Blooom.sg

Singapore: S$38 strawberry harvesting experience at hydroponics farm near Buona Vista

You don't have to travel all the way to Genting to try your hand at picking strawberries. You can drop by Buona Vista instead. Blooom.sg is a seasonal strawberry farm in Singapore. Located at Singapore Science Park 1, it is said to produce the world's first climate-resilient strawberries.

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Malaysia: Cultivating sustainable ways to feed the country

In a world where land mass is fast becoming crowded with development and industrialization, the agricultural industry has to find ways to become more efficient and yet be productive in their approach. As a Malaysian farm that practices vertical farming in greenhouses, Cultiveat Group Sdn Bhd offers a…

"It's crucial to promote urban farming to boost healthy eating habits in cities"

Walter Schettini is an urban farmer out of Rome who serves the southern part of the Italian capital with fresh organic produce. “We are certified organic,” he explains. “We mainly focus on seasonal produce, which we grow in soil.” Because of that, the veggies coming out of Azienda Agricola Caparbio vary…

Ecuador’s blueberry industry is the 'new kid on the block' with 52 weeks supply advantage

In only its third season of blueberry exports to some world markets Ecuador’s industry is the proverbial 'new kid on the block', with the advantage of having 52 weeks of supply available. According to Ing. Sebastian Muñoz, from the Ecuadorian Federation of Blueberry Producers and Exporters, (FEPEXA)…

Indonesian greenhouse sets record with 5.8 kg melon

Semarang City in Central Java, Indonesia, is now home to the heaviest recorded melon in the country, weighing in at 5.8 kg. This impressive melon was harvested from the Laguna Green House, situated in the Graha Padma Semarang housing complex. The World Indonesian Achievement Institute (Leprid) officially…

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Cuba turns to aquaponics to solve food shortage

Cubans have been looking at ways to solve Cuba’s food shortage and boost the economy. Two of the city’s entrepreneurs have been doing that with a green food production technology called aquaponics. CGTN’s Luis Chirino reports. Click here to watch the video

UK: MP gets a look at high-tech facilities at Hadlow College

Local MP Tom Tugendhat got a first-hand look at the work Hadlow College is doing to inspire the next generation of students when he visited the College’s glasshouse. Constructed in 2022, the glasshouse plays an integral part in horticulture courses and features technology, including: Suspended gutters running…

Berry entrepreneurs in Huelva venture into the medical cannabis industry

The municipality of Lepe, a leading berry producer in the Spanish province of Huelva, is going to start growing medical cannabis. A company there has been authorized by the…

Little boy is a big fan of broccoli, sleeps with it but doesn't eat it

Harrison Mullins, a three-year-old from Rossendale, Lancashire, is an avid fan of broccoli, not for eating but as a companion. He sleeps with a real broccoli every night, replacing the usual teddy bear, and refuses to eat it, considering it his 'best friend'. His obsession includes a broccoli teddy,…

“We are only producing first-class products”

The high-tech greenhouses of Romenatur, with which they have managed to significantly increase the volume and quality of their cucumber crops, are among the greenhouses of Paraje la Cumbre, in El Ejido. "We have a total of 12 hectares: 5 of them in these new greenhouses, another 5 being transformed into high-tech…

Retirement beckons for NZ watercress trailblazers

Nearly two decades ago, Ruapehu couple Carey and Ernie Wenn began looking for a two-year business project. Now in their seventies, the couple are selling their well-established hydroponic watercress operation and planning their retirement. About 17 km southeast of Taumarunui sits the Wenn’s 1.9-hectare…

Introducing North American consumers to greenhouse-grown radishes

Greenhouse production of radishes in Quebec, Canada is getting ready for the winter season. Alex Zenebisis of Eagle Export, Inc./Alcaro Farms is two months into working with the greenhouse grower Les Serres Bertrand in Mirabel, Quebec to ship three varieties of radishes--conventional red radish, the…

Norway: “We’re matching import prices to break into the market”

"Given its fluctuation, we are matching the imported products to break into the market. In Norway, supermarkets and wholesalers are all privately owned. These families are dictating the fruit and vegetable market, with price as their main objective. In October, we sold salads for 1 EUR, whereas next…

US: Mushroom farm yields 800 to 1000lbs weekly

Haw River Mushrooms, the visionary project of Ches and Laura Stewart, stands as a testament to the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit in the realm of fungi cultivation. For more than ten years, this small-scale mushroom farm has thrived in the region. Recently, it garnered widespread attention at the…

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US (NC): New partnership creates first-ever indoor hydroponic coffee farm

Big Guns Coffee is partnering with Isothermal Community College to unveil an innovative venture – the first-ever indoor Hydroponic Coffee Farm. This initiative will transform a 2,300-square-foot space within the Technology Building on Isothermal's Spindale Campus. The project is set to utilize expertise…

