Cover Story

Advocating for a Lasting Labor Solution

Jennifer Polanz

One of the biggest challenges for CEA in the U.S. today is finding and retaining workers. That’s why industry advocates are asking legislators to change the H-2A guest visa program to better align with the industry’s needs. Here we’ll tackle what the program is, what the issues are, where we’re at now and what you can do to help advocate for change.

Covering Environments

The Benefits of Internships

Dr. Gene Giacomelli

Knowledge from the classroom is an important educational beginning, but the benefits of “hands-on” experiences with commercial plant production systems should be required for all CEA programs of study.

Features

Feeding Smarter

Jack Bobo

Understanding the differences between controlled-release and water-soluble fertilizers.

Features

Guide to Successfully Evaluating Growing Media

Nathan Wallace-Springer

Selecting the right growing medium can make the difference between thriving crops and missed opportunities.

Features

Microgreens: What Do Consumers Really Want?

Jacob Friedrich, Alicia Rihn, Natalie Bumgarner & Kellie Walters

Connecting production practices (specifically lighting) to nutritional quality and consumer preference.

Features

Year-Round Leafy Greens

David Kuack

Maintaining the proper environment when growing leafy greens is critical to producing a quality crop with adequate yields on schedule.

From Your Editor

Advocate for CEA

Jennifer Polanz

While the wheels of government turn slowly, change is happening when it comes to H-2A.

Insider

Biobest Acquires Ecoation

Dr. Jake Holley

Ecoation’s platform is centered around two core services: integrated pest management (IPM) and crop prediction.

Insider

Growcer Acquires Freight Farms Assets

Dr. Jake Holley

Growcer builds shipping container farms much like Freight Farms, but with shelving that holds Deep Water Culture systems as opposed to the vertical Zip Towers.

Insider

Nature Fresh Leafy Greens

Dr. Jake Holley

Nature Fresh Farms announces unique partnership with Revol Greens.

Insider

Oberland Agriscience introduces BSFL Frass

Dr. Jake Holley

BSFL Frass is a fertilizer made from the waste of Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL).

Insider

Signify Adds to Toplighting Force Lineup

Jennifer Polanz

These lights provide growers with more precision and operational flexibility.

Insider

Soli Organic and 80 Acres Farms Merge

Dr. Jake Holley

In late August, two of the fastest-rising stars in indoor ag, Soli Organic and 80 Acres Farms, announced a strategic merger.

Pest Management

Thrips parvispinus & Pepper Production

Dr. Raymond A. Cloyd

How to identify it and what to do about it.

Technology

Don’t Worry, Growers, Your Job is Safe

Chris Beytes

Though powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, the autonomous greenhouse will still require a grower to decide the objective—be it yield, quality, energy savings, profitability or a combination of all of these.

Web Exclusive

DOL Interim Final Rule on Agricultural Wages

Matt Mika, Lynn Jacquez & Shawn Packer

An update on H-2A guestworker protections and the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR).

Web Exclusive

Pairing Up

Jennifer Polanz

I recently talked with Shawn Cutter, founder and CEO of EnergiAcres, on the co-location of greenhouses with power plants and data centers. Here’s our conversation.

Web Exclusive

Review & Re-evaluate

Traci Dooley

Seven steps to prepare your operation for the coming year during the 90-day insurance planning window starting in October.

TRENDING NOW

AirVent

Rovero Greenhouses

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Hortiblock Trays

Bpgrower.com

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KleenGrow

Pace 49 Inc.

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Matrix

Sterling HVAC Products

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PRO-MIX HPCC

Premier Tech Ltd.

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Strawberry Tray Plants

Nourse Farms