CropTalk

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 yea...

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...

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 T...

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...

"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.

Alex Tyink is the president of Fork Farms, and he believes anyone can be a farmer. With their vertical hydroponic technology, Fork Farms is transforming the way schools, businesses, healthcare facilities, nonprofits, and home users can grow healthy food year-round. Topics in this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech include the power of community growth through indoor growing systems, the potentia...

On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Tobias Peggs, CEO at Square Roots indoor farms. With a unique partnership with Gordon Foods, Tobias and I discuss growing the business over the years, asking the question, is CEA vertical farming a bubble like the 2000 dotcom bust? and some key strategies to recession-proof your company as we prepare for a potential economic winter. 

Jennifer Waxman has been growing hydroponically for over 20 years and understands what it takes to grow quality produce. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech we talk about some of the critical issues the industry is facing, the importance of keeping the grower experts in the decision-making process, and what the future of the indoor farming industry may look like. 

Growing strawberries in a vertical farm is hard. How do you pollinate? Can you automate your facility with robotics? Can I start my strawberries from seed? Can I use my own cuttings? Alexandre Van Deun, Founder of Urban Harvest and I discuss these questions and many more in this strawberry themed episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech

Jacob Eisenberg is the Director of BioPharma Solutions at OnePointOne, a vertical farming technology company specializing in high tech aeroponic systems. On this epsiode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech Jake and I discuss the power of vertical farming for medicine development, his global experience within vertical farms, and what to expect in the coming years within these industries. 

"Growing food hydroponically will save 99.999% water compared to conventional farming!" We've all heard this line, and while hydroponically growing greatly reduces water consumption compared to conventional farming, we must be on high alert to back up our claims with clear data. On this "water" episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech Kyle Lisabeth, VP of Horticulture at Silver Bullet and I discuss, y...

Paul Brentlinger is the second generation owner of CropKing. Being raised in an environment where hydroponics was a constant, Paul has developed a clear, honest and insightful perspective on the current state of the CEA Industry, what to expect in the future and some fundamental lessons learned along the way.

Armando Suarez is one of the first graduates of the University of Arizona's CEA program. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Armando on a wealth of subjects within CEA and the lessons he's learned along the way. Topics include strawberry and cannabis production, tissue culture, the similarities between high-tech greenhouses and vertical farming, along with what the CEA indust...

Rebekah Moses is their VP of Impact Strategy at Iron Ox. With a background of over 5 years at Impossible Foods, Rebekah is helping define what impact looks like within the controlled environment agriculture industry and beyond. Topics on this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech include advice on your grow operations energy usage, potential strategies to reduce impact in the future, and how the va...

David Farquhar is the CEO at Intelligent Growth Solutions Limited (IGS). With a mission to engineer sustainable solutions to enhance indoor environments across agricultural and commercial spaces, David is driven to not only assist CEA but growers from all arenas. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech David and I discuss hands-free growing, vertical farms assisting deglobalized supply chains...

Cristián Sjögren & Pablo Bunster are the founders of Agrourbana, the very FIRST vertical farm in Latin America. With backgrounds in renewable energy, these two pioneers are building the foundation of an entire LA industry beginning in Chile. Topics include understanding the Latin American marketplace, creating a highly effective business model with a focus on unit economics, key challenges experie...

Timo Bongartz is the General Manager for the EMEA markets for Fluence. In this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech we discuss some of the differences when comparing the European and US cannabis market, how working together is the winning strategy, some of the other main differences seen between markets separated by the ocean, and of course, Timo's predictions for the future of controlled ag.   

Recorded June 2022, This #KyleTalksAgtech roundtable talks about the current pain points the CEA industry is currently facing, potential solutions to these issues, and predictions of what to expect next. Topics include: State of the industry & future predictions What are the biggest pain points Prices & Profitability  The Power of Trust Supply Chain Issues  Best ways to stay profitable during a tu...

What grow system is best for you? The answer is not easy and is not the same for everyone. In this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech, I speak with Art Van Rijn we discuss steps to answering this question, what it means to grow in a vertical farm successfully and the potential of floriculture growers & conventional growers to embrace vertical farming to improve their means of production. 

How can I ensure my electrical installation is done properly for my grow? How can I maximize the rebates I receive for lighting and beyond?  On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Christopher Hinshaw, Director of Horticulture at Facility Solutions Group (FSG) all about the questions above. Topics include the importance of finding the RIGHT contractor (and listening to them), DLC...

"How often do you get the chance to be a part of a multi-generational shift in the way in which we feed the planet?" - Arama Kukutai In this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Arama Kukutai, CEO of Plenty about the power of CEA on a global level, the financial landscape of vertical farms, the challenges we must continue to overcome, and what he believes the future of our industry ma...

Nanobubbles are one of the many ways to improve the overall enviroment of your grow operations water. But what exactly is a "nanobubble"? What are the benefits of this water technology on your grow? On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Warren Russell, Co-Founder and Chief Commerical officer at Moleaer. Topics include a deep dive into the science of bubbles, growing in hot wate...

Marc Oshima is the Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer at AeroFarms. In this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech, I speak with Mark about the journey of AeroFarms, the current and future growth of the company in Virginia and the UAE, and the importance of advocacy within the cea and vertical farming industries.

Eric Levesque, Co-Founder of Cultivatd want to help Indoor Farmers launch with success via the proper partners. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak with Eric Levesque about the importance of finding the right supplier partners for your vertical farm or greenhouse, what it means to be a CEA broker and how Cultivatd plans to empower the indoor farming community via their FaaS (farmi...

Jonathan Martin is the director of CEA 4.0, a fully virtual conference focused on indoor farming. On this episode of CropTalk #KyleTalksAgtech I speak in depth with Jonathan on what to expect at the event and how this can be another opportunity for the CEA community to come together. The event will host up to 58 presentations from a range of indoor farms, operators, and solution & technology provi...