Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) has made significant progress in producing strawberries commercially, but the industry is still trying to work out which berry crops might follow. Researchers and operators say the answer will depend on disciplined crop development, realistic economics, and systems designed around the biological needs of the plant.
That message emerged during a session titled “Beyond Strawberries: What Berry Is Next for CEA?” at Indoor Ag-Con, presented by Olivier Paulus, CEO and founder of Vertiberry; Paul Gauthier, Professor at Penn State University; and Eric Gerbrandt, Chief Science Officer at BeriTech.
Lessons from the CEA Strawberry Boom
Panelists emphasized that the rapid expansion of CEA strawberries over the past decade offers both valuable experience and cautionary lessons. While the crop has proven technically feasible in greenhouses and indoor systems, many early ventures struggled after scaling too soon. Echoing lessons learned across the CEA sector over the past few years, the speakers noted that future berry crops — including raspberries, blueberries, and other high-value varieties — will require a more measured development pathway. Pilot production, data collection, and incremental scaling were all stressed as important steps before committing to large commercial facilities.
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) has transformed what is possible in soft fruit production. Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, once thought impractical for indoor systems, are now being grown successfully in greenhouses, vertical farms, and hybrid facilities around the world. With precise control over light, temperature, humidity, and nutrition, growers can produce high-quality fruit year-round, close to key markets, and with remarkable consistency.
While indoor systems reduce many of the risks associated with outdoor production, they do not eliminate disease. In fact, the high-density, high-investment nature of CEA makes disease prevention more critical than ever. A single outbreak of disease can quickly spread through a facility, disrupt production schedules, reduce yields, compromise fruit quality, and in severe cases, force a full system reset.
In indoor berry production, clean plant material is not just a quality preference; it is a foundational business decision. Disease prevention is one of the most powerful levers growers can pull to protect margins, stabilize production, and maximize return on investment (ROI).
Why Indoor Does Not Mean Disease-Free
It is easy to assume that a sealed greenhouse or vertical farm provides complete protection from pests and disease. Compared to open-field production, CEA systems certainly offer greater control and isolation; however, these environments are not immune to biological risk.
CEA facilities can create ideal conditions for rapid disease spread due to:
High plant density: Indoor systems maximize production per square foot, which means plants are grown close together. Once a pathogen is introduced, it can spread quickly.
Shared infrastructure: Recirculating water systems, shared tools, and centralized air handling can unintentionally move pathogens throughout a facility.
Limited crop rotation: Many CEA operations run continuous production cycles, which reduces natural breaks that would otherwise suppress disease populations.
The fact is that indoor systems can experience rapid, facility-wide outbreaks, making prevention far more valuable than reaction.
How Viruses and Root Pathogens Enter CEA Systems
Understanding how diseases enter controlled environments is the first step in preventing them.
Infected Plant Material
The most common entry point for viruses and root pathogens is infected starting material. Many strawberry and bramble viruses are latent, meaning plants can appear healthy while still carrying harmful pathogens. Once inside a facility, these viruses can spread through propagation, handling, and plant-to-plant contact.
Water Systems
Water is both essential and a risk. Poorly sanitized irrigation systems, shared reservoirs, and recirculating nutrient loops can distribute pathogens across large production zones. Even minor contamination can escalate into a major outbreak.
Tools, Equipment, and Workers
Human movement is another significant factor. Tools, carts, gloves, footwear, and hands can transfer pathogens between zones. Without strict sanitation protocols, even well-designed facilities are vulnerable.
Airflow and Environmental Inputs
While less common, airborne spores and contaminants can enter through ventilation systems, open doors, or intake air. Organic substrates, packaging materials, and growing media can also introduce disease if not properly treated.
The Economics of Clean Plant Material
Infrastructure investments in buildings, lighting, climate control, automation, and labor mean that production disruptions carry steep financial consequences.
Disease impacts profitability in several ways:
Yield loss: Infected plants often produce less fruit or fail entirely.
Quality degradation: Fruit size, shelf life, and appearance can suffer, affecting marketability.
Labor inefficiency: Time spent diagnosing, removing plants, sanitizing systems, and replanting increases labor costs.
System downtime: Severe outbreaks may require partial or full system shutdowns for cleaning and resetting.
Replanting costs: Replacement plants, substrate, and lost production cycles add significant expense.
In indoor systems, even small disruptions can translate into six- or seven-figure losses annually.
Best Practices for Sanitation in CEA Facilities
Even the cleanest plants can become infected if sanitation protocols inside the facility are weak. Disease prevention must be approached as a systems-level strategy.
Controlled Access and Zoning
Limiting who enters production zones and when reduces contamination risk. Many facilities use zone-based access systems, color-coded tools, and designated clothing or footwear.
Tool and Equipment Sanitation
All tools and carts should be cleaned and sanitized between uses and between zones. Automated sanitation stations help maintain consistency.
Water Treatment
Water should be filtered, treated, and regularly tested. UV treatment, ozone, and other filtration systems can prevent pathogens from circulating through nutrient loops.
Worker Training
Sanitation protocols only work when employees understand and follow them. Regular training, auditing, and reinforcement are essential.
