An Inside Look at an Important CEA Market Segment 

As seen in many of today’s markets, the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry is often shaped by the advent of new technologies. As the leading CEA recruiting agency, M&F Talent explores ways that new technologies influence business growth and career opportunities in the industry. 

From time to time, the team at M&F Talent enjoys writing thought leadership blogs that expand beyond the realm of staffing and recruiting. The blogs generally touch on other important topics in the industry such as new technologies and production methods. For this piece, the M&F Talent marketing team reached out to  Silver Bullet Water Treatment and GrowGeneration to get a better understanding of how new water treatment technologies are shaping the greater food production landscape. 

Silver Bullet Water Treatment is a Colorado-based company that offers water filtration and treatment technologies for farmers. Their CEA division is spearheaded by the VP of Horticulture Kyle Lisabeth. GrowGeneration is the biggest retail hydro store chain in the United States, with over 50 locations. Frank Hegardt is their Commercial Accounts Manager, as well as their water filtration expert. Both Lisabeth and Hegardt were very helpful in getting us up-to-speed on the latest developments in water technology for CEA production. 

Thought Leadership in the CEA Staffing Space 

Due to the technical nature of the market, only certain staffing agencies can handle the rigors of working in a specialized field like CEA. Yet, if a recruiter isn’t knowledgeable about the industries where they work, it is very difficult for them to find qualified candidates. This notion is only exacerbated with complex technologies such as commercial water treatment systems.  

The team M&F Talent is well-respected for thought leadership in our field. Whether it be publishing articles in magazines like Maximum Yield or taking part in panel discussions at tradeshows like Indoor AgCon, the industry trusts our opinions and insights. We enjoy speaking with companies like Silver Bullet Water Treatment and GrowGeneration about new developments in the market. 

Just as seen with previous innovations like LED grow lights, new CEA water technology is progressing the industry in new and interesting ways. Today, innovative water treatment and filtration companies are working tirelessly to give CEA growers better water quality. Even more, by focusing on important issues with water usage, they are helping establish new environmental standards for CEA production. 

How Has CEA Water Technology Changed?

Agricultural water technology has changed dramatically over the last two decades. This change is partly attributable to different focuses on crop choice. As Lisabeth tells us, “20 years ago, plants being grown in controlled environment agriculture infrastructure focused on flowers and select fruits and vegetables.” With such different aims, people of that era were not as concerned with water quality as, say, hydro leafy greens growers are today. Hegardt further elaborates, stating, that back then “agricultural water application standards were definitely lacking testing and procedure.” 

The evolution of technology has greatly influenced water filtration and treatment in CEA. Just a couple of decades ago, greenhouse water tech looked much different than it does today. According to Lisabeth, 20 years ago “simple bag and sand media filtration systems were used to remove large solids. [Yet], there was little concern with dissolved contaminants like metals or chemical residuals, and no one was using RO filtration systems” Obviously, with even the smallest CEA farms today using advanced testing, RO systems, and automated fertigation, things have changed quite a bit. 

As new water treatment technology has advanced, so have corresponding career opportunities in the CEA industry. Today, water filtration and treatment businesses employ a wide array of talented professionals – including researchers, engineers, and salespeople. 

Government Regulation

Innovations with new CEA water technology are also tied to government regulations. As we come to learn more about the importance of clean water, new rules are set in place to protect consumers as well as the environment. Hegardt puts it this way, “In 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was passed. This act made water testing mandatory. Such as testing of water quality at the source, testing for sterile equipment, testing runoff, and a 10-year source evaluation.” 

With new regulations in place, comprehensive water management companies like Silver Bullet Water Treatment have engineered new technologies and established best management practices to help ensure a constant supply of clean water. Lisabeth explains, “As water supplies began to decline, competition for water resources rose, and energy costs influenced irrigation type and management. While treatment technologies began to come online, so did sensor-based data systems, autonomous management, and micro-irrigation systems.” 

Interestingly, as certain regions start to grow more competitive for available water sources, new technologies are helping with conservation efforts. In some instances, CEA operations use water more efficiently, while others might treat and reuse grey water. 

The Importance of Water Testing

Today, water quality is considered one of the most important factors in running a successful CEA operation. Yet, more goes into it than simply filtering or treating your water. A large part of CEA water tech is dedicated to testing. Hergardt feels adamantly “Having knowledge of your water quality is crucial to your growing success. It is the key to life.” Lisabeth is in agreement here, explaining “It is critical to understand what constituents are in water and how they will impact the intended use. Some are pathogenic or toxic to plants, others may not be compatible with nutrient recipes, and still, others may cause excessive maintenance issues.” 

Especially for large-scale, commercial producers, monitoring water quality is a very important job that happens daily. When it comes to hydroponic systems, even the smallest shift in PH or PPM can have catastrophic consequences on a crop. It’s no wonder that cultivation technicians dedicate a portion of their workday to testing water. 

What Happens if a CEA Producer Ignores Water Quality?

Both GrowGeneration and Silver Bullet Water Treatment have clients whose crops have suffered because they were complacent with water filtration and treatment. Hergardt illustrates, “It is key to have professional water testing done so you know what your base levels are. After that, you assess what purification system is suited to your specific needs.” Without such careful protocol, crop health can quickly decline.

Lisabeth recalls a client who “had been operating for about 3 years and had no form of sanitation or shock treatment abilities.” In time, they “began to see fluctuations in PH.” They brought Silver Bullet Water Treatment to the operation and discovered the “irrigation plumbing showed excessive amounts of biofilm accumulation, which required extensive rework to resolve.” 

Simply put, no CEA producer could survive and thrive without a quality water source fueling its operation. Water is a critical resource for CEA farms that must be both cared for and protected. As such, clean water is one piece of the puzzle in creating a sustainable CEA business and keeping people employed. 

