Tag: pest management

CEA Summit East 2026 Unveils Conference Program

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on June 19, 2026. Posted in Blog, Press Releases.

Four Deep-Dive Tracks, Greenhouse Sessions and More Set for Sept. 15-16, 2026 In Danville, Virginia

Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center announce the full conference program for the Fifth Annual CEA Summit East, taking place Sept. 15–16, 2026 at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research (IALR) in Danville, Virginia. The program features four 90-minute deep-dive breakout tracks, keynote addresses, special panel presentations, and the popular CEA Industry & Research Showcase Sessions — with speakers being added to the roster daily.

In a format unique to the Summit, select breakout sessions will be held directly inside the greenhouse of the CEA Innovation Center — putting attendees face-to-face with working research rather than a slide deck. Guided Innovation Center tours cap off the two-day program and are included with every conference pass.

Four Tracks. Twelve Sessions. Real Depth.

Each of the Summit’s four breakout tracks runs across both days, with three 90-minute sessions per track — giving attendees the opportunity to go deep on the topic most relevant to their work. Tracks and sessions are as follows:

TRACK 1: Launching a CEA Operation

• Session 1: Market Research & Defining My Target Market

• Session 2: Building My High Tunnel or Greenhouse: Regulations, Siting and Funding

• Session 3: Starting an Indoor Vertical Farm: Exploring the Models, the Options and What It Really Takes

TRACK 2: Getting Back to Our Roots – Core Horticultural Skills

Held inside the Greenhouse of the CEA Innovation Center

• Session 1: Matching Substrates to Crop & Production System (Soilless & Hydroponic)

• Session 2: Tools For Fertility Management

• Session 3: Lighting Fundamentals: Measurements, Metrics and DLI

TRACK 3: Technology Selection & Data Management

• Session 1: Data Collection & Environmental Monitoring

• Session 2: Data Management & Cybersecurity in CEA

• Session 3: Practical Examples of AI and Automation Integration in CEA Production

TRACK 4: Food Safety & Pest Management

• Session 1: Cleaning & Sanitization Protocols for Food Safety and Plant Health

• Session 2: Insect & Disease Identification in CEA Systems

• Session 3: Building an IPM Plan: Beneficial Insects & Biocontrol Tools

Keynotes, Panels and Showcase Sessions

Keynote addresses on both mornings will set the stage for each day’s programming. Special panel presentations will round out the general session lineup, including a dedicated session on Strengthening the Workforce Ecosystem on Day 1 and a panel focused on What’s Next in CEA Crops – Breeding and Variety Development on Day 2. Keynote speakers will be announced shortly.

The popular CEA Industry & Research Showcase Sessions return across both days — fast-paced, idea-packed presentations from industry innovators and researchers delivering concentrated insight on everything from grower success stories to the latest findings from the field. These sessions are among the most attended and talked-about at the Summit year after year.

The Tour That Everyone Talks About

The guided CEA Innovation Center tour — included with every conference pass — closes out the Summit on the afternoon of Sept. 16. Attendees will explore the research greenhouse, automation systems, and ongoing trials driving the future of controlled environment agriculture. This is not a marketing showcase: it’s a firsthand look at how science and innovation are shaping real-world CEA solutions, led by the researchers and specialists doing the work. Additional tour stops will be announced in the weeks ahead.

Register and Learn More

The full schedule, speaker roster, tabletop exhibits and registration are available at www.ceasummit.com. Speakers are being added regularly; the complete line-up will be announced in the coming weeks. For exhibitor and sponsorship inquiries, contact Suzanne Pruitt at suzanne@indoor.ag or 404.452.1884.

ABOUT CEA SUMMIT EAST

The CEA Summit East is an annual conference bringing greenhouse growers, vertical farm operators, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) professionals together with researchers, suppliers, and industry leaders. Produced by Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center — a joint project of IALR and the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences — the summit focuses on the intersection of protected cropping, production science, and emerging technology. Held at the IALR in Danville, Virginia, the event includes keynote presentations, panel discussions, breakout sessions, tabletop exhibits, and guided tours of the CEA Innovation Center’s working research facility. For more information, visit www.ceasummit.com.

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con is North America’s largest trade show and conference for greenhouse, controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming. The event covers all crop types and brings together growers, tech providers, researchers, and business leaders to explore trends and innovations shaping the future of food production. For more information, visit www.indoor.ag.