Namibia: 3 hectare greenhouse grows hydroponic tomatoes and cut flowers

Upon hearing the word ‘agriculture,’ one rarely conjures images of a sandy desert but rather of green fields with a lot of rain or perennial rivers. But coastal-based AvaGro has proven that technology can be harnessed to produce high-value crops even on the most arid, inhospitable land. Leonie Hartman,…

US: Carl Gupton new CEO of Greenswell Growers

Greenswell Growers, a mid-Atlantic grower of leafy greens, has appointed Carl Gupton as its Chief Executive Officer. Gupton, who has served as President of Greenswell Growers since 2020, brings a wealth of experience and leadership to his new role at the company. With a strong passion for sustainable…

Dollar drops after data shows inflation cooling

On Tuesday, the U.S. dollar experienced a decline of more than 1% against major currencies following the release of U.S. consumer price data, indicating a further moderation in the pace of inflation for October. The data raised speculation that the Federal Reserve might halt its interest rate hikes.…

US: "Working hard for little in return"

For more than 50 years, Rick and B. Ann Lattin operated Lattin Farms in Fallon, a 400-acre farm that started in 1909. But this year, the Lattins, both in their late 70s, laid down their tools, leased their land, and stepped back from agricultural production. Their retirement marks the end of an era for…

Meet the former teacher growing hi-tech strawberries

Until two years ago, Nilgün Öz Ünsel worked as a schoolteacher in the Aegean city of Aydın. Now, she’s pursuing her lifelong dream as a strawberry farmer – and is using some of the latest technology to do it. “They’re like my children; I give them love and affection every day,” Öz Ünsel says of her…

Piet Pannekeet bids an untroubled farewell to JASA

Piet Pannekeet officially bid 'adieu' to JASA Packaging Solutions three years ago. But last week, that was celebrated with a festive farewell. The pandemic delayed this occasion somewhat. Much has since happened, and this Dutch engineering firm launched a new platform for a new generation of packaging…

Czech Republic: Farmer pivots to indoors, yields 500kg cucumbers weekly

"I have been making a living from agriculture for about 14 years, trading in fruits and vegetables. Yet, climate change has brought a lot of weather extremes here, making food scarcity visible in periods when what were formerly local products are now imported from the other half of the world. Therefore,…

US (NY): Winners announced of round five of the Grow-NY Food an Agriculture Business Competition

Governor Kathy Hochul announced Hypercell Technologies of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, as the grand-prize winner of this year's Grow-NY business competition, a startup challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and…

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Kenya: Pastoralists strike fortune in tomato farming

Ms. Eunice Ateti, Secretary of Enduata Self Help Group, harvests tomatoes on the group's farm in the Eremit area of Kajiado West Sub County and Kajiado County [Nanjinia Wamuswa, Standard].Under the scorching sun, Eunice Ateti and her group of women are harvesting tomatoes, piling up crates at the corner…

US (MO): Veteran and urban groups team up to grow produce and peace of mind

University of Missouri Extension, the Missouri Institute for Defense and Energy at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and the Veterans Community Project are working on a problem shared by deployed military personnel and urban residents: access to fresh food. The partners are looking at…

India: Due to high returns, saffron farmer breaks even after one year as profits keep doubling

“In a seller’s market, the difficulty of cultivating saffron at a large scale along with the high-profit margins, it’s a wonderful opportunity to grow this as a business. There is an exponential potential of doubling profits yearly with the least investment, with the first year as a maximum investment…

"In the past, many growers would shied away from a switch to organics due to lower levels of production, today that is a thing of the past"

"Why did you start a transition campaign?" Aldo and Mark of The Conscious Farmer (TCF), an independent consultancy in organic greenhouse horticulture that was founded in 2018 and now operates worldwide, say: "We demonstrate that things can be done differently by growing a clean crop, for a healthy…

"We want to invest and expand our facilities in Portugal"

In late October 2023, Swedish company SPISA Group gathered top executives from its global branches for a meeting at their herb growing facility of Aromáticas Vivas in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. The main agenda was to discuss goals and challenges, with a strong focus on investing in expanding and…

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US (MI): At Granor Farm, fresh produce are the star of the tasting menu

Abra Berens is a current chef and former farmer, though it’s difficult to swallow the “former” once you’ve seen her in her element at Granor Farm, where she regularly hosts chef-driven, multi-course meals for attentive guests from all over the world. Berens assumes a deep involvement in what’s currently…

"The challenge now is to restore everything on time"

Earlier this month, storm Ciaran unleashed winds of up to 200 km/h on Brittany, France, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Growers do everything within their reach to rebuild the greenhouses in time for the next crop. Serious consequencesThe Breton cooperative, Prince de Bretagne, reports…

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US: Veterans keep serving and healing at Escondido-based farm

Within months of joining the U.S. Marine Corps, Colin Archipley was headed to war. “He went right from bootcamp to Iraq,” spending seven months on the front lines, says his wife Karen, referring to the 2003 US-led military invasion. After a half-year return to Camp Pendleton near San Diego, he repeated…

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NL: Algae grower pivots from hybrid to growing indoors without daylight