The Environmental Benefits of New CEA Water Technology

Beyond helping growers, new CEA water technology and best management practices also are helping curb issues with environmental degradation. Lisabeth explains it like this, “CEA will continue to be put under a microscope. These farms are seen as energy and water-intensive, and it will be up to the industry as a whole to prove otherwise.  Fortunately, efficient use of water and several water recycling options exist for CEA farms. Silver Bullet sees water monitoring, auditing, and water footprint being key data metrics that every farm monitors moving forward.” 

In an interesting turn of events, advancements in CEA water technology are paying serious dividends well beyond the business world. As the global population continues to grow, water treatment technology will likely play a pivotal role in conserving and sharing resources. 

Summary

As crop producers continue to revise their methods, we see an increased interest in new CEA water technology. Importantly, growers now realize the importance of knowing exactly what is in their water. In the end, you could have the best nutrient formula on earth, but it won’t pay out if your PPM and EC levels are off the charts. In turn, you simply can’t have a profitable CEA business without a reliable water source. 

In today’s CEA market, companies like GrowGeneration and Silver Bullet are working together to educate the public on the importance of clean water. In doing so, Lisabeth and Hergardt also work tirelessly to promote the technologies and best management practices that help CEA producers, while also protecting the environment. With an array of options for new CEA water technology on the market, ranging from commercial reverse osmosis systems to cloud-based crop monitoring, the future is looking quite interesting. 

As clean water becomes an increasingly important topic in the CEA industry, it will be interesting to see how this market segmentation will impact future jobs. More than likely, we will see a rising need for CEA water system specialists like engineers, technicians, and salespeople. 

Interested in New CEA Water Technology? Talk to M&F Talent

 As the foremost recruiting service in the CEA industry, the team at M&F Talent pays close attention to the latest technological innovations in the market. Contact us to discuss how new CEA technologies impact job growth. 

Recruiting in a technical field like controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is not an easy process. Not only must you understand the job requirements of a highly nuanced industry, but you also need to know how to source and hire top talent. All things considered, only the most skilled recruiters are able to find success in the CEA space. 

If you keep losing good candidates to competitors, it’s probably a good time to reassess exactly how you hire in the controlled environment agriculture industry. By rethinking your recruitment process from the top down, you will create an engaged and productive employee team that is dedicated to your CEA operation. 

1. Learn About Controlled Environment Agriculture

Especially with large organizations that have a dedicated HR department, often the people that are responsible for candidate sourcing don’t have a great understanding of the CEA market as a whole.  If you are hoping to tighten up your recruiting practices, you need to learn a bit more about the jobs you are filling.

While every job in CEA doesn’t necessarily require people to work directly with crops, the entire industry still revolves around the plant sciences to an extent. Whether it be an Engineer designing a new grow facility or a Salesperson selling lettuce to grocers, knowing the basics of plant sciences is important in just about every CEA position. 

The controlled environment agriculture industry is also a rather technical field to work in. That being said, it’s also a good idea for your HR department to have at least a cursory understanding of the types of technology that powers an indoor farm. Doing so will help you develop a healthier rapport with candidates while also gaining their trust. 

2. Develop a Strong Brand

While most businesses only consider brand value as it relates to potential customers, branding is also an important part of being able to hire in the controlled environment agriculture industry. When candidates know that your business is a great place to work, word will spread throughout the industry to other leading CEA professionals. 

Once people in the horticulture industry are aware of your business, you will start to see much more inbound activity from interested applicants. In the end, the more quality candidates that you have coming to you, the fewer resources you need to put into actively sourcing candidates. 

3. Get Out There and Network

To be good at recruiting, you must enjoy talking to people and networking. Between in-person events like trade shows and online platforms such as LinkedIn, recruiters in the CEA indsutry have near-endless opportunities for networking. All things considered, the more connections you make, the more options you will have for candidate sourcing in the future. 

Once job searchers in the CEA industry come to know and trust your company, they will want to work with you in the future. As your network grows and evolves over the years, you will develop an ecosystem of candidates from personal referrals and relationships. While it takes a long time to develop this type of candidate network, having it makes the job of a recruiter or HR department much easier. 

4. Use Digital Marketing Tools

Since digital marketing has become such a powerful tool in the modern business world, today’s best CEA recruiters have learned to use online platforms to their benefit. When it comes to social media platforms like LinkedIn, your page is a representation of your personal brand as a recruiter. Don’t be afraid to make a lot of connections online, while also having engaging discussions on relevant platforms in the CEA industry. 

Your marketing team should also ensure your website is designed to attract candidates to your business. In fact, spending a little bit of time developing search engine optimation (SEO) strategies to market CEA jobs on your website is a great idea. 

5. Know Your Business and How to Sell it

Before you get out there and start recruiting, it’s a good idea to understand your business and what differentiates it from competitors. When it comes time to speak with potential candidates, you can get them interested in the prospect of working with your business.

When you want to hire in the controlled environment agriculture industry, getting applicants excited with things like new product releases and novel technologies is a great way to stand out from competitors. You should also explain your brand values to candidates. If you can identify with them on a personal level, candidates will be much more likely to take a job with your company. 

6. Streamline Your Hiring Process

One of the keys to effective recruiting is streamlining your hiring process. Having done recruitment for nearly 20 years, nothing is more frustrating than when a candidate loses interest due to a slow and drawn-out interview process. 

Before you even begin sourcing candidates, make sure your HR team and hiring managers are on the same page. Not only should you have the whole interview phase choreographed, but you should have relevant and targeted interview questions ready to go. Taking these extra steps will help ensure that no quality CEA candidates slip through the cracks at your operation. 

7. Create Competitive Salaries & Benefits

While attractive salary and benefits packages are obviously important in any hiring scenario, increases in pay have become even more necessary due to inflation. According to CNBC, “Amid record inflation and a labor market with two open positions for every worker, the average annual salary increase reached 4.8% [in the year 2022], the highest pay bump in decades for employees.” 

In response to this rapidly changing economic climate, hiring parties in the CEA space have had to pivot and reassess their compensation packages. Aside from pay bumps to help cover increased living expenses, many companies are also incentivizing new hires with better benefits packages. 

