Update on Controlled Environment Agriculture - Chris Higgins

Talking Biotech with Dr. Kevin Folta

Two decades ago the idea of growing crops indoors seemed like an excellent way to grow food closer to urban centers. Greenhouses and 100% indoor operations grew with significant investment. Years later we see that major efforts have not succeeded. What have we learned and where is the industry going? We speak with Chris Higgins, President and CEO of HortAmericas, a company that supplies equipment to the industry. We discuss the major hurdles in profitable greenhouse and indoor farm agriculture, including capitalization, energy use, challenges ot the industry, organic certification. and other important issues. With co-host Donald Coon from the Agricultural Engineering Department at the Unviersity of Florida