Tag: vertical farming

Jars, Agnetix Partner For Large-Scale Vertical Farm In Arizona

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on December 14, 2021. Posted in Exhibitor News.

JARS Cannabis has selected Smart Horticulture Lighting technology leader and Indoor Ag-Con 2022 exhibitor, Agnetix, for a new high-tech vertical farming project in Phoenix, Arizona.

Purpose built for Agnetix lighting, this new state-of-the-art facility will feature over 2000 liquidcooled PHENOM luminaires in a high energy density double-tiered configuration.

JARS Director of Cultivation, Ian Haselmire, spoke about why they were drawn to Agnetix: “JARS began this project with a simple goal: build a highly effective vertical cannabis farm. Vertical growing introduces additional design and operational challenges over single-tiered facilities. We selected the new water-cooled Agnetix PHENOM LEDs for their ability to displace heat before it accumulates inside our tiered benches, maintaining a consistent environment without stagnation and microclimates. The dense array of sensors built into the PHENOM platform further enables us to confirm the effectiveness of our HVAC and supporting equipment, highlighting areas of concern for immediate improvement.”

Dr. Ihor Lys, Agnetix co-founder and CTO, explained: “The Agnetix HMI provides a unique three dimensional view of these sensors, clearly showing the conditions, plants and process in real time. JARS found this capability quite compelling. The PHENOM platform provides unparalleled insight for crop steering, facility management and operational improvement.” Ian continued: “In the short term, this capability speeds commissioning. Every facility goes through
a break-in period, and the faster you can identify areas for improvement the faster you drive the projects’ return on investment.”

For more information about the PHENOM vertical farming lighting systems, visit www.agnetix.com or contact sales@agnetix.com.

About JARS:
Founded in 2020, JARS is a vertically integrated multi-state operator committed to providing the best quality cannabis with the widest variety of options at affordable prices. JARS is a progressive cannabis company that provides a welcoming and uplifting environment for its employees and customers. JARS dispensaries offer an abundance of product choices with knowledgeable staff that can provide insight into customers’ medical and lifestyle needs. Our approach to products, design, and community is helping change the conversation about cannabis in a positive way. In a short amount of time, JARS has built a trusted and powerful brand resulting in rapid growth across multiple states. JARS owns and operates eleven retail locations in Michigan and four retail locations in Arizona, with multiple cultivation and extraction sites in Arizona coming online in early 2022. www.jarscannabis.com

About Agnetix:
Agnetix is a technology company on a steep growth trajectory focused on the development of advanced smart horticultural lighting and information technology solutions for commercial indoor and greenhouse growers – both in fresh produce and cannabis markets. The Agnetix Responsive Agriculture™ platform delivers meaningful plant and energy data insights for quick, informed decisions. The Agnetix system includes highly efficient, water-cooled LED lighting,
environmental sensors, AI (Artificial Intelligence) imagers, data, and real-time monitoring solutions. Agnetix helps serious controlled environment agriculture (CEA) growers to significantly improve their crop yield, reduce their operating cost, reduce their carbon footprint, and run a more profitable business. www.Agnetix.com

Agnetix Launches Phenom

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on November 16, 2021. Posted in Exhibitor News.

AGNETIX LAUNCHES PHENOM LIQUID COOLED MULTI-SENSOR AND IMAGING SMART HORTICULTURE LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR VERTICAL FARMING

Advanced data-focused solutions for indoor cultivation

PHENOM is a trailblazing new vertical grow lighting system with integrated sensor and imaging technologies building on the success of the innovative A3 and ZENITH luminaires. PHENOM integrates plant health sensors and a canopy imaging platform with the patented Agnetix liquid cooled hydronics system. Vertical farms can now increase density, height and energy efficiency by counteracting the environmental impacts caused by micro-climates and fixture waste heat pervasive in commercial grows featuring passively cooled lights.

PHENOM is designed for crops that require a Daily Light Integral (photosynthetic light measurement) for optimum growth ranging from 15-30 DLI, such as lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries, to much higher DLI crops such as cannabis, which requires over 40 DLI. PHENOM may also be used in combination with the Agnetix A3 or ZENITH luminaires from start through vegetative growth and flowering as a full facility cultivation platform operating at the lowest carbon footprint of any grower in the same class.

