Calling all tomato growers, hydroponics enthusiasts, or anyone else interested in hydroponic tomato production, the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (UA-CEAC) will be hosting an online and in-person Greenhouse Hydroponic Tomato Intensive Workshop this January in Tucson, Arizona. 

Including experiential learning, access to lecture materials, and a certificate of completion, this three-day course will consist of lectures in the morning for both in person and online participants, with additional hands-on afternoon lessons in the Teaching Greenhouse for in-person attendees. Discounts will be provided for certain groups including university students and University of Arizona affiliates, but make sure to register soon as spots are limited! 

In a LinkedIn posting made last week, the indoor farming company Plenty has announced their plans to shut down their Compton-based leafy greens farm. On the heels of the company planting the first commercial batch of strawberries in their newly commissioned farm in Richmond, Virginia, Plenty cited “the rising cost of doing business in California, including climbing energy prices” as a chief influence in their decision.

As a former Plenty employee myself who worked heavily on both the Compton farm and the strawberry program, I must admit that this is a bittersweet moment, but I wish the company and my former coworkers the best as I anxiously await the first batch of Richmond berries to hit the market!

(For any of those coworkers who happen to be reading, please send some my way!!!) 

Zenith Global, a food and drink consultancy group, has announced details for the upcoming 6th annual 2025 Vertical Farming World Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on October 7, 2025.

During the two-day conference, attendees will have access to conference sessions, round tables, interactive panel discussions and vertical farm visits. Program specifics have yet to be announced, but attendees can register their interest through the conference page. 

For those based in the UK looking to join a similar educational opportunity, registration is now open for the 2nd International Conference on Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) hosted by the University of Plymouth and UK Urban AgriTech. The conference will include panel discussions and keynote speakers from multiple institutions, including: 

• Strategic Overview of the Current State of CEA Technology by Professor Mick Fuller
• CEA: Scientific Approaches to Address Current Challenges by Katia Zacharaki
• Pharmaceutical Impact of Plants Cultivated in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Systems by Dr. Simon Fox

  

In an era of shutdowns and uncertainty, I’m happy to share that BrightFarms has announced in a recent press release a new greenhouse facility located in Lorena, Texas, as they expand into the Southwest. Covering 1.5 million sq. ft. and designed with the company’s latest growing technologies, CEO of BrightFarms, Steve Platt, believes that “Texans deserve the freshest, highest-quality produce, and we’re thrilled to deliver just that.”

With the company’s recent expansions in Texas, Illinois and Georgia, BrightFarms is now capable of reaching over two-thirds of the U.S. population, and from the outside it appears as if they have no intention of slowing down any time soon!