatoes have not been bred for commercial production, they require more attention to detail in regards to production. These varieties may be more susceptible to pests, diseases, and physiological disorders such as fruit deformities.

“This also relates to automation including robotic harvesting being developed for the more common controlled environment crops of tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, and peppers,” Boon said. “The automation for some specialty crops may be more difficult to develop or not worth developing. The fruit of these specialty crops may also be more tender and more prone to bruising. The fruit may not be robust enough for mechanical harvesting. This will definitely have an effect on what automation can be used for planting, harvesting, and packaging. The production of specialty crops goes hand-in-hand with being more labor intensive.”

Boon said even specialty leafy greens could be more difficult to grow than some of the more commonly grown species and varieties.

“These specialty leafy greens could be more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies or they could tend to have a leggier habit,” he said. “These specialty greens could be more difficult to grow in mobile gutter systems because the plants fall over and they don’t lend themselves to automated harvesting.”

Boon said floating rafts are flexible systems that can accommodate even some of the more difficult to grow specialty crops.

“Mobile gutter systems are tailored more to certain varieties because the plants have to be able to stand up,” he said. “The crops have to be able to be seeded in a specific way.

“With floating rafts there is more flexibility. Production system and plant habit definitely should be taken into consideration. Some specialty crops require more hands-on attention which may not allow certain types of automation.”

Do you have the “right stuff”?

Boon said for each specialty or niche crop, growers need to consider whether they have the production expertise, the right production system and whether there is a market for the crops.

“Many of these specialty crops lend themselves to being grown near the markets where they would be consumed,” he said. “This also has application to lowering the risk from production loss.

“That’s not to say growers couldn’t produce large quantities of specialty crops as long as they have systems in place to deal with the plants’ shortcomings. This could relate to the production, harvesting and transport of crops. They may require a certain temperature and/or humidity for their production and/or transport. The risk of loss goes up for these crops.”

Growers need to be aware of the downsides of a specialty crop or variety.

“When picking a specialty crop, growers should know the benefits of it, but also know its downsides,” Boon said. “This will help to ensure growers are prepared to encounter difficulties.

“Sometimes this can be finding technical production information for some of these crops. There are reliable seed companies that know the varieties. The information may be available, but it may be more difficult to find the hands-on technical expertise and experience to assist in growing some of these crops. The information may be available, but finding someone with the production expertise may be limited.”

Do your market research

Boon said market research is critical to the production of any specialty crop.

“The design of the greenhouse or vertical farm and their production systems, what crops are going to be grown, growers can make those all work, but ultimately the crops have to be sold,” he said. “Being able to grow a crop doesn’t always mean you should. It can take multiple markets to be successful with these specialty crops.”

Boon said the changes in people’s eating habits bodes well for the specialty crop market.

“People are more willing to pay for produce that is nutritious and healthy for them,” he said. “In many cases, consumers don’t know how the produce available in grocery stores was grown. Knowing the source, knowing it is pesticide-free, knowing it is high in nutrition, these are all factors that will help increase the demand for specialty crops.

“U.S. consumers are starting to look for and are more willing to pay for these crops, which is already happening a lot more in Europe. There is a more direct-to-consumer market that is increasing. Growers need to determine how they can tap into that market and how to deliver the produce.”

For more: Boon Greenhouse Consultancy, serge@boongreenhouse.com; https://boongreenhouse.com/.

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

Can you believe this white ‘pom pom’ like fungus has properties that regrow nerves? This has been proven in several peer reviewed studies. Remarkably, this mushroom can grow larger than a baseball in under two months given the right controlled environment. 

Substrates for Lion’s mane are commonly straw or sawdust based, but could just as easily be ground spent coffee beans. Setting up a container sized space, the main controls to be aware of for optimal growth are temperature and humidity. 

Lion’s Mane mushrooms are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are particularly prized for their potential health benefits, including boosting cognitive function, supporting the nervous system, and enhancing immune function.

As the mane grows, it will start to form an underlying ball shape. Then out of nowhere comes the shaggy mane. 

