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CEA Summit Day 2 Keynote

CEA Summit 2025 Keynote | Virginia Growers Spotlight Real-World Automation Strategies

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

The 4th Annual CEA Summit East, co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center, is excited to announce its Day 2 Morning Keynote Panel: “Automation in Action: How Virginia Growers Are Putting Tech To Work.” This insightful session will be held on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, from 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM EST at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia.

Moderated by Paul Brentlinger, CEO of CropKing, the panel will feature:

  • John McMahon, CEO of Equinox Growers
  • Carl Gupton, CEO of Greenswell Growers

These Virginia-based leaders will share their firsthand experiences integrating automation technologies into their growing operations. From climate and fertigation controls to robotics and real-time monitoring systems, panelists will offer candid perspectives on what’s working, where the challenges are, and how technology is improving operational efficiency — without losing the human touch that defines successful growing.

“This panel is a true reflection of the mission behind CEA Summit East — bringing research and real-world practice together,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO of Indoor Ag-Con. “Our Day 2 keynote gives attendees a chance to learn directly from growers who are actively testing and scaling automation on the ground.”

Dr. Scott Lowman, Vice President of Applied Research at IALR and Co-Director of the CEA Innovation Center, added, “There’s a lot of hype around automation, but what’s most valuable to our attendees is seeing how it’s actually being implemented in real-time by growers in Virginia. This session will give them that clarity.”

This keynote follows the Opening Day Keynote on September 9: “Cultivating Sustainable Growth: Balancing Economics and the Environment in CEA” moderated by Inside Grower magazine’s Jennifer Polanz, and featuring participants, including Matthew Lohr, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and Ben Alexander, Project Director, Oasthouse Ventures.

ABOUT CEA SUMMIT EAST

Co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center—a partnership between IALR and Virginia Tech—the CEA Summit East returns September 9-10, 2025, for its fourth edition. The event offers two days of educational sessions, tabletop exhibits, networking, research showcases, and tours of the CEA Innovation Center, all designed to bring together stakeholders from across the indoor farming industry. Attendees include greenhouse growers, urban agriculture operations, vertical farms, outdoor growers exploring hybrid opportunities, educators, scientists, extension specialists, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architects/developers, government officials, and other industry members.

For more information on the CEA Summit East and to register for the event, please visit www.ceasummit.com

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con is the 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 Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project between Virginia Tech, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), and industry that is working to advance the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector in Virginia, the U.S., and internationally through leveraging its collective resources, skills, and expertise by addressing the needs of the industry with  research, education, and extension programs For more information, visit www.ceaic.org

Little Leaf Farms. PA

Little Leaf Farms’ CEO on Building an Indoor Ag Business

Written by AgFunderNews - Jennifer Marston on . Posted in Blog.

From AgFunderNews:    If you grocery shop in the Northeastern US, there’s a high chance you’ve come across Little Leaf Farms‘ salad greens in the produce section. The 10-year-old company, which has built a “hands-free growing” system inside its greenhouses, now commands more than 50% of marketshare among indoor lettuce growers. Little Leaf greens grace the shelves of around 8,000 grocery stores in New England and the mid-Atlantic states.

The company’s success is a welcome story, given indoor agriculture’s recent past dotted with bankruptcies, closures, and troughs of disillusionment largely related to vertical farming startups.

Greenhouse operations haven’t been totally immune to the market correction, but Little Leaf Farms CEO and founder Paul Sellew has a simple explanation for why they haven’t flailed quite as badly.

“The sun is an amazing resource with all of these benefits. Any logical approach to growing a plant would include the sun.”

Still, Sellew is not one to gloat over corpses of other companies, preferring instead to keep his focus on Little Leaf Farms, growing plants and providing a consistent experience for customers.

Last month, the company announced its third greenhouse, which will operate out of Manchester, Tennessee and serve the Southeastern states, beginning in 2026.

AgFunderNews caught up with Sellew this week to discuss the company’s expansion, the role of tech in indoor agriculture, and why there may actually be a sustainability argument for plastic packaging.

A selection of greens from Little Leaf Farms. Image credit: Little Leaf Farms

AgFunderNews (AFN): How has Little Leaf Farms weathered the ongoing tough times and kept making reliable products? 

Paul Sellew (PS): There’s this boring thing called day-to-day execution, and it’s quite essential if you’re going to build a successful CEA [controlled environment agriculture] company.

We operate seven days a week, 365 days a year, and we’ve organized the humans around the plants, not the other way around.

AFN: What do you mean by that last point?

PS: Plants grow every day. As a result, running a system—seeding, harvesting, etc.—has to be consistent with the rhythm of how the plants are responding, and we organize humans around that concept.

As a result, the greenhouse is more or less the same, whether it’s the middle of winter or the middle of summer. We just created this controlled environment where the plants are happily growing.

We’re also at a scale where a cold chain is followed, and we’ve got great people that know what they’re doing, which then leads to a consistent eating experience for the customer.

[This approach of “boring day-to-day execution] is not unique to Little Leaf Farms, although it’s amazing that it seems like a hard lesson to get for a lot of companies.

AFN: Do you think there’s an advantage of greenhouse growing over vertical farming?

PS: We’ve always believed that high-tech greenhouses were the solution and vertical farming was in search of a problem that didn’t exist.

The greenhouse industry was here beforehand. It’s here now, and it’ll be here in the future. There’s a very simple reason for this: the sun is a amazing resource with all of these benefits. Any logical approach to growing a plant would include this free resource.

The notion that vertical farming is higher technology [than greenhouses] is simply not true. The greenhouse industry is very sophisticated from a technology standpoint. Our facilities are fully automated, but when it comes down to growing plants, it never made sense to me that you would design a system around not using this free, amazing resource called the sun.

What’s been born out of this, unfortunately, is that many of these companies—not exclusively but predominately vertical farms—have gone bankrupt and failed.

There are other companies though. AppHarvest did not succeed as a company, but all those greenhouses [previously built by AppHarvest in Kentucky] are in operation today. You don’t see vertical farms that were shut down back in operation.

