Latest News From Controlled Environment Agriculture

John Carkoski shares with The Packer what he’s learned so far leading operations at Revol Greens' newest CEA facility in Temple, Texas, and how the grower is expanding its footprint with its largest farm to date.

As the CEA industry matures, investors are increasingly eager to see results in the form of productivity and profitability.

As part of shifting its business model, the hydroponic grower is pausing production, closing three of its four container farms across the U.S. and laying off staff.

The Texas-based controlled environment agriculture grower says it has restructured its sales team, bringing on new leaders and promoting internally so that it’s positioned for "exponential growth."

The indoor grower has secured a financing commitment to support operations at three of its four farms during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and hopes to maintain operations and employees through transition.

The Kentucky-based greenhouse grower is seeking to reassure stakeholders in a stated response to recent news of creditor and property issues facing several of its farms.

As weather woes continue to challenge field berry supplies, greenhouse producer Nature Fresh Farms has launched new greenhouse-grown, organic strawberries.

Village Farms is growing over a million pounds of fresh produce a year in the inhospitable Big Bend region of Texas thanks to innovative, greenhouse growing methods and knowledgeable farmers like Abby Lange.

The Kentucky-based greenhouse grower is facing threats of another foreclosure, this time at the largest in its four-farm network in Morehead, Ky.

From Massachusetts to Georgia, Bowery’s vertically grown produce is now available through a newly expanded partnership with Amazon Fresh.

William Hogan is bringing over 20 years of experience in financial management and private equity to lead the greenhouse grower’s accelerated growth and expansion.

“2023 has been a tumultuous year for the horticulture industry globally,” the report says.

AppHarvest has replaced founder and CEO Jonathan Webb with CEA industry veteran Tony Martin in an effort to recover from mounting financial issues, the latest being an eviction notice from Mastronardi Produce.

Bowery launched a new salad kit on Amazon Fresh, as well as transformed its packaging, branding, website and continues expanding its farms.

Ohio Produce Growers & Marketers Association members got a firsthand look at the new facility, which growers help sponsor through annual payments for a statewide research program.

Canadian greenhouse grower OriginO has launched a new look for its website alongside its British Columbia-based sales and marketing partner, Oppy.

The San Antonio-based greenhouse grower says the certification recognizes its sustainability efforts and community initiatives.

The Greenhouse Competitions, presented in part by farm sponsors Sunset/Mastronardi Produce Ltd. and Nature Fresh Farms, kicked off June 7 with 183 entries delivered to Kingsville Community Centre in Ontario.

The indoor vertical farmer is the latest controlled environment agriculture company to suffer a setback, but the company's Marc Oshima is confident that AeroFarms will emerge stronger.

A recent public filing could cause the indoor grower to default on its Richmond farm facility and trigger a domino effect, leading to additional farm foreclosures.

As climate change presents farmers with serious challenges in the field, from prolonged drought periods to heat waves, the greenhouse produce business is booming.

Expanding its grab-and-go salad kit offerings, Montana-based controlled environment agriculture grower Local Bounti has added antibiotic-free chicken to two kits available this summer at Pacific Northwest retailers.

The robots are here. And they're harvesting our fruit.

Anna Fabrega, a former Freshly CEO and Amazon commerce executive, is bringing deep commercial and retail experience to lead Local Bounti in its next chapter.

A panel that included a retailer, distributor, marketer and grower shared insights on where the indoor ag market is headed and ways to support its growth at the West Coast Produce Expo in Palm Desert, Calif.

The indoor ag grower has added 20 acres in Central Texas to its controlled environment agriculture footprint, which also includes operations in Minnesota, Georgia and California.

The high-tech vertical farm grower has opened the doors to its first commercial farm facility in Compton, Calif., where it expects to grow leafy greens at scale.

With recent funding streams, the Montana-based indoor ag grower is completing facilities in Georgia, Texas and Washington and is set to continue expanding its distribution footprint across the U.S.

The Kingsville, Ontario-based fourth-generation, family-owned greenhouse grower has expanded its U.S. network through a joint venture formed with Intergrow Greenhouses Inc.

AppHarvest has surpassed its first quarter target with net sales of $13 million and has shipped commercially for first time from a full four-farm network.

Kingsville, Ontario-based Mastronardi Produce has been named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for the 14th year in a row.

Pure Flavor gives consumers a glimpse into its greenhouse growing operations in the latest edition of its quarterly Live Deliciously e-magazine.

The Devens, Mass.-based cultivator of packaged lettuce grown through controlled environment agriculture is thinking big this National Salad Month.

New York City-based Bowery, a vertical farming company serving more than 1,800 grocery stores and e-commerce platforms, expanded its ready-to-eat salad kits to all 166 Giant Food locations.

Randhawa Farms begins the 2023 pepper season with a look back on a decade-long relationship with its Vancouver, British Columbia-based sales and marketing partner. 

Nature Fresh Farms is expanding its operations, adding 60,000 square feet to its footprint in Delta, Ohio, with the opening of a new distribution center.

One North American CEA grower is measuring its success in 2023 by its ESG and sustainability milestones, along with growth revenue.

What’s the secret to greenhouse grower Little Leaf Farms' success? To find out, The Packer recently spoke with founder and CEO Paul Sellew.

The greenhouse industry veteran will lead technical operations for the Canadian fruit and vegetable grower.

Texas A&M AgriLife is partnering with Silicon Valley tech companies to advance nutrition security in the Lone Star State through indoor ag innovation.

The Michigan-based controlled environment agriculture lettuce grower has recalled all products and date codes sold under its Revolution Farms Brand in an expansion of an earlier recall on April 5, 2023.

Indoor vertical grower AeroFarms is transferring its Newark, N.J., commercial operations to its commercial farm in Danville, Va., so that the New Jersey location can handle R&D operations.

In the wake of recent indoor ag bankruptcies, including vertical farmer Kalera and greenhouse grower Lakeside Produce, the CEA grower Little Leaf Farms says it’s on track for a "banner year" in 2023.

Kalera, a vertical farming company based in Orlando, Fla., filed April 4, for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and the CEO stepped down. But leaders are making arrangements to continue regular operations throughout the process.

While urban agriculture is sometimes written off as too niche, in a recent SXSW panel urban ag advocates shared why growing food in cities should have a seat at the table and a bigger share of the market.

AeroFarms has hired two more produce leaders to support retail and foodservice business. The controlled environment agriculture company, based in Newark, N.J., has farms along the Eastern Seaboard and in Abu Dhabi.

Virginia Tech scientists are further developing snackable pepper varieties to grow vertically and flourish in controlled environment agriculture systems.

The agtech software-as-a-service (SaaS) company is developing tools to improve yields, quality and profitability for controlled environment agriculture operations with help from BASF Venture Capital's investment.

“Not only do we pride ourselves in the relationship with [Little Leaf Farms], but the entire organization believes in the same future we do," said Brandon Bentley, Tops category business manager for vegetables.

The hydroponic grower is building four high-tech farms to grow and market leafy greens, with plans to expand its reach and ramp up revenue by 2025.