Anyone in De Kwakel who gets a chance to look inside Lgem soon sees algae moving around through glass tubes at a fast pace. The systems are fully automated algae cultivation systems, developed in-house. Available in various sizes, starting from 2.5 meters in tube length to systems that can hold tens of…

From strawberries to organic vegetable seeds

Over a year ago, Kalter Aardbeien made the switch from strawberries to the production of organic vegetable seeds, and owners Annet and Richard replaced the sign above the door with a new name: Kalterra. "We didn't want to be called Kalter Zaden after Kalter Aardbeien," Annet explains, "but rather a name…

Autonomous Growing: 5% higher yield and new expansion possible

Bresca Hortalizas is a tomato-producing greenhouse company in Puebla, Mexico. The company that produces tomatoes for Mastronardi Sunset has been working with Crop Controller by Blue Radix since July 2021. With Autonomous Growing, they wanted to achieve better control over daily operations and improve…

"So far, we've harvested twice as much as last year"

The Magikos Kipos facility that Andreas Lypas is showing us around is located in Kastro Viotias, Greece. "State-of-the-art," he exclaims. The foil-covered facility grows lettuce heads such as butterhead, lollo rosso, lollo bionda, and the unique "salad trio" lettuces for the Greek market. It includes a…

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Vietnam: Thanh Hoa growers step up horti game to boost ag production

The south central province of Thanh Hoa has studied and applied scientific and technological advances into agricultural production and actively engaged in the fourth Industrial Revolution to serve socio-economic development in a fast and sustainable way. Considering science-technology as one of three…

Spain: "We will move to snack-type vegetables in the next phase"

In a warehouse in Tetouan, Spain, miles away from any farmland, arugula and aromatic basil are cultivated indoors. It has been a few months since Isifarmer landed in an old gymnasium, which has been transformed into a vertical farm seeking urban farmers to further develop its model. Ángel Leo-Revilla and…

From open-air to greenhouse: The strawberry story of the Low Countries

The Dutch area of covered strawberry cultivation in greenhouses and permanent tunnel greenhouses has almost doubled in 10 years. A steady increase in acreage can also be seen in Flanders. In recent years, Flemish statisticians consistently point to a shift in cultivation from open-air to covered…

“Generally this has been a bad 2023 season for Serbian blueberry growers”

Serbian blueberry growers lament a bad season of late spring rain and cooler summer weather that led to quality issues for the open field production during the 2023 harvest. Sladjana Vuković, CEO of the Serbian exporting company Srbovoće: “Generally, this has been a bad year for Serbian blueberry…

Russia: In recent years, growing microgreens has become a trend in Yekaterinburg

In recent years, microgreens cultivation has surged in Yekaterinburg, with several growers achieving efficient processes and production scalability. Entrepreneurs Alexey…

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Vietnam: Growers switch to high-value crops in unproductive rice fields

Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap have switched to growing short-term crops and perennial trees and breeding aquatic species on nearly 5,000ha of paddies. The crops include vegetables, watermelon, corn, and lotus and the trees include mango, jackfruit, lime, and orange. Mango, jackfruit,…

Egypt's strawberry industry is recovering, but still suffers from rising costs

With the Egyptian strawberry campaign fast approaching, growers are gearing up in high spirits, while expecting a few complications. Abdullah ElRehiewy, CEO of Royal Foods, gives a behind-the-scenes account of the pre-campaign. Weather and phytosanitary conditions The climate was the culprit of last year's…

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Guyana: Grower uses desert tech to increase food production

Guyana’s agricultural technology is advancing rapidly, and on last week the nation witnessed the first harvest of a wide range of crops at the Victoria Greens Hydroponic Farm. Located at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, the innovative…

Cautious optimism for the Moroccan early vegetable campaign

The Moroccan early vegetables industry seems to be recovering from a difficult production period. After a long swim against the current, growers have finally managed to reach a production threshold similar to last season's, at the cost of financial losses and a delay of more than a month in the launch of…

How could climate and economic changes affect the organization of European markets?

Although imported fruit and vegetables currently occupy an important place on the French market, the recent economic and climate changes could transform the market in the years to come. Alexandre Picault, sales director of Kultive (producer of greenhouse vegetables and leading producer of cucumbers in…

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UK: Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson struggling with his farm

Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he is taking one last gamble to save Diddly Squat Farm from closing down. The Clarkson's Farm star has admitted he has considered selling the farm he bought in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, in 2008 after several years of trying to turn it into a profitable agricultural business.…

A self-described "green-finger data grower"

Carlos Mario Pinzón, a tomato grower for Tomeco in Belgium, succinctly describes himself as being a “green-finger data grower.” Arguably, this term perfectly sums up Carlos and the 14 other forward-thinking growers who traveled from all over the world to take part in 2023’s Plant Empowerment Summer…

“We started as a supplier and decided to build our own greenhouse”

