Tag: indoor farming

Third Annual CEA Summit East Sparks Innovation and Collaboration In Virginia

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on October 4, 2024. Posted in Blog, Press Releases.

DANVILLE, VA (OCTOBER 4, 2024) — Building on the success of previous years, the third annual Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East returned to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, VA from October 1-2, 2024. Co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center—a joint project with Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, IALR and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center —the event attracted almost 250 attendees from 35 US states, Canada, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong. The diverse audience of growers, educators, scientists, Extension personnel, suppliers, tech specialists, and government leaders gathered to explore the latest advancements in CEA technology and build valuable partnerships.

The two-day event featured a packed agenda of keynote presentations, panels, breakout sessions, and tours of the CEA Innovation Center facilities. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with 21 tabletop exhibits showcasing cutting-edge innovations and services shaping the future of CEA. Alongside these sessions, a range of networking opportunities fostered new connections and strengthened existing partnerships.

“We’re proud to see the CEA Summit East improve year after year,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO of Indoor Ag-Con. “The diversity of expertise represented here is impressive, and it’s a testament to the collaborative nature of this growing sector. “

“It’s inspiring to see leaders across the CEA spectrum come together to exchange ideas and strategies that drive our industry forward,” adds Dr. Scott Lowman, Co-Director of the CEA Innovation Center and Vice President of Applied Research at IALR. “This event underscores the importance of partnerships and shared knowledge in achieving the growth and success we envision for CEA.”

Standing-Room Only Keynote With Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin Kicks Off Event

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, a steadfast supporter of the indoor agriculture sector, kicked off the event with a keynote address to a standing-room only audience. His session was immediately followed by the session, “What Is CEA: It’s Mission, Definition and Purpose,” with Paul Brentlinger, CEO, CropKing, Inc; Jessica Soare, Senior Director of Marketing, BrightFarms; Mike Ross, Co-Founder & CEO, Beanstalk; and Dr. Michael Evans, Virginia Tech and Co-Director of the CEA Innovation Center. On the second day, the Leadership Insights Panel welcomed John McMahon, Co-Founder & COO, Better Future Farms; Molly Montgomery, Acting CEO Executive Chair, AeroFarms ; Carl Gupton, CEO, Greenswell Growers; and moderator Emily Gee, CEA Alliance Board Member and Marketing Director, AeroFarms, to the stage. In addition, the panel “Horizon Ahead” moderated by Kelli Rodda, Editorial Director, GIE Media, brought together Andrew Brooks, Business Development Manager, Priva; Cody Journell, Founder | CEO, Vegg, Inc; and Maximilian Knight, CEO, Rooted Robotics, to discuss emerging trends, technological advancements and innovations shaping CEA today.

Educational Tracks

The CEA Summit featured three educational tracks – Production, Business and Education, Workforce and Training– that brought academics, growers and business experts together covering a wide range of topics ranging from food safety, economics of CEA, crop selection and aquaponics to strategies for energy management, onboarding training programs for new employees, building international partnerships. Other panel discussions and 15-minute CEA Industry & Research Showcase sessions gave attendees the chance to hear about some of the latest research findings and other industry success stories.

Tabletop Exhibits & Networking

In addition to conference sessions, attendees had ample opportunities to visit with the Summit’s 21 tabletop exhibitors during coffee breaks, luncheon roundtables and an afternoon cocktail reception.

Graduate Student Poster Competition

This year’s summit hosted the 2^nd CEA Graduate Student Poster Competition to provide an opportunity for graduate students to share high quality CEA-related research; to expose commercial companies to qualified candidates; to foster collaboration between individuals in academia and in private industry. Eight finalists competed and Liam Reynolds, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign took first prize for his poster, “Evaluation of Radish, Broccoli, and Lettuce Microgreens Irrigated with Hydrothermal Liquefaction Aqueous Phase.”Nathaniel King-Smith, The Ohio State University, was awarded second place for his poster, “Exploring Sustainable Alternatives for Critical Materials: Hydroponic Cultivation of Rubber Dandelion ( T.kok-saghyz) for Rubber Production.”

