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Most controlled environment agriculture (CEA) businesses know the importance of tracking their operation’s key performance indicators (KPIs). Keeping tabs on metrics like cost per pound or area can help businesses gain valuable insight into operational efficiencies and allow them to easily compare their results against industry benchmarks and peers. As legislators and utility providers make…

In the iteration of the CEA Accelerator Community Profile series, we look at the potential impact CEA can have in Georgia and the industry vision Ebony Tree Farms hopes to bring to life.As part of their shared development work on the national Controlled Environment Agriculture Accelerator program, Resource Innovation Institute (RII) team members and representatives…

Looking at downstream outputs can help controlled environment agriculture growers unlock carbon footprint-reducing solutions.In developing sustainable agriculture businesses that serve local communities, controlled environment agriculture (CEA) companies are pioneering innovative ways to enhance efficiency and reduce waste. By embracing circularity, indoor farms can significantly reduce their carbon footprints, enhance resource efficiency, and create economic value…

CEA is often pitched as a tool to address food deserts and swamps, and data from the 2022 USDA AgCensus supports that story.On August 7, RII presented some of the main food-related CEA trends found in the USDA Census of Agriculture. RII’s Carmen Azzaretti and USDA’s James Altland, a Research Leader in the Application Technology…

The CEA market is evolving to meet shifting retail and commercial demands, and is experiencing great overall growth.In a recent webinar, RII and CEA industry experts Rob Eddy and Carmen Azzaretti offered a deep dive into RII’s "CEA in The Census of Agriculture" report, sharing insights on the blooming U.S. floriculture market. The July 9…

Reducing energy usage and understanding your CO2 sourcing can increase profitability and reduce your operation’s carbon footprint.Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an essential building block to all plant life. Plants absorb CO2 from the ambient air, and through the photosynthetic process build plant cells that allow them to grow. In indoor farming environments, especially vertical farms,…