Kazakhstan's greenhouse industry has been on a steady growth trajectory since 2008, with the introduction of modern technologies and the construction of greenhouses across the country. With over 2,500 hectares of registered greenhouse areas, including 300 hectares of high-tech greenhouse complexes, the…

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Georgia: The journey of Mzis Ferma in Kakheti

Leila Sulkhanishvili and Ketevan Khundadze – decided to invest in the production of greenhouse vegetables targeting the development of sustainable horticulture farming in the Kakheti region of Georgia. Leila holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration and Finance with 20 years of experience in positions as…

Rooftop greenhouses boost Montreal local food production

Lufa Farms is an urban agriculture company out of Montreal. Their specialty? ‘Occupying’ rooftops with greenhouses. “We have five greenhouses so far,” says Callie Giaccone from Lufa Farms. “They are all different sizes. One is as big as three football fields. Additionally, we have a fifth one coming…

Brazil: Aiming to have three farms up and running, and 80 different products in 2024

São Paulo-based vertical farm Pink Farms has finalized their Series A round funding and received just shy of 2 million dollars for the implementation of their second farm, which is now in its final phases, and a new addition with mushroom production in a third farm. “The full area of our second farm is…

US (NY): Long Island-based R&D greenhouse begins first harvest

Ark Foods has begun its first harvests at a new Eastern Long Island R&D greenhouse. “Our mission at Ark Foods has always centered around a deep dedication to farming, and part of that commitment extends into the curiosity of exploring beyond conventional growing practices,” shared Noah Robbins, CEO and…

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New Zealand: Tomato picker happy with job's pay

Throughout the years, you've probably heard how much fruit pickers at the farms in Australia or New Zealand make in a month, and most of them earn more than our monthly salary. Just recently, a Malaysian girl, Kay, took to her TikTok @sis_kayy to share how much she really earns in a month as a tomato…

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France: Farmer makes €1000 a month selling herbs on the side

At the foot of the Auvergne volcanoes, cilantro, dill, fennel, and tagetes are growing inside a container farm in Limagne, made possible by software developed by Lyon-based start-up Vif Systems, specialists in vertical farms. For the past year, 42-year-old Julien Chatard, a cereal grower from Aubiat…

"They proudly tell their customers: 'We have one from the Netherlands'"

For more than 15 years, Henk Boers (73) traveled the world doing horticultural projects. It has taken him from Turkey to China and from the Bahamas to Dubai. He wrote a book about his experiences: Henk Boers: Westland Horticultural Globetrotter. At Rodi, he tells his story. "I had actually never thought about…

Israeli farmers struggle as war and imports flood the tomato market

Farmers in settlements near the Gaza Strip, who returned to their plantations to start harvesting, found that there is no demand for their produce as the market is flooded…

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US (CT): Therapeutic farm helps trauma survivors heal and grow

Much like the plants and crops that fill her George Street yard, Ivette Ruiz grew from the soil. After suffering a traumatic brain injury from a fall in 2020, Ruiz, a third-generation farmer, rediscovered her love of gardening and used the hobby to stir herself from a severe depression. She said she…

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Philippines: FarmTop take urban agri to new heights

Doing its share to help the country achieve food security while addressing environmental challenges, Robinsons Offices, one of the country’s leading providers of quality, flexible workspaces, has partnered with lifestyle brand FarmTop for the development of “sky farms” or soilless vegetable gardens on…

Findings of Botany trial aiming for energy reduction in the greenhouse

“Many growers worldwide are affected by increasing energy prices, making it an important topic within the industry. As a vegetable breeding company, we collaborate with research companies such as Botany in finding innovative ways to support growers to face this challenge,” explains Marcel van Koppen,…

NL: "We are now reaping the benefits of HREZ"

For tomato growers, HREZ by Enza Zaden is a step that makes a big difference in the fight against ToBRFV. The collection includes High-resistance varieties in all the major tomato types, including large plum (roma), beef, baby plum, cherry, cocktail, and vine tomatoes. The first crucial hurdle has been…

Visit to the horticultural farm "Boghi Nodir" of Farkhor district

On October 19, the Founder of Peace and National Unity - Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, in continuation of his…

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US (GA): Couple trades city life with greenhouse growing

A major lifestyle change allowed this Georgia couple to turn their dreams into a brand-new reality. Damon Jones with The Farm Monitor takes us to Blackbird Farm in Buena Vista to learn more. Nearly everyone’s way of life has been altered by the pandemic, and that’s certainly the case for the owners of…

China: Shipping containers transformed into aquaponic farm in Fuyang

In the heart of Fuyang, eastern China, 70 repurposed shipping containers now house sturgeon, bass, and carp, forming a thriving aquaponic venture. This system utilizes fish waste as fertilizer for water-purifying plants, enhancing both fish quantity and quality. The process not only yields cleaner water and healthier fish but also commands better prices in the market…

Tulsa students learn aquaponics

North Tulsa is known for being a food desert, but students at Monroe Demonstration Academy learned how to make a difference and grew their own fresh produce. “Basically, we water the surface for three days and the bottom for three days, so today we are watering the bottom,” said Monroe student Tristan Clehr. Clehr and his…

