LAS VEGAS, NV - With its latest launch, Cornell University’s Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium is actively celebrating and fostering diversity in the CEA industry. Through its inaugural Vivid Canopy network, which will kick off at Indoor Ag-Con with a session on March 11 from 3–5 p.m. PST, the organization will host an interactive panel led by Women in CEA (WiCEA).

“Leaders of CEA companies have an opportunity to be transparent about the demographics of their workforce to attract more candidates and foster diversity in the industry,” shares Gretchen Schimelpfenig, Executive Director of GLASE, explaining how diversity and inclusion are strategies to adapt to the changing workforce.

One of the biggest challenges in the controlled environment agriculture industry is labor, a press release stated. According to the 2022 Greenhouse and Nursery Labor and Employment Survey by AmericanHort, employers are experiencing a shortage of about 20 percent in their workforce.

GLASE believes that producers must change hiring practices to find and retain experienced staff to operate an efficient greenhouse or indoor farm. While today’s workforce is more diverse than ever before, professionals in the green industry have few ways to connect with individuals with similar lived experiences.

The panel, which will discuss diversity in the CEA sector, will feature leaders from Vertical Harvest Farms, Dr. Greenhouse, and Skout Strategy. Participants will engage with panelists and other attendees at roundtable discussions led by Eden Green Technology and Re-Nuble.

"We're excited to partner with GLASE to co-host 'Vivid Canopy,'" says Suzanne Pruitt, Event Director, Indoor Ag-Con. "At Indoor Ag-Con, our core mission is to create a hub that fosters connections for all members of the controlled environment agriculture sector. Vivid Canopy embodies this mission by promoting diversity, inclusivity, and providing a platform for meaningful networking and job-sharing opportunities. Join us for a gathering where ideas will flow, new contacts will be forged, and the CEA community grows together.”

GLASE plans to host more Vivid Canopy networking events at green industry conferences in the future.

To read more about the leaders at this event, click here.

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