Monitoring and Early Detection
Routine scouting and testing allow growers to detect issues early, when intervention is still manageable. In indoor systems, early response can mean the difference between a minor correction and a full-scale outbreak.
Why Clean Plants Matter Even More for Strawberries and Brambles
Soft fruit crops present unique disease challenges in CEA systems.
Strawberries
Strawberries are particularly susceptible to viral infections, root diseases, and crown pathogens. Many strawberry viruses remain asymptomatic until plants are under production stress, at which point yields and fruit quality can decline rapidly.
In indoor systems where strawberries are expected to perform at high productivity levels for extended periods, starting clean is essential.
Raspberries and Blackberries
Long cane raspberry and blackberry production depends heavily on healthy vascular systems. Viral or root infections can severely limit cane vigor, fruit set, and berry size.
Because long cane systems represent a significant upfront investment, disease-free starting material is critical to achieving expected returns.
John Place, CEO, Nourse Farms
Clean Plants as a High-ROI Investment
The foundation of a clean system is clean plants. Investing in high-quality, virus-indexed plant material directly reduces the probability of catastrophic loss. When viewed through a risk-management lens, clean plants deliver ROI by:
Stabilizing yields
Improving crop uniformity
Reducing chemical intervention
Lowering labor requirements
Protecting long-term system performance
Selecting a Propagation Partner
Selecting the right propagation partner is one of the most important decisions CEA berry growers can make.
Virus-Indexed Mother Stock
All commercial plant production begins with mother plants. In high-quality systems, these plants undergo routine virus indexing using laboratory testing to verify that they are free from known pathogens. This process ensures that propagation material remains clean generation after generation, significantly reducing disease risk downstream.
In-House Tissue Culture Laboratories
Advanced propagators maintain in-house tissue culture labs, allowing them to:
Produce disease-free starter plants
Rapidly multiply elite genetics
Maintain strict traceability and sanitation controls
Tissue culture production provides the cleanest possible starting point for CEA growers.
Multi-Stage Quality Control
Clean plant production requires rigorous quality control at every stage:
Lab testing
Greenhouse inspections
Field monitoring
Pre-shipment checks
Facilities that implement multiple inspection and testing points dramatically reduce the chance of disease slipping through.
The Nourse Farms Approach: Clean Plants from the Ground Up
At Nourse Farms, plant health is the cornerstone of everything we do. For more than 90 years, our focus has been on producing reliable, high-performing strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry plants for commercial growers.
Our approach to clean plant production checks all the boxes:
Virus-indexed mother plants to ensure propagation begins with clean genetics
An in-house tissue culture laboratory for maximum control over plant health
Rigorous, multi-stage quality control programs throughout propagation
Strict sanitation protocols in both lab and field environments
Continuous testing and inspection to identify and eliminate risk early
We deliver planting material that supports consistent yields, predictable performance, and long-term system stability, especially critical for indoor and greenhouse production. For CEA growers, this means:
Faster establishment
More uniform crops
Reduced disease pressure
Lower long-term operating risk
Clean Plants as a Strategic Business Decision
In CEA berry production, success depends on consistency. Investors, retailers, and consumers all expect predictable volumes, quality, and timing. Disease disrupts every one of these expectations.
By prioritizing clean plant material and rigorous sanitation protocols, growers shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive risk management. This shift not only protects yield, but it also strengthens business resilience.
As CEA berry production continues to scale, operations that invest in prevention will consistently outperform those that rely on treatment and correction.
Final Thoughts: Prevention Is the Highest ROI Input
Lighting systems, climate control technology, automation, and advanced substrates all play critical roles in modern CEA production. But none of these investments can deliver their full value if disease undermines crop performance. Clean plants are the foundation upon which successful indoor berry growing systems are built. By investing in virus-indexed, rigorously tested plant material and maintaining strict sanitation protocols, growers protect not only their crops, but their entire business model.
In an industry where margins are tight and expectations are high, disease prevention stands as one of the most powerful and reliable levers for maximizing return on investment. At Nourse Farms, we believe that clean plants create strong systems, resilient businesses, and profitable harvests. For more information about how Nourse Farms can support you in your indoor berry growing venture, contact us at 1-877-NFBERRY (1-877-632-3779) or info@noursefarms.com.
Kyle Barnett, Conference Program Director, Indoor Ag-Con
Over the past month, I had the privilege of spending a concentrated amount of time in pre-planning conversations for Indoor Ag-Con in Las Vegas on February 11–12. These were not surface-level calls. They were working sessions meant to shape discussions that go beyond the usual talking points and actually serve operators and suppliers.
In every group, I asked for the same thing: be honest, address the elephants in the room, and focus on what people can actually act on when they go back home. By the end of the month, my head was spinning. Not from volume, but from how consistently the same themes kept coming up across different crops, roles, and geographies.
Each of these conversations generated meeting notes and transcripts. To step back and avoid over-weighting any single perspective, I used AI as a tool to analyze and organize those notes, looking for repeated patterns and shared concerns. The insights below are not AI conclusions. They are a synthesis of real conversations, filtered through experience and judgment. Names and companies are intentionally left out. This is about clarity, not attribution.
