Marc Groenewegen

This week I was shown this photo asking if I knew what it was. I really had no idea what I was looking at? Roots growing out of the stam, mealybug, edema? In any case, there was an incipient infestation of Botrytis on the stam. Was it from a hand sanitizer? In any case, not a pretty picture. After some back and forth "linked…

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US (PA): ‘A greenhouse is the heartbeat of a garden’

The Easton Area Neighborhood Center hauled in a whopping 11,000 pounds of vegetables and fruits from its tiny 2-acre farm last year. That food went toward feeding Easton’s West Ward and local families in need of assistance, but Program Director Jake Williams has set higher goals for the organization in…

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New grant to grow fresh produce, health equity for CNY refugees

A new greenhouse is coming to the nonprofit Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment, or RISE. The organization's agriculture program teaches refugees from countries around the world how to farm in the upstate climate. A recent $30,000 grant will help the organization grow its resources to expand its…

Baby vs. teen leaf : what’s the best approach for loose leaf lettuce?

There's a growing interest worldwide to move the production of loose leaf lettuce and other greens (spinach, arugula, kale, etc.) from open fields into greenhouses. There is a wide range of vocabulary in use to describe the produce and the way it is grown: baby leaf, teen leaf, toddler leaf… "With the…

Sakata: 110 years by the side of the whole food chain

The year 2023 marks the 110th anniversary of Sakata Seed Corporation. At Fruit Logistica, hall 8.2 - stand B61, Sakata EMEA will highlight the close ties woven with its…

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Valent BioSciences acquires FBSciences

Valent BioSciences has acquired FBSciences Holdings. With this acquisition, Valent BioSciences and its parent company, Sumitomo Chemical Co., now offer integrated biorational solutions, including biostimulants, biopesticides and crop nutrition solutions. The acquisition of FBSciences, a leader in…

Proseal marks a 25-year milestone

1998: the Google search engine was launched, Cher’s Believe was the UK’s best-selling single of the year, Arsenal won the Premiership title – and tray sealing specialist Proseal produced its very first machine. Since then, the company has grown to become the world leader in tray sealing technology and an…

Agri-voltaic systems as a great income opportunity for young producers

Agri-voltaic systems form part of those systems that produce renewable energy and are the most suitable to quickly reach the European objectives of 50% renewable energy and energy independence by 2030. This need is made necessary by the war in Ukraine and the subsequent increase in gas prices. In…

US (CT): Horticulture representative transplants to Midsouth and new one takes over in California

Max Gilley has been a successful horticulture representative for BioSafe Systems in California for four years and is a valuable member of the team. He recently transplanted to…

Smaller chicory yield expected in Belgium

This year’s Belgian chicory yield is 20% lower than usual. That could prove beneficial, even though cost prices have risen substantially. “It’s trickier than ever to find a good supply/demand balance,” begins Charles Cattoir of Primalof. Primalof cultivates, packs, and markets chicory. This Belgian…

Freshinset

Vidre+ works to extend the shelf-life of tomatoes

Sources say that trials conducted with Vidre+ technology demonstrate that the shelf-life and color evolution of tomatoes can be significantly delayed or influenced. Research seems to indicate that Vidre+ extends the shelf-life of tomatoes harvested at color stage 3-5 to 12-18 days after harvest. This was…

themanilatimes.com

Philippines: High-tech greenhouse becomes tourist attraction

In one of his field visits, former Agriculture secretary William Dar was attracted to an unlikely destination in Tagaytay City. Not quite on the radar, the Turbulent Drip Sales Inc. farm was not intended to become an agri-tourism site. The visit of the Agriculture secretary would be the farm's first…

Protecting produce from viruses through active packing technologies

In the produce sector, assuring freshness and safety has long been a leading concern of processors, distributors, and brands. Conventional mitigation strategies focus on wash…

What is the best strategy to prevent outbreaks of bacterial plant diseases?