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US (IA): Local farmers direct America's Farmers Grow Communities donation to Audubon FFA

Local farmers James and Aggie Kitt recently directed a $5,000 Bayer Fund America’s Farmers Grow Communities donation to the Audubon FFA. Audubon FFA will use the funds towards the building of a new greenhouse. “The Audubon Ag Ed and FFA programs are very excited about the new greenhouse. Students are…

Thailand: Vertically farmed strawberries sold at 50% of imported ones

"Our current farm's capacity is maxed out, and there's an increasing demand for our produce: we are able to sell more berries and other crops than we can produce. This expansion aims to cater to existing and potential partners. Depending on the space allocated for each crop, we can optimize production…

US (SD): A mushroom-filled day at Sturgis Farm

Bear Butte Gardens in Sturgis, S.D. hosted a mushroom festival Saturday, October 7, 2023. The festival took place as part of a project funded by a specialty crop block grant…

Braga Fresh CEO Rod Braga announced as OGS 2023 Grower of the Year

The Organic Grower Summit, presented by Western Growers and OPN, will honor longtime organic grower Rod Braga as the recipient of the sixth annual Grower of the Year award.…

Accor via hospitality.org

Tackling food waste in the hospitality space

Hospitality player Accor is aware of the challenges the industry faces when it comes to food waste. At Accor specifically, it accounts for around 43% of the total operating waste, averaging almost 20 tons per hotel per year, as we serve 200 million meals each year across our 10,000+ restaurants and bars.…

Dr Shoshan Haran, founder of Fair Planet, abducted into Gaza

Dr Shoshan Haran, founder of NGO Fair Planet, which supports and helps disadvantaged communities with agri-knowledge and tech transfer, has been kidnapped from her house in Be'eri, southern Israel, and taken into Gaza. The NGO has released the following statement. "We learned earlier today (Oct 10) that…

“With accurate maps of pest population, we can now target the release of beneficial insects"

Hagdorn Tomaten, a family-run German tomato nursery, is embracing Trap-Eye, a sticky trap monitoring system. Employing AI to make IPM scouting automated, accurate, fast, and affordable is delivering improvements to the whitefly control program alongside efficiency savings. In the past, the 6 ha tomato…

Greenhouses, a little from vertical farms, and leafies: 5 years in the US CEA industry

CEA operator Local Bounti has recently celebrated its 5th anniversary, which is not an easy feat in such a challenging industry. “At the very beginning, I had experience in plant propagation, vertical farming, and greenhouse production,” says David Vosburg, Chief Innovation Officer at Local Bounti. “When…

Georgia: Growing market for vertical farm setups in hospitality and retail industry

"There is absolutely a great potential market out here for the Spots given Space Farms is the first to introduce such a product nationally and because of that people are taking notice. More and more are seeing the benefits of fresh and sustainable produce, and we're here to deliver just that. We're…

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US (AR): "This has been such a brutally hot summer"

Arkansas Times publisher Alan Leveritt has lived on his great-grandparents’ farm in North Pulaski County for 41 years. He grows heirloom tomatoes and other crops for local restaurants and the local farmers market. It was 103 degrees outside, and I was in the worst possible place: working inside the plastic-covered…

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US (IL): How hydroponics is inspiring the next generation of students in agriculture

Food insecurity has been an ongoing battle in Chicago and will only worsen if action is not taken to restructure our farming practices in the wake of our changing climate. Thankfully, Loyola, through its Urban Agriculture program, is looking ahead to remedy this issue before its effects are felt. Loyola…

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Namibia: Oranjemund-based greenhouse supplies fresh greens in the area

The OMDis nursery project outside Oranjemund has the potential to soon become the sole provider of vegetables to residents as far as nearby Rosh Pinah in southern Namibia. OMDis Town Transform Agency is a Section 21 Company or Special Purpose Vehicle with the sole purpose of proactively accelerating town…

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"From fish to the production of food plants, everything is natural"

In Cuba, beset by economic crisis and shortages, even the most fundamental of endeavors like fishing or farming can get complicated quickly. That's why two young Cuban entrepreneurs decided to turn to aquaponics to combine the two in a bid to get more bang for their buck and, at the same time, bolster…

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US (PA): Urban farm inside old Westinghouse plant offers gaze into aquaponics

The WestWinn Urban Agriculture Co. — a $4 million aquaponics project situated on 25,000 square feet inside The Landing in downtown Sharon — would span 30 acres of dirt if it were a traditional farm. WestWinn is an urban farm that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to grow healthy, sustainable crops of…

“I already knew how to manage a business, but I didn’t know anything about growing tomatoes”

The Tunisian branch of the Rainbow Group recently switched from growing bell peppers to snack tomatoes (baby plum tomatoes) in one go. The entire process was supported by former Rainbow partner John van Marrewijk, who relied on cultivation knowledge from Syngenta Vegetable Seeds. "We really clicked." "I…

