Controlled Environment
AI partnership helps reduce greenhouse labor issues
Blue Radix, a company specializing in autonomous growing, is partnering with Microsoft to use artificial intelligence to help reduce the scarcity of greenhouse labor and crop expertise. Greenhouses around the world are facing a unique... more »
Tree fruit big part of new CPS research projects
The Center for Produce Safety's (CPS) newest research projects are designed to provide the fresh produce industry answers to its most pressing food safety questions. Valued at $3.9 million, the 14 projects are designed to answer... more »
Bayer’s Woodland Research Facility celebrates 50 years
From aggressive diseases and pest pressures to climate shifts, labor shortages and evolving consumer preferences, growers are facing more and more challenges in their work to grow nutritious and great-tasting fruits and vegetables. Innovation is... more »
Fresh produce association forms CEA leadership council
The International Fresh Produce Association is forming a leadership council focused on Controlled Environment Agriculture. The volunteer council, led by Abby Prior, chief commercial officer at Bright Farms, and Vonnie Estes, vice president of agfood... more »
Low tunnels aid strawberry growth, protect from disease and pests
Due to the cold, wet spring in western Oregon, the fruit hadn’t ripened at Strawberry Field Day in June at Oregon State University’s North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC) in Aurora. Under experimental plastic... more »
Driscoll’s, Plenty to build commercial strawberry indoor vertical farm
One year after announcing their joint research and development work to grow strawberries indoors, Driscoll's, a consumer brand in fresh premium berries, and Plenty Unlimited Inc. are expanding their relationship to build a new indoor... more »
The power of high tunnel specialty crop growing examined
High tunnels, sometimes called hoop houses, offer northern New York market growers an easy way to extend our limited growing season by two or three months. Sometimes more. Farmers can grow early and/or late crops... more »
NC hurricane disaster relief program includes plasticulture producers
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has received a $79.6 million USDA block grant to assist producers and woodland owners in 90 counties who suffered losses in 2018-2019 from Hurricanes Florence, Michael... more »