Contact Us to Hire in the Controlled Environment Agriculture Industry

As the leading staffing agency in the controlled environment agriculture industry, M&F Talent knows what it takes to effectively hire in the controlled environment agriculture industry. 

Contact Us today if you have questions about job searching or hiring in the CEA industry. 

Business Insights on the Indoor Farming & CEA Industry

The entire controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry is based on the propagation of different crops in vertical farms and greenhouses. As thought leaders, M&F Talent wanted to shed some light on business practices, opportunities, and challenges that come with growing the most popular controlled environment agriculture crops.

In the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry, people fuse modern technology with biological systems to produce crops in new and unique ways. From sophisticated crop management software to massive greenhouse operations, growers use diverse technologies to produce the most popular controlled environment agriculture crops. 

Whether it be food crops like leafy greens or those with medicinal properties like cannabis, each type of crop has its own nutritional and environmental needs. For these reasons, the most popular controlled environment crops are often those that can most easily be grown. Nonetheless, some CEA producers are looking at specialty crops like saffron to drive bigger profits with more valuable harvests. 

Thought Leadership in Horticulture Business Recruiting

Only certain staffing agencies can be successful doing recruitment in specialized industries like horticulture. Simply put, the better a recruiting agency understands how their client’s businesses work, the better job they can do placing top talent. It’s for reasons such as this that M&F Talent takes great pride in being thought leaders in the horticulture business. Not only are our recruiters interested in the methods, technology, and structure of CEA organizations, but we also believe in the environmental benefits of this industry.

To educate our network on the importance of the CEA industry in global food production, we publish occasional thought leadership blogs that highlight the inner workings of the market.

1. Leafy Greens

In recent years, leafy greens have risen to the top of the CEA industry as the most frequently grown type of crop. According to the Agritecture website, “in our 2021 Global CEA Census, we found that the most significant percentage of respondents (CEA growers) grow leafy greens – 58% reported growing salad greens like lettuce and arugula, while 40% reported growing other leafy greens like chard, kale, and cabbage.” 

A big reason that leafy greens are one of the most popular controlled environment agriculture crops is that they are easy to grow in tight spaces. Since plants like lettuce and arugula are short in stature and grow quickly, they work great in the tight confines of vertical farms. As Agrictechture again explains, “vertical farms produce more than 35x times as many leafy greens [in the same amount of space] as traditional soil-based farms.”

Since leafy greens tend to spoil quickly, growing them locally in CEA farms helps lessen spoilage by reducing shipping times.

2. Vine Plants

Vine plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers are immensely popular controlled environment agriculture crops. In fact, about 25% of all CEA farms in 2022 grow vine plant crops of some sort. In fact, in the earlier days of the CEA industry, tomatoes were the #1 crop – with 46% of all producers in 2014 growing tomatoes of some sort.

As the CEA business continues to expand, hydroponic tomatoes are slowly replacing soil-grown tomatoes as the new standard in supermarkets and restaurants. While this is doubtlessly exciting for CEA producers, Cobank explains, it should be noted that “a few large companies dominate this very competitive high-volume, low-margin market. Although the exact current hydroponic tomato acreage is unknown, it is estimated that the five largest growers hold about two-thirds of U.S. tomato acres.” As seen in most industries, efficiency is key in edging out the competition in the hydroponic tomato market. 

3. Strawberries

In recent years, strawberries have become increasingly popular controlled environment agriculture crops. This is due largely to the fact that there is a massive market demand for strawberries with an increasingly health-conscious public. To this end, Kroptek explains, “global strawberry production has grown by over 5% every year” in the past 10 years. This figure includes both CEA and traditional farming. 

In certain regions like Alaska with short growing seasons, grocers are forced to import their entire strawberry supply. Due to poor cultivation practices in other countries as well as shipping times, the quality of imported strawberries is often quite poor. This situation, as explained by Greenhouse Canada, “leaves more opportunity for local greenhouse strawberry production” where CEA crops only take “24 hours to reach store shelves.” 

4. Herbs

Fresh herbs are another important new crop for CEA growers. Whether it be oregano, mint, thyme, or basil, experts estimate about 53% of all CEA operations grow some type of fresh herbs. A big reason that herbs are such popular controlled environment agriculture crops is due to their short stature and quick growing season. To illustrate, small basil plants are easy to grow with shelving systems in verticals and greenhouses. 

According to the Michigan State University website, “growing fresh culinary herbs in controlled environments offers a multitude of benefits, including less environmental impact by reducing inputs, the ability for year-round production, and offering high-quality, flavorful and nutritious foods.” Not only is growing fresh herbs in CEA farms more environmentally responsible, but the farm-to-table movement has created a huge demand for these fresh ingredients.

5. Cannabis

While in a slightly different league than other CEA crops, cannabis has always been important to the industry. In fact, much of the technology in use for CEA food production today was originally designed for cannabis growers. From high-powered grow lights to complex atmospheric controllers, you can trace most of this technology back to the early days of cannabis.

As cannabis legalization spreads across the globe, its value as a CEA crop simply cannot be ignored. According to the industry news source MJ Biz Daily, the “combined U.S. medical and recreational cannabis sales could reach $33 billion by the end of 2022, largely driven by the opening of new adult-use markets.” Yet, the cannabis market has proven quite volatile thus far, and only a few select producers have figured out how to turn a profit in this challenging industry. 

Summary

It’s interesting to see the amount of change the CEA industry has undergone over the past decade. While tomatoes were originally the “go-to” crop for CEA producers, things have quickly shifted towards leafy greens. Primarily because leafy greens are easy to grow and have a massive market demand. Not to mention, the short shelf life of crops like lettuce and chard put local CEA growers at an advantage over industrial operations that must import harvests. 

While you can’t deny the incredible opportunities in cannabis, it seems that most cultivation companies still have a ways to go in figuring out exactly how to be profitable. Nonetheless, cannabis will certainly remain an important CEA crop, with much innovation surrounding technical developments for indoor and greenhouse growing. 