The industry benchmark efficiency of the Agnetix system can now deliver close-proximity 100% PAR light (photosynthetically active radiation) to multi-level grows with luminaire wattage of 375 and an astonishing PPE (photosynthetic photon efficacy) of up to 3.61µmol/J and precision dimming 100-1%. Agnetix patented hydronics cooling extracts up to 140 watts of waste heat from the room per fixture significantly reducing the amount of energy intensive HVAC required versus any other light source.

The Agnetix environmental, thermal-sensing and computer-vision platform allows the vertical farmer to interact via the user interface remotely from the safety and convenience of their computer or mobile device, continuously monitoring the conditions and plant performance at enterprise scale with speed and convenience.

Sensor and imaging technologies empower key stakeholders with direct visualization of plant size and quality:

• Temperature, Relative Humidity, CO₂ ppm Sensor
• Leaf Temperature Sensor (IR)
• Reflected Canopy Light Intensity and Color Sensor
• Canopy Distance and Growth Rate Sensor
• Imaging Engine with Camera and Multi-wavelength LED Flash Illuminator

Critical plant and environmental information captured from PHENOM and HARMONY sensors intersect on the Agnetix HMI dashboard, enabling both manual and automated analysis capabilities.

“PHENOM is the next level of sustainable cultivation for high density controlled environment agriculture. It’s the ultimate high efficiency data driven solution for serious commercial growers and a game changing competitive advantage for our customers.” said Jordan Miles, CEO, Agnetix

Agnetix PHENOM is available to pre-order today with a select offering from the series available to ship to customers in Q2, 2022. For more information, visit www.agnetix.com or contact Sales@agnetix.com.

You can see PHENOM first-hand at Indoor Ag-Con, February 28 – March 1, 2022 in Agnetix booth 3013.

MFG Tray Highlights Top Designs

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on October 25, 2021. Posted in Exhibitor News.

MFG Tray Indoor Ag-Con Exhibitor News:

MFG Trays Can Be customized To Your Farming Needs

Indoor Ag-Con exhibitor MFG Vertical Farming’s products deliver exceptional durability and performance for all of your indoor farming needs. MFG Tray’s trays and containers flats, trays and containers are designed for growing supplies, seed trays, vertical farming displays and flood tables for use with edible, medical and landscaping plants. Unlike plastic trays and containers, our glass-reinforced composite products are dimensionally stable and will not bend or sag under heavy loads. Thanks to this strength, MFG Tray products can meet tall stacking heights to save space and streamline indoor growing. MFG Tray products can be customized to meet your farming needs. Customized options may include: slots and holes for irrigation, side or drop handles and cut-outs or recesses or lids and dollies to simplify transport.

Success in vertical farming results from a carefully balanced mix of pH, nutrients, light, temperature and humidity. Vertical farming demands precise control of environmental factors to produce crops consistently at any time of the year. MFG Tray meets these demands with a proven line of high-strength, technologically advanced products – from trays and flats to nesting containers and customized options.

>> Wide range of designs, depths, and sizes to meet growing requirements
>> High weight capacity and rigidity
>> Smooth, nonporous composite resists odors, chemicals, and mildew
>> Composite material won’t corrode, bend or contaminate
>> Outstanding performance and longevity
>> Won’t absorb moisture, bend, dent or sag
>> Easily cleaned in hot water or steam and can be sterilized
>> Customized options available
>> Easy handling and stacking
>> Temperature range continuous -60° to 250° F (-51° to 121° C)

MFG Tray’s New ULTRA LITE Totes and Containers Combine Lighter Weight With Legendary Strength

New product line is 40% lighter while retaining trusted strength and durability of MFG’s fiber glass reinforced composite.

Can an industrial container be made lighter and still retain its strength? That’s the challenge engineers at Molded Fiber Glass Tray have answered with the development of MFG Tray’s new ULTRA LITE totes and containers.

The new line of ULTRA LITE products are 40 percent lighter than standard fiberglass products while retaining the trusted strength and durability of MFG’s fiber glass reinforced composite, said Burt Hovis, MFG Tray material handling product line manager.

