『Vertical Farming Podcast: CEOs & Founders in AgTech and CEA』のカバーアート

Vertical Farming Podcast: CEOs & Founders in AgTech and CEA

Vertical Farming Podcast: CEOs & Founders in AgTech and CEA

著者： iGrowNews
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The Vertical Farming Podcast is the longest-running interview show in indoor agriculture: 180-plus conversations with the founders, CEOs and scientists building vertical farms, greenhouses and the technology behind them. Host Harry Duran gets past the pitch to the economics, the failures and what actually scales. Part of the iGrowNews podcast network.2022 FullCast 生物科学 科学
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  • 182: The Importance of Smart Controls in Transforming Greenhouse Operations

    182: The Importance of Smart Controls in Transforming Greenhouse Operations
    2026/07/31
    Ever wondered if your greenhouse control system is actually helping—or if it’s leaving you in the dark about your energy bills? I’ve been there, and that’s exactly what we dig into in this episode.Joining me are Neda, CEO and co-founder of Microclimates, and Gretchen, Executive Director at the Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering Consortium at Cornell, whose combined expertise covers everything from cutting-edge environmental controls to energy efficiency in controlled environment agriculture. Neda has an extensive background in developing technologies that empower growers with actionable data, while Gretchen brings years of research experience with leading universities and utility-backed initiatives in optimizing greenhouse lighting and automation.This episode unpacks the real-world findings from the CalNEX Project—a first-of-its-kind scientific study focused on the impact of smart environmental monitoring and controls in California greenhouses. We compare “smart” and “smarter” systems, revealing surprising industry gaps in environmental data collection, misunderstood overhead costs, and how simple steps can lead to significant energy savings and business sustainability.Beyond the results, we chat about practical steps for adopting automation without ripping out your current systems, new open-platform sensor trends, the reality (and future) of AI in controlled ag, and why a phased, data-driven approach will be key for small and large growers alike. If you’re daunted by all the talk of sensors, integration, or AI, consider this the guide to understanding what actually matters—and what you can do today.Curious if you’re missing an easy win in your farm’s energy management, or want a reality check on all the AI hype? Tune in now and turn your environmental data into your biggest asset!Thanks to Our SponsorsCEA Summit East - https://indoor.ag/cea-summit-east-2025/Indoor AgCon - https://indoor.ag/Key Takeaways00:00 Discussing the CalNEX Project findings03:17 Smart Controls Project achievements07:52 Improving greenhouse energy efficiency10:34 Energy consumption misconceptions12:57 Diverse systems in cannabis farming19:10 Automating greenhouse light management22:22 Operational impacts in construction projects25:40 Consulting on greenhouse tech needs27:50 Discussing phased approach for innovations29:57 Phased approach to AI implementation35:51 Parental influence on IT security37:02 Adopting AI and Automation Tools41:17 Starting with basic crop monitoring43:32 Indoor farming control techniques46:39 Year of retrofits and opportunities49:46 Appreciating industry partnershipsTweetable Quotes"Our job is to complement what's already there. The projects Gretchen mentioned, every site had something different… Our job wasn't to go in and just say, rip everything out for this control study and start over because we want to collect the data. It was really to take a look at what do you currently have, how can we complement that with adding more environmental insight, environmental visibility to that operation, and is there a way that we can integrate what you currently have?" "I'd say the biggest surprise and biggest lesson was that they didn't have enough environmental visibility. A lot of these operations had maybe one temperature humidity sensor hanging in the middle of the room representing the entire greenhouse or a section of the greenhouse. Your control system is only as good as the information it's taking in, like the input, right?""If you don't have the thousands of data points, if you can't summarize the trends, if you can't make any recommendations and alerts, and you can't generate those reports based on the thousand data points, how is this AI going to actually get to know you?... First of all, we have to step back and say, are operators actually collecting data? We already said early on in this conversation they are, but they don't have enough environmental visibility, which means they actually are not collecting enough data."Resources MentionedWebsite - www.microclimates.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Microclimates-IncInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/microclimatesFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/microclimates.incLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/microclimatesLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gschimelpfenig/Resource Innovation Institute - https://resourceinnovation.org/ Microclimates - https://microclimates.com/ Priva Control Systems - https://www.priva.com/Ritter Greenhouse Automation - https://rittergreenhouse.com/Connect With UsVFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcastVFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPodVFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPodSubscribe to our newsletters!AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.comThe Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/🎙️...
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    53 分
  • 181: Why Mastering Vapor Pressure Control Holds the Key to Exceptional Crop Quality with David Sandelman