A few things became very clear.
The Industry Feels More Serious
There is noticeably less appetite for hype and far more focus on trade-offs, sequencing, and consequences. People are asking better questions. They are more willing to talk openly about what did not work and why. That shift showed up across nearly every conversation and is reflected directly in how Indoor Ag-Con sessions are being framed this year, with more emphasis on execution, scaling discipline, and post-build reality. CEA feels less like it is trying to prove itself and more like it is trying to operate well.
Scaling Has Been Reframed
Across greenhouse and vertical systems, the message was consistent: scaling before operations are stable creates problems that are hard to undo. Facility size, location, labor availability, and market access are now being discussed as interconnected decisions rather than isolated ones. Bigger is no longer assumed to be better. Proven, repeatable, and financeable are carrying more weight. This mindset shows up clearly in sessions focused on facility design, expansion timing, and responsible growth.
Technology Is Finding Its Proper Place
The conversations shaping sessions on integration, automation, AI, and data were far more grounded than in past years. Operators are not looking for more dashboards. They want fewer tools that actually help them make decisions, reduce labor strain, or manage risk. AI came up often, but almost always with its limits clearly acknowledged. Useful when paired with good data and sound agronomy. Risky when positioned as a shortcut around experience. That realism is guiding how AI-related discussions are being handled at the show. Technology is still important. It is just no longer the headline.
Labor and Culture Are Now Central
Labor was raised in almost every conversation, often before yield or technology. Staffing challenges are no longer being treated as temporary. They are structural. Facilities are being designed and redesigned around workforce realities, training capacity, and management bandwidth. There was also strong alignment around culture. Systems introduced without grower buy-in tend to fail. Tools designed without operator input tend to be ignored. These realities are shaping sessions that focus on operations, leadership, and the human side of CEA.
Crops Continue to Act as Reality Checks
Leafy greens continue to expose pricing pressure and overproduction risk. Cannabis conversations have become notably more pragmatic, with open acknowledgment of complexity, climate mistakes, and labor misalignment. Strawberries and berries keep pushing back against automation narratives, reinforcing the need for deep plant knowledge and airflow mastery. Specialty crops, including mushrooms, consistently highlight that market development often matters more than production capability. These crop-specific realities directly informed how tracks at Indoor Ag-Con were built this year, with less emphasis on novelty and more on fundamentals.
Market Reality Is Driving Discipline
Pricing, commoditization, and distribution came up as often as production. Yield alone is no longer being mistaken for success. Operators are talking more openly about differentiation, channel strategy, and demand alignment. Several sessions at the show are designed specifically to confront these issues directly rather than dance around them. Market awareness is no longer optional. It is foundational.
Why I’m Optimistic
Despite all of this, the dominant feeling coming out of these conversations was not pessimism. It was clarity. There is more honesty now. More shared learning. More willingness to say what does not work and move forward anyway. That is exactly the tone these Indoor Ag-Con discussions are meant to set. This past month did not feel like an ending for CEA. It felt like a reset that needed to happen. And based on what surfaced in these conversations, the industry is stepping into the next year with clearer eyes and stronger fundamentals.
Strawberry plants growing in Nourse Farms’ North Carolina greenhouse location.
“Let’s be honest: agriculture isn’t the industry for someone who likes a sure thing,” said John Place, Nourse Farms CEO. “There are many factors beyond the growers’ control that influence outcomes, such as extreme weather and disease pressure—2024 made that abundantly clear. But by staying ahead with proactive risk management, we can help the industry succeed.”
One of the biggest topics in the strawberry industry right now is the outbreak of Neopestalotiopsis (Neo-P), a fungal pathogen that has gained attention due to its rapid spread in certain regions, which has the industry on high alert. Neo-P has impacted thousands of growers across North America, causing shipments to be canceled and many growers to abandon strawberry-growing plans this season. As a leading North American berry plant propagator, Nourse Farms isn’t letting Neo-P stand in the way of providing high-quality plants to its customers.
Nourse Farms is focused on investing in innovative propagation techniques that mitigate disease risks while enhancing overall plant quality. Place recognizes the importance of providing customers with plants that are not only healthy but also free from the risks associated with diseases like Neo-P.
Pictured are strawberry plants growing in Nourse Farms’ North Carolina greenhouse location.
“It starts with our virus-indexed tissue culture mother plants, which has been a hallmark of our organization for decades,” said Place. “By propagating mother plants from tissue culture and growing our tray plants in a controlled environment, we are providing the best possible plants to our customers. We believe the strawberry plants should be grown in a controlled environment. By growing our tips in a high-tech glasshouse, we keep the mother plants clean—thus keeping the runner tips clean.”
Nourse Farms prides itself in its stringent quality control processes, which are designed to ensure the plants are in the best position to meet the highest standards of cleanliness and health. Nourse Farms’ unique process allows the organization to maintain control over every stage of plant production. This holistic approach enables Nourse Farms to respond swiftly to industry challenges, innovate continuously, and deliver exceptional plants that meet the ever-evolving needs of growers.