“ULTRA LITE is a direct result of customer requests to help improve shop ergonomics and lower shipping weight,” noted Hovis. “ULTRA LITE totes and containers answer industry-wide needs to reduce weight per container and to counter escalating shipping costs and weight.”

Hovis added that MFG Tray’s engineering team knew the finished product also had to be tough and long-lasting, similar to the company’s well-known MFG Tray brand.

“Even at 40% lighter, our new ULTRA LITE fiber glass products will be stronger than standard thermoplastic, can withstand temperatures from –60 to 250 F and are impervious to cutting oils, detergents, mild acids and alkaline solutions,” said Hovis

MFG Trays for Insect Rearing

Insect rearing facilities all over the world have use MFG Tray’s durable and dependable trays for over 40 years!

>>Dimensionally stable and exceptional structural strength
>>Drop ends and/or sides increases air circulation and faster cooling for the larva
>>Conforms to FDA Regulation Title 21 CFR 177.2420
>>Interlock stacking increases drying room efficiency
>>Temperature range continuous -60° to 250° F (-51° to 121° C)
>>Won’t bend, dent or deflect under heavy loads
>>Smooth, non-porous surface is easy to steam clean or power wash
>>Heavy-duty dolly available

Going Mainstream | Q & A With Babylon Micro-Farms CEO Alexander Olesen

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on October 24, 2021. Posted in Blog.

From the beginning, Babylon Micro-Farms CEO Alexander Olesen has sought to make vertical farming accessible to mainstream markets. Combining subscription services with advanced technology and innovative equipment, the Babylon Micro-Farms “all-in-one” farming experience does just that for a growing customer base, including universities, hospitals, restaurants, resorts, senior care facilities and more.

We had the chance to catch up with Alexander to learn more about his innovative company and exciting plans for the future in this month’s CEO Q &A.

Can you share a little about how and why you got started, including the story behind the name of your company?

We started out exploring applications for small scale hydroponic systems in refugee camps while studying at the University of Virginia. Through that process, we built prototype systems capable of feeding a family and observed that the user experience was complicated and commercially available automation was prohibitively expensive, which represented a fundamental constraint for the adoption of small scale vertical farms.

We founded the company to miniaturize the semi-automation found in commercial-scale farms, at a fraction of the cost and designed it to be controlled via the cloud to allow for aggregated data collection.Today we’ve built and deployed that underlying technology on our fleet of distributed Micro-Farms in North America. We’re just getting started in our journey to apply our underlying technology to different vertical farming systems and in doing so expand the market for sustainable indoor farming.

We decided to call the company Babylon to pay homage to the hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the first known aquaculture systems and one of the ancient wonders of the world.

Congrats on securing $4 million in grant and investment funding earlier this year. Tell us what this means for your Babylon IQ software program and expansion plans.

We’re accelerating the commercialization of indoor farming service with hundreds of Micro-Farms being installed in foodservice operations across North America. We’re confident in our technology’s ability to deliver an unparalleled growing experience and it’s exciting to see the data coming in from our growing base of happy customers.

What do you hope to achieve with the partnership you’ve entered into with collegiate food service company, Harvest Table Culinary Group.

We’ve built a tremendous partnership with Harvest Table Culinary Group and they’re one of the most innovative culinary teams in the US. They’re pioneering a new level of responsible, local food sourcing at college campuses across the country and we’re proud to support them in their efforts to inspire a new generation of healthy consumers.

You’re also working with senior communities and hospitals. What advantages and goals do you have for these sectors and are there other markets you’re looking at?

There are organizations of all different types that are demanding their foodservice operations source higher-quality ingredients and reduce their environmental footprint. The technology we’ve developed and the service we’ve built on top of it enables these organizations to literally source food on-site, all year round, without any of the headaches associated with outdoor farming.

It’s a new way of doing things and it’s amazing to see hospital patients, senior citizens, students, and many other groups adopting Micro-Farms as a means of sourcing the highest quality produce and growing it right in front of the end consumer. The benefit of our remote management platform and our growing customer base is that the data is flowing back to us in abundance.

We’re gaining a very granular understanding of how our customers operate, what they consume, and, critically, how we can help to have a better experience. These insights are driving our success in the institutional foodservice space and they’ll allow us to expand into adjacent markets in the near future.