US (FL): Behind the scenes at Tampa's microgreens producer

Join us as we delve into the remarkable journey of Meredith Family Farms, where passion, innovation, and the support of an SBA loan have come together to redefine farm-to-table excellence in Tampa Bay, Florida (US). Discover how Meredith Family Farms, with the assistance of an SBA loan, has forged invaluable partnerships with the most prestigious eateries in the Tampa Bay a…

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US (VA): Urban farm in Richmond offers final Twilight Tour highlighting season extension

In a couple of weeks, the tunnel-like structures at the west side of the Garden City Lands will move on their rails, extending the growing season for lettuce, spinach, and other greens currently growing in an open plot. This will extend the growing season for these leafy greens as the “passive solar”…

US (AK): Consumer-owned cooperative raises money for Middle school ag program

Kodiak Harvest Food Co-op, a locally owned grocery store, raised $770 for the Kodiak Middle School’s agriculture program, according to a press release from their board of directors. The co-op raised the money through a silent dessert auction held during the co-op’s annual meeting. The KMS agriculture…

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US (TX): Welcome to the latest hybrid greenhouse

Inside an unsuspecting greenhouse in Cleburne, Texas, is an enormous 62,500-square-foot facility where thousands of leafy greens and herbs grow. This space is home to the Eden Green Technologies vertical farm – a one-of-a-kind automated hydroponic system that supplies each plant with everything they need to grow to their fullest potential. Aaron Fields, Vice President o…

"Why does the best always have to be the most expensive?"

"On the first visit to Dutch Berries, I spoke with Gijbert. He was an extremely pleasant person to deal with and was known for his no-nonsense attitude. He was just himself, which I greatly appreciated. During that initial conversation, I also met his partner, Boudewijn van der Wal, who also left a…

Philippines: Farmer makes it big with lettuce

In a country where agriculture plays an important role in ensuring food security and driving economic development, programs that support and empower young farmers are nothing short of essential. The Department of Agriculture's Young Farmers Challenge Program (YFC) stands as a beacon of hope, offering…

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Trinidad and Tobago: Family, children’s home receives donation of hydroponic towers

Officers of the Eastern Division Community-Oriented Policing Section (COPS) and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) are working to improve and sustain the lives of families within their communities. In an update, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service said in its ongoing agricultural and entrepreneurship…

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US (CT): Torrington hydroponic farm's produce sold around state

New Opportunities CT Food for Thought's hydroponic farm is growing steadily with more customers and plans for more greenhouses. The indoor farm on Technology Park Drive grows five types of lettuce in its three greenhouses, and more are being added to the property, which opened in Oct. 2021. Using a…

UK: Addressing knowledge gaps and enhancing the efficiency of aquaponic systems

Laurence Anderson is in the concluding stages of their PhD studies at the University of Liverpool's Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, supported by the Low Carbon Eco Innovatory and the Liverpool-based social enterprise Farm Urban. The Academic Odyssey"My academic journey began with a…

Jordan: NARC intensifying research efforts to increase agricultural production

The Jordan Farmers Union is urging the adoption of a two-pronged strategy that combines the power of afforestation with cutting-edge scientific research to cultivate…

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US (NY): Micro enterprise grant to help aquaponics

A small agricultural business in Lockport was approved for a $25,000 micro-enterprise grant from the Niagara County Development Corp. at its September 13 board of directors meeting. Bina & Gill, established in December at 4794 Lower Mountain Road, applied for a $25,000 grant to buy and equip a vehicle to…

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AU: Grower brings family tradition into greenhouse cultivation

Damien Manno has to own one of the best-smelling farms in the country. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to enjoy that part of his job. "I can't smell it anymore," Mr. Manno said. "You're in here all the time; you get immune to that smell, so that's probably one bad thing about farming basil." Mr. Manno, who…

New Delhi farmer turns to hydroponics, educates others nowadays

New Delhi (India), September 27: Devendra Dilip Khole, a young and ambitious entrepreneur hailing from Pune, has set a remarkable example of turning his passion into a thriving business venture. While building his manufacturing business, Devendra also nurtured a deep-seated passion for agriculture and…

Malaysia: Vanilla farm based on aquaponics, open for tours

Penang introduces a brand new edutainment experience just outside the city – Vanilla Village Experiential Farm Tours. Innovated, built, and managed by Malaysia’s Kairos Agriculture, the smart farm specializes in the cultivation of vanilla and is located on 6 acres of prime land in Permatang Pauh…

UAE: Emirati farmer who grows 4,000 pineapples annually says farming in the desert is easy

An Emirati farmer known for his delicious pineapples says growing plants without chemicals or fertilizers is easy in the UAE. Abdullatif Al Banna grows 4,000 juicy, sweet pineapples yearly and encourages people to start farming in the country. Al Banna is a farmer who has been growing thousands of…