Lion’s Mane mushrooms contain bioactive compounds such as hericenones and erinacines, which have been studied for their neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effects. Research suggests that Lion’s Mane may help improve memory, concentration, and overall brain health.

Shedding of spores – these can be collected for subsequent inoculation of spawn. 

How do you eat these mushrooms? 

Lion’s Mane mushrooms have a delicate, seafood-like flavor and a meaty texture, making them a popular choice for vegetarian or vegan dishes. They can be sautéed, grilled, or roasted and used in various recipes, including stir-fries, soups, and pasta dishes.

Why not try out Nashville Farmacy’s recipe for lion’s mane ragù, it sounds really tasty. 

They are best harvested when young and tender, before the spines become too dense or discolored.

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.

Greenhouse 101 is designed for people with no formal training in horticulture that work in the greenhouse or nursery industry. Course topics include plant parts and functions, photosynthesis and growth, greenhouse technology, flowering, compactness and branching, irrigation, nutrition, and plant health. 

The course is offered in English and Spanish and runs for four weeks from June 3 to June 28, 2024. The cost is $US275 per participant. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, quizzes, and an interactive discussion board with PhD professors Paul Fisher from UF and Brian Pearson from Oregon State University. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of eight 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/.

We offer a 20% discount when you register 5 or more staff. For more information, including discounts for multiple registrations email us at: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.

Although plenty of Florida’s craft brewers advertise their libations as brewed with state-grown ingredients, a vital ingredient – hops – is not readily available within the Sunshine State. A University of Florida study currently underway, however, may help pave the way for a robust crop of Florida-grown hops.

Researchers with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) believe they have identified a method for making hop-growing viable despite Florida’s incompatible climate: greenhouses.

“This has never been done in Florida,” said Katherine Thompson-Witrick, an assistant professor in the UF/IFAS food science and human nutrition department and the leader of the study.

Hers is a potentially impactful endeavor.

In 2021, the Florida craft brewing industry generated $4.1 billion for the state, the fourth-largest amount in the country, according to the Brewers Association, a Colorado-based organization that monitors the industry.

Since January 2023, when the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services awarded Thompson-Witrick and her team a grant, they have harvested two crops of hops from a greenhouse at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka. In June, they hope to harvest again. Their objective is to develop cultivation practices that maximize aromatic and flavor characteristics comparable to those associated with traditional craft beer-brewing regions like Yakima Valley in Washington.

Thompson-Witrick’s team planted 20, 2-inch-tall seedlings of Cascade and Chinook varieties in April 2023. By July 2023, the plants had reached 20 feet tall, and the vines had to be manually separated to prevent them from becoming tangled.

“We saw a substantial amount of growth in the first nine months of this project, which is really outstanding and amazing for us,” Thompson-Witrick said.

The key was supplemental lighting installed within the greenhouse. Hops grow best when afforded at least 16 hours of sunlight, which is available at latitudes of 35 degrees and above; Florida’s uppermost latitude reaches just 31 degrees. The UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm has conducted breeding studies to develop Florida-compatible hops capable of adapting to the state’s shorter days. 

Based on Thompson-Witrick’s preliminary research, the growth and flowering rates of the Apopka plants suggest her method could obtain the same yield of hops – per plant – as Yakima Valley.

But is the product as appealing to the senses?

Thompson-Witrick uses a gas chromatography mass spectrometer to detect the chemical compounds contained within the hops, the alpha and beta assets that quantify how bitter a beer brewed from them would be. For a more subjective analysis, she recruited human volunteers.

Throughout UF’s spring semester, 14 students met regularly to pry open the lids of condiment containers and carefully stick their noses inside. 

The contents, resembling shredded alfalfa, were heady, but layered beneath the strong earthy odor were hints of citrus, spice and floral notes. Students took deep sniffs and recorded the strength of the various scents they detected. They smelled both the Apopka hops as well as commercial ones, but they did not know which hops were which. 

The repeated sensory trainings will eventually lead to official blind testing and comparison between commercial varieties and Thompson-Witrick’s product. 

“We want to disseminate our findings to growers to help with diversifying the state’s agricultural crops and to provide information that would be critical to further cultivating hops,” she said.

ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 

ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS

Egon Janssen (chairman jury) explains why the jury selected the nominations below: “Due to climate change it becomes more important to secure the fresh food production at the lowest environmental footprint possible. The jury is excited to see the quick uptake of Data Science and AI in the market, resulting in a huge amount of innovations reducing energy, water and nutrient use in greenhouses.”

Nominations per category

Category Innovation

• Blue Radix – Integrated Autonomous Climate & Irrigation Control
• ISO Horti Innovators – ISO High Speed Grafter
• Van Iperen – GreenSwitch® Potassium Sulphate

Category Concept

• Koppert – Koppert’s Digital Assistant
• Maan Biobased Products and Klasmann-Deilmann – Nygaia
• Voltiris – Voltiris solar modules

Check out the 6 nominees on the website.

GreenTech is proud that these will be showcased at the Innovation Zone and at the show floor including the longlist of the 51 novelties of which 47 were submitted for the awards. You can find them here.

Jury
The jury of the GreenTech Innovation & Concept Awards 2024 consists of:

• Chairman: Egon Janssen, TNO (Netherlands)
• Silke Hemming, Wageningen University Research (Germany)
• Perry van Adrichem, HortiTech B.V. (Netherlands)
• Peter Zwinkels, Technokas (Netherlands)
• Roel Vanderbruggen, Proefcentrum Hoogstraten (Belgium)
• Bart van Meurs, Division Q (Netherlands)
• Jolanda Heistek, Royal FloraHolland (Netherlands)
• Tijl Hoefnagels, Rubio (Netherlands)

The jury’s advisory committee consists of:

• Brian Sparks, Greenhouse Grower (USA)
• Leonardo Capitanio, Vivai Capitanio (Italy)
• Enrico Verhoef, Total Greenhouse Service (Mexico)
• Heinrich Dressler, Haymarket (Germany)

More information at: https://www.greentech.nl/amsterdam/.

Registration policy Visitors
GreenTech is offering a 3-day entrance ticket €95 excl. VAT per person, up to and including 7 June. Exhibitors can invite their clients free of charge until 7 June. After 7 June until 13 June the tickets will be €120. For an additional fee, upgrades such as a Premium, Overnight stay and Fun package, are offered. More information and registration at https://www.greentech.nl/amsterdam/tickets.

GreenTech Amsterdam
GreenTech Amsterdam will be held from Tuesday 11 – Thursday 13 June 2024. The exhibition is a global meeting place for all horticultural technology professionals with a 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 can be found via the GreenTech website or follow GreenTech on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Instagram.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has selected 28 organizations to host members of USDA’s Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC), an effort that will train the next generation of conservation and climate leaders, providing technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people and helping them deliver climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers. Selections were made in partnership with The Corps Network. WLCC is part of President Biden’s historic American Climate Corps initiative and harnesses funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. Last month, President Biden announced that Americans can now apply to join the American Climate Corps through a newly launched website, ClimateCorps.gov.

“America’s rural communities are on the frontlines of climate change, and the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to growing and supporting a conservation workforce that can develop and implement the innovative climate solutions that this challenge demands,” said Deputy Secretary Torres Small. “As part of President Biden’s historic American Climate Corps, the Working Lands Climate Corps is providing a pathway for young people to enter into careers they are passionate about, like tackling climate change, advancing conservation, and helping their communities.”

Eligible organizations were invited to apply in February. Awarded host organizations will work collaboratively with state and county-level NRCS staff to facilitate and track the climate work of WLCC members. Prospective applicants can now apply for available positions at ClimateCorps.gov

The selected host organizations are:

• American Forest Foundation
• Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts
• Chippewa Luce Mackinac Conservation District
• Colorado Department of Agriculture
• Conservation Legacy
• Cornell University- Climate Smart Farming Program
• Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
• East Carolina University
• Family Nurturing Center
• Fresno Metro Ministry
• Glynwood Center, Inc.
• Michigan Department of Agriculture
• Minnesota Farmers Union Foundation
• Monarch Joint Venture
• Nature for Justice
• Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, d/b/a Pasa Sustainable Agriculture
• Pheasants Forever
• Rogue Farm Corps
• Sandhills Area Research Association
• The Curators of the University of Missouri
• The Nature Conservancy
• United Way of Southwest Colorado
• University of Maine System acting through Univ. of Maine
• Upper Salinas-Las Tablas Resource Conservation District
• Utah State University Utah Conservation Corps
• White River Natural Resources Conservation District
• Wild Farm Alliance
• Working Landscapes

Working with partners and host organizations, this effort will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the country, now and in the future.