Where do you see your company 5 or 10 years from now – what’s your ultimate goal?

Our goal has always been to make vertical farming accessible to mainstream markets. We’re proving that it’s commercially viable with our foodservice partners and simultaneously we’re seeing the rapid expansion of the local food movement that’s driving a ton of innovations in the CEA space.

We’ve developed our technology and service specifically for small scale on-site vertical farms and we’re now pioneering an “intel inside” model to enable new vertical farming systems to be successful.

In 5 to 10 years we are going to see a plethora of on-site systems for different markets and crop types and we hope they’ll all be powered by BabylonIQ.

To learn more about Babylon Micro-Farms:

P: 877.589.2884
W: www.babylonmicrofarms.com
E: info@babylonmicrofarms.com

Babylon Micro-Farms Video Resources

Kurt M. Aken Joins AmplifiedAg to Lead Expansion of its Vertical Roots Business

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on September 11, 2021. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

In a sign that vertical farming is reaching an inflection point, AmplifiedAg hires produce industry veteran to lead growth for its flagship brand, Vertical Roots

Indoor Ag-Con 2021 Exhibitor AmplifiedAg, Inc. a leading platform in the fast-growing category of hydroponic vertical farming – announces the hiring of industry veteran Kurt M. Aken to lead the growth of its Vertical Roots brand. Aken joins as Executive Vice President, Business Development following a successful 24-year tenure with two of the most recognized consumer produce brands in the United States – Fresh Express and Chiquita Brands International. Aken will be focused on supporting and extending the Vertical Roots hydroponic produce brand, which is currently sold in more than 1,700 retail locations in the Southeast United States.

“I, like many others in the produce industry, have been watching the evolution of vertical farming with intense interest,” said Aken. “Vertical farming represents an important part of the future of sustainable food supply and produce capacity, and I’m inspired by AmplifiedAg’s approach and leadership.”

“AmplifiedAg’s best-in-class technology, modular and scalable construction capability,and unrivaled growing expertise is the foundation of Vertical Roots success, and makes the most reliable partner for retailers and wholesalers looking for the best produce possible,” Aken added.

Vertical Roots currently operates hydroponic container farms in Charleston, SC, Columbia, SC and Atlanta,GA, with more farm expansions on the horizon. Since January 2020, Vertical Roots has grown its retail footprint 272% and now offers its lettuce in approximately 1,700 grocery stores across the Southeast. The hydroponic produce line includes a variety of salad mixes and Green Butter, Green Oak, and Green Leaf Living Lettuces. The brand also recently introduced one of the first ever hydroponic varieties of large-leaf Romaine.

Vertical Roots produce is grown in hydroponic farms constructed from repurposed shipping containers, and leverages AmplifiedAg’s proprietary software and hardware to optimize growing cycles and insure premier quality and consistency. Farms are built to USDA and FDA food safety standards, and the hydroponic growing method means no soil, no pesticides, and more nutritious, clean, longer lasting produce.

During Aken’s career at Fresh Express and Chiquita Brands, he led the corporate account team that serviced leading grocery retailers across the United States. Aken was responsible for cultivating new business opportunities in nontraditional
produce channels including foodservice, club and drug and discount store segments, as well as theme parks and cruise lines.

Andrew Hare, co-founder and general manager of Vertical Roots, said, “Kurt’s extensive industry experience, including retail and customer insights, consumer trends, and supply chain management, will help us further accelerate the growth of our Vertical Roots brand. He is a recognized leader in the category and we are proud that he has chosen to join our company and work with us to advance our mission.”

# # #

About AmplifiedAg, Inc.
AmplifiedAg, Inc.™ is a leader in the indoor agriculture category focused on empowering a scalable, resilient, and sustainable food supply and providing global populations with access to clean, fresh, and healthy produce. The company manufactures modular and scalable indoor farms using refurbished shipping containers and advanced hydroponic systems controlled by its proprietary hardware and seed-to- sale SaaS-based.

AmplifiedAg’s flagship brand Vertical Roots is the largest hydroponic container farm in the world and currently sells its produce through more than 1,700 grocery stores and numerous distributors.