CEA Innovation Center Tour

The event wrapped up with group tours of the CEA Innovation Center. Conference attendees took advantage of the unique opportunity to get an inside look at the CEA Innovation Center’s hydroponic systems and facilities, including the greenhouse and vertical growing racks. They also got to hear more about some of the Center’s exciting research projects.

The next edition of CEA Summit East will be held September 9-10, 2025. Look for more information coming soon to the event website – www.ceasummit.com. In addition, save the dates for the next edition of Indoor Ag-Con, March 11-12, 2025 at the Westgate Las Vegas.

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the largest trade show and conference for vertical farming | greenhouse | controlled environment agriculture. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis | hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. For more information, visit www.indoor.ag.

ABOUT THE CEA INNOVATION CENTER

The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project with Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, IALR 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. For more information, visit https://ceaic.org/

Optimizing Supply Chains of Indoor Farms: Research Participation Opportunity

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on September 14, 2024. Posted in Blog.

Sponsorship and Research Participation Opportunity!

Overview: Dr. Eric W. Stein, Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, and Dr. Afrooz Moatari-Kazerouni, COE partner and Assistant Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management, School of Business Administration at Widener University are working on a research paper on how to optimize supply chains of indoor farms. This study examines the complexities of supply chain management within the context of indoor farming and addresses the critical needs for robust supply chain frameworks to support the scalability and economic viability of indoor farming.

Working Title: “Optimizing Supply Chains of Indoor Farms”

Methodology: Online Survey

How to Contribute: Contributions include participation in the study and/or financial support.

Participation in the Survey: Go to our website for more information. https://indooragcenter.org/research

Sponsorship Opportunity: The Center of Excellence and the authors welcome the support of the following types of organizations that may wish to contribute to the study:

Indoor farm operators (greenhouse and vertical farms)
Equipment suppliers
Consultants
Horticultural specialists
Academic researchers

Sponsors will be acknowledged in the paper and through various media channels (detailed description available at https://indooragcenter.org/research).

To sponsor or contribute to this research project, please contact Dr. Stein at team@indooragcenter.org for more information. More information is also available at https://indooragcenter.org/research

Matthew Lohr Virginia Secretary of Agriculture

Virginia’s Vision for CEA: A Conversation with Secretary of Agriculture Matthew Lohr on Growing a Sustainable Future

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on September 14, 2024. Posted in Blog.

To set the stage for the upcoming CEA Summit East in Danville, we talked with Matthew Lohr, Virginia’s Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, to explore how the Commonwealth is fostering innovation and growth in the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector. From innovative workforce development programs to forward-thinking policies, Secretary Lohr shares insights into the state’s strategic initiatives under Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration. With a commitment to both traditional agriculture and CEA, he discusses the synergies between these sectors and the exciting opportunities ahead for the Commonwealth’s agricultural future.

Virginia has positioned itself as a leader in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). What key factors do you believe have contributed to this success, and how do you see the state continuing to support the growth of this industry?

Over the last decade, Virginia has been actively engaged in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), but it was our current governor Glenn Youngkin who elevated CEA as a top priority of the administration. Our mid Atlantic location is key, giving us the ability to reach two thirds of the U.S. population within a two-day drive.

As agriculture constantly evolves, the innovative technologies of CEA engage a new generation of farmers and agriculturalists. Virginia has embraced this evolution and has seen tremendous growth by capitalizing on a broad based, bipartisan support from both local and state officials. We have championed successful changes in tax policy the last two years that have attracted CEA companies. Virginia is also uniquely investing in financial incentive programs from TWO state agencies; the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). We provide top-notch industry driven research led by the CEA Innovation Center in Danville. Finally, Virginia is deeply engaged with middle school, secondary and post-secondary levels of education to develop broad based, technical curriculums focused on CEA and other agricultural technologies.

With your background in both traditional farming and CEA, how do you view the role of indoor agriculture in the broader agricultural landscape of Virginia? What synergies do you see between these two sectors?