Nourse Farms strawberry plug plant showing off strong roots.
“With unpredictable weather patterns and emerging disease pressures, controlling our propagation process is essential,” said Place. “While there’s no single solution to eliminate all of the risks that we face as an industry, our integrated approach means we’re not just reacting to challenges; we’re leading the way in overcoming them, ensuring that our customers receive the highest-quality plants that are ready to get to work in their fields.”
About Nourse Farms
For over 90 years, Nourse Farms has been a trusted producer and supplier of premium quality small fruit plants. Dedicated to providing clean and highly productive plants to national and international commercial fruit growers, home gardeners, and resellers, Nourse Farms stays at the forefront of industry advancements by continuously identifying and testing new varieties and growing techniques. With locations in Massachusetts and Washington and a new site in North Carolina, Nourse Farms is committed to delivering high-quality products and is poised for a future of growth and innovation. What began as a local strawberry nursery has blossomed into an internationally recognized nursery specializing in strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry plants, along with a variety of other premium plants. To discover more about Nourse Farms’ commitment to quality, innovation, and the future of agriculture, visit NourseFarms.com or call 1-877-NFBERRY (632-3779).
Oishii has announced that it will introduce its coveted Koyo Berry to Harris Teeter locations in the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia), broadening its footprint along the East Coast. This news comes on the heels of Oishii’s expansion into Chicago.
The Koyo Berry – meaning “elated” in Japanese – was introduced in February 2023 and is marked by its red hue, sweetness, balanced acidity, and firm texture. Oishii Berries are grown in indoor vertical farms in the U.S. and are pesticide-free, non-GMO, and always in season.
Perfect for flavorful, everyday snacking, Oishii’s Koyo Berries are available for $9.99 MSRP for a standard tray – 11 medium berries, or 8 large berries.
In the heart of South-Central Alberta, where harsh winters and unpredictable weather can test even the most seasoned growers, Gabriel Forero, Head Grower at Sunterra Greenhouse, (and Indoor Ag-Con 2025 speaker!) is producing high-quality tomatoes and strawberries year-round. Sunterra Greenhouse, part of the Price family’s diversified Sunterra Group operation, leverages cutting-edge controlled environment agriculture techniques to overcome climate challenges and achieve consistent, sustainable yields. In this Q&A, Gabriel shares insights on the role of technology in crop management, sustainability practices, and the exciting future of gene-edited crops in the greenhouse sector.
With Sunterra’s expansive operations, how do you leverage controlled environment techniques to ensure high-quality yields across varying climates and regions?
Sunterra Greenhouse is located in Acme, South-Central Alberta (Canada), where dry air and cold nights throughout the year provide us with very good growing conditions for our crops — strawberries and tomatoes – provided we can manage the indoor climate effectively. However, when the temperature outside is -30°C (adding wind chill it can go down to -45 °C), growing conditions become exceptionally challenging. In these extreme temperatures, we rely heavily on all our growing systems: boilers, 4 levels of heating pipes, hybrid lights and energy screens to achieve 24h temperatures and a consistent environment across the growing season.
Even though we have above 220 µmol of supplemental lights for both crops (full LEDs for strawberry and hybrid 50-50 HPS-LEDs for tomatoes), sunlight is still necessary to prevent ice from accumulating on the roofs and to allow the vents to open. Without proper ventilation, it would be difficult to keep the crops active, strong and productive. Proper management of the greenhouse environment is key to achieving quality and consistent yields, but as a greenhouse we are still somewhat affected by extreme external factors (wildfires, atmospheric rivers, winter storms, etc.).
During these extreme circumstances, we adjust the conditions throughout the day to activate the crop using tools and techniques of CEA, such as fertigation, heating/venting strategies, lighting and use of curtains. These growing parameters require continuous fine-tuning for success – all supported by automation and use of sensors across the growing operation.
How are emerging technologies—like sensor-based monitoring, automation, or data analytics—impacting your approach to crop management at Sunterra?
Crop management has many aspects, but not all of them rely on technology (e.g. manual tasks like lowering plants/trusses, deleafing, harvesting, or pruning flowers are still dependent on people). For greenhouse climate control, energy and water management & labor registration, we use PRIVA software, a leader in the growing space with over 60 years of experience.
Based on my personal experience working in high-tech greenhouses and indoor growing, you need to have a reliable system that can “amalgamate” all sensors and data into one platform, so the grower is able to cross-reference information and adjust the growing parameters quickly and accurately. Without greenhouse automation technology, it will be close to impossible to manage the greenhouse environment, especially under extreme conditions that demand all systems working 24/7 (winter and summer have some similar challenges).
Winter crops, in particular, are unique in a hard way. Growing plants in winter means you are growing plants against nature (short days, no sun for days, nonsense VPDs, angry bumblebees, condensation, tip burn… all kinds of problems, you name it!). That’s why we need all available support to generate an active climate for the plant. Without greenhouse management software, sensors, data analysis , and some automation –all accessible in one solution — it will be hard to optimize production, maximize yield and boost quality in a sustainable framework.