In addition to powering its flagship brand Vertical Roots, AmplifiedAg provides holistic indoor farming solutions to sustainably grow and distribute food anywhere in the world. Learn more at www.amplifiedaginc.com.

“Beyond Standard” AgriNomix LLC Is North America’s Premier Cultivation Systems Provider

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on August 3, 2021. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Indoor Ag-Con 2021 Exhibito r AgriNomix provides its clients with turn-key facility solutions including design and development assistance, manual to fully automated cultivation systems, germination chambers and stand-alone production equipment to “one-of-a-kind” customized production lines.

AgriNomix prides itself on providing automation solutions to traditional greenhouse and nursery operations, in addition to providing expertise in greenhouse systems and process flow to small, medium and large scale indoor, controlled environment agriculture such as vertical farming.

About AgriNomix LLC

We have been providing Automation and Expert Service to North America’s Horticulture Industry Since 1994. As a systems integrator, we utilize products from over a dozen different leading manufacturers to provide customized solutions for each individual client. We also manufacture many of our own products at our production facility in Oberlin, Ohio. We back these products with 24-hour / 7-day a week technical support and service, and maintain a multi-million-dollar machine and spare parts inventory.

AgriNomix is continually striving to provide its clients with Exceptional Customer Service, and works beyond standard industry expectations to help its customers realize and bring their visions to life:

For more information about AgriNomix and its greenhouse system offerings and solutions, contact Doug Laubenstein at dougl@agrinomix.com or visit us on our website https://agrinomix.com\.

Q & A With 80 Acres Farms CEO Mike Zelkind

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on July 6, 2021. Posted in Blog.

Indoor Ag-Con is excited to announced that 80 Acres Farms Co-Founder & CEO Mike Zelkind will lead one of the headliner CEO Keynote presentations during our October 4-5, 2021 edition at the Hilton Orlando,

Utilizing world-class technology and analytics, 80 Acres Farms offers customers a wide variety of pesticide-free food with a longer shelf life that exceeds the highest food safety standards. And, this vertical farming leader has been making headlines over the past year in a number of areas — from the opening of a new farm to expanded retail partnerships, new research iniatitives and more.

Ahead of his upcoming Indoor Ag-Con October keynote, we had the chance to catch up with Mike to learn more about his company’s exciting developments AND his thoughts on the fast-growing indoor farming industry itself.

We’re all very excited for you to share what’s been happening at 80 Acres ‘live and in person’ this October in Orlando at Indoor Ag Con – especially news on your incredible new Hamilton, Ohio facility, which opened in January of this year. How’s everything growing there? Any updates you’d like to share?

It’s been a fantastic year for us! We opened our largest automated farm in the Fall of 2020, scaling our technology and production 10x greater than prior. Yield, quality, and efficiencies exceeded expectations out of the gate and allowed us to hit our unit economics.

A few months later, we announced our expanded partnership with Kroger, offering nine products across over 300 stores in 4 different regions.

We were also proud to achieve the Kosher certification for our products, one more tool to communicate our promise of exceptionally high quality to consumers.

Lastly, we were honored to tell the story of 80 Acres Farms on a global stage on the BBC docuseries “Follow the Food.” It was inspiring to showcase the farms we built in our revitalizing city of Hamilton, OH.

Help our readers understand your role as CEO of 80 Acres as well as that of your colleague, Tisha Livingston, and her role as CEO at Infinite Acres?

Tisha and I have been in the food industry for over 30 years each, running manufacturing and operations for some of America’s most-loved brands. We have worked together for more than a decade and decided to leave our careers and start our venture, 80 Acres Farms.

We wanted to bring fresh food closer to communities, and we felt indoor farming was the answer. I am 80 Acres Farms CEO and Tisha, President. When we built our first commercial farm, not everything scaled as planned. Luckily, we had a fantastic partner, Priva, that was there to help us work thru the complexities.

80 Acres realized that to scale vertical farming, we had to collaborate with world-class companies, and Infinite Acres was born. We launched Infinite Acres in 2019 with our two partners Ocado, UK’s largest online grocer, and Priva, global leading horticulture innovators.

Tisha became CEO of Infinite Acres and resides in the Netherlands half the time each month. Infinite Acres now oversees the technology involved in building and scaling farms globally.