As a 5^th generation poultry and livestock farmer, I have been very engaged in traditional agriculture my entire life. Here in Virginia, agriculture is our largest industry and represents an annual economic impact of over $82 billion. I see the CEA industry not as competing with our traditional farms but as supplementing our growth and success. The vast majority of all leafy greens and vegetables are grown on the west coast and in the deep south, not in Virginia. CEA opens the door for a whole new generation of people interested in growing food to get involved. Especially in non-traditional urban growing areas across the state.

Indoor farming relies on less land, water and growing inputs, while reducing labor and foodborne illnesses. In some instances, CEA research is actually helping outdoor farms develop crop varieties that are more productive, efficient and resistant to disease and pests.

Workforce development is crucial for the success of the CEA industry. What steps is Virginia taking to ensure a skilled and ready workforce to meet the demands of this rapidly growing sector?

Virginia has pioneered several programs that create an early interest in indoor farming and agriculture technology as early as middle school. GO TEC: The Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC™) initiative developed a unique, five-week CEA module that allows middle school students to experience a full plant growth cycle. This program introduces students to critical sectors like electrical engineering, quality control, automation, and manufacturing engineering. GO TEC has been very successful across 40 middle schools and there are plans to expand this program into high schools.

Virginia community colleges are developing courses and associate degrees based on Ag Tech. These courses allow students the flexibility to gain broad science and mechanical skill sets. Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke is working with stakeholders to create an ATE (Advanced Technological Education) program. With an emphasis on two-year colleges, the ATE program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation’s economy. Reynolds Community College also offers an associates degree in applied science in Horticulture Technology and a certificate in Sustainable Agriculture. In addition, Virginia Tech has partnered with the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) to research and develop educational programming to further advance CEA operations. Sweet Briar College near Amherst is creating an integrated curriculum across several majors that allows students to get hands-on CEA experience in their on-campus greenhouse. These exciting programs are both creating an awareness of indoor farming while developing the necessary skills for success in tomorrow’s agricultural industry.

What specific initiatives or policies are currently in place, or being developed, to attract and support CEA companies in Virginia? How does the state balance fostering innovation while ensuring sustainable practices?

Over the last few years, the Youngkin administration has worked to advance several legislative policies that support the CEA industry. In 2023 a bill was passed that allows Virginia to provide a sales and use tax exemption to businesses investing in new CEA infrastructure, including greenhouses, hydroponic systems, and other growing equipment. These credits help offset the initial capital investment and encourage companies to adopt CEA technologies. Another bill that passed in 2024 classifies indoor agriculture/CEA equipment as “farm equipment,” allowing it to be exempted from personal property taxes in localities that provide such exemptions. In the 2025 legislative session, we will be exploring legislation that addresses energy usage and efficiencies within the CEA industry.

The area of research is another area that attracts CEA companies. Innovative research led by the CEA Innovation Center develops strategic partnerships with both industry and academia. The Center conducts research and develops educational programs that promote and advance the CEA sector in the U.S. and abroad. The Center also features various hydroponic and soilless systems including indoor growth rooms, greenhouses, growth chambers, and vertical growing racks. High-tech engineering fuels innovative research and demonstration crops. Robotic imaging, analytical chemistry, and biotechnology are also highlighted. In addition to research, the CEA Innovation Center’s scientists design and provide educational activities to train employees, farmers, and companies on controlled environment technologies and crop production.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for the CEA industry in Virginia, and how is your office preparing to address or capitalize on them?

The biggest challenges I see facing CEA growth in Virginia are energy usage, site development and access to capital. There are many growing demands on our energy grid that Governor Youngkin is addressing through an “All of the Above” energy plan that focuses on reliability, innovation and environmental stewardship. Shovel ready sites for large scale projects are another top priority for the administration. We have made major investments in these sites that will be necessary for future growth. Finally access to capital is a major challenge for large scale projects. As the economy has softened and inflation has increased, access to capital has become more difficult.