I think a lot of what we’ve seen here is this sort of arrogance around technology—what I’ll call the Silicon Valley mindset that says “agriculture is broken and we’re going to come in with our disrupter mindset.”

That didn’t work. A lot of these companies literally labeled themselves as tech companies when their business model was to sell leafy greens. To me, that was business model confusion.

 Read the full interview about Little Leaf Farms from AgFunder News ….

Water Garden Farms, Siemens and CEAd

Water Garden Farms, Siemens, and CEAd Announce Strategic Alliance

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog.

Water Garden Farms, Siemens and CEAdWater Garden Farms (WGF), Siemens, and CEAd have announced a partnership to integrate cutting-edge AI and fully automated precision agriculture technology in WGF’s indoor farming operations, paving the way for a new era in crop production that ensures food and water security and expands access to more affordable, higher-quality produce.

This alliance will fast-track the rollout of WGF’s high-yield, low-cost, environmentally sustainable, and decentralized farming model – starting with the construction of a new 500,000-square-foot, solar powered greenhouse facility in West Virginia.

Strategically located near Washington, D.C., this state-of-the-art facility will be the world’s most technologically advanced greenhouse operation of its size, producing 35 million packaged salad units annually, using a fraction of the resources required by open field farms.

Powering the Future of Agriculture: Inside the Siemens-CEAd-WGF Alliance

  • Siemens Digital Industries, a global technology powerhouse, provides the foundational technology architecture and cutting-edge digital tools that make scalable, high-performance Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) operations possible. Through its advanced Siemens Xcelerator open business platform, Siemens enables seamless development and integration of hardware and software, driving real-time insights, operational precision, and continuous innovation.
  • digiCEAd is a joint platform established by Siemens and CEAd. digiCEAd delivers tailored digital solutions built specifically for CEA operators. By combining Siemens’ technology ecosystem with CEAd’s deep industry expertise, digiCEAd enables WGF to adopt digital twin modeling, AI-driven analytics, and comprehensive operational management tools. This ensures not only food safety excellence and regulatory compliance, but also continuous operational improvements and scalable growth.
  • Water Garden Farms is providing digiCEAd a strategic platform to deploy its leading AI, automation, and monitoring capabilities, while enabling Siemens and CEAd to support WGF’s operational growth. WGF is on a mission to revolutionize agriculture production through a high efficiency farming model that maximizes crop yields and quality, while minimizing water and energy consumption. WGF’s new flagship facility in West Virginia marks the first phase of a $500 million multi-site expansion across the U.S. These next-generation greenhouses aim to set a new global standard for indoor farming and environmental and social impact.
Water Garden Farms, Siemens and CEAd
Water Garden Farms Flagship Facility – West Virginia, USA

“Together, we’re setting a new global benchmark for food quality, crop productivity, affordability, and environmental sustainability,” said Dennis Levine, Founder & CEO of Water Garden Farms. “With digiCEAd and Siemens’ cutting-edge AI, control, and automation systems, and CEAd’s leading facility design capabilities, we’re deploying a high-yield, climate-resilient production model that dramatically lowers the cost to market of nutritious produce to help combat food inflation, expand access for consumers, and drive positive environmental and social impact at scale.”

“Building resilient and scalable food systems requires collaboration. By partnering with technology and business leaders like CEAd and WGF, we can develop disruptive smart farming solutions that will transform the CEA industry,” said Rick Schneiders, Head of Future Food at Siemens. “The CEA industry stands at a pivotal moment, where embracing open, scalable solutions is essential. By harnessing vast amounts of data to gain deeper understanding and actionable insights, we can drive down costs and increase production. Our goal is to support the CEA industry in making this crucial transition in the coming years.”

“This collaboration is more than a technological partnership; it’s a bold reimagining of how we grow food now to meet future challenges,” said Thomas Larssen, CEO of CEAd. “At CEAd, we’re committed to delivering facility designs and operational systems that don’t just meet today’s challenges but set new standards for efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. Together with Siemens and Water Garden Farms, we’re creating an ecosystem where cutting-edge technology and practical design converge to produce high-yield, low-impact, and future-ready agriculture.”

Industry-Leading Productivity Meets Sustainability Goals

This innovative collaboration is not just about technology; it’s about completely rethinking how agriculture meets the demands of the future by creating systems that set new benchmarks in sustainable food production. WGF’s innovative farming model far surpasses traditional agriculture methods by enhancing food quality and safety, optimizing unit economics, using 98% less water, reducing carbon emissions by 84%, and delivering 44 times higher crop yields per acre compared to open field farms in water stressed California and Arizona, which supply 90% of U.S. leafy greens.

About Water Garden Farms

WGF is pioneering a new era of sustainable agriculture by tackling the urgent challenges of extreme weather, resource scarcity, and global food insecurity. Headquartered in New York City, WGF is redefining food production by optimizing operational efficiency and competitiveness to drive positive environmental and social outcomes. WGF’s breakthrough farming model combines world class finance expertise and business leadership with ultra-efficient production systems, smart logistics, and advanced marketing strategies to deliver fresher, higher-quality produce at a lower price – reaching retailers within hours of harvest.

WGF’s mission is to build a more resilient and environmentally responsible food system by cutting carbon emissions, reducing supply chain waste, minimizing resource use, and maximizing food safety and accessibility. Through a focus on innovation, rapid crop rotation, and cost efficiency, WGF creates value for consumers, retailers, shareholders, and the planet – setting a new standard for local, sustainable, and scalable food production.

About CEAd

CEAd’s team of project managers, engineers, designers, and industry professionals specialize in technical consulting services for the controlled environment agriculture industry. With over 35 years of experience developing facilities worldwide, CEAd works collaboratively with its clients and extensive vendor network to provide tailor-made solutions that are scalable, resource-efficient, and future-ready.

