Mark Your Calendar
In the coming weeks, GPN will be offering several different free webinars to help educate you and your staff.
In addition to our previously announced series of webinars during Cannabis & Hemp Week (Sept. 22-24), we also will be presenting webinars on pest management as well as controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
On Sept. 10, industry consultant Roger Styer will discuss “How to Control Your Worst Ornamental Insect Problems.” During the one-hour webinar, Roger will review how to scout and monitor pesky pests within crops and how to develop effective chemical and biological control programs to keep these pests from devastating your ornamental crops. The webinar will take place at 2 p.m. EDT.
In October, Cornell University’s Neil Mattson will present a one-hour webinar on “Managing Temperature, Humidity and Light for Greenhouse Vegetables.” This webinar will cover common control strategies for heating, cooling, dehumidifying and lighting and the pros and cons of simple thermostat control to integrated control systems. Neil will provide tips to reduce environmental variability within the greenhouse to improve crop performance and reduce disease pressure. This webinar is scheduled for Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. EDT.
For more information or to register to participate, please visit gpnmag.com/edwebinar/
Home Depot Donates 500,000 Kid Workshop Kits to Nonprofits
While its in-store Kids Workshop classes are paused due to the pandemic, the Home Depot has donated more than 500,000 Kids Workshop kits to more than 100 nonprofit organizations and schools across the country. The company will continue to donate kits until workshops resume in person. In addition to the donation to nonprofit organizations, Kids Workshop kits are available for free in-store pickup on the first Saturday of each month. Some traditional Kids Workshop project kits, are available for purchase on www.homedepot.com.
Walmart Extends Shopping Hours
Earlier this week, Walmart stores started staying open 90 minutes longer each day for the first time since March 15. According to news reports, the mass merchandiser expanded its hours at more than 4,000 of the chain’s 4,700 stores and are now closing at 10 p.m. Walmart will continue to evaluate it remaining stores to determine when to expand their operating hours. The retailer continues to offer special early morning shopping hours for seniors and other vulnerable customers.
Albertson’s to Sell Vertically Farmed Produce
Albertsons Companies and vertical-farming company Plenty Unlimited Inc. have announced plans to provide shoppers in more than 430 stores in California with Plenty’s fresh and flavorful produce. Plenty’s sustainable indoor vertical farm leverages data analytics, machine learning and customized lighting to maximize taste, while a combination of wind and solar provides 100% of the farm’s energy. The current Plenty farm can grow 1 million plants at a time and process 200 plants per minute, and is designed to use less than 1% of land and 5% of water compared to its traditional farming.
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