Despite the challenges, there are still many exciting opportunities still ahead for Virginia CEA. We are continuing to develop the infrastructure framework that will sustain a growing industry. More investments in research and state incentives will attract even more of these indoor farms of all sizes. There are opportunities on the horizon that may include partnering indoor farms with data centers that would create amazing synergies with heat, carbon and fertilizers. There will also be even more opportunities to build on our solid educational system across multiple educational levels. It is an exciting time for CEA in Virginia, but I envision an even brighter future ahead.

Local Bounti Expands Distribution

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on August 13, 2024. Posted in Blog.

The Packer reports that Indoor agriculture company Local Bounti said it will supply Brookshire Grocery Co. with its grab-and-go salad kits, living lettuce and baby leaf varieties.

Local Bounti said it is now shipping to Brookshire Grocery Co. from its new Mount Pleasant, Texas, facility. The company’s full line of products, including its grab-and-go salad kits, living lettuce and baby leaf varieties will be stocked in more than 180 Brookshire store locations across three states in the Southeast and Southwest.

“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with Brookshire’s, as it marks another significant distribution win for Local Bounti, bringing us closer to our mission of delivering fresh, locally grown produce to more communities across the country,” Kathleen Valiasek, president and chief financial officer of Local Bounti, said in the release.

Agriculture Moves Beyond The Earth — Georgia Trend Magazine

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on July 20, 2024. Posted in Blog.

“[CEA] is definitely an agricultural opportunity for us to continue to grow our agricultural footprint,” says Commissioner Tyler Harper, Georgia Department of Agriculture “It is one those emerging markets folks are really looking into and could really be beneficial in getting more Georgia-grown products on the shelves.”

A feature story in the July issue of Georgia Trend puts spotlight on the controlled environment agriculture sector in the state of Georgia highlighting operations, including Local Bounti, Gotham Greens, Hardee Fresh Vertical Farms, Cox Farms | BrightFarms, and Better Fresh Farms. The story also spotlights Rhuanito Ferrarezi, associate professor of controlled environment horticulture at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and a survey of Georgia farmers he is conducting to better understand the scope of CEA in Georgia.

“The reason for me to create a survey is to really quantify how many people are out there, the size of their operations, which crops they are growing and what problems they are encountering, so we can really assist in different areas,” he says.

Read the full article from Georgia Trend here…

CEA Alliance Applauds Introduction of Bipartisan Senate Bill to Scale Supply Chain Loan Guarantee Program at USDA

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on April 24, 2024. Posted in Blog.

As reported in HortiDaily, the CEA Alliance applauds the introduction of the Food Supply Chain Capacity and Resiliency Act of 2024 by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Mike Braun (R-IN), which would provide critical alternative funding for the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry and other similar capital-intensive food supply chain-related industries by enhancing and making permanent USDA’s previous Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program.

“The CEA Alliance applauds Senators Sherrod Brown and Mike Braun for working together to ensure that America’s indoor farming industry has the financial tools it needs to continue to grow and scale,” said Tom Stenzel, Executive Director for the CEA Alliance. “Indoor farming is helping to build a more resilient fresh food supply chain. The next farm bill must enhance and make permanent the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program so that producers can access valuable financing to help the industry grow.”

“At a time when the U.S. is importing more fresh food than ever before, Congress must advance critical legislation like the Food Supply Chain Capacity and Resiliency Act to support innovative supply chain solutions such as indoor farming,” said Colin O’Neil, Chair of the CEA Alliance’s Public Policy Working Group and Senior Director of Public Policy & Social Impact for Bowery. “Being able to grow fresh produce indoors all year round is a win for consumers, a win for the environment, and a win for the fresh food supply chain – greater support through programs like these will help the American indoor farming industry grow and thrive.

Read the full story from HortiDaily …

Harvest Today: Revolutionizing Local Food Cultivation, One Wall At A Time

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on April 23, 2024. Posted in Blog.

Harvest Today is on a mission to transform local food cultivation, one wall at a time. From addressing food insecurity to building collaborative partnerships and embracing sustainability, the company is driven by a commitment to practical change. In this month’s CEA Q&A, Director of Global Sales and Marketing Peter Maher sheds light on the company’s straightforward approach to simplify, empower and revolutionize local food cultivation through its innovative Harvest Wall systems.