About Siemens

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, mobility, and healthcare. The company’s purpose is to create technology to transform the everyday, for everyone. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers customers to accelerate their digital and sustainability transformations, making factories more efficient, cities more livable, and transportation more sustainable. A leader in industrial AI, Siemens leverages its deep domain know-how to apply AI – including generative AI – to real-world applications, making AI accessible and impactful for customers across diverse industries. Siemens also owns a majority stake in the publicly listed company Siemens Healthineers, a leading global medical technology provider pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably.

In fiscal 2024, which ended on September 30, 2024, the Siemens Group generated revenue of €75.9 billion and net income of €9.0 billion. As of September 30, 2024, the company employed around 312,000 people worldwide on the basis of continuing operations.

Water Garden Farms
media@watergardenfarms.com

CEAd
sales@ceadl.com

Siemens
contact@siemens.com

Vertical Harvest Maine is Hiring!

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

New Indoor Farm in Westbrook Begins Inclusive Hiring Process

Greater Portland Maine Metro Area – January 30, 2025 – Vertical Harvest Farms, an indoor farming company focused on customized employment for people with disabilities, is excited to announce hiring in support of their new 51,000 square-foot hydroponic indoor farm in downtown Westbrook, Maine.

The farm is slated to begin producing 2.5 million pounds of fresh, leafy greens for New England consumers, the culinary community and local institutions later this year. And the company is especially excited to offer locally grown, nutritionally dense and radically delicious microgreens to the Maine community, believing that good can (and should) taste great.

Vertical Harvest is also unique for practicing customized employment, with a focus on fostering human potential and offering reasonable and appropriate accommodations for people with disabilities via its Grow Well employment model. Co-founder Caroline Croft Estay and team developed this one-of-a-kind program at its original farm in Jackson, Wyoming and has been evolving it since 2016. “We believe in the dignity of work, the power of community and that everyone deserves a fair shake at a meaningful career, growth and economic independence – which is not always accessible to people with disabilities.” says Croft Estay.

The company is currently fielding applications for their first round of hires – focused on farm leadership, operations, sales and marketing roles. Once the management team is in place, the second round of hiring will begin focused on filling the farm’s growing associates, packaging and fulfillment roles.

A list of open positions is currently available on its website. Interested applicants can sign up to be notified of future rounds of hiring as well as request any accommodations needed to support the application process. Of the milestone, CEO Nona Yehia says, “This moment is the culmination of years of effort and collaboration with our partners in Westbrook and the state of Maine. We aim to be a community farm that makes fresh, delicious produce radically accessible and where we’ve set a place at our table for everyone.”

About Vertical Harvest

Vertical Harvest is a hydroponic, vertical farming company dedicated to community-oriented farms, food and futures. In addition to their passion for local, healthy food grown sustainably, Vertical Harvest also operates on an inclusive, customized employment model with farms designed for accessibility and staffed via hiring practices developed to support meaningful employment for people with disabilities. For more information visit www.verticalharvestfarms.com and sign up for the newsletter or follow on socials at @verticalharvestfarms.

Harvest to Hospitality: Bridging CEA with the Service Industry

Written by Henry Gordon Smith on . Posted in Blog.

The hospitality industry is a growing sector that continues to expand, with emerging trends such as Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Practices, a focus on Health and Wellness, Unique Experiences and Local and Authentic Cuisine. These trends can be combined with local food production in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), which can offer educational tours, workshops, and generally more nutritious food produced locally. Also, CEA offers many advantages, such as providing fresh produce regardless of external conditions, reducing water consumption, and eliminating the use of pesticides and insecticides. 

We will discuss the topic “Harvest to Hospitality: Bridging CEA with the Service Industry” on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at Indoor AgCon, at 9 AM PST. The panel will feature Marc Oosterhuis, CEO of Babylon MicroFarms; David Flynn, CEO of AmplifiedAg Inc; and Jack Murana, Program Coordinator for FoodU at Auburn University.

Image source: https://traveladdicts.net/fridheimar-tomato-restaurant-iceland/

Types of CEA Systems

CEA includes various methods of controlled food production, such as:
🌱 Greenhouses – High-tech facilities optimizing sunlight and climate control
🏢 Vertical farms – Multi-layered indoor farms using hydroponics and artificial lightning
🚛 Container farms – Self-contained units that allow food production anywhere
🛒 In-store units – Small-scale farming solutions inside supermarkets, rooms and restaurants

All of the above can also be integrated into the growing trend of Agritourism, which is gaining traction worldwide and something that Agritecture Consulting has been heavily involved in designing for projects around the globe in recent years.

What is Agritourism?

Agritourism is a tourism sector that combines agriculture with travel experiences, allowing visitors to engage directly with food production, farming activities, and rural culture. It offers unique and immersive experiences, such as farm stays, agricultural workshops, hands-on harvesting, and tasting local, farm-fresh products.

Who Is Developing the Hospitality Project?

A key consideration when integrating Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) into the hospitality industry is understanding the diverse range of stakeholders involved. These can vary widely—from small-scale farmers looking to enhance their farm-to-table offerings, to real estate developers seeking to incorporate sustainable food production into their properties, and even to some of the world’s most luxurious architects designing high-end resorts with on-site vertical farms or greenhouse dining experiences.

Farmers – Growers

Farmers and growers can successfully integrate Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) with hospitality by supplying locally grown, fresh produce directly to restaurants, hotels, and other culinary businesses. Ensuring consistent quality, freshness, and aroma is crucial—an advantage that CEA can provide. By focusing on specialty crops such as edible flowers, microgreens, saffron, and mushrooms, growers can offer unique ingredients that elevate the dining experience and distinguish their produce in the hospitality market.

 

A great example is Farm One, a former Agritecture client based in Brooklyn, New York. Initially specializing in fresh specialty crops for local chefs, Farm One has since expanded its business model to include a brewery and coworking space. They also offer farm tours, creating a dynamic blend of networking, hospitality, and urban farming. This evolution demonstrates how CEA operations can successfully diversify and integrate into the broader food and hospitality ecosystem.