As we again look back at the CEA space 10 years from now, there is no doubt that things will again look much different than they once did. 

Questions About Popular Controlled Environment Agriculture Crops?

While the team at M&F Talent takes great pride in being exceptional horticulture recruiters, we are also passionate thought leaders in our fields of expertise. Not only does this approach aid us in locating top talent for our clients, but also gives us better insight into market trends and business opportunities.

If you have questions about recruiting top talent or working in the CEA industry, Contact Us today! 

There are many ways that controlled environment agriculture is good for the environment. In today’s society, we have become totally dependent on industrial agriculture to provide our food sources. While these food production systems have been invaluable in the advancement of the world as we know it, industrial agriculture now doing harm to the environment.

In the CEA industry of today, engineers and horticulturists have worked tirelessly to fuse cutting-edge technologies with crop production methods. In doing so, they have created some of the most sustainable agricultural practices ever known. Whether it be the efficient use of space or less fossil fuel consumption, CEA shows real promise in curbing many of our greatest environmental problems. 

As the leading staffing agency in the CEA space, M&F Talent is honored to be a part of an industry with the potential to do so much good in the world. As such, we put together this brief exploration into how controlled environment agriculture is good for the environment.

Problems with Traditional Farming Methods 

Before you can really appreciate how beneficial CEA is for the environment, you must understand problems with traditional farming methods. While practices like monocropping might not have been a big deal in the early days of industrial agriculture, such approaches can have a major impact over time. 

Some of the most notable problems with traditional farming methods include: 

• Water consumption
• Land usage
• Soil degradation
• Pollution of waterways & oceans
• Food transportation
• Disruption of the carbon cycle

As CEA technology and methods continue to advance, we are learning more about how controlled environmental agriculture can help protect the earth. 

Water Usage & CEA Growing  

One of the biggest concerns with traditional agriculture is the amount of water that is consumed by industrial farms. Incredibly, “on average, farms around the world account for 70% of all water that is consumed annually. Of that 70% used by farmers, 40% is lost to the environment due to poor irrigation systems, evaporation, and overall poor water management.” 

With CEA production, engineers have devised recirculating hydroponics systems where no water is wasted. In another example, greenhouses trap condensation and recirculate it back into the irrigation water. 

Use of Space & Vertical Farming   

Traditional farms require massive amounts of acreage to produce crops. In an incredible statistic from National Geographic Magazine, “40 percent of the Earth’s land is now given over to agriculture.” 

With vertical farms and greenhouse gardens, producers are able to stack rows of crops on top of one another. By building upwards instead of outwards, vertical farms use space more efficiently than any type of agriculture in human history. Even better, indoor gardens and greenhouses can easily be built within cityscapes to produce food all year round. 

How CEA Growing Helps the Soil   

It is well-known that industrial farms use excessive amounts of fertilizer to produce crops. In time, fertilizers and salts build up in the soil to the point of rendering it unproductive. After the damage is done, it takes many years for such soil to regain its original bio-productivity. 

By growing crops hydroponically, CEA operations don’t add any chemicals into the soil. Even better, because nutrients are delivered directly to the roots of plants in hydroponic growing, far fewer fertilizers are used in the first place.  

Protecting Waterways with CEA   

Water pollution is one of the biggest problems with traditional agriculture. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “nutrients can wash into aquatic ecosystems. There they can cause algae blooms, which can … kill fish by removing oxygen from the water.” 

As seen with soil degradation, creating crop production methods that are better insulated from local ecosystems is a great way to protect the environment. If you don’t add fertilizers to the ground in the first place, there is no way they can make it into local waterways. 

The Environmental Benefits of Locally Produced Food   

In today’s global society, crops are grown on massive farms which then ship products around the world. Not only does this system wind up delivering foods that aren’t very fresh, but we also burn massive amounts of fossil fuels shipping things like avocados around the globe. 

CEA production fits nicely with the new farm-to-table movement. Because CEA allows you to grow fresh crops anywhere on earth during any season, we no longer have to ship food such long distances. As such, CEA eliminates the need to burn fossil fuels to transport food such long distances. 

Summary   

Controlled environment agriculture is an incredible industry. By taking cutting-edge technology and fusing it with biological processes, scientists have created entirely novel ways to produce food crops. Not only does CEA production help us get fresh food easier, but it also has the potential to help us solve some of our most significant environmental issues. 

Talk to Mac & Fulton Talent Partners Today! 

At M&F Talent, we are lucky enough to work as recruiters in an industry with so much potential to do good. It will be interesting to see how the CEA industry grows and evolves over the coming years. 

Please contact info@mandfconsultants.com to learn more about our recruiting services. 

It seems that the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry grows each year. Whether it be COVID-19 putting a strain on the global supply chain, or an increased interest in locally grown foods, the CEA industry has experienced serious stimulation recently. Yet, as the booming CEA market continues to expand, companies are having a harder time than ever hiring top talent. Therefore, good controlled environment agriculture career training is more important than ever. 

The CEA industry is an extremely promising career field where certain people like Head Growers can quickly work their way into six-figure salaries. While there is a great demand for CEA professionals, many people lack the well-rounded skill-sets required for success in this challenging field. 

Luckily, several leading universities offer controlled environment agriculture career training to help fill the ever-widening gap in open positions. If you aren’t sure where to find proper CEA training, Mac & Fulton Talent Partners wanted to walk you through some popular options. 

Cornell University

Cornell University is a popular Ivy League school in New York state. Widely respected for its science, engineering, and veterinary programs, Cornell is a great choice for a controlled environment agriculture career training. While many Ivy League schools are simply too expensive and difficult to get into for the average person, Cornell is known for being more accessible than places like Harvard and Yale.

• Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Agriculture and Life Sciences focus area in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) 

The most standout CEA degree program at Cornell is a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Agriculture and Life Sciences degree. This one-year degree program emphasizes “professional development and intellectual investigation in the areas of agriculture, life sciences, and global development.” 

