Accelerating Workforce Development for the Controlled Environment Agriculture Industry
CEA Works is an educational program developed with GLASE, Cornell University, SUNY Broome, Ohio State University, and Agritecture. Our program will launch in May to provide the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industry with knowledge and skills to support the rapidly growing greenhouse and indoor farming workforce.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), CEA Works will create short-term technical certifications in advanced CEA production and business management to meet industry needs. As CEA Works develops certification programs for Head Growers, Assistant Growers, and CEA Farm Business Managers, we are excited to launch our first four courses in spring 2025, which include Overview of Crop Production in CEA, Plant Physiology of CEA Crops, Root Zone Management, and CEA Business Planning 101.
Learn at your own pace with our online and on-demand CEA Works curriculum. Courses include instructional videos and knowledge checks along the way. There are no prerequisites, anyone can sign up to access the program in May 2025!
Course Content
Overview of Crop Production in CEA
Instructor:
- Dr. Neil Mattson, Associate Professor at Cornell University and GLASE Principle Investigator
Plant Physiology of CEA Crops
Unlock the science behind high-yield farming with our Plant Physiology of CEA Crops course! Dive deep into how environmental factors like light, temperature, humidity, and gas exchange influence plant growth, productivity, and quality. Gain practical insights into managing water stress, optimizing source-sink relationships, and preventing physiological disorders. Perfect for professionals aiming to master the art and science of controlled environment agriculture!
Instructor:
- Dr. Chieri Kubota, Professor at The Ohio State University
Root Zone Management
Unlock the secrets to healthy crop production with our Root Zone Management course! Designed for early to mid-career professionals in the CEA industry, this course provides an introduction to managing the critical components of a root zone environment. Gain the expertise to optimize plant health and productivity with content that includes plant nutrition, growing media/substrates, moisture management, and more.
Instructor:
- Dr. Uttara Samarakoon, Associate Professor at The Ohio State University
CEA Business Planning 101
Instructors:
- Yara Nagi, Operations Director at Agritecture
- Jeffrey Landau, Director of Business Development at Agritecture
