A new tradition in the CEA industry is the annual Gala Luncheon at Indoor Ag-Con, presenting the CEAs — Cultivating Excellence Awards. This year, Jiffy won the Product Innovation Award with their gel, and Bright Farms won the Operational Excellence Award. The Trainlblazer Award was handed out to Dr. Gene Fiacomelli, who dedicated much of his professional career and his personal life to helping growers further.
© Eelkje Pulley | HortiDaily.com
© Eelkje Pulley | HortiDaily.com
"These teams are setting the pace for controlled environment agriculture pushing boundaries in innovation, operations and product development while proving what's possible in our industry right now", the organizers, Indoor Ag-Con and Inside Grower Magazine, shared.
The awards program is designed to recognize and celebrate excellence, innovation, and leadership within the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector, spotlighting achievements across three categories: Operational Excellence, Product Innovation and a special Trailblazer Award.
© Eelkje Pulley | HortiDaily.com
Nominated for the Product Innovation Award were Voltiris, and Zayndu, but Jiffy scooped up the award for their Jiffy Gel, a biodegradable, gel-based substrate specifically engineered for controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
© Eelkje Pulley | HortiDaily.com
The Operational Excellence Award nominees were haven greens and Planet Farms, and ended up in the hands of Bright Farms. In their words: "BrightFarms measures its success through operational expansion and measurable business results."
© Eelkje Pulley | HortiDaily.com
For the Trailblazer Award, there were no nominees - but there was a winner. "There are those in our industry who explore the unexplored, who ask the questions that no one else has, and push the boundaries of what's possible", the organizers shared. "The Trailblazer Award honors those who aren't afraid to challenge the status quo, and push research and CEA application into new arenas." And that's Dr. Gene Fiacomelli. Since the early 80s, his research interests include controlled environment plant productions systems [greenhouse and growth chamber] research, design, development and applications, with emphases on: crop production systems, nutrient delivery systems, environmental control, mechanization, and labor productivity.