80 Acres is the preferred operator to create an end-to-end solution for customers. The partnership has strengthened our global presence and ability to scale the technology.

Given some of the big industry news of late regarding companies like AppHarvest, Bowery and others (AeroFarms SPAC), how would you describe what you are seeing in terms of industry growth, over the past say three years?

Retailers and consumers have a growing appetite for fresh food grown indoors. Retailers want fresher food with shorter supply chains to significantly reduce supply inefficiencies, inconsistent quality and reduce food waste. In addition, consumers are more aware of how their food is grown and its effect on the environment. Therefore, they want food grown with zero, not fewer, pesticides with the highest nutritional value and grown close to store for longer-lasting freshness.

As for the industry, the technology advancements are maturing, better suited for the environments, and costs are coming down to make getting into the business more attainable and farms’ ability to become profitable.

Breeders are beginning to focus on identifying seed varieties beyond lettuce to find characteristics best suited for indoor environments, increasing yield, flavor, and quality.

The advancements in lighting, robotics, automation, breeding, and standardization have led to scaling. The industry and technology weren’t quite ready before now. The culmination of consumer desires and technology advancements has led to extreme growth for the industry. Together with, the great companies you mention above as well as the many other pioneers, we are reinventing the produce industry. It’s an exciting time for agriculture!

Can you share any updates on research projects you have planned through the new collaborative research agreement 80 Acres has with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station?

Years ago, we build our R&D facility In Arkansas. Late last year we began upgrading It to become a world class R&D Center of Excellence. Our neighbor, University of Arkansas, Is a logical first partner for the facility, but many more are coming soon. The partnerships we are forming are wholistic.

Don’t miss Mike Zelkind’s Indoor Ag-Con Orlando 2021 Keynote Address on Tuesday, October 5 at 11:30 AM

REGISTER TODAY!

AeroFarms CEO David Rosenberg Kicks Off Indoor Ag-Con 2021 With Opening Morning Keynote Address

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on May 5, 2021. Posted in Press Releases.

Rosenberg Headlines Full Roster of Keynotes, Panels, Networking & Expo Floor Innovations For In-Person October 4-5, 2021 Edition In Orlando

“We are thrilled to have an industry leader like David Rosenberg join us as we kick off our return to the live event format,” says Brian Sullivan, co-owner, Indoor Ag-Con LLC along with other event industry veterans Nancy Hallberg and Kris Sieradzki. “We look forward to gathering with our industry colleagues again and are working hard to bring the best possible combination of networking, education and exhibition opportunities together in Orlando.”

Scheduled for opening morning, October 4, Rosenberg’s address will be held from 8:30 am – 9:20 am. Rosenberg co-founded and leads AeroFarms. AeroFarms has been leading the way for indoor vertical farming and championing transformational innovation for agriculture overall.

On a mission to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity, AeroFarms is a Certified B Corp Company with global headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, United States. Named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company three years in a row and one of TIME’s Best Inventions, AeroFarms patented, award-winning indoor vertical farming technology provides the perfect conditions for healthy plants to thrive, taking agriculture to a new level of precision, food safety, and productivity while using up to 95% less water and no pesticides vs. traditional field farming. Grown for flavor first, AeroFarms enables local production to safely grow flavorful baby greens and microgreens all year round.

ROBUST 2021 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOW IN DEVELOPMENT

In addition to Rosenberg’s keynote, look for additional announcements coming soon on other CEO keynote presentations planned for the October event. The 2021 conference will also include a full roster of panel discussions, fireside chats and presentations offering a deep dive into three core tracks – Business & Marketing, Science & Technology and Alternative Crops.
In addition to the extensive educational component, attendees will find more new initiatives and show highlights to explore, including:

NEW LOCATION: HILTON ORLANDO – DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES, TOO

Indoor Ag-Con’s Hilton Orlando venue makes it the perfect opportunity for a business vacation. Centrally located to all major theme parks and attractions, it is just minutes from the eclectic dining scene and entertainment of International Drive. What’s more, the Hilton Orlando resort sits on more than 26 acres of lush landscaping and tropical inspirations making it a true destination of its own. Indoor Ag-Con has arranged for discounted hotel rates for attendees and exhibitors starting as low as $129/night. Complete details are available on the show website.