Image source: https://www.untappedcities.com/tour-brooklyn-hydroponic-farm-one/

 

Real Estate Developers

Real estate developers are increasingly incorporating sustainable food production into their projects, not only to enhance their environmental credentials but also to gain recognition and awards for innovative sustainable developments and smart cities. Beyond sustainability, they must consider how CEA projects engage the community and visually integrate with the overall development. A well-designed CEA space should be both functional and aesthetically appealing, seamlessly blending with the surrounding environment while serving as a focal point for sustainability initiatives.

 

The priorities for these projects extend beyond production—they must also deliver experiential and educational value. Successful integration excites visitors, offering immersive experiences that showcase the benefits of supporting local farms. Whether through interactive farm tours, on-site restaurants featuring hyper-local ingredients, or educational workshops, these elements help create a deeper connection between urban developments and sustainable agriculture.

Agritecture has assisted multiple real estate developers in integrating Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) into their projects, tailoring solutions to fit each market and concept uniquely. By understanding the specific needs of different developments, Agritecture proposes practical and scalable strategies that enhance sustainability, community engagement, and overall project value.

Image source: https://www.agritecture.com/smart-city

 

Architects

Architects specializing in hospitality design are increasingly focusing on incorporating Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) into their projects, aiming to create spaces that blend sustainability with a unique guest experience. Their vision centers around making the farming process a visual and interactive element within the space, ensuring that CEA features such as vertical farms or hydroponic systems not only contribute to sustainability but also enhance the overall aesthetic. Through these elements, architects create a holistic, immersive environment that attracts guests seeking both luxury and authenticity.

Architects have concerns regarding the integration of CEA facilities and the structural challenges, such as the weight of racking systems, and how to incorporate these systems into the layouts without compromising the overall design and functionality of the space.

Agritecture has collaborated with numerous architects, especially on high-end luxury concepts, offering everything from conceptual proposals to detailed layout designs for vertical farms inside massive developments like towering skyscrapers.

For example, one of our projects involved a luxury agri-themed hotel in the Middle East, where we proposed a variety of experiences for the guests, ranging from low-tech greenhouses to high-tech strawberry cultivation setups, a seed coffee library, and aquaponic farms. Agritecture’s expertise in both agriculture and architectural design enables us to help architects transform their visions into reality, creating exceptional, sustainable, and immersive experiences for their clients.

Key Elements of a Successful Hospitality, CEA and Agritourism Mix

At Agritecture Consulting, we have successfully implemented these strategies in past projects and can provide expert guidance on designing, developing, and optimizing agritourism ventures that seamlessly integrate Controlled Environment Agriculture into the hospitality industry. After working on compelling agritourism and hospitality projects, we have identified key factors that drive their success:

1️⃣ Local Cultivation – Make sure that the food which is produced on-site or sourced from nearby farms, reinforces authenticity and sustainability.
2️⃣ Educational Workshops & Activities – Offering sessions on sustainable farming, cooking classes, and interactive learning about Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) can bring the feeling of community and education into the project.
3️⃣ Impactful Farm Tours – Providing engaging, behind-the-scenes experiences at production sites, allowing guests to see how food is grown in innovative CEA systems.
4️⃣ Destination Design & Local Identity – Create an aesthetically appealing space that enhances the visitor experience while preserving and showcasing the local culture.
5️⃣ Sustainable Business Model – Implementing an economic framework that benefits both producers and consumers, such as Community Smart Agriculture, which fosters direct relationships between farms and customers.

Image source: https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/lancasterfarming.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/c7/6c783f4f-cf55-5e5f-9951-8b343bc00f5b/5968cbf1b6e9e.image.jpg

See you at Indoor Ag-Con!

 

CEA offers a unique approach to local food production by enabling the cultivation of fresh, high-quality produce in urban environments, regardless of seasonal changes or geographical limitations. CEA not only promotes sustainability but also ensures a consistent supply of ingredients for the hospitality industry, enhancing the farm-to-table experience and providing chefs with direct access to locally grown, flavorful produce year-round.

 

We will be discussing these topics in our exciting panel at Indoor Ag-Con! If you’re involved in hospitality and want to learn more about how CEA can transform your projects, this panel is for you! Whether you’re a technology enthusiast or curious about the future of CEA, join us to dive deeper into innovative solutions and trends shaping the industry. Don’t miss out!

 

Indoor Ag-Con, Inside Grower Announce Finalists for Inaugural CEAs-Cultivating Excellence Awards

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Press Releases.

 

Winners To Be Announced At Gala Luncheon During Indoor Ag-Con 2025 Las Vegas

Indoor Ag-Con, Inside Grower magazine and presenting sponsor BPGrower.com are proud to announce the finalists for the inaugural CEAs — Cultivating Excellence Awards. This prestigious new awards program is designed to recognize and celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership within the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector, spotlighting achievements across three categories: Operational Excellence, Good Stewardship, and Product Innovation.

Presented at a special gala luncheon on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the 12th annual edition of Indoor Ag-Con, held at the Westgate Las Vegas, The CEAs will honor trailblazing businesses and standout products that are shaping the future of CEA. Winners in three award categories will be announced at The CEAs gala luncheon:

 

FINALISTS:

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALISTS
Little Leaf Farms, Devens, Massachusetts & McAdoo, Pennsylvania
Nature Fresh Farms, Leamington, Ontario, Canada
Wild About Sprouts, Sacramento, California

GOOD STEWARDSHIP AWARD FINALISTS
80 Acres Farms, Hamilton, Ohio
Anu, Evansville, Indiana
Fork Farms, Green Bay, Wisconsin

PRODUCT INNOVATION AWARD FINALISTS

DRAMM – Product: CE-Line
Kappa Ag Tech – Product: Silicone Substrate
Rooted Robotics – Product: Tabletop Microgreens & Baby Greens Seeder

“The inaugural CEA Awards at Indoor Ag-Con mark a significant milestone in recognizing the innovation, dedication, and impact of controlled environment agriculture,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “We’re excited to honor the finalists and announce the winners at a special awards celebration as they are true pioneers and visionaries driving the future of sustainable food production.”