Harvest Today’s tag line is “Indoor Farming Made Simple.” Can you elaborate on how your Harvest Wall systems are revolutionizing indoor food production and what sets them apart from other methods currently in use within the CEA industry?

When developing the Harvest Wall, we had two objectives – maximize plant count per square foot and make growing SIMPLE – The Harvest Wall achieves both.

Farming, in and of itself is a simple concept – plant, grow, harvest – repeat. Though we all know it’s never that simple, especially indoors, that’s really what it comes down to.

The Harvest Wall Vertigation™ System was developed with the idea of simplicity always top of mind.

Every aspect of the wall was purposefully designed with the user in mind — from the stackable grow tiles, that make the grow system more economical for manufacturing and shipping, offer the best plant density per square foot available and are able to fit in any shape/size grow space — to the patented Vertigation™ System and flood rail, providing precision fertigation and eliminating the need for emitters.

Each Harvest Wall comes ready to go and is equipped with all the hardware and electronics needed to start growing. There is an integrated reservoir, irrigation pump and controller that can be accessed manually or through a smart phone. Whether you are a beginner or experienced grower – the Harvest Wall Vertigation™ System can suit your needs.

Your mission includes empowering communities to address food insecurity at its source. Could you share any examples of how your technology has already made a positive impact on local food access and sustainability?

A natural focus of Harvest Today’s sales has been the Canadian Market – where Founder, Rick Langille is from. Canada has no shortage of rural, northern hemisphere regions where fresh produce is simply unavailable. Harvest Today currently has several operating farms in rural communities across Canada. We work with numerous First Nation organizations for not only food production, but also ceremonial herbs and spices no longer available to the indigenous peoples of the area.

Collaboration seems to be a key aspect of Harvest Today’s approach, as evidenced by your partnerships with other suppliers, distributors, and growers. Can you elaborate on the importance of collaboration in driving innovation and scalability within the indoor ag sector, and how these partnerships are contributing to the success of Harvest Wall systems?

The phrase, “It Takes A Village,” always comes to mind when discussing Harvest Today’s partnerships and collaborations. Yes, we build walls, that’s what we do. But Harvest Today isn’t just here to build walls – our objective is to GROW FOOD, and we can’t do it alone. Having solid trusted partners to help round out the offering and provide expertise in their field is our village – whether it’s lighting, cooling, consumables or anything in-between, we want to be able to point our customers in the right direction.

I’d like to call out SpectraGrow here, as our go-to LED lighting partner. Having SpectraGrow as a resource means we can confidently provide our customers with the latest in LED hardware and technology. With so many options out there – it can be daunting for a potential customer to just google “grow lights.” We want to be that resource and having trusted partners is the only way to do it.

The company’s interest in ESG initiatives, particularly in bringing Harvest Walls to schools and prisons, is noteworthy. How do you envision these efforts making a positive impact, both in terms of food access and broader community engagement with sustainable agriculture practices

A cool thing about this business – for the most part, is that what’s good for ESG, is also usually good for business. It’s not a this or that sort of situation. No matter how or where a Harvest Wall is being used – it’s growing local food – and that’s what we’re here for.

We are very proud ESG efforts and make them a focus of our everyday operations and lives. From an access point of view – when we say we’re here to grow food, we mean it! That’s the number one objective, grow local healthy food. The positive impact of just that, growing local healthy food, knows no bounds.

Looking ahead, what exciting developments or initiatives can we expect from Harvest Today in the coming months?

We will be launching our 4 port grow tile for the Harvest Today Harvest Wall Vertigation™ System. Our standard 6 port grow tile consists of 6 2” plant ports. The 4 port grow tile will have 4 3.25” plant ports. The volume of each port on the 4 port grow tile will be nearly 5x that of the 2” ports. This will provide a significantly larger root zone greatly expanding the portfolio of plants that can be grown in a Harvest Wall – most notably – larger fruiting and vining plants like tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, peppers, and more.

For more information on Harvest Today, visit the website.

The Packer: Going Dark | Square Roots Explores Indoor Vertical Farming Without Light

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on April 18, 2024. Posted in Blog.

