Sep 5, 2018

Proposed Horticultural Lighting Standards Webinar Set for Tomorrow By Tim Hodson

There have been a lot of technological developments in greenhouse lighting in recent years providing growers with many different options for producing their crops.

To help growers understand the different technologies and lighting options, researchers are now proposing a standardized product label that facilitates the comparison of lamps across manufacturers.

On Sept. 7, the Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) consortium will present a webinar on this newly proposed standardized horticultural lighting label. The webinar will take place at 2:00 pm EDT.

The GLASE consortium is led by Cornell University’s Controlled Environment Agriculture group and the Center for Lighting Enabled Systems and Applications (LESA) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), along with Rutgers University and is supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

During the webinar, A.J. Both from Rutgers University and Ryan Siddon from Intertek will talk about the importance of horticultural lighting standards, the proposed horticultural lighting label and the unique requirements for horticultural luminaires.

Click here to learn more about the webinar or to register to participate.

— Tim

Lowe’s to Close Orchard Supply Stores

Lowe’s has announced it will close all 99 of its Orchard Supply Hardware stores, located in California, Oregon and Florida, as well as the distribution facility that services those stores by the end of fiscal 2018. The company will conduct store closing sales and has partnered with Hilco Merchant Services to help manage the shutdown. “While it was a necessary business decision to exit Orchard Supply Hardware, decisions that impact our people are never easy. We will be providing outplacement services for impacted associates, and they will be given priority status if they choose to apply for other Lowe’s positions,” said Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison.

Walmart’s Veterans Program Nears Hiring Goal

Since launching its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in 2013, Walmart has hired more than 206,000 veterans and promoted more than 30,000 to roles with higher pay and greater responsibility. The commitment guarantees a job offer to any eligible, honorably discharged U.S. veteran who has separated from service since the commitment was announced five years ago. Walmart is now more than 80 percent of the way to reaching its goal to hire 250,000 veterans by 2020. The company’s military programs not only focus on transitioning veterans, but also those currently serving and military spouses.

Blain’s Farm & Fleet Expands in Michigan

Blain’s Farm & Fleet has announced plans to open its fourth store in Michigan in Holland Township. The Holland location will bring the total number of Blain’s stores to 42. Slated to open in the fall of 2019, the Holland store will be the latest in Blain’s expansion into Michigan, which includes locations in Jackson and Portage, opening this fall, and Traverse City, to open in Spring 2019. The company plans to construct a 106,000-square foot store with a state-of-the-art automotive service center and a full drive-thru area, which will allow customers to make purchases without even leaving their vehicle. The store will employ more than 100 people.