Agriculture

  Square Roots, a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) startup, recently introduced a groundbreaking program supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The program aims to demonstrate the feasibility of removing light from commercial indoor vertical farming by utilizing gene-edited (CRISPR) plants that grow heterotrophically. These plants can add biomass through carbon uptake from acetate [...]

  2023 was another turbulent year in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) market. There was a surprising wave of bankruptcies in Q1, Q2, and Q3. Major players like Infarm, AppHarvest, Aerofarms, and Kalera all closed operations and filed for bankruptcy. The high-profile closures then contributed to funding drying up for CEA ventures, hindering new projects. [...]

Recreational marijuana was legalized in Ohio by a ballot measure that passed on the November 7 election, with 57% of the vote. More info here. The measure, known as Issue 2, allows adults 21 and over to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to six plants at home. Ohio’s passage of [...]

  Cannabis Business Times along with Fluence have released their 2023 State of the Cannabis Lighting Market report. Cannabis growers have been struggling for several years due to supply chain issues, product surpluses, inflation, rising energy prices, and complex regulations. For the second year in a row, at least 70% of study participants used LEDs [...]

  In August,  Greenhouse Product News published an article I wrote about electrification impacts on controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The primary strategy of local, state and national governments to address climate change is rapid electrification of building heating and cooling, hot water and the transportation sectors. Simultaneously, the electrical generation mix will gradually transition from fossil fuels [...]

  Scientists from Fishtek Marine, a manufacturer of sustainable fishing gear, had a surprise discovery. Bright lights that they added to crab pots to catch more crabs instead attracted loads of scallops. The scallops swam into the traps to get to the lights. Traditional scallop fishing involves dredging the bottom of the ocean, causing considerable [...]

  The types of crops grown indoors are evolving as agricultural technology advances and the demand for local food increases across North America. Crops typically grown in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) facilities include: Leafy Greens: Lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, and other salad greens are some of the most commonly grown crops in CEA facilities. Herbs: [...]

Venture capital funding of indoor farming companies dropped 91% in Q1 of 2023 compared with Q1 of 2022 (deal value). The deal count in the same time period dropped 70%, from 46 deals in Q1 2022 down to 14 deals in Q1 2023. Rising energy costs and rising interest rates are both hurting indoor farming [...]

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kassim Tremblay, V.P. of Business Development at Sollum Technologies about their approach to smart horticultural lighting for greenhouses and other CEA facilities. They’ve integrated some interesting capabilities. Shiller: Some readers know that Sollum Technologies is an LED grow light manufacturer. Can you please share what makes Sollum unique in [...]