    181: Why Mastering Vapor Pressure Control Holds the Key to Exceptional Crop Quality with David Sandelman
    2026/05/09
    Ever wonder why your plants aren’t thriving—or why your post-harvest yields and terpene profiles just don’t stack up? I’ve been there, and this episode is your shortcut out of the guesswork.This week, I’m joined by David Sandelman, CTO of Cannatrol, inventor, and expert in environmental controls with decades of pioneering innovation under his belt. From the origins of digital thermostats to revolutionizing post-harvest processing in cheese, charcuterie, and cannabis, David Sandelman brings deep scientific insight and a passion for precision.We dive into the real science behind environmental control—why traditional approaches to humidity just don’t cut it, and how understanding vapor pressure is the key to stable, high-quality crops across cheese, cannabis, and even hops. David Sandelman explains, in plain terms, how “water activity” trumps “percent moisture” for true shelf stability and consistent results.You’ll also hear about the future of indoor farming, from AI-optimized grow rooms to what legacy cultivators can learn from the world of cheese and charcuterie. Plus, we dig into practical applications—whether you’re a large-scale producer or a passionate home grower—along with candid insights from David Sandelman’s journey in the industry.Ready to get clarity and control over your crops while boosting quality and yield? Hit play and discover the system that’s changing the game for post-harvest and indoor growers everywhere.Thanks to Our SponsorsCEA Summit East - https://indoor.ag/cea-summit-east-2025/Indoor AgCon - https://indoor.ag/Key Takeaways00:00 From Vermont Restaurants to Post-Harvest Technology00:06:10 The Science of Controls and Humidity Explained00:12:01 Cannabis Flower, Water Activity, and Drying Innovation00:18:00 Trichomes, Terpenes, and Preserving Quality00:23:32 Consistency, Yield, and the Future of Quality Cannabis00:29:32 Expanding Applications: Hops, Tea, and Industry Insights00:34:35 Embracing Change and Applying Proven ScienceTweetable Quotes"That's when we built a prototype and we purchased a wine cooler and stripped it out, just used the insulated box with the door and put a couple of thousand dollars worth of controls on it, gave it to a grower and said, put some flour in there and tell us what happens. Is it going to destroy it? Does nothing? And sure enough, two weeks later, he's like, I don't know what this box is, but this is some of the finest flower I've ever produced. He's, like, hanging on to it. I'm not going to give it back. And that's when we knew we were onto something.""We are a process system that's designed for the process of getting your proper product to the right water activity for shelf stability versus applying conventional comfort cooling equipment to accomplish it.""We like to say it's sous vide for weed."Resources MentionedWebsite - https://cannatrols.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-sandelman-74323216/Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@cannatrolsolutionsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/cannatrol/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cannatrol/Twitter - https://x.com/CannatrolsConnect With UsVFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcastVFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPodVFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPodSubscribe to our newsletters!AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.comThe Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/🎙️🎙️🎙️Podcast Production and Marketing by FullCastDiscover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/Mentioned in this episode:2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report
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    44 分
  • Precision Agriculture Report 2025: Surprising Patent & Funding Trends - AgTech Digest: Weekly Agriculture Technology News & Deals

    Precision Agriculture Report 2025: Surprising Patent & Funding Trends - AgTech Digest: Weekly Agriculture Technology News & Deals
    2026/04/20
    📺 Watch on YouTube and SpotifyiGrow News - 2025 Precision Ag Intelligence Report - https://igrownews.com/precisionEpisode DescriptionWhat shook up the world of precision agriculture in 2025? In this exclusive deep dive, Harry Duran sits down with Sepehr Achard, fellow co-founder of iGrow News, to explore the striking trends and surprising signals from the just-released 2025 Precision Ag Intelligence Report. From the surging impact of AI on product development—and the sudden vulnerability of software-only companies—to unexpected M&A moves like food giants buying robotics startups and why a drop in patent filings could predict a seismic shift, this episode connects the industry’s hidden dots.Discover why $600 million in funding might no longer guarantee success, the mysterious surge of patents out of China (but almost none granted), and which countries are quietly emerging as ag innovation hubs. The guests grapple with the future of metrics like "compute cost per acre," the looming prospect of AI-taxation, and whether distribution—rather than technology—could become the true differentiator.And in a world rocked by global tensions, could fertilizer shocks and input price spikes trigger the next wave of ag innovation—or stall it in its tracks? Don't miss this detailed yet fast-paced conversation pulling back the curtain on where precision ag is heading next.Ready for the data points no newswire is covering? Press play.5 Key TakeawaysIn a rapidly evolving AgTech landscape, strategic awareness and rapid adaptation are critical for survival and growth. Take charge of your future with these decisive actions:Monitor patent activity and social signals of key industry players to anticipate strategic moves and market shifts.Diversify beyond pure software solutions—build or partner for hardware, own unique data, and prioritize distribution networks for defensible growth.Prepare for increased M&A activity by strengthening your customer base, technology differentiation, and profitability to become acquisition-ready.Rethink KPIs for the AI era by tracking new metrics like compute cost per acre and token usage to measure operational efficiency.Keep a pulse on global events, such as geopolitical conflict and supply chain volatility, to anticipate their cascading impact on AgTech investments and strategic decisions.Act now—evaluate your business model, data, and partnerships with these insights to stay ahead in precision agriculture.Memorable Quotes"It's not a differentiator anymore to have fancy technology or AI you can create; the real differentiators are controlling the data, owning the hardware, and—most importantly—having the distribution.""The cost of developing new products is dramatically decreasing, but the cost of introducing these products to market is increasing; developing technology alone doesn't mean much anymore because it can be replicated quickly and cheaply.""China has a patent creation engine driven by universities, but once you look at actual granted patents and real technology, there are overlooked hubs like Korea, Japan, India, Israel, the Netherlands, and the U.S. producing innovations that are truly patentable and impactful."Resources MentionedTaylor Farms - https://www.taylorfarms.com/FarmWise (Autonomous Weeding Business) - https://www.farmwise.io/Climate Corporation - https://climate.com/John Deere - https://www.deere.com/Massey Ferguson - https://www.masseyferguson.com/CNH Industrial - https://www.cnh.com/Starlink (integrated by CNH Industrial) - https://www.starlink.com/Arable - https://www.arable.com/Google Cloud - https://cloud.google.com/Amazon Web Services (AWS) - https://aws.amazon.com/Yamaha Agriculture - https://global.yamaha-motor.com/business/precision_ag/Caterpillar - https://www.caterpillar.com/Monarch Tractor - https://monarchtractor.com/Connect with Us!Be sure to subscribe to our other shows:Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listenGreenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listeniGrow Digest:Presented by iGrowNews.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews🎙️🎙️🎙️Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/===This is an AI-Generated show
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    38 分
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