Tide to table: growing salmon and leafy greens in America's Dairyland

Central Wisconsin is famous for its dairy farms, but it’s also home to the world’s largest aquaponic greenhouse, spanning over 13 acres. Superior Fresh is a family-run farm growing sustainable salmon and organic leafy greens for consumption across the Midwest and beyond. Salmon is the most commonly eaten…

Maharashtra farmer feeds his entire tomato crop to his cows

A Maharashtra farmer decided to feed his entire tomato harvest to his cows after his relentless efforts to secure fair returns for his crop left him with a mere Rs 4.5 per kilogram (€0.05) in Ahmednagar district. The farmer invested some Rs 200,000 (€2.200) into his two-acre tomato field but was…

First boxes of microgreens delivered to customers in Northern Norway

"This is an important milestone for us. The construction of the facility in Fauske began this spring, and we sowed the seeds for watercress, radish, broccoli, and borage that we are delivering now six days ago. The plants grow quickly, and we are now delivering them to customers such as Bama and Havila…

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US (CO): Harvest season is in full swing in Southern Colorado

Harvest season is in full swing for hundreds of local growers in Southern Colorado. Many are closer than you may think. The Palmer Land Conservancy created a Local Food Guide last summer to help shoppers find farm stands and farmers markets who sell locally grown and raised food. Their interactive map…

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6 years after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico residents and farms take recovery into their own hands

Six years after Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico, flooding whole towns and leaving 80% of the island without power, some residents and businesses have taken matters into their own hands and are taking care of the island's locals. Casa Pueblo, a 43-year-old nonprofit environmental group, is…

Vine Fresh Acres increases yield with Autonomous Growing

Vine Fresh Acres in Leamington, Ontario, grows high-wire cucumbers and bell peppers. In 2021, the company took its first steps in the field of Autonomous Growing. Successfully, according to head grower Pete Neufeld and grower Jake Knelsen. They are enthusiastic about the use of Blue Radix's Crop…

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US (MA): Lancaster refugee farm destroyed by flooding

The field at Flats Mentor Farm in Lancaster was soggy, muddy, and partially underwater as more rain cascaded over the property Monday. That was an improvement from a week earlier, when the nearby Nashua River overflowed, submerging the farm completely. The same thing happened back in July. The hits just…

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“Smaller growers are very, very isolated"

A passion for horticulture and community is the driving force behind TomatoesNZ's newest board member, Jungeun (Jiny) Kim. Nestled down a long driveway in the heart of Waiuku, southwest of Auckland lies the Kim family's horticulture operation. Jungeun (Jiny) and her husband Minju have been growing…

Pure Harvest eyes further growth with $150m strategic Richel Group Partnership

Pure Harvest Smart Farms has entered into a three-year, exclusive strategic partnership with Richel Group. With an immediate focus on the Middle East and Asia, the partnership aims to deploy over $150 million worth of smart growing systems with the flexibility to expand the partnership into new…

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Philippines: Expanded DA Young Farmers Challenge 2023 to launch soon

On September 28, 2023, the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS) in collaboration with the office of Senator Imee R. Marcos and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), will launch the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC) Program. The event will…

US (OH): “There is really no prescription for this type of farming. We're still figuring out how to make it better"

Mike McGraw's greenhouse in southwest Ohio looks different from the farms around it. He doesn't rely on plots of soil. But, rather, bright blue tanks filled with energetic fish that splash and dart at the sight of McGraw approaching. "They're hungry, they're healthy, they're active," McGraw said,…

Denmark: Nordic Greens opens automonous greenhouse

Solar panels, double screens, LED lights, and cameras are used for scouting crops for pests and deficiencies. Several sustainable initiatives are visible in the new Nordic Greens facility, but there's much more happening inside this new semi-closed lettuce facility. "We've created a customized system…

Spain: Japanese strawberry variety allows better market entry and brand growth

As the vertical farming industry is maturing and finding its place in the ag space, there are quite a few companies that are still struggling to find the solution for the infamous skyrocketing operational costs of these farms. In a move that may initially sound counterintuitive, Spanish vertical farmer…

US (NY): Taking on the Eastcoast in phased expansion, raising another $10 million

"Baking profitability into our model from the start, we minimized our external inputs and designed our systems to work with and enhance agricultural land(s). Additionally, we sized our Grow Hubs proportionately to provide sufficient production to meet the demands of a 50 - 100-mile radius. In this way,…

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US (FL): Greenhouse, classrooms grow on John Rivers’ Packing District farm

One day, a restaurant at John Rivers’ new educational farm in Orlando’s Packing District neighborhood could serve fish raised there with vegetables grown on the property fertilized by the same fish’s waste. That intense farm-to-table dining experience is still a while off at the 18-acre 4Roots farm under…

"Sales have been at constant levels since the middle of July"

For some farms, this year's strawberry season began with higher prices than last year. The asparagus & strawberry farm of the Gänger family from Niedermotzing was one of these. "We tried to keep prices as constant as possible to boost sales. The wet spring led to a slow start to sales, although we were…