“We are excited to partner with Indoor Ag-Con to present these awards,” adds Paul Black, Publisher, Inside Grower. “By celebrating the CEA sector’s best and brightest, The CEAs help showcase the innovation and responsibility at the core of our industry. We look forward to shining a spotlight on the industry leaders and products that are making a meaningful difference.”

The CEAs Operational Excellence Award will recognize a single CEA business or one location of a multi-location business that consistently delivers quality products while distinguishing itself through innovation in production, technology, marketing, and overall strategy. Judges evaluated candidates based on their achievements in growing market share, sustaining product quality, and developing practices that set them apart in a competitive landscape.

Good stewardship is foundational in today’s CEA industry, and this award recognizes businesses that are exemplary in their commitment to environmental and community responsibility. The three finalists chosen for The CEAs Good Stewardship Award have showcased initiatives in resource conservation, recycling, and community service.

The CEAs Product Innovation Award highlights finalists from Indoor Ag-Con 2025 exhibiting company submissions representing the most innovative products that solve critical industry challenges and drive customer value.

All Indoor Ag-Con 2025 Full Access Pass Holders are invited to attend The CEAs Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 from noon – 1 pm.  For more information on The CEAs and Indoor Ag-Con visit www.indoor.ag

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 (CEA). The event brings together industry professionals from across the globe to explore the latest trends, technologies, and innovations in the CEA sector. 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

ABOUT INSIDE GROWER

Part of the Ball Publishing family of media brands, Inside Grower magazine is a leading publication for the controlled environment agriculture industry, providing news, insights, quality crop-specific growing information and timely trend data that can help operations thrive in today’s market. More information, visit www.inside-grower.com 

 

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the largest trade show and conference for vertical farming | greenhouse | controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The event brings together industry professionals from across the globe to explore the latest trends, technologies, and innovations in the CEA sector. 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

ABOUT INSIDE GROWER

Part of the Ball Publishing family of media brands, Inside Grower magazine is a leading publication for the controlled environment agriculture industry, providing news, insights, quality crop-specific growing information and timely trend data that can help operations thrive in today’s market. More information, visit www.insidegrower.com

Trend Report – Indoor Ag-Con 2025

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

Indoor Ag-Con, the largest show dedicated to indoor agriculture, is the place to find the latest trends shaping the future of farming. Come March 11-12, farmers, growers, ag tech leaders, suppliers, advocates and enthusiasts will converge at Westgate Las Vegas to experience an expanded Expo Hall with 200+ exhibiting companies offering the most cutting-edge products, services and tools on the market.

Indoor agriculture has reached new heights, with innovative technologies and practices, helping pave the way for a sustainable future in food production. As the world faces increasing challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and urbanization, the indoor farming sector is stepping up to provide solutions to address these global issues. 

(Photos above from L-R: Thrive Agritech, VelociGro, Inc., ZGROUP USA, Priva)

Below are some of the trends shaping the indoor agriculture industry today and a selection of highlights from Indoor Ag-Con 2025 exhibitors.

Hydroponics Innovation

Hydroponics, the soil-free cultivation of plants using nutrient-rich water, has become a standard in indoor agriculture. Recently, innovations in hydroponic systems have improved plant growth rates and reduced water consumption. 

Just Vertical (Booth 1113) crafts and distributes state-of-the-art, sustainable vertical hydroponic farming systems, revolutionizing agriculture. The innovative systems empower growers, whether small-scale or large-scale, to cultivate fresh, nutrient-rich produce in any space. At Indoor Ag-Con, check out their NEW Just Vertical Grow Racks, Free-Standing Grow Racks redefine flexibility and efficiency in indoor agriculture, setting a new standard for accessibility and innovation. Unlike traditional systems that cater exclusively to experienced growers or specific scales, Just Vertical grow racks are designed to empower anyone—from beginners to seasoned professionals—on any scale. By optimizing vertical and horizontal growing spaces, our technology ensures that every inch of your operation works harder for you.

Concert Bio (Booth 841SZ-1) optimizes greenhouse crop performance‍ via the plant microbiome. They are using cutting-edge data science to identify and provide beneficial microbes to hydroponic growers – creating the ideal microbiome for their crops to thrive. Developing the ideal microbe products to enhance greenhouse crop performance. As agriculture transitions from traditional to hydroponic methods, recreating the delicate balance of microorganisms found in soil – and which plants need to thrive – has become essential for improving crop growth, quality and resilience. Their platform, developed for hydroponic greenhouses, leverages our unrivaled microbiome database to unlock a whole new level of understanding about the hydroponic microbiome and how to improve it.

Profile’s Growing Solutions (Booth 425) division offers a comprehensive portfolio of products that improve substrates and growing / soil blending operations. These product brands include HydraFiber engineered fibers; Profile Sphagnum Peat Moss and Profile Coconut Coir; Florikan controlled-release fertilizer; and a line of Quick Plug bonded media technology for propagation and food production. They now have a line of hydroponic solutions that includes HydraFiber + Coir grow bags and HydraFiber + Coir grow blocks – combining two leading substrates into one hydroponic solutions to service the CEA market with high-performing, cost-effective growing solutions. Profile will have the new hydroponic grow bags on display at Indoor Ag-Con.

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Practices

As consumers increasingly demand sustainable food options, indoor agriculture has responded with environmentally friendly practices. The use of renewable energy sources such as LED lighting, solar and wind power is on the rise in indoor farming operations, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, many indoor farms now implement zero-waste practices, reusing water and recycling materials used in farming operations.

Thrive Agritech (Booth 533) is a recognized leader in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of advanced LED lighting systems specifically for the indoor agriculture market. By focusing on advanced technologies and energy efficient solutions, Thrive Agritech enables growers to optimize plant development, productively increase yields, and reliably reduce operational and maintenance costs. With a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by indoor agriculture operators, Thrive Agritech delivers on both lighting and power distribution solutions focused on lowering costs of production and maximizing profitability. Thrive Agritech’s commitment to innovation, energy efficiency, and superior customer service positions their company as a trusted partner for growers looking to capture the full potential of a lighting manufacturing partner. 

