2024 Joint National Workshop on Sustainable Development of Controlled Environment Agriculture
Francis Marion Hotel, 387 King Street, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
July 9 -12, 2024
Clemson University and USDA-ARS are proud to host the 2024 joint workshop on Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The objective of this workshop is to coordinate the federal government's support efforts on CEA research, exchange innovative ideas, and share scientific information and personal experiences to advance the sustainable development of the CEA industry in the U.S. and around the world.
Experts from federal agencies, state universities, and industry partners will convene to discuss challenges, opportunities and the needs for research in CEA, and how resources from federal agencies on research and development can be leveraged to strengthen the future of CEA.
Topics for the meeting include:
CEA industry stakeholder discussion to identify the challenges and opportunities.
How innovation happens in CEA: what prevents it, what makes it easier, etc.?
Onsite/nearby energy and renewable integration
Innovative technologies on artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation.
Artificial light efficiency to improve photosynthesis and renewable energy.
Water quality, hydroponic nutrient efficiency, and growth media.
Plant breeding and adaptation to CEA with clean plant and certified seed
Pest and disease surveillance and management, and microbiome
Food processing, quality, safety, and nutrition
Marketing, food distribution and social economic impact
Federal funding opportunities for CEA research and development
Expected outcomes from this conference:
A workshop report will be prepared based on the meeting presentations and discussions to provide a comprehensive overview on the current state of CEA industry in the U.S., challenges, opportunities and needs for research as well as the funding support opportunities from federal and state agencies as well as small business innovation programs to help grow a sustainable CEA indoor food production industry.
Conference participants will develop a proposal for a coordinated agricultural project (CAP) to the USDA-NIFA program on CEA indoor food production based on the major thematic areas determined at the conference.
Local organizing committee:
USDA-ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory
Kai-Shu Ling: kai.ling@usda.gov, (843) 402-5313
Shaker Kousik: Shaker.kousik@usda.gov
Clemson University, Coastal Research & Education Center
W. Patrick Wechter: wwechte@clemson.edu
Scientific program committee:
USDA:Kai-Shu Ling - REE-ARSJoseph Munyaneza - REE-ARSJames Altland - REE-ARSShaker Kousik - REE-ARSJennifer Boldt - REE-ARSKale Harbick - REE-ARSYaguang (Sunny) Luo - REE-ARSAbigail Boyd - REE-ARSPaul Zankowski - OSEC, DC Jessica Shade - REE-NIFA Leslie Glover - FPAC-NRCS
Clemson University:W. Patrick Wechter Raghupathy Karthikeyan (Karthi) DOE:Jennifer Stokes-Draut Michael RinkerAnne HampsonMeegan KellyYaroslav Chudnovsky NASA:Raymond M. WheelerDinah I. DimapilisMatthew A. Mickens
Dr. Kai-Shu Ling, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA-Agricultural Research Service
Dr. Joseph Munyaneza, National Program Leader, USDA- Agricultural Research Service
Dr. Paul Zankowski, Agricultural Science Advisor, USDA- Office of the Chief Scientist
Dr. Raymond M. Wheeler,
Plant Physiologist, Senior Scientist, NASA Kennedy Space Center
Dr. Jennifer Stokes-Draut, Research Engineer, DOE Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Dr. James Altland, Research Leader, USDA-ARS Application Technology Research Unit
Dr. Jessica Shade, National Program Leader, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Dr. Patrick Wechter, Director and Research Leader, Coastal Research and Education Center, Clemson University
Mr. Leslie Glover II, Program Manager, USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Dr. Matthew Mickens, Plant Scientist, NASA Kennedy Space Center
Dr. Yaguang (Sunny) Luo, Distinguished Senior Scientist (ST), USDA-ARS, Food Quality Lab &
Env. Microbial and Food Safety Lab
Mr. Mike Rinker
Senior technical advisor,
U.S. Department of Energy | Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
Dr. Abigail Boyd, USDA-ARS ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow
“SpaCEA” an animated film developed by Luke Fountain and his colleagues at Univ. of Sheffield. Luke is a NASA Postdoctoral Fellow working at the Kennedy Space Center.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF05jDrxSJI&list=PLR1Lzd07rhwQB9IAm-uAzNQxvVUgM-omt&index=4
Acknowledgement: This conference is supported by Agricultural and Food Research Initiative grant no. 2024-67013-42003 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.