US (OR): Immigrant farmers grow hard-to-find pantry staples

On a hot, dry August day, Mohammad Haji and Ricardo Diaz examined their plots at a community farm in Boring, its fields full of tomatoes, amaranth, corn, peppers, onions,…

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US (UT): Greenhouse farm cultivates community through hydroponics

Nestled within the neighborhoods of small-town Pleasant Grove, Utah, sits Snuck Farm, a family-operated farm that was first settled in the 1800s. Since then, it has grown into a larger, local-centric organization that promotes food-based education, sustainability, and community. Fronted by a quaint…

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Kenya: Kirinyaga government supports tomato growers in building horti infrastructure

The Kirinyaga government is supporting tomato farmers to increase production in readiness for the upcoming Sagana Agro-Industrial City that will incorporate a tomato processing factory. To scale up production, the county government has supported 69 community groups in the construction of tomato…

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India: Director of Agriculture inaugurates polyhousees in Budgam

The Director of Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal, inaugurated hi-tech polyhouses under vegetable clusters at Narkara Budgam. On his visit, the Director monitored the Mushroom unit at Mamat, Shogapora Budgam, where the first fully automatic Mushroom hi-tech unit in the Kashmir division was…

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India: Deputy Chief Minister visited hydroponic farm

The Deputy Chief Minister reached Tikli village in Gurugram on Friday to inspect the OG Roots Hydroponics Farm of a progressive farmer. The Deputy Chief Minister said that the farmer brothers of Haryana have played an important role in making the country self-sufficient in food security. He said that…

“It is important to see how big the world is”

"A time to never forget!" This is how Renzo Grootscholten described his internship at Bevofarms in Canada. In February, Renzo started his 3rd-year internship for the horticulture and agri-business study in Delft and left for Canada for five months to work at Bevofarms. He could have also done this in the…

“We harvest and we seed everyday, but we still do it with about 12 folks"

It started with a picture and an email to 25 News asking about those strange pink/purple lights spotted in Temple. Turns out, there's a mass production of leafy greens growing in our own backyard. Sitting on about 20 acres of land in south Temple, Revol Greens CEO Michael Wainscott coins this lettuce…

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US (RI): Flower grower prepares its transition from wedding venue to food production

For the Charlestown-based seasonal cut flower farm South County Flowers, 2023 has been a year of gradual change. South County Flowers co-owners and married couple Nancy and Dean Viseth are pausing the wedding venue portion of the business and will be focusing on its rapidly growing community-supported…

Investor firm buys other AppHarvest facilities

AppHarvest's three greenhouses were auctioned last week. In a single bid, the two largest farms in Morehead and Richmond were offered. Investment firm Equilibrium submitted…

Departing Erik Plaisier: "Horticulture is very important in Mexico"

Whereas in the Netherlands, agriculture struggles with issues such as climate adaptation and nitrogen problems, in Mexico, the sector is mainly concerned with increasing production. But Erik Plaisier, outgoing agriculture council for Mexico and Cuba from the Dutch embassy in Mexico City, expects…

Bosch Growers starts US expansion with AppHarvest Somerset acquisition

Pioneering is something they can do at Bosch Growers. Six years ago, the family business started growing blackberries under glass in addition to their bell pepper crop. And now, it's time for a new challenge. Last week, they bought one of the three greenhouses of the American nursery AppHarvest. It's a…

Photos by M. Sajjad via khaleejtimes.com

UAE: Grower defies the desert and grows figs year-round

Every morning, over 15 kilograms of ripe figs are hanging on branches, waiting to be harvested at Al Kharran farms in Ras Al Khaimah. Abdul Latif, the caretaker of the farm, picks up some baskets and enters the greenhouse to pluck the ripened figs before they fall to the ground. He has turned the fig…

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India: After Israel-model, grower turns to tunnel farming back in homeland

SP Sujith Swami Nikarthil, who grabbed the headlines by introducing the first Israel-model farm in the state, has launched his latest project -- the tunnel farming of tomatoes in Cherthala taluk. It was three months ago that he tasted success with his Israel-model banana cultivation. Now, he is…

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In Libya and Jordan, growers and refugees find hope in horticulture

With heatwaves destroying crops in Libya and Jordan, farmers and refugees are finding hope in a popular new farming technique. In Ubari, an oasis town a thousand kilometers south of Tripoli in Libya, the summer heat can be lethal. Temperatures now frequently top 50 degrees Celsius - so hot that schools…

In memoriam Rudolf van der Mark

On August 27, Rudolf (Ruud) van der Mark passed away. He was the former managing director of Pull. At the perlite specialist, they reflect on his passing as follows: To our great sadness, we have had to say goodbye to our father and former director of Pull, Ruud van der Mark. After a difficult year of battling dementia, he has…

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US (MA): Tomato growers overcome season's challenges

It's been a tough year for Massachusetts farmers, but in spite of heavy rains and catastrophic flooding, the cream of the tomato crop was glistening in the August sun as judges in the state's annual tomato contest mulled over their top picks. Now in its 38th year, the Department of Agricultural…