VelociGro Inc (Booth 631) offers patented technology to improve the environment by replacing traditionally wasteful agricultural methods, with gel based biodegradable and compostable grow plugs and mats. They nurture growth that’s not just better for plants, but better for our planet by: Increasing crop yields by up to 40%, Reducing water usage by an average of 30%, Cutting pesticide use significantly, promoting healthier food and ecosystems and helping indoor farms to create a truly “controlled environment” by using our substrates. They are debuting the HYPERroots FT seed starter plugs, HYPERroots FT Microgreen mats, and HYPERroots Liquid at Indoor Ag-Con.

Priva (Booth 525) is a leading technology company specializing in innovative solutions for sustainable horticulture and building automation. They empower growers with advanced climate, water, and energy management systems, optimizing greenhouse operations for increased productivity and resource efficiency. Their offerings include state-of-the-art climate controllers, crop registration tools, and data-driven insights to help businesses achieve sustainability and operational excellence. With a strong commitment to innovation, Priva partners with clients to shape the future of sustainable agriculture and smart environments. Priva will showcase showcase PIM (Priva Irrigation Management), a powerful tool that helps growers optimize irrigation strategies, ensuring precise water, nutrient, and energy use, at Indoor Ag-Con.

PathoSans (Booth 629) enables customers to produce effective and sustainable cleaning and sanitizing solutions, using just salt, water, and electricity. Through on-site generation, customers can not only produce the solutions they need, when they need them, but they can eliminate the need to bring harmful chemicals into their growing environment. They help put the ‘control’ in controlled environment agriculture. At Indoor Ag-on, they will showcase the newest and smallest on-site generator, the Concentrate Compact generator. This unit is wall-mounted and by producing concentrate, it offers the most flexibility in application possibilities.

Farm-to-Table Accessibility

The growth of indoor agriculture has resulted in fresher, locally grown produce, reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation. Indoor farms in urban areas are creating farm-to-table solutions that allow consumers to access fresh and nutritious food grown within their communities. This trend is further supported by advances in logistics and supply chain technologies, ensuring faster delivery and reducing food waste.

ZGROUP USA (Booth 615) specializes in innovative modular refrigeration solutions, offering cutting-edge Cold Storage, Blast Chiller, Blast Freezer and Ripening technologies. With over 20 years of experience, ZGROUP enhances food safety, reduce waste, and promote sustainability. Their blast chiller, which optimizes the freshness of products from farm to table, features innovative forced air cooling system that ensures rapid and efficient cooling, preserving the quality and flavor of the food. This solution is designed for easy integration into farms or packing facilities and is essential for maintaining an effective cold chain. 

Based in Etten-Leur the Netherlands, TAKS Handling Systems (Booth 231) develop, make and assemble innovative packing hall solutions and transport systems that are both modular and custom-built. Their systems can process produce such as vegetables and fruits fast and efficiently and will save you a significant amount of labor. When it comes to the automation of your packing hall or logistic system, TAKS Handling Systems has the perfect solution for every situation. Discover our versatile modular products and interesting custom fit solutions.

Sormac Inc (Booth 1003) offers the best post-harvest solutions for indoor growing. Sormac leads the ways in developing process solutions for CEA-grown products. Whether you grow your product in a greenhouse or in a vertical farm of if you use hydroponics, aeroponics or aquaponics. All products are grown gently. This gentle treatment needs to be continued after harvesting so products will look defined in the shops where they battle for the attention of the consumer. Sormac’s proven systems help customers to deliver the highest quality product.

Robotics and Automation

The integration of Robotics and Automation in indoor agriculture is revolutionizing the way food is grown, with precision and efficiency at its core. Advanced robotic systems are being deployed to automate tasks such as planting, watering, pruning, and harvesting, significantly reducing the reliance on manual labor. Sensors play a crucial role by continuously monitoring key environmental parameters such as light, temperature, humidity, and soil moisture, providing real-time data for optimizing crop growth. 

Located in Europe’s leading robotics hub, Odense, Denmark, 4XROBOTS (Booth 1114) has developed the world’s first 4-armed collaborative delta robot. Designed for modern production environments in the horticulture sector, their robot aims to improve productivity and operational efficiency. The 4X robot is capable of speeds up to 1,000 mm/second while maintaining collaborative features. This combination of high speed and safety makes it ideal for quality-driven Pick & Place applications. The robot’s 4-armed mechanical design significantly extends its physical reach, providing a larger workspace and greater flexibility. Additionally, it features intuitive programming for fast implementation and remote system access for enhanced uptime and reliability. These innovations collectively set new standards in efficiency, reliability, and operational ease for collaborative robots. 

Rooted Robotics (Booth 1032) creates innovative automation solutions for vertical and indoor farming, specializing in affordable, modular systems designed to empower small and medium-sized growers. Their products, including tabletop seeders, harvesters, and washers, streamline labor-intensive tasks while boosting efficiency and yield. With a focus on flexibility, their machines can be integrated into fully automated workflows using groundbreaking L.I.N.C. (Linearly Integrated Networked Conveyors) technology. See the new L.I.N.C. seeder, harvester, and tray/NFT channel washer at Indoor Ag-Con.

Growbud (Booth 431) provides truly wireless grow medium sensors for indoor agriculture. The Growbud software platform enhances plant cultivation by providing real-time environmental monitoring, advanced analytics, and seamless integration with Growbud’s suite of sensors. The insights provided by the platform allow cultivators to dial in irrigation controls to increase crop yield. At Indoor Ag-Con, Growbud will be debuting the Growbud Dro and Vero substrate sensors.

For more information on the 2025 exhibitors, visit Who’s Exhibiting 2025 – Indoor Ag-Con

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

 

Mucci and Ecoation

Ecoation Partners with Mucci Farms to Advance Greenhouse Technology

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . 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.

Read more from iGrowNews here…..

Up Vertical Farms Canada

Scaling New Heights: UP Vertical Farms CEO on Innovation and the Future of Canadian Farming

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Blog.