Through the first cohort of members, more than 100 young people will serve with 28 state and local host organizations in 25 states receiving on-the ground experience and training with partners and organizations who conduct programming to support the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices and systems. Some examples of activities include:

• Developing and providing climate-smart agriculture outreach and education to agricultural producers, such as workshops and training sessions;
• Assisting in field surveying, site inspections and easement monitoring; and
• Working with conservation professionals to support conservation practice design and conservation planning activities.

Applications are now open for WLCC positions at the selected host sites. Interested applicants can apply at The CorpsNetwork and position descriptions will be available at ClimateCorps.gov.

NRCS is working in partnership with The Corps Network, AmeriCorps, and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) in this effort.

“Congratulations to the organizations selected to host the initial cohort of Working Lands Climate Corps members. I am excited to see the first WLCC members get to work over the coming months on a range of activities that will prepare them for impactful, rewarding careers while they help build more resilient and sustainable farms and forests,” said Mary Ellen Sprenkel, President and CEO, The Corps Network. “As the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, we are proud of the work Corps have been doing in this space for decades and thrilled to help implement this new initiative of the American Climate Corps.”

“As the federal agency for national service and volunteering and the hub for President Biden’s American Climate Corps, AmeriCorps commends USDA, The Corps Network, NACD, and the selected host organizations for quickly mobilizing to stand up new Working Lands Climate Corps projects across the country to help farmers and ranchers address threats related to drought and climate change by supporting climate-smart agriculture, soil and water conservation, and conservation planning,” said Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps. “The Working Lands Climate Corps—like the AmeriCorps NCCC Forest Corps partnership we launched with the USDA Forest Service last fall—are examples of the kinds of creative partnerships we are building as part of the American Climate Corps that will mark a new era of or youth-powered climate action in America. I encourage anyone interested to visit the ClimateCorps.gov to apply for available opportunities.”

“Providing young people with skills and training to start their careers in conservation is our responsibility to ensure the legacy of our work. WLCC provides a wonderful opportunity to do just that,” says NACD President Kim LaFleur. “NACD and conservation districts hosting WLCC members are proud to be partners in building a workforce to advance climate-smart agriculture and conservation today for a more resilient tomorrow. NACD will be providing WLCC members with specialized training to help them better understand conservation and serve producers and communities effectively. We look forward to working with our amazing partners to make sure that this program is a success for hosts and members alike.”

Working Lands Climate Corps Training Program

The WLCC Training Program, led by NACD, will provide training for WLCC members, including a comprehensive overview of conservation concepts, practices, and systems, with a strong emphasis on locally led and landscape-scale efforts through virtual learning.

The training will cover a range of specific topics, from understanding diverse types of agriculture to planning effective outreach events and communicating about complex issues like climate change. The training resources will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to work effectively with diverse stakeholders to advance conservation objectives.

Overall, the program is designed to provide a foundation for those entering the field of conservation, offering a broad overview of the key players, processes, and challenges involved.

This WLCC Training Program is in addition to the trainings and resources that will be available to all American Climate Corps members.

American Climate Corps and Joining the WLCC

The WLCC is part of the American Climate Corps, a workforce training and service initiative that is working to ensure more young people have access to the skills-based training needed for good paying careers in the clean energy and climate resilience economy.

This announcement builds on the Biden Administrations announcement from last week, inviting Americans to apply to join the American Climate Corps through a newly launched website, ClimateCorps.gov. The website will feature nearly 2,000 positions located across 36 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico and will be regularly updated with new positions. The first class of the American Climate Corps will be deployed to communities across the country in June 2024.

Those interested in joining the WLCC can visit the American Climate Corps recruitment portal on the website to see available opportunities.