NEW ASSOCIATION ALLIANCES

Indoor Ag-Con is also forging new alliances with other events, industry associations/groups that will play an integral role in its marketing outreach and conference programming. Look for partnership announcements coming soon.

EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

The Indoor Ag-Con team is working to bring even more resources for farmers/growers to explore across all sectors – everything from IT, energy, AI and lighting solutions to substrates, vertical farming solutions, business services and much more. Attendees and exhibitors alike will also have even more networking opportunities with daily luncheon sessions and receptions on the show floor.

QUICK FACTS:

WHEN: Monday, October 4 – Tuesday, October 5
WHERE: Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32819
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email
hello@indoor.ag

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC

Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. More information: https://indoor.ag

Q & A With AeroFarms CEO David Rosenberg

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on May 5, 2021. Posted in Blog.

ROSENBERG KICKS OFF INDOOR AG-CON 2021 WITH OPENING MORNING KEYNOTE ADDRESS

AeroFarms has been making a lot of headlines of late. In addition to last month’s announcement that it will become a publicly traded company through combination with Spring Valley Aquisition Corp, AeroFarms has broken ground on the world’s largest and most technologically advanced aeroponic indoor vertical farm and launched a new brand identity. What’s more, Indoor Ag-Con is excited to announce that AeroFarms CEO David Rosenberg will headline Indoor Ag-Con, as he leads the opening morning keynote address for the 8^th annual edition scheduled for October 4-5, 2021 at the Hilton Orlando, Florida.

Ahead of our October 2021 in-person event, Indoor Ag-Con Content Chair Jim Pantaleo had the opportunity to talk with David about his company’s exciting developments and plans for the future.

David, thanks for sitting down with me today. Obviously, the big news at AeroFarms is the recent merger with Spring Valley Acquisition Corp…Can you speak to this exciting new collaboration?

We are thrilled to announce our merger with Spring Valley Acquisition Corp, who shares the same ESG philosophies to make a positive impact on the world, while serving the interests of our shareholders. AeroFarms’ mission is to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity, and we are executing on this by taking agriculture to new heights with the latest in technology, innovation and understanding of plant science.

Our technology empowers our operations – this is how we get closer to where the problems, opportunities and solutions are. We also have the capabilities to innovate fast by turning our crops a typical 26 times per year that allows us to continuously learn and improve yield and quality while simultaneously reducing capital and operating costs. Our business is at an inflection point where we will scale up our proven operational framework and begin our expansion plans in earnest as we have shared with recent farm news for Danville Virginia and Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The other piece of interesting AeroFarms news is the expansion to Danville, VA. Please share how you envision that facility in terms of AeroFarms technology to be deployed. And, what impact do you foresee the operation having not only for AeroFarms but also for the local community?

The science, technology and innovation that underpin our proprietary growing platform allow us to drive superior unit economics and scale up our business to deliver on our mission of growing the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity. Our customers love our leafy greens, which consistently win on quality, flavor, taste and texture. We are excited to break ground on our new farm, expand our retail presence in the region and bring our exceptional, great tasting products to more customers. Danville-Pittsylvania County is the perfect location to introduce our next-generation Model 5 farm that will be able to serve the more than 1,000 food retailers in the region.

Our new farm will deepen our established retailer partnerships even further and make our sustainably grown, pesticide-free and always fresh leafy greens available throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, while also creating high-quality jobs in the area. This new facility represents an inflection point in our growth trajectory as we scale our technology and expand our retail distribution footprint and customer reach.

Speaking of expansion, please tell us how Abu Dhabi is progressing and the great (R&D) work which will come from there once fully operational?

This new cutting-edge R&D facility leverages our agriculture expertise and science-driven roots. We will be conducting leading research in plant science, vertical farming, and automation, accelerating innovation cycles and commercializing a diverse range of products. We will be partnering with major international companies, local universities, and AgTech startups to help solve some of the most pressing agriculture needs of our time, and AeroFarms is proud to play a pivotal role to helping establish the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a global hub for AgTech innovation

What does David Rosenberg do for fun when he’s not leading one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative indoor vertical farms?