This Story By Aaron Gonzalez Ran In The Packer April 8, 2024 Edition

New York-based controlled environment agriculture company Square Roots has unveiled a program that aims to remove lighting from commercial indoor vertical farming systems to reduce energy demands and costs.

Through partnerships and focused research, the company says it is exploring techniques like heterotrophic growing to operate indoor farms in the dark, with the goal of lower production costs and environmental impact while maintaining year-round fresh food production.

(Photo above courtesy of Square Roots)

“Over the last 12 months Square Roots has created a platform to accelerate agricultural research, working with partners across both indoor and outdoor farming, alongside science-focused organizations and foundations,” Square Roots co-founder and CEO Tobias Peggs told The Packer.

The program seeks to demonstrate that light can be removed from a commercial indoor vertical farming system; the benefits of indoor farming remain, but the system can now operate with radically reduced energy needs. This translates directly to significantly lower production costs and associated carbon dioxide equivalent, or CO2e, he said.

SCIENTIFIC BACKING, SUPPORTED BY COLLABORATION

To enable this new approach, Square Roots is working with gene-edited CRISPR plants that add biomass by uptaking carbon through their root systems rather than relying on photosynthesis under light. The underlying science was initially developed by Robert Jinkerson, a specialist in artificial photosynthesis at the University of California, Riverside, in conjunction with Feng Jiao, a chemist at the University of Delaware.

Read complete story at The Packer >>

Babylon Microfarms STEM Garden at Indoor Ag-Con

Babylon Introduces The STEM Garden At Indoor Ag-Con 2024

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on March 20, 2024. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

(Richmond, VA) Babylon Micro-Farms, Inc., North America’s leading manufacturer of on-site, modular vertical farms, officially launched its latest Micro-Farm, the STEM Garden, designed for the education market. The team showcased the new design at Indoor Ag-Con, March 11-12, 2024. The company is taking pre-orders and will begin shipping units in June 2024.

Their latest Micro-Farming system is designed to engage the senses and expand the mind by delivering an accessible and affordable interactive farming experience to the education market. After delivering Micro-Farms to hundreds of locations worldwide, Babylon has collected feedback from a wide range of educators to inform the design for the STEM Garden. Their engineering team has carefully designed the product to deliver the highest-quality farming experience available to educators at an accessible price point. STEM Garden is simple, reliable, and configurable, making it a workhorse for teaching various science, technology, nutrition, and mathematics topics.

Alexander Olesen (CEO & Co-Founder) said, “The STEM Garden represents the next step in our journey to make hydroponic agriculture accessible to all. We have set the standard for safe, reliable, remotely managed vertical farms manufactured here in the USA, enabling anyone to become an indoor farmer. The STEM Garden is an accessible device that significantly expands the market for on-site vertical farms in the classroom and, eventually, home.”

After researching the education space over the last few years, Babylon has created a versatile growing system to engage, educate, and inspire students by bringing farm-to-table into the classroom. Here are some of the key features:

Hands-on Learning – Removable trays in workstations promote hands-on learning for crop planting, nurturing, and harvesting.

Classroom-Compatible – Our design fits K-12 classrooms, maximizing space without compromising on the quality of education.

Student Led-Experiments – Designed for simplicity, our unit encourages students to work together, promoting teamwork and collaboration skills.

Exciting Seed Varieties – Students can explore the world of plant biology in depth, including different leafy greens, herbs, flowers, and microgreens.

Educational Integration – Get lesson plans and materials for hands-on gardening integrated into your curriculum.

Food Safe Cultivation – Our enclosed and locked gardening system ensures ideal plant growth with minimal effort and a more efficient and secure learning environment.

A dietician with Aramark at VCU, Julia Danisewicz RD, said, “We love our Babylon Micro-Farm; our students love the knowledge that their food was grown just a few feet away. As a dietician, seeing a university like VCU value sustainable, pesticide-free food choices for its students is exciting. I didn’t have a green thumb before working with the farm, but it is so easy to use that now I feel like a pro.”

