CEA
Growing lettuce in non-traditional areas of Florida
Each year, U.S. farmers produce enough lettuce to feed everyone in the country. Up to 73% of U.S. lettuce comes from California producers and is distributed nationwide through extensive retail chains. Lettuce grown in Florida... more »
Vertical farming operator Oishii names new chief commercial officer
Oishii, a vertical farming operator, has appointed Rita Hudetz as chief commercial officer. Hudetz’s consumer packaged goods background will add to Oishii’s executive leadership team. Hudetz will lead Oishii’s growth strategy, scaling the company’s retail... more »
Peter Koppert, biological crop protection pioneer, dies
Peter Koppert, a pioneer in biological crop protection and natural pollination, has died. Koppert, founder of Koppert Biological Systems BV in the Netherlands, was 73. Up until only a couple of weeks before his June... more »
Stone wool growing media provider starts soilless growing campaign
To feed and treat the world’s expanding population, Grodan, a stone wool growing media provider, is starting a branding initiative to focus public and policymaking attention on sustainable, soilless growing. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is... more »
Robotics to help Oishii bring vertical farming advances
Oishii, a vertical farming operator, is partnering with a Japanese robotics firm to bring vertical farming changes. Together with Yaskawa Electric Corp., a leading industrial robotics company based in Japan, Oishii plans to develop new... more »
Former Amazon exec joins Local Bounti as CEO
Former Freshly CEO and Amazon executive Anna Fabrega is joining greenhouse-vertical farm grower Local Bounti as CEO. The company’s co-founders and co-CEOS, Craig Hurlbert and Travis Joyner, will take on new roles as senior vice... more »
Kurt Dramm, horticultural supply industry figure, dies
Kurt Dramm, a leader in the horticultural supply industry, has died. He was 85. Dramm died May 16. He was the co-founder of the Manitowoc, Wisconsin, based Dramm Corp., which supplied water treatment products, horticultural... more »
LED lights help improve tomato yields
Research shows long-term exposure of far-red LED light in tomatoes can produce additional yields. Research conducted by Philips Horticulture LED Solutions, Wageningen University & Research and Nunhems shows using far-red light can produce an additional... more »
Mastronardi, InterGrow partner in New York state
Mastronardi Produce, a fourth-generation family-owned commercial greenhouse grower, is expanding its U.S. network through a joint venture with Intergrow Greenhouses. Mastronardi will acquire Integrow’s greenhouse facilities and trucking business in New York state. The new... more »
Caveats for CA storage of asparagus
It's possible to extend the Michigan asparagus season by two weeks or more through controlled atmosphere storage. Randy Beaudry, horticultural professor at Michigan State University, outlined some takeaways from a study of CA storage for... more »