make on the achiever of premature years , the third annual Controlled Environment Agriculture ( CEA ) Summit East return to the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research ( IALR ) in Danville , VA from October 1 - 2 , 2024 .
Co - hosted by Indoor Ag - Con and the CEA Innovation Center — a joint project with Virginia Tech ’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences , IALR , and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center — the event draw 230 + attendees from 35 US states , Canada , the Netherlands , and Hong Kong . The divers consultation of agriculturalist , educators , scientists , prolongation staff office , suppliers , tech specialists , and government leaders gathered to explore the latest advancements in CEA technology and build valuable partnerships .
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin delivers his keynote destination
The two - day result featured a packed agenda of keynote presentations , panel , breakout Roger Sessions , and tours of the CEA Innovation Center readiness . Attendees had the opportunity to engage with 21 tabletop exhibits showcasing cutting - edge instauration and help shaping the future of CEA . Alongside these academic session , a mountain chain of networking opportunities fostered newfangled connecter and fortify existing partnerships .
" We ’re proud to see the CEA Summit East meliorate year after year , " said Brian Sullivan , CEO of Indoor Ag - Con . " The diversity of expertise represented here is impressive , and it ’s a testament to the collaborative nature of this growing sphere . "
A good filled room comprising of growers , suppliers , educational wing and other parties
" It ’s inspiring to see leaders across the CEA spectrum fare together to substitute approximation and strategies that drive our industry forwards , " supply Dr. Scott Lowman , Co - Director of the CEA Innovation Center and Vice President of Applied Research at IALR . " This event underscores the importance of partnership and divvy up cognition in accomplish the growth and success we envision for CEA . "
Morning Kick - Off KeynotesVirginia Governor Glenn Youngkin , a supporter of the indoor agriculture sector , kicked off the event with the opening morning tonic address . His session was immediately stick with by the academic term , " What Is CEA : It ’s Mission , Definition and Purpose , " with Paul Brentlinger , CEO , CropKing , Inc ; Jessica Soare , Senior Director of Marketing , BrightFarms ; Mike Ross , Co - Founder & CEO , Beanstalk ; and Dr. Michael Evans , Virginia Tech and Co - Director of the CEA Innovation Center .
The exhibitor trading floor of the Summit
On the second day , the Leadership Insights Panel welcomed John McMahon , Co - Founder & COO of Better Future Farms ; Molly Montgomery , Acting CEO Executive Chair , AeroFarms ; Carl Gupton , CEO , Greenswell Growers ; and moderator Emily Gee , CEA Alliance Board Member and Marketing Director , AeroFarms , to the stage .
The ION Solutions booth
Educational TracksThe CEA Summit sport three educational caterpillar track – yield , Business and Education , Workforce and Training – that bring academics , growers , and occupation experts together .
Covering a wide range of topics swan from food safety , the economic science of CEA , crop selection and aquaponics to strategies for energy management , onboarding grooming programs for raw employee , ramp up international partnerships .
Small talk at the CANNA stall
Other venire treatment and 15 - minute CEA Industry & Research Showcase sessions gave attender the fortune to hear about some of the late research findings and other industry success stories .
Tabletop Exhibits & NetworkingIn addition to group discussion sessions , attendees had ample opportunities to visit with the Summit ’s 21 tabletop exhibitors during coffee interruption , luncheon roundtables , and an good afternoon cocktail receipt .
Graduate Student Poster CompetitionThis twelvemonth ’s summit hosted the 2nd CEA Graduate Student Poster Competition to offer an opportunity for postgraduate pupil to share high - quality CEA - relate inquiry ; expose commercial troupe to restricted campaigner ; to further quislingism between individuals in academe and in private industry .
Eight finalists contend and Liam Reynolds , University of Illinois Urbana Champaign take first plunder for his poster , " rating of Radish , Broccoli , and Lettuce Microgreens Irrigated with Hydrothermal Liquefaction Aqueous Phase .
" Nathaniel King - Smith , The Ohio State University , was award 2d place for his poster , " Exploring Sustainable Alternatives for Critical Materials : Hydroponic Cultivation of Rubber Dandelion ( T.kok - saghyz ) for Rubber Production . "
CEA Innovation Center TourThe event wrap up with radical tour of the CEA Innovation Center . Conference attendees took advantage of the unique chance to get an inner look at the CEA Innovation Center ’s hydroponic systems and facilities , including the greenhouse and erect growing single-foot . They also got to get word more about some of the Center ’s exciting research projects .
A sneak peek of one of the on - sight tours during the Summit
Tours were oblige as well to show various Cartesian product and growing methods to participants
The next version of CEA Summit East will be heldSeptember 9 - 10 , 2025 . In improver , save the dates for the next variant ofIndoor Ag - Con , March 11 - 12 , 2025at the Westgate Las Vegas .
For more information : CEA Summit Eastwww.ceasummit.com
Indoor Ag - Con+1 404 991 5186[email protected]www.indoor.ag