Important courses in the Cornell CEA program include Biology and Management of Plant Diseases, Hydroponic Food Crop Production and Management, and Production and Marketing of Greenhouse Crops. 

The University of Arizona

The University of Arizona is located in Tucson, AZ, and is widely regarded as a “top-100 global university.” With an incredible 40,000 students, The University of Arizona is widely respected for its different science departments. In fact, the controlled environment agriculture career training in Arizona is one of the most popular CEA platforms on the planet. 

• Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Plant Systems: Controlled Environment Agriculture Emphasis 

The University of Arizona offers a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Plant Systems with an emphasis on Controlled Environment Agriculture. According to their website, in Arizona “Students learn how to use environmentally, socially and economically sustainable growing systems in arid lands and urban settings…The discoveries made here offer farmers and leaders around the world solutions to growing more, improving yields and reducing pest problems, all while using less land, chemicals and water.” 

UC Davis

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is a famous school located just outside of Sacramento, CA. UC Davis is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest research institutions, especially concerning the field of agriculture. According to their website, “UC Davis is a tier-one research university and highly ranked in the U.S. and the world. Ranked 5th nationally for public universities, UC Davis is the world’s No. 2 in agriculture and forestry and the world’s No. 5 in environmental engineering.” 

• CEA coursework is a part of BA Degree and MA Degree programs from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 

While UC Davis does not have a dedicated CEA degree program, they do offer a good deal of CEA coursework, as well as CEA facilities/research centers. In fact, UC Davis has partnered with some of the leading vertical farming companies in the world to study controlled environment agriculture production in hopes of creating “a more sustainable future.” 

CEA-focused courses at UC Davis include Genetics, Plant Pathology, Biotechnology, Agricultural Systems and the Environment. 

M&F Talent Recruiting Services

At Mac & Fulton Talent Partners, we thoroughly enjoy working with CEA professionals from leading universities. Even more, we realize how much of an asset controlled environment agriculture career training has become in today’s horticulture industry.

Please contact info@mandfconsultants.com to discuss CEA jobs or training in more detail. 

As a career field, controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is quite specialized. Whether you are an engineer who designs indoor cultivation systems or a grower who produces hydroponic crops, you need a broad knowledge base to make it in CEA. Just like CEA professionals, controlled environment agriculture recruiters must have a basic understanding of several technical fields. 

To find success in CEA recruiting, you must have the requisite people skills and critical thinking aptitudes of any recruiter, coupled with a more nuanced, technical appreciation of the industry. Even more, controlled environment agriculture recruiters must have a good understanding of different business models and career paths in hydroponics, horticulture, cannabis, ag-tech, and more.

Whether it be working with client companies or candidates, controlled environment agriculture recruiters have tough jobs to do. As the leading staffing agency in the CEA industry, M&F Talent wanted to walk you through some of the key duties of controlled environment agriculture recruiters. 

Build Relationships with CEA Clients 

Before a recruiter can get to work placing candidates, they must first establish relationships with clients in the CEA space. For M&F Talent, this process involves networking with hydroponic product manufacturers, vertical farming operations, cannabis companies, hemp producers, and many more. To develop relationships with these companies, we attend trade shows and conduct intensive digital marketing. M&F Talent also has a great reputation that leads to word-of-mouth business. 

Get Job Descriptions for Open Positions  

Once a relationship is established, clients reach out to CEA recruiters with job openings in the horticulture or hydroponics space. For M&F Talent, many of these positions are in sales, engineering, management, and operations. Clients also provide job descriptions that layout the hard skills and soft skills of ideal candidates. Examples of hard skills include familiarity with certain computer programs, while soft skills are more personality-based. 

This introductory phase generally involves a few phone calls between recruiters and clients discussing ideal candidates. During this phase, both parties also discuss the best avenues for submitting candidates and setting up interviews. 

Post Jobs & Source Candidates 

This is the phase where CEA recruiters get to work marketing the open position with their network of growers, engineers, executives, and scientists. Not only does this process involve reaching out to familiar horticulture candidates, but it also includes posting the job on relevant job boards and scouring databases for resumes. 

After enough candidate profiles are sourced, the recruiting team will further analyze them for matching hard skills and soft skills. Once they have selected the best profiles, controlled environment agriculture recruiters will then reach out to candidates via phone or email about the specifics of the position.  

When recruiters first make contact with candidates, they explain the business model of the hiring party as well as the details of the job in question. 

Present Candidates to Controlled Environment Agriculture Clients  

At this point in the process, recruiters submit candidate resumes to clients, as well as any other relevant info that might explain their relevance. For example, if M&F Talent is conducting a search for a head grower, our controlled environment agriculture recruiters would highlight a candidate’s experience producing hydroponic leafy greens. 

Once submitted, the clients look at the candidate’s backgrounds to assess their applicability for the position in question. Oftentimes, the client company will opt not to speak to several of the candidates, while also requesting phone calls for others. With controlled environment agriculture jobs, clients often pass on candidates who are missing critical technical skills. 

Organize Phone Screens & Interviews  

Once the client company has made it clear who they would like to speak with, the recruiter works to schedule phone calls and interviews. Because CEA businesses and job searchers can both be extremely busy, organizing the interview process is quite helpful in moving things along quickly. 

The most talented recruiters will send calendar invites to both parties that explain the specifics of phone calls, video meetings, or in-person interviews. These invites include critical information such as phone numbers, Zoom links, and physical addresses.

Conduct Offer Negotiation   

The final step in the recruiting process is offer negotiation. Please note, it takes both skill and patience to help both clients and candidates negotiate salaries in a way that makes sense. After all, there is nothing more difficult than going through weeks and months of interviewing and screening, only to have things fall apart at the last minute. 

Before they put together an offer, the recruiter advises clients on what types of information are of value to the candidate – this info often includes salary, benefits, paid vacation. In a similar fashion, controlled environment agriculture recruiters can help candidates ask for a larger salary as tastefully as possible. 

