Why the CEA Market Is Primed for a Strong Future

AppHarvest First Tomato CropMuch of the focus at Greenhouse Grower’s GROW Executive Summit was on the vast potential of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) for vegetable production. Here are a few insights from the presenters.

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  • Jonathan Webb, CEO of Kentucky-based AppHarvest opened the GROW Executive Summit with a keynote presentation that highlighted the critical role CEA will play moving forward. “Open-field production is not a long-term viable solution for feeding the nation, and industries like ours will be challenged to fill that production gap,” noted Webb, who also argued we need to start right at the beginning by working with local high schools and colleges to foster industry in agriculture among students at a young age.
  • Allison Kopf, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Data Products at iUNU, discussed ways to access funds for capital management. She said if there’s ever a time to think about expansion, it’s time. If you’re worried about the cost, she suggests of concept of inventive fin-tech: banks will view your operation as a lower risk for lending if you’re willing to install and implement labor- and time-saving technology
  • Data management is a driving force behind today’s CEA systems. However, Ken Lane, President of Hathaway and Lane Direct, says if the data isn’t actionable, don’t waste your time measuring it.

Watch for a downloadable in-depth report featuring more take-aways from the Summit to be available soon.

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