Supporting Historic Climate Smart Agriculture Investments

President Biden launched the American Climate Corps to train young people in high-demand skills for jobs in the clean energy economy. The American Climate Corps will put a new generation of Americans to work conserving our lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, advancing environmental justice, deploying clean energy, implementing energy efficient technologies, and tackling climate change. American Climate Corps members will gain the skills necessary to access good-paying jobs that are aligned with high-quality employment opportunities after they complete their paid training or service program.

USDA is one of the seven agencies that signed a memorandum of understanding to shape the American Climate Corps, which will serve as a blueprint for the multiagency program. The memorandum of understanding lays out the mission, goals, priorities, and next steps for implementing the American Climate Corps.

The American Climate Corps will focus on equity and environmental justice – prioritizing communities traditionally left behind, including through outreach and climate-smart agriculture assistance, leveraging the talents of all members of our society and prioritizing projects that help meet the Administration’s Justice40 goal.

The American Climate Corps also delivers on the President’s America the Beautiful Initiative by training the next generation of land and waters stewards.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across USDA by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of the Nation. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

“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 explore opportunities in their operations to make them more efficient and make a positive impact on our environment.” 

Climate-smart agricultural practices generate significant environmental benefits by capturing and sequestering carbon, improving water management, restoring soil health and more. Farm loan funding complements other tools to help producers adopt climate-smart practices, such as FSA’s Conservation Reserve Program, crop insurance options that support conservation, and conservation programs offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). 

FSA offers multiple types of loans to help farmers and ranchers start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. These loans can provide the capital needed to invest in climate-smart practices and equipment including the establishment of rotational grazing systems, precision agriculture equipment or machinery for conversion to no-till residue management. Additionally, for programs like Conservation Reserve Program and NRCS conservation programs where USDA and the producer share the implementation cost, a farm loan could be used for the producer’s share, if consistent with the authorized loan purpose.  

Some additional ways farm loans can be leveraged to invest in climate-smart agriculture practices or equipment include: 

• Precision Agriculture Equipment – Eligible producers could use a Term Operating Loan to purchase equipment like GPS globes, monitors, or strip till fertilizer equipment.
• Cover Crops – Eligible producers could use an Annual Operating Loan for seed costs.
• No/Reduced Till – Eligible producers could use a Term Operating Loan to purchase equipment.
• Livestock Facility Air Scrubber or Waste Treatment – Eligible producers could use a Farm Ownership Loan for capital improvements to livestock facilities.
• Cross Fencing – Eligible producers could use an Annual or Term Operating Loan to purchase fencing and installation equipment. 

“There are a multitude of ways our portfolio of loans can be used to support climate-smart practices,” Ducheneaux said. “In some cases, this may even result in lower input costs, higher yields and a positive impact to the producers’ bottom line as well as our natural resources.” 

Visit the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry webpage on farmers.gov to learn more and see detailed examples of how an FSA farm loan can support climate-smart agriculture practices. 

Farm Loan Improvement Efforts  

USDA’s Farm Service Agency has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate Farm Loan Program customer-facing business processes. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a Direct Loan application to FSA annually, and its 85,000 Direct Loan borrowers, FSA has made many improvements, including: 

• The Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the Direct Loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process. 
• An Online Loan Application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan.
• An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local USDA Service Center to pay a loan installment.  
• A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages.

More Information  

Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat the climate crisis and conserve and protect our Nation’s lands, biodiversity and natural resources including our soil, air, and water. Through climate-smart agriculture and partnerships, USDA aims to enhance economic growth and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, producers, and private foresters. Successfully meeting these challenges will require USDA and our agencies to pursue a coordinated approach alongside USDA stakeholders, including State, local and Tribal governments.   

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

According to Walmart’s website Project Gigatons focus seeks to “reduce, avoid, or sequester 1 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions in their global value chain and, together with the Walmart Foundation, to protect, restore or more sustainably manage 50 million acres of land and 1 million square miles of ocean by 2030”.