The STEM Garden is available for pre-order today. Access the info sheet, spec sheet and please sign up for the waitlist here.

About Babylon
Founded in 2017, Babylon provides an indoor farming service to enable businesses and communities to have a year-round supply of ultra-fresh produce at the touch of a button. They manufacture all their products in the United States. The BabylonIQ software platform remotely manages the modular vertical farming systems network to make sustainable agriculture accessible to institutional food service clients like Compass, Aramark, and Sodexo. The service includes semi-automated vertical farms, software, and supplies wrapped into a flat monthly fee.

Link to TED Talk: Watch my TEDx Talk on “The Next Generation of Vertical Farming

Link to Times Magazine: Top Greentech Companies 2024

Indoor Ag Con 2024 Boosts Worldwide Attendance At Largest Event To Date

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on March 19, 2024. Posted in Press Releases.

16% Attendance Increase For Las Vegas March 11-12, 2024 Event That Drew CEA Industry Members from 49 U.S. States, 31 Countries

(MARCH 18, 2024) — Indoor Ag-Con marked its 11^th edition with increases in attendee and exhibitor participation for its March 11-12, 2024 run at Caesars Forum Las Vegas. The exhibiting company roster grew by 54% with a sold-out show floor featuring 207 companies in 287 booths vs. 134 companies in 174 booths for 2023. Attendance saw a 16% increase over 2023 with 1584 attendees from 49 states, the District of Columbia and US territories, as well as 31 other countries. Attendees included C-level execs and other decision-makers involved with every sector of controlled environment agriculture — grower/operators, investors, tech providers, start-ups, academia, government, real estate developers, food service retail, suppliers and more.

For the third year, Indoor Ag-Con once again co-located with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show, attracting 146 attendees from that event to the Indoor Ag-Con expo floor — taking the total attendance number over the 1700 mark.

“Every year our speakers, exhibitors and attendees from across the country and globe look forward to Indoor Ag-Con as it brings together our industry as a community to hold important discussions on timely topics and show off what’s new in indoor agriculture,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “This year we experienced record exhibitor growth and attracted companies and attendees from 35 countries to our global event. Next year, we are moving to a new location providing more expo and meeting space as we continue to grow with this ever-evolving industry.”

Among the 11^th Annual Edition highlights:

Keynote Sessions
Each year, Indoor Ag-Con features three inspiring Keynotes and this year’s all-star speakers included Paul Sellew, Founder and CEO of Little Leaf Farms. A mid-morning keynote on day one, “Leader Insights: Charting the Future Landscape of Controlled Environment Agriculture”, was led by industry veterans Moderator, Daniel Malech, Board Chair, SVP CEA Alliance for Plenty, Jim DiMenna, President of Red Sun Farms, Viraj Puri, Co-Founder and CEO of Gotham Greens, and Matt Ryan, CEO of Soli Organic. Adam Bergman, Managing Director, Clean Energy Transition Group, Global Head of AgTech for Citi, delivered the day two morning keynote address.

Educational Tracks & Expo Floor Theater Panel Discussions
The Conference features two jam-packed days of educational and insightful sessions from 90+ speakers in four tracks including Planning & Operations, Grower, Cultivating Possibilities and NEW this year, the Cannabis track.

Sold Out Expo Floor
In 2024, the Expo Hall grew and expanded boasting 207 world-class companies in 287 Booths that showcased the most cutting-edge technologies, products and services in the indoor agriculture industry from lighting and control systems to substrates, equipment, irrigation systems.

Networking Opportunities
Daily lunches and an afternoon cocktail reception on the expo floor expanded the show’s networking opportunities.

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 2024 edition with a VIP Welcome Par-tee on Sunday evening, March 10 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 LED Horticultural Lighting.

Looking ahead, Indoor Ag-Con Las Vegas will move to the Westgate Las Vegas for its March 11-12, 2025 edition. The new location provides additional expo floor and meeting room space to accommodate the event’s steady growth.

For more information, please visit www.indoor.ag.

ABOUT:

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the largest trade show and conference for vertical farming | greenhouse |controlled environment agriculture. 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, visit www.indoor.ag.

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