News

Hoogendoorn opens Mexican training center

On November 6, 2014 Hoogendoorn, the horticultural automation producer, officially opened its new Mexican office and training center. This new establishment is located in an important high-tech greenhouse cluster: the Agropark of Queretaro. At this training facility, Hoogendoorn will share knowledge with local growers and partners. During the opening, more than 70 enthusiastic guests, including the Dutch Embassy, Mexicultura, the Amphac, dealers and customers were present.

Mexican horticulture is a rapidly growing market that faces many challenges. Besides scarcity of fossil energy and water, the market requirements for sustainably produced vegetables, fruits and flowers are growing. As a result, demand for state-of-the-art process automation and knowledge is rapidly growing. With the new training centre, Hoogendoorn can meet these needs.

The new office is housed in one of the most innovative high-tech greenhouses in Mexico: Sunny Fields. Jacques Jajati; director of Sunny Fields, says "We chose Hoogendoorn without any hesitation: the service and employees make it a great company to work with."

At this location, Hoogendoorn will provide basic and advanced user training for growers and maintenance courses for technical staff at different levels. The first Masterclass Climate Management will be held on December 2 and 3 2014.

For more: http://goo.gl/FvIJsM

UK refuses EU aid for fruit and veggie farmers

On September 29, the Europena Union launched a €165m (USD $210m, £130m) fund for perishable fruit and vegetables. Despite the United Kingdom having zero imports of fruit to Russia, UK farmers qualify for the compensation due to the surplus of produce the ban creates, which has driven prices down.

"We're seeing a price depression. Growers can't sell their crops and the UK government is not allowing our producers to compete on a level-playing field by taking up the EU option," Chris Hartfield, horticultural policy adviser at the National Farmers' Union (NFU), told IBTimes UK.

The NFU believes that the amount of funds available (which would cover crop surpluses up to 3,000 tonnes), coupled with the administrative cost of retrieving the funds from the EU, has led the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) to reject the EU's offer.

For more: http://goo.gl/uQckum

Chemicals in fruit could minimize organ damage

Scientists have identified chemicals found in some everyday fruit that could protect vital organs from long-term damage following a heart attack or stroke, according to new research carried out in mice. The researchers now hope the chemicals will provide a starting point for developing new injectable drugs that could be used to prevent some of the long-term damage caused by heart attack and stroke.

During a heart attack or stroke, a clot can starve the heart or brain of blood and oxygen, causing irreversible damage. Further damage is caused when the clot is dislodged and blood rushes back into the heart or brain. Until now, it was unclear how the return of blood flow starts this damage.

In research published today in Nature, scientists led by teams at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Mitochondrial Biology Unit, MRC Cancer Unit and the University of Cambridge, are the first to find that this damage is caused by a build-up of a chemical called succinate. Succinate occurs naturally in the body when sugar and fat are broken down to release the energy stored in food.

For more: http://goo.gl/kOJJz1

2014 U.S. agricultural exports set new record

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its final total for U.S. agricultural exports in Fiscal Year 2014, which soared to a record $152.5 billion (up from last year's record of $141 billion).

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement regarding the record-setting year:

"American farmers and ranchers have once again achieved another year of record exports Agricultural exports have climbed 41 percent in value over the past five years. U.S. agricultural exports have increased in volume as well as in monetary value, which demonstrates an increasing global appetite for high-quality, American-grown products.

The Administration's Made in Rural America initiative, led by USDA, remains committed to strengthening rural communities, and will continue to focus on investments in rural businesses, manufacturing, energy, water and other infrastructure development. Collectively, these efforts help to expand export opportunities for what is grown and made in rural America, create jobs, and foster growth that strengthens our nation's economy."

South African growers increase exports to Asia

The black spot fungal disease in South Africa has prevented fruit growers from sending produce to the European Union, which is traditionally their largest market. Justin Chadwick from the Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa says his members have increased their exports to China by 50 percent, up to 4.5 million cartons.

"We're sending more fruit into those markets that perhaps we didn't send as much to in the past. But obviously with citrus black spot there has been a reduction or less fruit going into Europe," he said.

The European Union has increased the requirements relating to citrus imports with black spot, which has left southern African growers needing to find other markets.

For more: http://goo.gl/cRSmTD

Gotham Greens to operate world's largest rooftop farm

Method Products, a San Francisco based maker of cleaning supplies, is partnering with Gotham Greens to create the world's largest rooftop greenhouse.

Method is opening its industry's first LEED-certified plant in Chicago and they currently have plans to incorporate the world's largest rooftop greenhouse. Run by Gotham Greens, the greenhouse's produce will be supplied to the surrounding community. Gotham says that it will help provide produce in Chicago's south side food desert.

According to Method's website, the facility is scheduled to open in the spring of 2015. This will be Gotham's first rooftop greenhouse located outside of New York City. The produce will be sold through grocery stores, local farmer's markets and through various community organizations.

For more: http://goo.gl/TJy2rA