Contact M&F Talent Today! 

Mac & Fulton Talent Partners is the most established staffing agency in the CEA industry. If you are interested in a CEA career, or you need help finding top talent, please contact info@mandfconsultants.com. 

Despite complications with the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 was a great year for the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry. In fact, controlled environment agriculture jobs were on the rise the entire year.

While COVID-19 certainly presented a complex business environment with global supply chain issues and lockdowns, it also stimulated certain market segments. The horticulture industry benefited from the pandemic due to increased interest in home gardening and local food production. 

As the top recruiting service in controlled environment agriculture, M&F Talent facilitated many key hires in the industry throughout 2021. Even more, by remaining in close touch with our CEA clients, our staffing team has a clear understanding of what types of CEA skill sets will be in demand in 2022. 

The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Job Market

With a growing interest from outside investors in food crop production, as well as continued growth in the cannabis vertical, the controlled environment agriculture jobs in 2022 look promising. 

As we enter 2022, hort-tech companies will likely be in search of candidates with experience in both cannabis and CEA-grown crops – especially for salespeople. Conversely, vertical farming companies will be most interested in those candidates who know the nuances of food crops like leafy greens, as well as the challenges of doing business in the retail grocery vertical. 

CEA Grower

Status: Extremely High Demand 

Average Salary: $75,000 per year 

CEA Growers are some of the most highly sought-after candidates in the market today. As the demand for locally grown produce has spiked with COVID-19 and the farm-to-table movement, the need for talented Growers has begun to outweigh available talent. 

Qualified CEA Growers generally have a BA degree in horticulture or the plant sciences, as well as a good deal of experience cultivating indoors or in a greenhouse. Hiring parties in the CEA space also like to see Growers with a strong understanding of modern cultivation technology and climate control software, as well as the ability to develop and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the garden. 

Research & Development Scientist 

Status: High Demand

Average Salary: $60,000 per year 

Research & Development Scientists are in high demand in a variety of verticals in the CEA space. Whether it be formulating nutrients for hydroponic cultivation, or researching novel CEA cultivation systems for food crops, R&D Scientists have plenty of opportunities in the 2022 job market. 

Common tasks for R&D Scientists in the CEA space include monitoring growth chambers, planning field research, offering support for state and EPA registrations, and overseeing tissue culture labs. Education requirements for R&D Scientists range from a BA degree in the plant sciences up to a Ph.D. in horticulture. Importantly, salaries are often commensurate with experience and education levels. 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialist 

Status: Fair Demand 

Average Salary: $60,000 per year 

As the CEA industry has grown increasingly sophisticated, so have procedures for dealing with pathogens and bugs. Today, the industry has Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Specialists that work exclusively to keep bugs, mold, and mildew under control at CEA operations. For large companies, IPM Specialists oversee strategy and protocol across a variety of operations in different locations. 

IPM Specialists often have a BA degree in agronomy or a similar field. Also, they must have a well-rounded knowledge of pest control, including environmental and biological methods, as well as pesticides. Many states like Colorado require IPM Specialists have a pesticide application certification. IPM Specialists must also be able to create IPM strategies that are scalable across several operations. 

Project Engineer  

Status: High Demand 

Average Salary: $80,000 per year 

Project Engineers have very interesting jobs in the CEA industry. From conception to construction, they help design the very facilities where CEA growing takes place. Beyond designing important elements like horticultural lighting, HVAC, and irrigation systems, Project Engineers must also account for areas for harvesting and packaging crops. 

Depending on the role in question, Project Engineers are hired by actual CEA producers, or 3rd party design and build firms. To illustrate, a large vertical farming company like Plenty employs a number of Project Engineers themselves – these people oversee the design of new facilities and remodels. Conversely, 3rd party greenhouse design companies don’t grow crops themselves, but design and build structures for CEA producers. 

Retail Channel Sales Specialist 

Status: Fair Demand

Average Salary: $50,000 per year 

In the CEA industry, Retail Channel Sales Specialists work to develop relationships with grocery stores and other retail partners. Retail Channel Sales Specialists must understand the product offerings of CEA producers and be able to explain why they would be appealing to customers in prospective markets. Oftentimes, these jobs require the oversight of a large sales territory such as the Midwest or Northeast. 

Retail Channel Sales Specialists often have a BA degree in business or similar. Common duties include establishing and maintaining customer relationships, identifying and resolving customer concerns, meeting established sales objectives, prospecting for new business, preparing presentations and proposals, and representing the company at industry trade shows. 

Contact M&F Talent About CEA Jobs Today! 

As industry authorities on controlled environment agriculture jobs, the recruiters at M&F Talent take great pride in keeping up to speed on the latest hiring developments. Not only do we work with some of the leading candidates in the field, but we also have personal relationships with top CEA companies. 

Please contact info@mandfconsultants.com with questions about controlled environment agriculture jobs! 

With the rise of legal cannabis and the expansion of the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry, the hort-tech businesses model has changed dramatically. When cannabis was still illegal and indoor gardening just a fringe hobby, hydroponic equipment companies primarily made products for home growers. Yet, today things look quite different.

As of late 2021, the legal cannabis and hemp business have become multi-billion dollar industries. In fact, studies show that the “U.S. cannabis industry is worth $61 billion” in 2021. 

For its part, the much smaller, yet important vertical farming industry was valued at $3.24 billion in 2020.” Nonetheless, research shows that it will likely grow to over $24 billion within the next decade. 

With a rapid shift in how the indoor gardening industry operates, new jobs such as direct-to-grower sales and grower support are popping up. 

The Direct-to-Grower Sales Model 

Due to such rapid growth in commercial production with both cannabis and food crops, horticultural equipment manufacturers have begun selling their supplies direct-to-growers. In doing so, they have cut out the traditional retail hydro garden shop model. As direct-to-grower sales jobs continue to get more popular, sales teams refine these processes for efficiency and effectiveness.

