Texas A&M AgriLife seeks input on CEA

Developments within Texas A&M AgriLife’s urban agriculture efforts could pave the way for expanded research opportunities and progress in the field of controlled environment agriculture production.

Texas A&M AgriLife Research recently received a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant that could guide federal investment in controlled environment agriculture production in Texas and the U.S.

The urban agriculture advisory committee funded through the grant will hold its first meeting Dec. 5 to coincide with the fourth annual Urban Agriculture: Controlled Environment Conference at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas on Dec. 6.

Texas A&M AgriLife scientists at the Dallas center involved in the grant and conference are Azlan Zahid, Ph.D., AgriLife Research assistant professor of controlled environment agriculture engineering in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering; and Joe Masabni, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist; Genhua Niu, Ph.D., AgriLife Research professor of urban agriculture; and Daniel Leskovar, Ph.D., interim director of the center at Dallas and a professor of vegetable physiology and plant sciences, all in Department of Horticultural Sciences.

Grant to identify controlled environment agriculture priorities

Zahid said the $50,000 grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is a planning grant designed to identify research priorities within controlled environment farming.

The advisory committee meeting and conference will help with planning and priority identification.

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Courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Sam Craft

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