If growers are not data-driven, making timely decisions becomes nearly impossible. Today, its not enough to rely solely on experience and skill; we need technological decision-support tools to successfully grow and manage crops in any growing system across the globe.
Sunterra emphasizes food safety and quality. Could you elaborate on how controlled environmental practices contribute to meeting these standards throughout the production process?
Plants are directly affected by their surrounding environment, and their phenotype and full genetic potential are influenced by environmental factors. Actively managing the greenhouse environment directly impacts the quality and taste of harvested product. A stable environment, supported by automation and environmental controls, provides optimal growing conditions, such as temperature and humidity control, light management, nutrient management , pest and disease control.
By choosing the right cultivars, and effectively utilizing CEA techniques to optimize photosynthesis, we growers can achieve consistent good quality yields, making year-round production possible to some degree, even in fluctuating climates. At Sunterra Greenhouse, we grow the ripe way, always trying to be consistent in quality, flavor and freshness to meet the needs of our clients across North America.
With sustainability becoming increasingly important in agriculture, what measures has Sunterra implemented to improve resource efficiency—such as water use and energy consumption—in your growing processes?
Sunterra Greenhouse is committed to building a sustainable food system in Alberta. Our water use is very efficient. We collect all precipitation (rainwater and snow) from outside the greenhouse, as well as condensation from the interior, and store it in a reservoir for use in our irrigation system. We also UV-treat and recycle all the drain water to save on fertilizer and reduce the use of water by precise fertigation. Also, our soil-less cultivation hydroponic system offers greater control over nutrient supply and root environment.
In Acme, we have our natural gas boilers working at some capacity for around 9 months of the year. The CO2 produced is pumped back into the greenhouse for use in photosynthesis optimization. Our greenhouse has diffused glass on both crops to ensure natural light is distributed uniformly to the plants. Plus, our lighting solution helps reduce our energy footprint. By carefully managing light photoperiod and intensity using our Philips LED Grow Lights, we achieve efficient year-round operations. We also use energy screens to reduce our gas consumption, saving 20% to 40% of gas usage throughout the growing season.
Looking to the future, what trends in controlled environment agriculture are most exciting to you, and how do you see Sunterra adapting to or leading in these areas?
What excites me most (and surprisingly, not many are talking about it) is the potential of new cultivars in the coming years. Technological advancements in gene editing (e.g. CRISPR) will permit scientists to create plants with specific and desired traits. Imagine plants that have been altered at the DNA level – without adding any foreign DNA, no GMO – specifically modified for certain traits.
In the future, I expect new crop varieties with enhanced traits and disease resistance. It’s wonderful just to imagine growing a plant that requires less fertilizer, less water, has more tolerance to environmental stress, has superior yield and is immune to pests and diseases. Additionally, these crops could have extra flavor, longer shelf life with boosted nutritional value.
It sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Good examples of this technology are the GABA-enriched tomato in Japan, the non-browning banana in the Philippines and a vitamin-rich tomato in the UK. I believe not only Sunterra but the entire industry will need to adapt to coming CRISPR-edited crops. This technology will present challenges for the entire agricultural community, including governments and regulators, in the coming years.
And don’t miss the panel presentation that Gabriel will be participating in during Indoor Ag-Con 2025: “Trends In Canada: Insights From Leading Growers Across the Nation.” On Tuesday, March 11, 2025 from 11:00-11:50 AM PST, Gabriel will be joined by other growers from across Canada to share insights on the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in the industry. It’s a great opportunity to learn from experienced growers like Gabriel about how they are adapting to the evolving landscape of Canadian horticulture and positioning their businesses for long-term success.
“Plenty® has built the most technologically advanced indoor farming platform aimed not only at meeting year-round consumer demand but making it possible to build a long-term food security infrastructure that can adapt to the needs of regions like the Middle East,” said Arama Kukutai, CEO of Plenty.
Plenty Unlimited Inc. andMawarid Holding Investmenthave entered an exclusive, multi-year, region-wide partnership to bring locally grown fresh produce to countries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The joint venture Plenty and Mawarid have formed will invest more than AED500 million (US$130 million) into the partnership’s first project in the GCC – a vertical farm in Abu Dhabi, designed to grow more than 2 million kilograms of strawberries annually.
The joint venture plans to develop up to five farms in the next five years, which would require investing up to AED2.5 billion (US$680 million) and bring thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities to the region. Mawarid is a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, a major publicly listed company on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).
From its beginnings as a local strawberry nursery in 1932, Nourse Farms has evolved into an internationally recognized soft fruit nursery. Indoor Ag-Con is pleased to have Nourse Farms as an exhibitor for our March 11-12, 2024 edition in Las Vegas. We had the opportunity to catch up with CEO John Place to learn more about the company’s rich history, exciting expansion plans, state-of-the-art tissue culture labs and greenhouses in this month’s CEA Q&A. Read on to learn how this industry leader is not only adapting to changing market dynamics but also shaping them, as Nourse Farms positions itself to meet the evolving needs of berry growers worldwide, especially in the controlled environment agriculture sector.