Generally speaking, direct-to-grower salespeople manage a territory such as the Midwestern U.S. In doing so, they conduct complex sales processes where value propositions are largely related to how a specific piece of technology can help a CEA grower produce larger yields. Whether it be with cannabis cultivators or vertical farms, these sales processes involve a partnership between producers and equipment manufacturers. 

Whether it be $1 million worth of grow lights or a commercial fertigation system, equipment manufacturers go to great lengths to incentivize their clients. Part of this process is including grower support people for installing, onboarding, and using specific types of cultivation technology. 

Sales Support Jobs in Hydroponics and Horticulture

Grower support people work with both sales support and customer service. 

Looking at direct-to-grower sales processes, salespeople incentivize customers with in-house horticulturists, engineers, and scientists as part of the whole package of equipment they are selling. 

To illustrate, a horticultural lighting manufacturer would offer guidance on lighting design for their customer’s specific warehouse or greenhouse. After the design is put together, grower support people will guide the client on installing the lights, as well as operating them and servicing them in the future.

Grower support duties go far beyond the average tech support you might expect on something like a computer or new software. In fact, grower support people that work for companies like fertigation manufacturers give actual hands-on guidance for using the equipment to maximize production. As such, they actually work with clients to help them achieve production goals that translate directly into financial performance. 

Grower support jobs are a relatively new phenomenon in the horticulture and hydroponics industries. Yet, they offer an intriguing new career path for plant scientists, horticulturists, CEA specialists, and technical salespeople. 

Required Technical Skills for Grower Support Jobs 

To be successful in a grower support job, you must be proficient in the plant sciences, as well as be familiar with CEA technology. Oftentimes, grower support people have degrees in fields such as botany, horticulture, and agronomy.

Common technical skills needed by grower support professionals include:

• Indoor garden design
• Basic engineering
• Greenhouse design
• PAR lighting knowledge
• Irrigation systems
• Organic chemistry 
• Airflow principles

Beyond technical skills, grower support jobs also require customer service experience. If you are interested in pursuing this career path, you should be comfortable giving customers detailed directions in-person as well as over the phone. 

What Types of Companies Hire for Grower Support Jobs?   

Most horticultural equipment and garden supply companies doing direct-to-grower sales have some sort of grower support teams. Common businesses who would hire grower support professionals include: 

• Atmospheric controllers
• Horticultural lighting
• Greenhouse engineers
• HVAC systems
• Cultivation substrates
• Greenhouse design & build
• Fertigation systems
• Commercial water filtration & treatment 
• Hydroponic nutrients 

If a cultivation technology company only manufacturers equipment for home-based growers, it’s likely they won’t need a grower support team. 

Conclusion 

As leading recruiters in the hydroponics space, Mac and Fulton Talent Partners has seen first-hand the evolutions of the industry. To this end, we regularly work with leading hydroponic equipment manufacturers on difficult-to-fill sales jobs.

As the horticulture and cannabis industries evolve, it’s likely we will see a continued shift towards the direct-to-grower sales model and away from retail sales. That being said, if you have a strong background in horticulture or CEA technology, the recruiting team at M&F Talent would love to work with you. 

Talk to M&F Talent About Grower Support Jobs 

At Mac and Fulton Talent Partners, we take great pride in being experts in the horticultural technology space. We have a dedicated team of recruiters that work in this challenging, yet exciting vertical. 

Please contact info@mandfconsultants.com to learn more.

Technological Trends for Controlled Environment Agriculture

The controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry is only possible with the equipment that powers greenhouses, indoor gardens, and vertical farms. As top recruiters in the CEA space, M&F Talent takes great pride in staying up to speed on the latest technological trends in the industry. 

CEA horticulture is predicated on creating artificial environments where plants thrive. Whether it be a fertigation system or atmospheric controller, these artificial environments come to life by carefully orchestrating different pieces of CEA technology. 

CEA Thought Leadership: Equipment for Vertical Farms

To provide our clients with the best possible service, the recruiters at M&F Talent understand the key pieces of equipment for vertical farms. Moreover, we enjoy sharing our knowledge of the CEA space as thought leaders in this field.  

Equipment for vertical farms has come a long way in the past couple of decades. Whether you are growing food crops or cannabis, your choices of cultivation equipment are critical to the success of your vertical farming operation. 

For indoor growers, cultivation technology not only affects the overhead of your operation but also influences operating costs  – especially concerning electricity. More importantly, in choosing the correct vertical farming technology, you will create the optimal environment for plant growth. When it comes time to harvest, careful choices during the planning and acquisition phase will have a positive impact on your bottom line. 

Horticultural Lighting 

No matter what type of crops you are producing at your vertical farm, LED lights are the best choice for this type of indoor gardening. 

When compared to other popular grow lights such as HPS lights, LEDs do not produce very much heat when operated. Therefore, LED lights are the perfect match for the tight confines of stacked shelving in vertical farms. Please note, it would be impossible to run a vertical farm with HPS or MH lights. They would produce far too much heat for such a tight space. 

While LED lights are expensive to purchase, they use far less electricity than other popular grow lights. Even more, they run for an extremely long time and don’t need to be replaced often. As such, LED lights quickly pay themselves off when used on a commercial scale. 

Notable example: Fluence Bioengineering SPYDR 2 Series 

Environmental Controls  

When growing plants indoors, your primary goal is to mimic the outdoor conditions where your target crop thrives. The achieve the ideal environmental equilibrium, vertical farms utilize a variety of environmental control technologies. These different pieces of equipment work in unison to regulate heat, humidity, and CO2 levels within a vertical farm.

Common types of environmental controls include:

• HVAC systems 
• Environmental controllers (brains) 
• Carbon filters
• Inline fans
• Sensors 
• Garden management software 
• Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers 

Your choice of environmental control technology will change with the size and scope of your operation. Even more, you must account for the demands of the region within which you are setting up your vertical farm. 