As pioneers in Canadian vertical farming, brothers Bahram and Shahram Rashti, Co-Founders of UP Vertical Farms, are redefining how leafy greens are grown and delivered. Together they have built one of Canada’s most innovative fully-automated, high-density vertical farms that merges sustainability, technology, and profitability to tackle food security challenges head-on. In this Q&A, CEO Bahram Rashti shares insights into UP Vertical Farms’ cutting-edge touchless growing methods, their key partnerships, and their ambitious plans to scale into the U.S. market. Readers can also hear directly from Bahram during the “Trends in Canada” panel at Indoor Ag-Con 2025, where he will discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping Canada’s controlled environment agriculture industry.

From Dentistry to Vertical Farming: Your career shift from dentistry to agriculture is unique, and you co-founded UP Vertical Farms with your brother, Shahram. What inspired this transition, and how has your partnership shaped the company’s vision and success?

(L-R) Shahram and Bahram Rashti, Co-Founders, UP Vertical Farms

The transition from dentistry to vertical farming was definitely not a traditional one, but it was driven by a deep desire to make a more direct impact on people’s well-being and the environment. Dentistry provided me with an understanding of health and the importance of sustainable living, but over time, I realized that agriculture, particularly food security, was a space where I could contribute on a larger scale. The idea of producing fresh, healthy food in an environmentally sustainable way really resonated with me.

My brother, Shahram, and I have always shared a vision of creating solutions that improve people’s quality of life. We believe that we’re on this planet once and we should try to help solve a problem while we can. After much research, we concluded that the time would soon approach where relying on the current food systems alone would lead to supply shortages due to the adverse effects of climate change. We realized the gap in the market will be significant and grow steadily over time leading to a massive emerging market in vertical farming. That was about 10 years ago when we decided to prepare for this shift from outdoor production to indoors, which is not just a once in a lifetime but a once in history event – producing commercial scale vegetable production without the need of the sun. Our partnership in co-founding UP Vertical Farms has been instrumental in pursuing this vision — my foundation in science and systems combined with his expertise in technology and business has allowed us to build a company focused on innovation and sustainability. Our complementary skills have enabled us to scale effectively and stay true to our core values of growing affordable produce while balancing environmental responsibility.

Innovation and Sustainability: UP Vertical Farms emphasizes innovation and sustainability. How do your touchless technology and unique growing methods address food security and market demands while ensuring profitability?

Up Vertical Farms Canada Innovation and sustainability are the cornerstones of UP Vertical Farms. We design, build, and operate our plant factories in a turnkey fashion, which enables us to customize and build exactly what is needed for a fraction of the cost. Our touchless technology in CEA is a game-changer in the farming industry — it automates key parameters for irrigation, seeding, growing, harvesting, and packaging, in turn minimizing human intervention and reducing labor costs while also maintaining hygiene. This ecosystem technology helps us optimize resource use, reduce waste, and achieve consistent, high-quality yields all year round with 99% less water, nutrient fertilizers, and land compared to traditional farming.

Up Vertical Farms This not only makes our operations more sustainable in our 12-level industrial growing racks, but also more resilient to climate change, inflation, and supply chain disruptions. As a result, it allows us to significantly contribute to food security especially since our enclosed warehouse structures are closer to the regions we want to feed. Furthermore, deploying just -in-time production across our racks allows us to provide fresh, nutritious produce with longer shelf life to the market daily while reducing waste from overproduction. Therefore, our model is not just about sustainability; it’s also designed for profitability. Focusing on high density production, and by reducing overhead costs and waste, and ensuring a constant, predictable output, we’re able to offer competitive prices to consumers, and the market can’t seem to get enough of our crunchy tasty lettuce varieties and salad kits.

Building Partnerships: Partnerships have been critical to your growth—from collaborating with Oppy in your early stages to working with retailers like Costco. How have these relationships influenced your production, distribution, and business strategy?

Partnerships have been crucial to our success, both in terms of scaling and understanding market needs. Oppy, in the early stages, provided us with invaluable insights into the retail and distribution world, helping us refine our products and processes. Their experience in logistics and relationships with retailers allowed us to hit the ground running and reach a wider audience. Oppy understood our vision and the market opportunity from the very beginning, and they have been a great partner to align with to capture the increasing indoor grown leafy greens market in North America.

Up Vertical FarmsWorking with major retailers like Costco has also been a game changer. It’s given us the ability to scale our operations and ensure that we can meet consumer demand for fresh, sustainable produce at a competitive price. These partnerships push us to continuously improve our production systems and ensure quality control at every level, from farm to store shelf. Meeting and surpassing their stringent quality and value requirements has allowed us to grow our programs and become a trusted supplier all year round – not all vertical farms can currently fulfill both.

Our business strategy has always been to build long-term relationships, not just with retailers but also with consumers, ensuring that we’re providing them with the highest quality produce while contributing to local economies. Consumers appreciate quality and value, which is evident as we steadily gain more market share. The trust we’ve built with the different retail, financial, and distribution partners has allowed us to scale efficiently while keeping our core values of innovation and sustainability intact.

Scaling Beyond Canada: Your recent expansion into Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba is a big milestone. What strategies are you using to scale operations, and how do you plan to navigate entering the U.S. market?

Expanding into provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba has been an exciting milestone. Our strategy for scaling is rooted in replicating our core operational model but adapting it to the unique needs and taste profiles of each region. Our company has recently rolled out 12 tasty salad kit offerings which pair perfectly with our crunchy baby leafy greens. Providing this many unique and market classic salad kits by a Canadian company to retail stores is another market first which we are proud of. Canadians want to eat more locally grown, fresh, long-lasting, and pesticide-free vegetables, naturally making our products highly successful and in demand. We’ve built a strong understanding of consumer preferences, which allows us to tailor our salad kit offerings to retail partners across each province.

When entering new markets, whether domestically or internationally, it’s essential to form strong partnerships with regional and national retailers and ensuring that we’re not just meeting the market’s immediate needs but also contributing to its long-term sustainability goals.

