Every year I send out a short survey to gauge what crops are being grown, what methods are most popular and how much expansion is happening, among other topics. Well, get your mouse-clicking finger ready because … it’s time! And speaking of time, it LITERALLY takes five to six minutes. Yes, I’m yelling because I don’t think you believe me. But it’s true. And I’m using literally correctly, unlike most of the rest of society that uses it improperly.

Here’s the link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/CFR5BSH

Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer the questions. If you leave your email at the end of the survey, you'll be entered into a drawing to win a new, 19^th edition Ball RedBook Volume 1 (which has a chapter on CEA growing equipment and structures) and you can have it signed by the editor himself, Chris Beytes.

If you have another minute, I’m also looking for thoughts on how CEA growers like to get their information. Do you prefer print or digital delivery? Podcasts, webinars or videos? Please drop me a line at jpolanz@ballpublishing to let me know!

My colleague, Jen White, who writes our GreenTalks sustainability enewsletter (if you don’t subscribe, click HERE to get on the list), recently wrote about new standards being considered for organic container and hydroponic production. You can still have a say, though. Read on for her report:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is opening up the airwaves and mail to take comments on the National Organics Program (NOP). Specifically, they’re looking to hear from folks about NOP’s rulemaking priorities and recommendations that the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) have made. Most importantly for our industry, they’re looking for comments on creating specific standards for hydroponic/aeroponic production, as well as greenhouse and container production. 

Now, we all know that’s a loaded question. (And reminder: the USDA is still being challenged in the court system for certifying hydroponic and container production. While a judge ruled in favor of the USDA, that decision is being appealed.) 

In the Federal Register notice on the comment period, the USDA makes it clear that they're not considering a prohibition of these systems. Here’s what they said: 

“The certification of hydroponic production systems as organic is currently allowed by AMS if the producer can demonstrate compliance with the USDA organic regulations; there are certified organic hydroponic operations in the U.S. at this time. While the NOSB recommended a rulemaking that would prohibit organic certification for those operations, AMS does not to intend to propose the prohibition of these production systems. However, AMS agrees that there are currently inconsistencies among certifiers with respect to the certification of greenhouses and container systems. AMS invites comments as to whether standards should be established for these specific production environments.”

During this comment period, they’re also seeking input on outstanding NOSB recommendations that include establishing organic standards for apiculture, organic pet food and mushroom production, as well as increasing the use of organic seeds, recommendations related to genetic engineering and several other issues. 

When the deadline to make oral comments has passed, you can still submit written comments until March 30, 2022.

The Federal Register has full details on the issues and a place to submit written comments HERE. 

Did you know Grodan, the suppliers of rockwool substrates, has a series of whitepapers on the innerworkings of growing indoors? The company just dropped its newest whitepaper, “Movement of Water Through Plants,” written by Grodan specialist Andrew Lee.

“Understanding how the root zone and aerial climates interact with each other is a fundamental requirement for any grower; only when these environments are working in balance is it possible to maximize returns,” Andrew writes in the document.

CLICK HERE to download the whitepaper and CLICK HERE to read more documents from Grodan’s team of specialists.

And they’re not hosted by us for a change!

The first one I wanted to mention is this week, so add it to your calendar today. GLASE, the Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering consortium, is offering a FREE webinar at 2:00 p.m. Eastern, Thursday, March 24 called "CEA Round Table: Utility Companies."

If you're looking to buy or switch over to LED lights, this roundtable will offer up three experts talking about financial incentives and rebate programs related to LEDs. CLICK HERE to find out more and register.

The second one, also FREE, is from Hanna Instruments and Heliospectra at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Thursday, April 7, called “Ask Our Growing Experts.” The two companies have teamed up to answer all your pressing questions about CEA growing.

Here are the details: “Submit your questions early or bring them along with you to the live webinar. This session will be moderated by Marie Jordan, Director of Sinsemilla Enterprises and VP Business Development at Tradebog. Hear from your favorite growing experts, Ryan Wankel from Heliospectra and Mike Bogolawski from Hanna Instruments, Inc.”

CLICK HERE to register and submit a question.

There are up to twelve $2,000 scholarships through the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund available to horticulture students in 2022.

The students should be in their Junior, Senior or Graduate years of study and may be attending institutions across the United States, but must be residents of one of 16 Southeastern States (the scholarship was created by the Southern Nursery Association, or SNA, back in 1989). Those states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

The scholarship is dedicated to the late Sidney B. Meadows, who was a past president of SNA and an avid supporter of student scholarships. The information to apply is available at www.sbmsef.org.

The University of Florida IFAS Extension is once again offering its online training series for greenhouse growers. These four-week courses result in a certificate at the end, and are taught in English and Spanish. They range from introductory to intermediate and advanced, and the coursework can be done independently online. They include pre-recorded videos, readings and assignments.

CLICK HERE to see course descriptions and to register. The first course, Greenhouse 101, begins May 30.

Bowery Farms, headquartered in Manhattan, recently released a new, limited-availability strawberry discovery pack. The cardboard container features two cultivars for “side-by-side tasting,” according to a media release. On one side is the Garden Berry, an “elevated expression of a perfect summer berry,” and on the other the Wild Berry, a “playful, provocative berry with concentrated flavor.” The berries will also be featured in a limited-availability offering at the restaurants of Bowery investors Tom Colicchio and José Andrés.

Bowery touted the fact that the berries are grown pesticide-free in their indoor farm, while standard farm strawberries often top the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list. However, they don’t come cheap—the discovery pack is $14.99 for an 8-oz. container at retail.

Want to know more about Bowery Farms? Watch for our May Inside Grower print supplement coming soon!