Village Farms Fresh has been participating in Walmart’s Project Gigaton since the initiative began in 2017. Project Gigaton was enacted by Walmart to engage suppliers in climate action since the retailer believes most emissions exist in the product supply chains rather than their stores and distribution centers.  The Giga Guru supplier recognition status is given to companies who set SMART goals in at least 3 pillars of action or science-based targets, report progress in each, complete a carbon footprint scope and then share this information with Walmart. 

According to Brandon Jamison, Director of Quality Assurance for the company who is the project lead for the company’s teams who are tracking and reporting for the Walmart initiative, “Village Farms Fresh has always been an environmentally conscious company and Project Gigaton helps us to ensure we are staying on track, and at the same time, remaining open to new ideas on how to better improve our processes for reducing emissions.”   Jamison also foresees future opportunities for implementing a companywide tracking system to continually monitor data and archive results collected pertaining to the areas of focus, especially as Project Gigaton expands.

Village Farms Fresh looks forward to hitting new milestones and targets for Project Gigaton.  The company is motivated to get other companies involved with the Walmart initiative as well.  Jamison goes on to say, “the more companies that join in, the greater the results will be for everyone”.  

Project Gigaton aligns well with Village Farms Fresh’s, Good for the Earth initiative.  Back 2022, Helen L. Aquino, Director of Brand Marketing & Communication for Village Farms Fresh was given the opportunity to speak with Walmart’s Project Gigaton, sustainability performance survey measuring tool, THESIS Index created by The Sustainability Consortium, on the company’s process.  Aquino mentioned, “We started small as a basis for the project by recognizing our strengths and then building on these over the years, it has been a great learning tool for the company in the evolution of our sustainability goals”. 

To learn more about Village Farms Fresh and their efforts pertaining to Walmart’s Project Gigaton click here .  To see the full listing of all of Walmart’s Project Gigaton Supplier Recognitions click here. And to learn more about Village Farms Fresh and their Good for the Earth initiative we welcome you to visit www.villagefarmsfresh.com

About Village Farms Fresh

Village Farms Fresh, a wholly owned subsidiary of Village Farms International, Inc. (Nasdaq: VFF), is one of the largest growers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow is all harvested by hand from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily while utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms Greenhouse Grown® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms Fresh has been guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms Fresh is Good for the Earth® and good for you. Good for the Earth® and Garden Fresh Flavor® are not only taglines for the company but the value proposition Village Farms Fresh lives by.  And this is why it Takes a Village® to deliver on this promise.

Whatever way you eat them, the anthocyanins in the dark skins play a vital role in reducing many lifestyle diseases, and consuming just one cup of blueberries a day will cut your chance of a heart attack or stroke. 

Supersized blueberries could be good for CEA growers 

Breeding is a big deal for not only blueberries but the entire soft fruit industry. New varieties can help urban and controlled environment agriculturists find competitive advantages. Legislation and logistics will change the way we grow, helping to sustain an increased demand for strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. We already know they like an early start in CEA, facilitating easier acclimation to winter conditions. We also know that light quality and intensity in blueberry production is crucial to fruiting and continuous production of high yields. 

When is a blueberry not a blueberry?

Figuring out the right varieties for the right geography is important. They can be relatively hardy bushes and generally take well to a Scottish summer. More varieties than ever are available as breeders search for darker skins, higher yields, and plump berries, with just the right amount of bite. 

Honeyberry, Lonicera caerulea, or Haskaps, as they are commonly known, are native to Japan, and the berries are like little blueberry parcels. What many don’t know is that they are not actually blueberries at all, but come from the honeysuckle family. Despite this difference, they are pretty similar bushes, except for the elongated fruits.  

We’ve been trialing honeyberries through cold Scottish winters, and our young tissue cultured propagules grew a decent couple of feet with good node spacing indoors in 2–3 months under LED lights. 

The berries we produced are small, but incremental improvements will continue until good yields are obtained. With four times the level of antioxidants compared to blueberries and great cold-hardiness, honeyberries we think are worthy of time and investment in CEA.

We can’t wait for berry season, can you?

Janet Colston is a Scottish micropropagation consultant passionate about hydroponics, controlled environment agriculture and functional food.