Bacterial diseases can cause considerable damage and loss of quality in some crops. But there are hardly any plant protection products available to combat the plant pathogenic…

"At the moment, the supply of vegetables available in Almeria is insufficient to meet the demand"

In the last days of January, the fruit and vegetable products of Almeria have been reaching very good prices at the province's auctions, like La Union's, where most vegetables have easily exceeded the Euro per kilo (in the case of striped eggplant, their price on January 26 stood at 2.75 € / kg),…

Laredo District in Texas is number 1 for US-Mexico agricultural trade

Fueled by produce shipments traveling via trucks and rail, the Laredo customs district was the top U.S.-Mexico border port of entry (POE) for agricultural trade from January…

California canning tomato price at record high

The 2023 California canning tomato price is set at $138 per ton for the conventional crop. This is a record price, 31% higher than last year’s base price of $105. The…

The Government of Spain will pay 300 million euro to farmers because of increased fertilizer prices

The Council of Ministers has agreed to authorize the payment of EUR 300 million in aid to holders of agricultural holdings as compensation for the accumulated increase in the…

Study reveals environmental benefits of modified atmosphere packaging

Addressing the need for extensive reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, StePac, L.A. Ltd. analyzed supply chains it is closely involved with to assess how its advanced…

Transbaikalia issued warnings about incorrect pesticide and agrochemical usage

In January 2023, Russia's agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor in the Transbaikalia region issued 29 warnings for violating mandatory requirements for handling chemical crop…

Colombian tropical seed bank protects seed biodiversity

The world lost 75 percent of its crop diversity during the twentieth century, the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization says, making the protection of the biodiversity in crops key to feeding the planet’s ever-growing population.  

Scanner uses algorithms and NIR sensor to identify freshness of avocados and strawberries

According to tech company OneThird, up to 40% of perishable foods end up being discarded before they are consumed. The company has created a scanner that allows the user to…

“People tend to choose their coir pith based on EC, sand content and expansion volume”

Evergreen Exports in India manufactures and exports Coir pith, or cocopeat, a by-product of coir fiber extraction. The low EC premium 5 Kg Coir pith blocks the company produces have many applications and can be used in nurseries, greenhouses, home gardening, farming, horticulture, potting soil, hydroseed…

“We’re reaching a point where conventional costs more than organic”

"Things are ever dynamic and tumultuous, and no different for organic than conventional. The organic sector keeps gradually growing. Sometimes demand's too high; sometimes,…

Paper packaging solution now also available as banderole

New legislation for the packaging of fresh products has given the use of paper in the packaging of fruit, vegetables, and other horticultural products, an extra boost. At the upcoming Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Mediane will introduce, among other items, sealable and recyclable Paper banderoles.  Mediane introduced…

UK: Nursery, registration, and supervision requirements to move or send plants for planting to the EU or Northern Ireland for non-commercial purposes

Plants for planting being moved from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland for personal use, either in luggage or via post/parcel, need to meet EU requirements. For a full guide on EU requirements, please see…

NL: Trade mission agriculture and water Mexico

Agriculture and horticulture are responsible for 70% of the total water use in Mexico. At this moment, many agri-food producers rely on obsolete irrigation systems and lack proper wastewater treatment, water reuse, and water catchment technologies, have limited access to technical assistance, and a high…

Photo report: three Israeli supermarkets' fruit and vegetable sections

During a visit to Israel, we visited several supermarkets in Jerusalem, Eilat, and Hadera. It is interesting to check out the assortment and see the prices. Where do the products originate from? How are they presented? And how is it going with the fourth range? Many products are locally sourced. Travel…

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Saudi: Al-Fadhli approves plan to increase agricultural production in greenhouses

Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Fadhli, who is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Development Fund, has approved the expansion plan in the plant resources sector and greenhouses with a new investment worth SR4 billion until…

Saving on heating with LEDs?

One of the most recent novelties to use otherwise lost heat in a greenhouse is the LEDFan, developed by Food Autonomy for the cultivation of tomatoes in high-tech greenhouses. It replaces the traditional HPS 1:1, but instead of increased heat costs for normal LED installations, this system saves on heating. Thanks to the…

More Dutch geothermal drilling ended by 2022

The development of geothermal heat in the Netherlands is in full swing. More and more projects are being realized, despite sometimes financial or subsidy difficulties.…

Ohio State, Rutgers, Cornell, the University of Arizona, Koidra, and Hort Americas team up to lead USDA-awarded grant

Commercial horticultural supplier Hort Americas has joined The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES); Rutgers University; Cornell University; the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Ag Center (CEAC); and Koidra on a research and development…