CropTalk

Daniel Wells and Glenn Loughridge are on a mission at Auburn University. Not only to empower students to learn about cultivation but to understand best practices when speaking to buyers such as chefs. Topics on this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech include the power of local produce and its impact on flavor, the potential for culinary / CEA hubs as the future of local produce production and utility, and future predictions for controlled environment agriculture and beyond.

Christopher Grallert is the president of Green City Growers and believes we must respect conventional farming and farmers, dispel myths about our food system, and work together not to keep reinventing the wheel or "inventing the whistle". Topics include creating more circular economies within the food system, the power of local, safe food, and how we must constantly keep an open mind and be on guard to not downplay the complexities of the world we live in.

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing" -Dale Carnegie

On this week's episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Luis Trujillo, President of Hoogendoorn America. Topics include the power of user-friendly tools for the success of your CEA grow operation, making work fun and "like a video game" to attract the next generation of passionate talent, and tackling your greenhouse and vertical farming challenges to make your business truly profitable.

In this week's episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Alaric Overbey, Chief Farming Officer at GreenSideUp.FARM in Las Vegas. Using small-scale indoor farming & vertical farming systems, Alaric and his team are working to combat the food desert issue. Topics in our discussion include the importance of educating the community (teach a man to fish), the outdated stigma of what farming is and can be, serving food deserts by finding your community champion, and the power of grassroot movements to feed these communities.

Gus Brennan is a graduate of Cornell University with extensive experience within multiple avenues of CEA, including OnePointOne (vertical farming), Holistic Industries (Indoor Farming Cannabis), and now Greenswell Growers (Greenhouse leafy greens) using a Green Automation grow system with assistance from Crop King. Through these experiences, Gus instills some knowledge about the power of automation in all areas of your operation, the importance of giving the grower "superpowers" vs. replacing them, key lessons learned and his thoughts on the future of Controlled Environment Agriculture.

Is vertical farming the end all be all for controlled environment agriculture and crop production? The short answer: No. But IT IS another addition to the grower's toolbox.

On this week's episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Thea-Isabella Otto, who works with the Association of Vertical Farming along with being a vertical farm research consultant. Thea has spent the last couple of years traveling to vertical farms across the globe, interviewing cea business operators for numerous research projects, and gaining an unbiased perspective about the collective industry.

In this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Allison Driskill of Signify about her past experience running Blue Thumb Farms, which closed its doors in 2021. In this incredibly honest and brave conversation, Allison talks about the lessons she learned from her experience, changes she would of make in the planning stages of the business, and taking what she learned to now assist growers across the country each day at Signify.

I want to especially express my gratitude for Allison doing this recording with me.. The best way to move forward within CEA greenhouse vertical farming hydroponics etcothers' learn from other's experiences and adjust according. By putting yourself out there and talking about your personal wisdom, you have surely caused a butterfly effect. THANK YOU, Allison!

Happy New Year! CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech has some exciting plans for 2023 and even more exciting guests on the roster. Starting the year off, I speak with Tim Reusch of DRAMM all about the ins and outs of successful water management and movement within a hydroponics CEA facility. Key topics include the challenges and solutions for excessive water discharge, pros and cons of reverse osmosis, and Tim's golden rule(s) for having the best possible situation with your aqua.

We often speak about the challenges of operating a vertical farm but what about everything leading up to your first harvest? On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Mario Gatineau, CEO of Potager Farms about his journey leading him to start down the path of vertical farming, the challenges and lessons he experienced during the ongoing planning and construction phases, and what is on the horizon for his operation scheduled to open in 2023 using an IGS system.

"Large-scale organic hydroponics/aquaponics production is so easy!" said no one ever - On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Molly Stanek, VP of Growing & Operations at Superior Fresh all about their organic aquaponic production, some of the key challenges they've overcome and what the future of the CEA industry may look like.