ABOUT THE CEA INNOVATION CENTER

The CEA Innovation Center is primarily housed in Danville, Virginia, on the IALR campus and in Blacksburg, Virginia, on the Virginia Tech main campus. It is a joint project between the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and IALR to serve the growing controlled environment agriculture industry. It addresses the needs of the industry with research, education, and extension programs. For more information, visit www.ceaic.org

Cornell Researchers Help North Country Growers Extend Growing Seasons

Written by From Hortidaily.com on April 9, 2026. Posted in Blog.

From HortiDaily.com

At Wild Work Farm in the North Country’s Keene Valley, the last frost can come as late as mid-June, and the first frost usually hits in September, said owner and operator Lissa Goldstein. Coping with that very short growing season is one of Goldstein’s primary challenges.

For decades, Cornell’s Willsboro Research Farm on the edge of Lake Champlain has been conducting research to help North Country growers like Goldstein make the most of short growing seasons. The U.S. Department of Agriculture maps regions based on temperatures to identify hardiness zones, which help growers know which crops and varieties they can plant – lower numbers are colder, and higher warmer. The Hudson Valley, Long Island and much of the Finger Lakes growing regions fall into hardiness zones 6-7. In the Adirondacks and northward, that hardiness falls to 4 or 5.

“Any research that’s specific to this region, to our growing season, is really helpful, because we’re very different from the rest of New York State,” Goldstein said. “The people that work at Willsboro, they are very intimately aware of what the growers in the area are doing and what we’re focused on. So they’re able to tailor the research so that it is relevant to us.”

Read full story from HortiDaily.com…..

Ecoation Partners with Mucci Farms to Advance Greenhouse Technology

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 12, 2025. Posted in Blog.

From iGrow News:

Ecoation and Mucci Farms have announced a strategic collaboration to integrate Ecoation’s advanced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Yield Forecasting platform across Mucci Farms’ greenhouse facilities in the U.S. and Canada. This partnership reflects Mucci Farms’ commitment to adopting cutting-edge technology to enhance crop health, productivity, and sustainability.

“For years, we’ve sought a technology partner who understands the complexities of greenhouse operations,” said Bert Mucci, CEO of Mucci Farms. “Ecoation’s platform offers the insights we need to drive innovation and sustainability.”

Key Takeaways:

Ecoation has formed a strategic partnership with Mucci Farms, to deploy Ecoation’s IPM and yield forecasting platform across all Mucci facilities.
The collaboration aims to enhance crop health monitoring, pest management, and yield prediction through advanced digital tools and machine learning.
Mucci Farms will leverage Ecoation’s platform to increase productivity, reduce chemical use, and further sustainable agriculture efforts.
This partnership builds on years of successful collaboration and technology trials between the two companies.
Ecoation and Mucci Farms share a commitment to sustainability, operational efficiency, and technological innovation.

CropKing Grower’s School In Tulsa Oklahoma

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on July 30, 2024. Posted in Blog.

Indoor Ag-Con Sponsor CropKing Inc., based out of Lodi, OH is pleased to announce a Tulsa, Oklahoma Grower’s Workshop on August 7-8 at Better Day Farms.

In the two-day course, the CropKing team will lead participants through the ins and outs of hydroponic production. This workshop will be focused on NFT growing as that is the system used at Better Day Farms and includes information on the different types of growing media and pest management, creating a business plan, building for success and more. Workshop attendees will walk away with the knowledge to start their own hydroponic crops as a hobby grower or as a new business venture.

“The Grower’s School workshop program has been a staple offering of CropKing’s for over 40 years. We’re excited to partner with Better Day Farms and share our growing methods, best practices and discuss the mistakes to avoid with the next group of future hydroponic farmers,” said Paul Brentlinger, CEO CropKing Inc.

Better Day Farms is an 11,000+ sq. ft. lettuce and herb facility, producing over 24,000 plants each month. Located in the Osage Hills, Better Day Farms is Tulsa’s first large scale hydroponic farm, proudly transforming north Tulsa’s food desert.

Grower’s School capacity is capped at 16 attendees to enable more personal interaction and Q&A. Interested participants can register by calling 330-302-4203 or visiting https://cropking.com/Oklahoma-Hydroponic-Workshop.

ABOUT CROPKING INC.:
For over 35 years, CropKing has been the leader in controlled environment agriculture, greenhouse manufacturing and hydroponic systems. Through innovation, research, and technical expertise, we find solutions that enhance the production of crops while ensuring customer success through horticulture support. Our growers are throughout the United States and in 20 different countries.

For more information, please visit www.cropking.com