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Produce Grower magazine

Serving vegetable and fruit greenhouse operations of North America. Subscribe for free at producegrower.com. Published by GIE Media.

08/14/2025

Substrates are just as important as the plants they nurture.

While plant varieties may shift with market fluctuations and ease of production, it seems the highly technical substrates used by growers are more constant.

And in a survey sent to greenhouse and CEA owners and operators in May by our sister publication, Greenhouse Management magazine, the majority of respondents said they purchased standard growing media mixes from a manufacturer.

A significant percentage, though far fewer, will supplement standard mixes by blending some of their own growing media in-house. The same percentage of owners and operators who purchase custom mixes from manufacturers only blend their own growing media in-house.

Find out what drives growers regarding product purchases in the 2025 Growing Media Market Report:

https://www.producegrower.com/article/2025-growing-media-market-report-greenhouse-management-research/

08/12/2025

Pathogens infecting potted culinary herbs have gone largely understudied in the U.S. despite an increase in demand over the last decade.

New control strategies for greenhouse-grown herbs are advancing through the USDA-funded project CEA HERB: Controlled Environment Agriculture Herb Extension & Research Base.

Limiting mildews has been an early focus, and in partnership with the USDA The IR-4 Project, new control options have become available, with others in the pipeline.

Learn how to prevent and control basil downy mildew and powdery mildew with proven greenhouse strategies, resistant cultivars and targeted fungicide programs in our latest CEA HERB series article from Madeline Anthony and Mary Hausbeck in the Plant, Soil, & Microbial Science Department at Michigan State University / Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources:

https://www.producegrower.com/article/sweet-basil-downy-mildew-mint-spearmint-powdery-mildew-cea-herb-research-michigan-state/

08/07/2025

Summertime is here, and farmers markets are abuzz with produce, color and choices for consumers.

As a grower, it can be challenging to stand out due to the number of vendors and products available to customers. Peppers, in particular, can overcrowd the summer market.

A great way to differentiate is by showcasing unique and flavorful varieties that also perform well in production.

Here, we explore a few great options from PanAmerican Seed and how they can boost your market presence:

https://www.producegrower.com/article/panamerican-seed-vegetables-peppers-fresh-market-standouts-variety-spotlight-sponsored/

08/05/2025

Meet our new Vertical Thinking columnist, Eric W. Stein.

Dr. Stein is the executive director at the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture and associate professor of management science and info systems at Penn State Great Valley.

In his first column, he explains why he believes "why vertical farming needs to grow up":

https://www.producegrower.com/article/vertical-thinking-column-eric-stein-farm-ideas/

07/31/2025

Robotics typically cost more than other forms of AI, and their implementation will require careful analysis of costs and potential returns.

Their deployment encompasses a wide range of specialized machines designed for specific tasks, from $30,000 for autonomous pot-spacing robots up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for the most advanced harvesting and grading systems.

Discover how greenhouse automation powered by AI and advanced robotics can boost efficiency, optimize operations and keep your controlled environment agriculture business competitive in the second story in our multipart series on advanced robotics in CEA from the Resource Innovation Institute:

https://www.producegrower.com/article/ai-advanced-robotics-greenhouse-automation-controlled-environment-agriculture-cea-resource-innovation-institute/

07/30/2025

It’s mid-year, and with the bulk of you doing year-round production, it’s definitely time for a team check-in.

Instead of everyone just going through the motions, offer a chance for people to say what’s worked and what’s been a miss so far this year.

Operation burnout prevention is vital. There is no quick fix for burnout, and the cure is certainly not a pizza party.

There’s also not a blanket response for burnout. Everyone feels it differently.

That’s why it’s crucial to actively listen to your employees’ concerns and ask thoughtful questions.

Editorial Director Kelli Rodda shares some tips to prevent employee burnout:

https://www.producegrower.com/article/controlled-environment-agriculture-employee-burnout-editor-kelli-rodda/

07/29/2025

We had so much fun at AmericanHort Cultivate'25 and already can't wait for Cultivate'26!

07/24/2025

The CEA Alliance has expressed disappointment that the U.S. Department of Commerce proceeded with withdrawing from and the termination of the Tomato Suspension Agreement with Mexico, despite multiple U.S. agriculture and business stakeholders urging renegotiation of the agreement.

By withdrawing from the agreement, there will be duties of more than 17% on most imports of tomatoes into the U.S. from Mexico, thereby increasing the costs of tomatoes in the U.S.

Read more:

https://www.producegrower.com/news/cea-alliance-termination-tomato-suspension-agreement-us-mexico-higher-prices-tariffs/

07/23/2025

We're national award winners!

The GIE Media, Inc. Horticulture Group, whose brands include Garden Center Magazine, Greenhouse Management magazine, Nursery Management and Produce Grower, has earned national recognition for editorial, design and digital innovation, with a combined total of eight industry awards from ASBPE and TOCA Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association.

Congratulations to (clockwise from top left):
-Matt McClellan, editor, Nursery Management
-Emily Mills, group digital editor
-Katelyn Mullen, art director, Garden Center and Nursery Management
-Irene Sweeney, group marketing director
-Michelle Simakis, group publisher
-Kelli Rodda, group editorial director

Find out more about each of the recipients and their awards here:

https://www.producegrower.com/news/gie-media-horticulture-group-national-awards-azbees-toca/

07/18/2025

Younger shoppers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are driving significant shifts in the produce industry, says Rick Stein, vice president of fresh foods for FMI.

With 94% of produce shoppers actively using social media platforms, digital engagement, especially with younger shoppers, is essential.

Find out more tips from The Power of Produce report here:

https://www.producegrower.com/article/fmi-food-industry-association-power-produce-2025-report-research-millennials-gen-z-grocery-shopping-market/

07/13/2025

Greetings from Columbus, Ohio! We’re so excited to be here at Cultivate’25 and can’t wait to see you in our booth!

Come see us at #1637 and get your picture in front of our photo wall and grab some souvenirs! 🧳🧳🧳

And make sure you follow us on Instagram for live updates throughout the show!

07/11/2025

If you're going to Cultivate'25, we'd love to see you! Visit booth #1637 to connect with the Produce Grower magazine staff and find out what's new with the GIE Media Horticulture Group.

And make sure you're ready for Cultivate'25 with our trade show dos and don'ts guide here:

https://www.producegrower.com/article/trade-show-dos-and-donts/

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