Nourse Farms has a rich history dating back over 90 years. Can you share some key milestones in the company’s journey and how these have shaped its commitment to innovation and quality?
Aerial photo of Nourse Farms Whatley, Massaschusetts location
With Nourse Farms being around for almost a century, we’re fortunate to have a number of milestones that emphasize our commitment to innovation and delivering quality. Some highlights include:
1932: The farm was established as a strawberry plant nursery
1978: Raspberry plants added to the product mix
1980: The first tissue culture lab built
1982: Customized cooling facility built, allowing for storage of dormant, bare root plants
2003: Blackberry plants added to the product mix
2019: The first commercial planting of tray plants (strawberries) and long canes (brambles)
2020-2022: The continued expansion of tray plants and long canes
Present: A major expansion of our lab, greenhouses, and growing facilities that is intended to not only increase our footprint, but also amplify our commitment to innovation, as we will be using cutting-edge technologies to help us grow the cleanest, highest quality plants possible.
The recent announcement about your expansion plans and partnership with an investment firm are exciting and significant developments for Nourse Farms. Could you elaborate on the strategic goals behind the expansion and how it positions the company to meet the evolving needs of berry growers worldwide, especially in the CEA sector?
Nourse Farms Mills River, North Carolina location
Nourse Farms has focused on delivering the highest quality plants and exceptional customer service to the berry industry for decades. We are sitting at a pivotal point in North American berry farming where consumer demand is growing alongside new production techniques that are game-changers to the industry. Our goal is to secure our position as the market leader in berry plant propagation in North America. With that in mind, we are making a significant investment in our growing facilities in multiple locations to grow the highest quality plants for our customers.
We will now be growing in three distinct climates (Massachusetts, Washington, and North Carolina) so that the variety selection and plant type we have for our customers is grown in the best climate for its purpose. The new tissue culture lab, greenhouses, tray fields, trellis fields, and cold storage are all a part of our process and are included in the upgrades we are making. We believe these strategic investments will position us to scale quickly and efficiently to meet the changing needs of the market.
With the upcoming modern tissue culture lab and greenhouses in Massachusetts and North Carolina, how do you envision these facilities enhancing Nourse Farms’ ability to innovate and provide top-quality plants to your customers? Are there specific technologies or practices you’re excited to incorporate?
Tissue culture and micropropagation have been a cornerstone of Nourse Farms since we built our first lab in 1980. We use these techniques to grow our clean foundation mother plants, from which we propagate. With our ability to do in-house virus indexing and eliminate thru heat treatment, we can ensure our mother plants are of the highest quality. This new lab is actually our fourth lab to be built and will give us not only significant production capacity beyond our current lab but will also incorporate automation throughout the facility to aid in producing consistent, efficient, predictable results.
You’ve mentioned that you believe the future of berry production will increasingly demand substrate-grown plants. Can you provide some insights into the advantages and innovations in your substrate production process that make this approach so promising?
Nourse Farms long canes
Over the last several years, we have been growing tray plants (strawberries) and long canes (brambles). We have learned a lot regarding growing systems, proper fertigation, timing of planting, and other important details to produce a plant that is fit for purpose for our customers. With this experience, we are now positioned to strategically scale this part of our operation to meet the growing demands of the industry and ensure that our customers will receive the high-quality plants they expect from us.
Now that we are growing in multiple climates, various plant types and varieties can grow in the optimal conditions that they require.
Variety development also plays a key role in the innovations that we are preparing for the market. We have been working with berry breeders around the world for decades in an effort to identify, import, trial, and then scale the best genetics for our customers.
As Nourse Farms continues to expand and innovate, what do you see as the most significant trends or opportunities in the controlled environment agriculture industry, and how is the company positioned to take advantage of these trends?
Berry consumers are demanding not only more berries but also higher quality berries. The strategic steps Nourse Farms is taking are a direct result of our response to the fact that berry production is moving from traditional outdoor growing areas towards indoor facilities near population centers. High-tech glasshouses and indoor vertical growing facilities require a plant type grown specifically for these high-capacity facilities to generate the return on investment that is required.
This is where the opportunity is for upstream suppliers like us. Our plants are grown specifically to meet this demand and give our customers the returns they need for their investments. The more growing we do—both of our plants and of our business—the more success for our customers.
Winter Farm leaders (L-R) Yves Daoust, Founder and CTO and Alain Brisebois, President and CEO
Winter Farm’s focus on environmental sustainability, achieving food autonomy, and strategic partnerships has garnered attention and headlines, with recent funding of $46 million raising the bar for its ambitious goals. Indoor Ag-Con had the chance to catch up with the innovative Quebec-based company’s leaders — Yves Daoust, Founder and CTO (pictured above left) and Alain Brisebois, President and CEO (pictured above right) — to discuss the advantages of their approach, their goal of helping growers replace 10% of Canada’s strawberry imports, the renowned Fraise d’hiver strawberry, funding strategies and future opportunities in the CEA industry.
