Greenhouse Industry

As the horticultural industry faces both an ever-increasing global food demand and climate change, greenhouse growers are looking for solutions which can adapt to the changing conditions. Enter Hortinergy, a company which offers an advanced online software that simulates the indoor climate and energy…

In 2020, more than half (59%) of agricultural companies in the Netherlands run by over 55s had no successor. This is especially true for (very) small farms. The larger the business, the greater the chance it had a successor. The Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported. Their report is based on…

On Sunday 10 January, horticulturist Jaap Zegwaard, who gained worldwide fame as the inventor of the pipe rail system, passed away. In the 60's of the 20th century, Zegwaard was the first horticulturist in the world to lay heating pipes in greenhouses on the ground, so that they could immediately serve…

For years, growers have been struggling with labour shortage. Even before COVID prevented seasonal labourers to work abroad, growers did not always have enough employees to get the job done. Employing a multi-functional robot instead would solve many of these problems. After all, robots can not only…

There are a lot of new ideas being trialed within the indoor farming space. “One of the hurdles I see is that it’s expected that there are standardized products available that will fit the new vertical farming systems being developed. Many farmers request that manufacturers develop custom components and…

Research, innovation and internationalization are the key words that characterize Idromeccanica Lucchini. The global socio-economic scenario is constantly changing and so are its people' needs. Growers must therefore keep up with new trends and be able to put quality first and support macro-economic…

Havecon has been known as a turnkey greenhouse supplier for many years now, but as of now they'll take turnkey to a new level under the name of “Havelettuce Projects”. Havelettuce will not only take on the build of a greenhouse but the complete project realization, offering a plug and play concept for…

Give us more time, Essex County’s greenhouse growers are pleading with local municipalities vowing to crack down on light pollution that is brightening up the night skies over acres of indoor crops. “Our growers understand and share community concerns on the effects of light pollution to the…

Since September, the price of horticultural glass has changed dramatically. “The glass price has been almost stable for ten years, it only drops a little bit year after year. Yet a couple of months ago, the price almost doubled,” says Michael Lee with Planti. “It’s bad news for everybody, not in the…

"This is a peculiar year - the pandemic has made everything new and uncertain. One of few sectors unaffected by the crisis is the agricultural and food sector, especially when it comes to large retail chains and producers. Most of our clients belong to this category and, luckily, they are going through…

In relatively hot climates like most of Australia, using an automated Shade or Energy Screen is an indispensable tool, but it is also a compromise – it’s really good at cooling the greenhouse, or really good at keeping it warm, but it can’t do both very well. So, Growers are increasingly opting for Double Screens – one screen…

Why do you keep saying buffer capacity? For anyone that has called me to discuss the design of their new vertical farm or greenhouse, they have ...

One day after Kingsville’s town council unanimously approved a bylaw to stop light pollution from greenhouses and odours from cannabis production, Leamington’s council voted unanimously to seek more information from growers and the public before considering a light pollution bylaw. Kingsville’s bylaw…

Robert Doig spent three months pruning vines in Canterbury to take a break from his usual job as an auto industry sparkie. The 31-year-old Cantabrian said he earned decent money in the spell from June to August, got fit, grew some muscles and loved working outdoors. Now, he’s recommending horticulture…

The latest Profile of the Greenhouse Industry in Alberta provides current benchmark data on greenhouse crop operations. "This report is of significance to greenhouse growers, researchers and agricultural financial institutions that rely on this information for business decisions," explains Emmanuel Anum…