How Indoor Farmers Manage Food Safety Risks
Washington, D.C. – At a time of great concern regarding the number of cases of Cyclosporiasis and confusion about potential sources of Cyclospora, the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Alliance reminds consumers about the significant different production methods in our indoor-grown produce, including salads and leafy greens. CEA leafy greens are grown indoors, removing many environmental pathways for contamination. Salads and leafy greens are grown hydroponically. Growers carefully treat and monitor water quality throughout closed loop systems. Indoor growers do not rely on open irrigation canals, rivers, or ponds that can carry runoff from waste, a common route for Cyclospora to spread.
“Our CEA farms are highly automated, clean facilities designed to enable employees to follow best food safety practices in growing produce, minimizing human touchpoints between plant and package,” said CEA Alliance Executive Director Tom Stenzel. CEA Alliance scientific experts have worked together to publish and follow an extensive Guidance Document detailing best food safety practices in growing leafy greens and herbs. “While some media reports have suggested not eating specific produce items, it is important that consumers understand the extensive steps indoor CEA growers take to minimize food safety risks, “ Stenzel said.
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The Controlled Environment Agriculture Alliance (CEA Alliance) is a membership trade association representing and serving vertical farms and greenhouse producers growing fruits and vegetables in a highly controlled indoor production environment. Controlled environment growers employ a variety of agricultural production methods and technology to create optimal growing conditions with rigorous environmental controls. Growers utilize innovative technologies such as hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, and soil-based systems to grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. For more information, please contact Tom Stenzel, Executive Director, at Tom@CEAAlliance.com.
Klasmann-Deilmann
Nygaia is the substrate solution of the future that will soon be able to completely replace conventional substrates, e.g. in the cultivation of leafy vegetables in hydroponics and vertical cultivation systems. The innovative substrate fibre consists of 60% natural, bio-based raw materials and is completely biodegradable.
This means it produces neither waste nor microplastics. The Nygaia substrate fibre for hydroponics is inert, salt-free and provides a perfect water retention capacity. It also offers very good air capacity, which optimally supports healthy root growth of plants. Nygaia is a product development of the close collaboration of Klasmann-Deilmann and Maan Biobased Products.
Hydrofarm Holdings Group, Inc.
We recently announced the new partnership between 
The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center was created to leverage the resources of the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech along with the biotechnology, technology, and analytical chemistry capabilities of IALR to move the CEA field forward. The Center offers a one-stop shop for many cutting-edge research projects and is a wonderful vehicle to support and attract industry partners. Part of the initiative is to also serve as a catalyst and hub for CEA companies and technology, and we are already helping to create an ecosystem around CEA innovation with some leading-edge projects in waste recycling, nutrient management, imaging and data analysis, and biotechnology. All of this will be facilitated by the 
We have lots of exciting research projects happening at the moment, both internally to fuel innovation, as well as contract research to support and help solve industry challenges. There are a couple I can mention.
When we launched the Center, one of the many opportunities we were excited about was our ability to leverage our state-of-the-art conferencing center here at IALR to bring industry and academia together through hosting conferences and workshops focusing on CEA. With the CEA industry growing in Virginia, the location of the Summit is near the stakeholders that the Center is striving to serve.
The CEA Innovation Center is growing rapidly, and we are always on the lookout for mutually beneficial partnerships in research and education, including contract research opportunities.
farm babyZ LLC, a STEM.org Reviewed ™ organization, has created and packaged an educational hydroponic growers curriculum and American-made merchandise/grow kit for early childhood development agencies and other educators working with children between the ages of two to five years old.