Winter Farm is described as a “tech company that designs, deploys, and operates controlled environment agriculture (CEA) solutions that work in harmony with existing agrifood systems.” Can you share how your technology and approach differ from other vertical farms and advantages it offers in terms of yield, quality, and cost-effectiveness?
Yves Daoust: Winter Farm’s concept fully integrates a strawberry vertical farm with an adjacent greenhouse: this shows the company’s deep understanding of the grower’s reality. As a result, our strawberry vertical farm is capable of efficiently heating the greenhouse in the wintertime. As heat recuperation is a major concern in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), this solution constitutes a major innovation that reduces the dependence of greenhouses on fossil fuels and lowers their carbon footprint. In addition, the integration allows for additional revenue generation as farmers can grow strawberries in the vertical farm, as well as peppers, lettuce, eggplant, or tomatoes etc. in the greenhouse using the same amount of energy. The Winter Farm solution exemplifies that it is possible for CEA to be both profitable and environmentally sustainable at the same time. To realize this dual objective, we use a multidisciplinary approach to intelligent automation – integrating producers’ knowledge, agronomy, engineering, and artificial intelligence (AI). Our system of environmental digital control, CERVEAU, aims to optimize yield, maximize energy efficiency, and improve revenues by fully characterizing the strawberry plant’s behavior in CEA by data, physical modeling and machine learning.
One of Winter Farm’s goals is to help growers replace 10% of Canada’s strawberry imports. Can you speak to some of the environmental and economic benefits that could come from achieving this goal, and how Winter Farm is working to make it a reality?
Alain Brisebois: Vertical farming is a promising new agricultural advance that holds potential for sustainable agriculture in the future. At Winter Farm, in addition to providing efficient heating of the adjacent greenhouse, vertical farming eliminates the need for chemical pesticides well known for their harmful effects on both the environment and human health. Additionally, since Winter Farm allows local production, it minimizes transportation needs, further reducing the carbon footprint of fruit and vegetable production. Further benefits of our production practices include significantly lower water usage compared to traditional field production and the maximization of cultivable areas with the vertical stacking of the production. By utilizing heat management and recovery technology, we enable growers to produce an array of greenhouse produce in winter, thereby jointly promoting food autonomy and generating additional revenues for the growers. Our goal is to offer sustainable solutions for agriculture, not just for Quebec, but for the communities worldwide that face challenges related to food security.
Please share a little more about the Fraise d’hiver Strawberry and what makes it so special.
Alain Brisebois: Fraise d’hiver literally translate to “winter berry”. Quebec is renowned for its tasty field strawberries. It brings us a lot of pride to be able to offer consumers that special Quebec taste during the winter months! Thanks to an optimally controlled environment that ensures high quality, freshness and flavor, the Fraise d’hiver strawberry’s natural sweetness and vibrant red color are truly what make it stands out in the market.
Congratulations on the recent announcement of your $46 million raise! We read that this funding is coming from a variety of sources, including government organizations and private partners. Can you talk about Winter Farm’s approach to securing funding and building strategic partnerships?
Alain Brisebois: Thank you very much! In an emerging industry like ours, financing is crucial. This funding was especially important to us as it demonstrates that our concept can be successfully integrated into the agricultural industry and that CEA can be both sustainable and profitable. Winter Farm’s approach to securing funding and building strategic partnerships has always been guided by a strong commitment to innovation and a profit-driven mindset. Additionally, our company’s goals and vision are in line with government priorities, such as promoting food autonomy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and developing a more sustainable economy. When we designed the solution, it was paramount that it be eligible to the available agricultural financing and support programs. We have also demonstrated how the agricultural sector can embrace the digital era with cutting-edge technology that is ready to deploy, which has been instrumental in our success so far. Our Vaudreuil location will soon be producing nearly 1 million kilos of strawberries per year, which is a significant achievement for us and the vertical farming movement. We are now thrilled to continue partnering with growers and building new sites!
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for the CEA industry as a whole in years to come, and how is Winter Farm working to seize them?
Yves Daoust: Currently, a major focus in CEA is on energy accessibility and cost. Winter Farm’s success has been based on addressing this aspect from the outset. This has provided us with the momentum to continue building an increasingly sustainable and profitable CEA solution for fresh produce agriculture. Innovation is crucial for the future of the industry, and as such, Winter Farm is committed to furthering our AI-driven work in agronomy and engineering. Our goal is to ensure that our technologies are profitable and accessible to growers worldwide.
Indoor Ag-Con is excited to welcome Plenty CEO Arama Kukutai to our keynote stage to give the opening morning address on Monday, February 27, 2023. Ahead of his keynote, we asked Arama about some of the company’s exciting developments; the challenges, trends and opportunities he sees for our industry; and what’s next for Plenty. Read more in this month’s CEO Q&A:
In September of 2022 Plenty announced plans to build the world’s largest indoor vertical farm campus near Richmond, VA. Can you share more details on this exciting project?