Notable example: Link4 iPonic Commercial Controller 

Irrigation Systems 

Beyond lighting and environmental considerations, how you are going to water and feed your plants is the next critical thing to figure out for your vertical farm. Modern irrigation systems are set up to work with both recirculating and drain-to-waste hydroponic setups. Similarly, vertical farms often integrate fertigation systems with container gardens.

According to the Growspan website, “Fertigation is simply the practice of applying fertilizer via an irrigation system. Utilizing a system allows growers to reduce labor, and the dissolved nutrients that are distributed throughout the system are easily directed at and absorbed by the crops, so there is less waste. By integrating fertigation into an operation, growers can improve their yields and boost their profits.” Importantly, fertigation gives you precision control of watering, while also greatly reducing labor costs with automation. 

Notable example: Dosatron Technology 

Vertical Grow Racks  

Vertical grow racks provide the infrastructure for vertical farming operations. With vertical grow racks, you can grow rows of crops stacked on top of one another. Due to these ingenious setups, vertical farming operations are the most spatially efficient type of agriculture in the world!

Vertical grow racks are often built on wheels or rollers so they can be moved. With movable racks, rows of crops can be positioned so workers can closely inspect plants. Doing so gives you the ability to carefully comb over your crops for pathogens, bugs, diseases, and deficiencies. 

The best vertical grow racks are designed specifically for vertical farming and can handle the pressures of an indoor garden without rusting or deteriorating. 

Notable example: Pipp Horticulture Mobile Storage Systems 

Talk to M&F Talent Today!  

Looking at the CEA job market, it’s obvious that new equipment for vertical farms directly impacts recruiting and hiring practices. At the top technical recruiters in the CEA industry, M&F Talent has a long list of clients in the agriculture technology space. We also have a talent pool of leading CEA candidates in leadership, sales, and engineering positions. 

Contact us to learn more! 

Over the past decade, perhaps no element of the hort-tech space has seen the sort of advancements and upheavals as horticultural lighting. Whether it be vertical farming or cannabis cultivation, new grow light technology has changed the way we do business. Even more, this vertical has given rise to a number of new horticultural lighting jobs. 

As the leading recruiting service in the hydroponics industry, Mac & Fulton Talent Partners has worked with a number of notable grow light manufacturers. Over the years, we have filled many horticultural lighting jobs, including engineers, salespeople, managers, and directors. 

With things changing so rapidly in the horticultural lighting space, it can be tough to understand job opportunities in this vertical. As such, M&F Talent wanted to walk you through some popular horticultural lighting jobs so you can get a better grasp of this career field. 

Why is Horticultural Lighting an Important Career Feild? 

Horticultural lighting is an important career field due largely to how much the technology has advanced indoor gardening. For both cannabis and food crops, grow lights are one of the most important elements of indoor growing.

Certain elements of the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry would not be possible without advancements in lighting technology. For example, vertical farms could not grow crops on shelves in tight quarters without LED lights. Other grow lights, such as high-pressure sodiums (HPS), are simply too hot to operate within the tight confines of vertical farms. 

Horticultural lighting helps make food production possible in cityscapes and other “food deserts.” Therefore, if you work in the grow light industry, you can take pride in the fact your business is helping curb the global food crisis. 

Sales Jobs 

Horticultural lighting jobs in sales require very specific personalities and skill-sets. Not only must these salespeople understand the nuances of indoor gardening, but they must also be able to explain the technical attributes of grow lights. This requires a mix of scientific knowledge and sales acumen. 

To find success as a horticultural lighting salesperson, you must be comfortable with the process of enterprise sales. Oftentimes, you will be conducting direct-to-grower sales with large accounts that often come to resemble long-term partnerships. Because, lighting manufacturers offer training and support on products long after they are installed. 

Engineering Jobs

Horticultural lighting companies are always on the search for talented engineers. To this end, designing and manufacturing grow lights is a highly technical process that marries plant science with electrical engineering. After grow lights are designed, engineers often have to work with management to help locate the appropriate parts. This requires knowledge of overseas parts procurement and budgeting. 

On the design side of things, engineers develop lights that emit the right wavelengths for plant growth. Interestingly, engineers must ensure that grow lights emit strong enough wavelengths to mimic sunlight – while also not putting off too much heat. Needless to say, this is not an easy process. Horticultural lighting engineers often have backgrounds in traditional lighting and sometimes with controlled environment agriculture. 

Marketing Jobs 

Marketing professionals in horticultural lighting have a very unique job to do. Not only must they develop an attractive lighting brand, but they must also help educate customers on the technical attributes of grow lights. Especially in direct-to-grower/commercial sales scenarios, marketing efforts often focus on informative content that appeals to an educated audience. 

Content marketing is a huge part of getting exposure for horticultural lighting brands today. Oftentimes, this content marketing involves case studies / white papers where indoor growers report on positive experiences with a certain line of grow lights. These studies often feature detailed metrics including harvest totals, electricity costs, labor expenses, and more. To illustrate, Fluence Bioengineering has realized amazing success in the horticulture and cannabis industries through content marketing. 

Horticultural lighting marketing careers are appealing for more technically-minded marketers.

Director-Level Jobs 

As seen in any line of work, good leadership is critical for success in the field of horticultural lighting. Many grow light companies are spearheaded by executives who have worked with other highly technical products in the past. To this end, there are a lot of similarities between a grow light manufacturer and a company that sells other forms of capital equipment, such as packaging machines. 

Even more, as the horticultural lighting space changes so quickly, the most successful executives are comfortable with the volatility of a startup environment. These individuals are not only able to “give form to chaos,” but they have the ability to get their entire team behind them through the tough times. 

Contact Us About Horticultural Lighting Jobs 

At M&F Talent, we always enjoy working with horticultural lighting companies. In like fashion, we have established an extensive network of talented candidates in the hort-tech / hydroponics industry. 

If you would like to learn more about our recruiting services, please contact info@mandfconsultants.com.