I am proud to serve as a Managing Trustee of New Jersey’s Liberty Science Center and a mentor at Endeavor, to help impact entrepreneurs succeed. In addition, I enjoy SUP paddle boarding and spending time with my family.

AeroFarms has been leading the way for indoor vertical farming and championing transformational innovation for agriculture overall. On a mission to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity, AeroFarms is a Certified B Corp Company with global headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, United States. Named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company three years in a row and one of TIME’s Best Inventions, AeroFarms patented, award-winning indoor vertical farming technology provides the perfect conditions for healthy plants to thrive, taking agriculture to a new level of precision, food safety, and productivity while using up to 95% less water and no pesticides vs. traditional field farming. Grown for flavor first, AeroFarms enables local production to safely grow flavorful baby greens and microgreens all year round.

Register Today & Save Your Seat For David Rosenberg’s Keynote Address On Monday, October 4, 2021 at 8:30 am

New Sustainability Partnership Launched Between Sodexo and ZipGrow Inc.

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on March 14, 2021. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News, Las Vegas 2020 Exhibitor News Release.

On March 11, 2021 two international industry leaders, Sodexo and ZipGrow Inc., launched a first of its kind partnership to develop more sustainable local food chains throughout North America.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, has joined forces with ZipGrow Inc., the manufacturer of the world’s most installed vertical hydroponic equipment. Together they wll develop a unique program to introduce sustainable growing systems to facilities throughout Canada and the United States of America.

Introducing Innovative Technology

One of Sodexo’s primary goals is to ensure all our operations are industry leading from a sustainability perspective. “This new partnership with ZipGrow Inc. not only enables us to reduce our carbon emissions of distance traveled for food source, onsite food waste, and packaging requirements, but also to introduce innovative technology to our facilities and team members”, said Normand St-Gelais, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Sodexo Canada.

ZipGrow Systems To Be Installed At Sodexo Locations

ZipGrow™ technology is a patented system that utilizes both hydroponic growing systems and vertical planes to maximize production volume within a small footprint. Primarily growing leafy greens such as lettuce and kale, along with herbs and small fruiting crops such as strawberries, ZipGrow systems will be installed in Sodexo locations including educational institutions, conference facilities, and corporate food service centres.

“Having been installed throughout the world over the past decade, our system enables growers, both big and small, to access fresh produce no matter where they are located”, explains Eric Lang, President of ZipGrow Inc. “We are excited to move ahead with this new partnership with Sodexo. Together we will be able to introduce sustainable food to Sodexo locations throughout North America.”

“As a Chef, we are always looking for ways to introduce the freshest possible produce to our kitchens”, said Chef Davide Del Brocco, Sustainability Manager, Sodexo Canada. “By having a grow system on site, we can now not only customize our produce to meet our upcoming needs, but we can also now harvest fresh greens and use them that same day.”

“Having like-minded partners like ZipGrow who understand what is important to us and who are aligned with our values and goals is crucial in working together for a Better Tomorrow.” said Andrea Cantin, Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator, Sodexo Canada. With Sodexo and ZipGrow Inc. both having company values strongly embedded in sustainability, this new partnership will see this innovative agriculture technology being introduced to multiple Sodexo facilities in Canada and the US.

About Sodexo

Sodexo delivers a wide range of customized solutions, designed to optimize work and living environments. The company has been providing food and facilities management services in Canada for over 40 years, with a focus on enhancing safety, work process and well-being. A market leader in Canada, Sodexo has been recognized as a top employer for the past seven consecutive years. Sodexo is proud to have created the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, an independent charitable organization that has raised over $3 million to fight hunger and donated more than one million meals to at-risk youth across Canada since 2007. It is included in the CAC 40, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.

Key figures (as November 2020)
420,000 employees
1st in its sector in both the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) and the 2020 SAM sustainability yearbook
64 countries
100 million consumers served daily

About ZipGrow Inc.

ZipGrow Inc. is an international leader in indoor, vertical farming technology. Our flagship product, the ZipGrow™ Tower, is a core component of many of the world’s most innovative farms; from indoor hydroponic warehouses to vertical aquaponic greenhouses and and high-density container farms. For more information contact hello@zipgrow.com or at 1-855-ZIPGROW.