We’re building a first-of-its-kind campus of indoor vertical farms, which is significant for a few reasons. The structure of a cluster of farms on a shared site creates increased efficiencies as well as the opportunity to grow a wider variety of crops at scale on a single site. The Plenty Richmond Farm Campus has a potential annual production capacity of more than 20 million pounds of fresh produce. First up is our strawberry farm, which we broke ground on last fall and expect to deliver berries in market with our partner Driscoll’s in 2024.
Speaking of growth, can you also share any updates on your Compton, CA farm – including why you selected that location and how it fits into Plenty’s mission and growth strategy?
We want to be a part of building a food future where everyone has affordable access to fresh produce. The Plenty Compton Farm, which will be fully operational this year, is our first commercial farm, so it’s the culmination of nearly a decade of R&D and a major step forward in scaling our growing capabilities. We’re proud to be bringing agriculture back to Compton, and working with local retailers to increase affordable access to our produce for California and the western U.S.
In your opinion, what are the key challenges that the CEA/Vertical Farm industry must overcome?
Achieving scale, and scaling with positive unit economics, is the key challenge vertical farming has to overcome to be a permanent part of our food system. Energy consumption is also a challenge for our industry, so it’s important to prioritize energy efficiency as well as choose locations with access to cleaner energy sources.
As Co-Founder of Finistere Ventures, a venture firm dedicated to Agrifood investment, what trends or innovations in the industry are you most excited about?
There’s so much innovation happening to shape a new future for food that is more sustainable and equitable. The last decade saw more than $120 billion invested in innovation, now it’s time to demonstrate the commercial proof points. I’m most excited about the development of a hybrid agriconomy that brings together vertical farming, cultivation and fermentation to scale food production in ways that are better for the planet.
What’s next for Plenty?
Our focus for the immediate future is applying our technology and plant science R&D to commercial farms so we can scale our reach here in the U.S. and build our first international site. Beyond that, we’re continuing to expand our plant science innovation work to diversify the crops we have in market – strawberries are coming next, tomatoes and more are on the horizon. We are also going to announce new partnerships around financing the indoor asset class.
To learn more about Plenty, visit the website. And, make plans to join us for the 10th Anniversary Edition of Indoor Ag-Con, February 27-28, 2023 to hear Arama’s keynote address AND be part of the largest vertical farming & controlled environment agriculture gathering in the USA! Learn more.
Understanding how diseases enter controlled environments is the first step in preventing them.
The Nourse Farms Approach: Clean Plants from the Ground Up
In the heart of South-Central Alberta, where harsh winters and unpredictable weather can test even the most seasoned growers, 
Sunterra Greenhouse is located in Acme, South-Central Alberta (Canada), where dry air and cold nights throughout the year provide us with very good growing conditions for our crops — strawberries and tomatoes – provided we can manage the indoor climate effectively. However, when the temperature outside is -30°C (adding wind chill it can go down to -45 °C), growing conditions become exceptionally challenging. In these extreme temperatures, we rely heavily on all our growing systems: boilers, 4 levels of heating pipes, hybrid lights and energy screens to achieve 24h temperatures and a consistent environment across the growing season.
Crop management has many aspects, but not all of them rely on technology (e.g. manual tasks like lowering plants/trusses, deleafing, harvesting, or pruning flowers are still dependent on people). For greenhouse climate control, energy and water management & labor registration, we use 
Plants are directly affected by their surrounding environment, and their phenotype and full genetic potential are influenced by environmental factors. Actively managing the greenhouse environment directly impacts the quality and taste of harvested product. A stable environment, supported by automation and environmental controls, provides optimal growing conditions, such as temperature and humidity control, light management, nutrient management , pest and disease control.
Sunterra Greenhouse is committed to building a sustainable food system in Alberta. Our water use is very efficient. We collect all precipitation (rainwater and snow) from outside the greenhouse, as well as condensation from the interior, and store it in a reservoir for use in our irrigation system. We also UV-treat and recycle all the drain water to save on fertilizer and reduce the use of water by precise fertigation. Also, our soil-less cultivation hydroponic system offers greater control over nutrient supply and root environment.
What excites me most (and surprisingly, not many are talking about it) is the potential of new cultivars in the coming years. Technological advancements in gene editing (e.g. CRISPR) will permit scientists to create plants with specific and desired traits. Imagine plants that have been altered at the DNA level – without adding any foreign DNA, no GMO – specifically modified for certain traits.
It sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Good examples of this technology are the GABA-enriched tomato in Japan, the non-browning banana in the Philippines and a vitamin-rich tomato in the UK. I believe not only Sunterra but the entire industry will need to adapt to coming CRISPR-edited crops. This technology will present challenges for the entire agricultural community, including governments and regulators, in the coming years.
One of Winter Farm’s goals is to help growers replace 10% of Canada’s strawberry imports. Can you speak to some of the environmental and economic benefits that could come from achieving this goal, and how Winter Farm is working to make it a reality?
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for the CEA industry as a whole in years to come, and how is Winter Farm working to seize them?
In September of 2022 Plenty announced plans to build the world’s largest indoor vertical farm campus near Richmond, VA. Can you share more details on this exciting project?
In your opinion, what are the key challenges that the CEA/Vertical Farm industry must overcome?
What’s next for Plenty?