CropTalk

Andrew Brooks is the Business Development Manager for the Southeastern USA at Priva. A South Carolina native, Andrew is passionate about CEA and developing the southeast, one state at a time. In this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech Andrew and I discuss the separating factor that leads some states to be leading the CEA charge while others are slow to adopt, the collective challenges we face within horticulture and stigmas associated with the industry within conventional farmers, and how we can collectively do better by working together.

Elliott Kellner is the Director of Commercial Innovation at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Elliott about the viability of using research institutions to prove the value of your technology, fertilizer, or substrate. Topics include the development of seed genetics to further the indoor horticulture space, the changing culture of CEA, and what the future of the industry may look like.

Tyler Baras is the Chief Science Officer and Co-Founder of Area 2 Farms, a CSA vertical farm serving the greater D.C metro area. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech. Tyler sheds light on the secrets behind his farm's exceptional efficiency, shares his insights on recent industry closures within the vertical farming realm, and offers his predictions for the future landscape of Controlled Environment Agriculture.

In this episode of #KyleTalksAgtech, I have the pleasure of chatting with Kris Nightengale, the VP of Sales at AdeptAg. We delve into the captivating story behind the company's origins, where a group of seasoned players in the horticulture field came together. Kris sheds light on the hidden complexities of the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industry, drawing a parallel to an iceberg with unexplored depths. We also gain his valuable insights and predictions regarding the future path of the industry.

Chris Lange is the founder of Second Bloom Auctions, a platform that aims to provide used equipment from greenhouses and vertical farms to the CEA community. In this episode of CropTalk's #KyleTalksAgtech, we explore the inception of this platform and discuss how the sale of such equipment can contribute to the community's success and sustainability.

Get ready for an inspiring episode of CropTalk, where I continue my conversation with Chris Cerveny about the power of personal and professional resilience. In part two, we explore how a life-altering experience such as a house fire can change our perspectives and the importance of living a value-driven existence. Tune in to gain valuable insights and be motivated to overcome any obstacles in your path.

With a wealth of experience at some of the industry's most prominent companies, including Scott's and Hawthorne, as well as expertise in vertical farming through his work at Fifth Season, Chris Cerveny is a true master of his craft.

In the first installment of a special two-part episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Chris to discuss the challenges facing the CEA vertical farming industry and how we can all learn from the mistakes of the past. We explored why some of the largest vertical farms have failed, and what we can do to avoid similar pitfalls in the future.

Throughout our conversation, Chris emphasized the importance of professional resilience in this fast-paced and rapidly evolving industry. By embracing change and staying adaptable, he believes that we can all thrive and succeed in the face of any obstacle.

The better we understand our current food system and how we got here, the better we can improve upon it, according to Everett Hendrixon of Tergo Consultants & Eco Supply. On this episode of CropTalk, Everett and I discuss the power of disruption through a nuanced understanding of the horticulture industry at various levels, Stories of conventional agriculture mistakes and lessons learned, and what the future CEA idustry may look like.

Karla is working to bridge the gap between academia research and direct commercial grower implementation. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Karla Garcia, Founder and Director of Microgreens FLN & Technical Service Specialist at Hort Americas, all about the importance of cross-pollination between universities and commercial grow operations, how we can better collectively communicate to decrease silos and increase innovation and what she thinks the future of CEA may look like.

So you want to start a greenhouse but don't know where to begin? According to Nick Long of Livic Civil, one of your first steps should be contacting a Civil Engineer. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAtech Nick and I discuss the importance of contacting a Site & Civil Engineer as early as possible to avoid headaches down the road, the crazy world of permitting, and how different the process can be depending on your state or region, and the importance of having a clear understanding of your timeline. (It may be longer than you think!)