 

Up Vertical FarmsAs for entering the U.S. market, our vision and strategy is quite long term as the American consumers are also searching for the high quality and value propositions which our products offer. We also plan to leverage the scalability of our touchless technology and our proven track record in Canada to demonstrate the viability of vertical farming as a solution to food security challenges in the U.S. We are in the process of establishing strategic partnerships with American retailers with the intention to eventually have local production facilities across certain states. This expansion will in part be fueled and accelerated by the capital raise that we are currently completing.

Future of Vertical Farming in Canada: As a pioneer in Canadian vertical farming, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for the industry’s growth in the country?

The future of vertical farming in Canada is incredibly promising. We currently import most of our fruits and vegetables across Canada with lettuce having one of the highest volumes. Even though Canada has a vast landmass and freshwater source, agriculture land is limited, and harsh seasonal climates do not allow for year-round field production of many staple crops. Vertical farming however offers a sustainable way to grow food close to where it’s consumed, reducing the reliance on long-distance transportation and always making fresh produce available. The demand for locally grown, pesticide-free, and sustainable food in Canada is only increasing, which presents a tremendous opportunity for vertical farming to fill that gap and help reduce the dependence on imports.

However, there are challenges to overcome. While the long-term benefits are clear, there can be a significant barrier to entry for new players. This is where partnerships, innovation, and government support will play a key role in driving the industry forward.

One of the challenges is that there is no ecosystem blueprint for new entrants to follow, and building the know-how and expertise in vertical farming can be very challenging and costly. Consumer education is another challenge. While vertical farming is becoming more well-known, there’s still a need to educate the public about the benefits of its sustainably grown produce. We have taken major strides in that direction with both partner retailers and government agencies, but continued collaboration across the industry will be critical. Other more talked about items include energy use, capital costs, and competition from existing field and greenhouse producers, all of which we have successfully managed.

Overall, I’m optimistic about the future of vertical farming in Canada. As the industry matures, we’ll see more innovation, cost reductions, and greater adoption, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient food system.

After almost a decade of R&D and experience, our team at UP Vertical Farms has mastered how to build and operate vertical farms to provide affordable, profitable, and high-quality leafy greens. We are setting the benchmark in Canada for successful vertical farming by having low CapEx and OpEx coupled with high density production and yield. It’s the same know how and expertise that we are applying to other vegetable production as we bring them indoors and grow vertical. This is just the beginning – the sky’s the limit.

Learn more about Up Vertical Farms by visiting their website.

And join us at Indoor Ag-Con, March 11-12, 2025 for the panel discussion with Bahram Rashti and other leaders:

Trends In Canada: Insights From CEA Growers Across the Nation
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM

 

 

CEAs - Cultivating Excellence Awards

Indoor Ag-Con, Inside Grower Launch The CEAs — Cultivating Excellence Awards

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on . Posted in Press Releases.

Nominations Now Open; Winners Will Be Announced At Gala Luncheon During Indoor Ag-Con March 11-12, 2025 Edition

Indoor Ag-Con and Inside Grower magazine are proud to announce the inaugural CEAs — Cultivating Excellence Awards. This prestigious new awards program is designed to recognize and celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership within the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector, spotlighting achievements across three categories: Operational Excellence, Good Stewardship, and Product Innovation.

Presented at a special gala luncheon on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the 12th annual edition of Indoor Ag-Con, held at the Westgate Las Vegas, The CEAs will honor trailblazing businesses and standout products that are shaping the future of CEA. Nomination submissions are now open, and all eligible businesses and products are encouraged to apply via www.indoor.ag/ceas-2025. Nominations are free and the deadline for submissions is December 16, 2024.

“This award program highlights the cutting-edge work our industry leaders and innovators are doing to advance controlled environment agriculture. It is a privilege to offer a platform for recognizing the incredible accomplishments of these businesses and individuals,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “With The CEAs, we aim to drive excitement, inspire further innovation, and reinforce the industry’s commitment to sustainable growth.”

“We are excited to partner with Indoor Ag-Con to present these awards,” adds Paul Black, Publisher, Inside Grower. “By celebrating the CEA sector’s best and brightest, The CEAs help showcase the innovation and responsibility at the core of our industry. We look forward to shining a spotlight on the pioneers and products that are making a meaningful difference.”

Winners in three award categories will be announced at The CEAs gala luncheon:

The CEAs Operational Excellence Award will recognize a single CEA business or one location of a multi-location business that consistently delivers quality products while distinguishing itself through innovation in production, technology, marketing, and overall strategy. Judges will evaluate candidates based on their achievements in growing market share, sustaining product quality, and developing practices that set them apart in a competitive landscape. Three finalists will receive an All-Access Pass to Indoor Ag-Con and be invited to attend the awards luncheon. The winner will be honored with a cover feature in Inside Grower magazine.

Good stewardship is foundational in today’s CEA industry, and this award recognizes businesses that are exemplary in their commitment to environmental and community responsibility. Three finalists who showcase initiatives in resource conservation, recycling, employee development, and community service will be chosen for The CEAs Good Stewardship Award.  Each will receive an All-Access Pass to Indoor Ag-Con and the gala luncheon, and the winner will be recognized in a feature story in a future issue of Inside Grower magazine.

The CEAs Product Innovation Award highlights the newest and most innovative products that solve critical industry challenges and drive customer value. Open to all 2025 Indoor Ag-Con exhibitors, this award will celebrate products that demonstrate the forward-thinking, problem-solving spirit of the CEA industry. Winning products will be highlighted through Indoor Ag-Con promotional channels, and in a special section in an upcoming issue of Inside Grower magazine.

For more information on the award categories, nomination guidelines, and to submit a free application, please visit www.indoor.ag/ceas-2025.

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 (CEA). The event brings together industry professionals from across the globe to explore the latest trends, technologies, and innovations in the CEA sector. 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

ABOUT INSIDE GROWER

Part of the Ball Publishing family of media brands, Inside Grower magazine is a leading publication for the controlled environment agriculture industry, providing news, insights, quality crop-specific growing information and timely trend data that can help operations thrive in today’s market. More information, visit www.insidegrower.com

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